WHAT TO EXPECT SERIES:

“I HAVEN’T BEEN TO THE DENTIST IN YEARS.”

We get it, life happens. A pandemic, home schooling, juggling working from home while the dogs bark as you give a Zoom presentation to your colleagues…sound familiar? Making yourself a priority is tough but a global pandemic makes it nearly impossible.

Has it been awhile since you last visited the dentist? We meet so many people just like you every day! More often than not, these individuals want to get their dental health back on track, but feel afraid, anxious, or ashamed of how much time they’ve let go by. Time truly does fly… This can easily overpower your desire to take control of your health, leading to even more years passing by without proper dental hygiene and care.

We’ve found that knowing what to expect during this first visit back can help alleviate some of the worries you may have. It can also provide the extra courage to pick up the phone and make an appointment. At Advanced Park Dental and MJDental, we guarantee to provide you with kind, gentle, and judgement-free care. Keep reading to learn exactly what you can expect at our office when it’s your first dentist appointment in a very long time.

Allow about an hour for your appointment

Your entire appointment will be focused on getting to know you, your mouth, and your dental health needs and goals. We will also make sure that you get to know us! We don’t want to rush through this process and make you feel like we need to move on to the next patient; You and your health are our sole focus during your visit!

When you first walk through our doors, you’ll be greeted by our amazing team as if you were one of the family. If you are new to our practice, our front desk team will confirm your information and preform a CDC screening to ensure your safety and ours. If you are a previous patient, we will confirm that none of your information has changed. If this is your first time to our office, we’ll walk you through our new patient forms.

Some information that you will need to complete these forms include:

• Dental insurance (if applicable)

• Health history (such as any known allergies, medications you’re taking, and health concerns)

• Your contact details and emergency contact information

It’s time to take high-tech dental x-rays

Once your paperwork is taken care of, we will walk you back to take a digital x-ray of your mouth. These x-rays help give us a “behind-the-sceens” look to reveal tooth decay, jaw/bone issues, and other dental and health concerns.

Though some people may find this process a little awkward, it’s quite fast and not at all painful. We will even be right there with you. We’ll do all we can to make sure you feel at ease throughout. It’s as simple as 1,2,3 … say cheese!

Here’s how it works:

• You’ll sit upright in a chair — feel free to scoot back and get comfortable! — we will probably already have your favorite Netflix show up and running!

• Your dental technician will place a lead apron over your chest — while this apron feels a little heavy, we find many people find it comforting!

• We will gently place an x-ray sensor in your mouth and the technician will walk you through how to bite down and hold it properly. Your comfort is our number one priority so we promise to take our time to make sure it’s not causing you any discomfort.

• Once the sensor is in place, the technician will turn on the machine and take the x-ray image — this will only take us a few seconds!

• The technician will review the images as they are taken and we’ll move the senor a few times in your mouth to make sure we get a good look at your entire mouth. It’s a fast process and when we review the x-rays with you later, you’ll get a really interesting look at what’s going on under the surface of your mouth from the tv directly in front of you. No secrets here – we want you to be involved in this process!

We’ll conduct a comprehensive mouth examination

Now that your x-rays are done, we’ll get you set up for your examination.

Kick up your feet and enjoy our modern, Scandinavian spa-like patient room.

Dr. Jivan will come in and you’ll spend a few minutes talking about what brought you into our office before taking a peek in your mouth. If you are a new patient, you’ll immediately see what our hundreds of five- star Google reviews are all about – Dr. Jivan is patient, caring, inviting, and above all, genuine!

Our exams involve taking a comprehensive look at your teeth, gums, and jaw structure while discussing your x-ray findings. Dr. Jivan will review your bite and evaluate your risk of gum disease and tooth decay. We’ll also do an oral cancer screening by checking your tongue and gums – this is a quick and easy process that provides limitless peace of mind.

Dr. Jivan will then use a few dental instruments to gently check your gums and the health of your teeth. You may hear your dentist discussing his findings as your dental hygienist or dental assistant take notes, and we’ll explain everything to you along the way as well.

You’ll have many opportunity to ask questions

We have a 100% transparency protocol – Our goal is to make sure you feel comfortable and understand everything that’s going on during your appointment. You will be welcomed to interrupt and ask questions and express concerns to Dr. Jivan. Then, Dr. Jivan will thoroughly discuss your treatment options.

Some questions we often hear include:

• How can I prevent cavities and gum disease?

• Can you demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques?

• Should I be using an electric toothbrush?

• How is my dental health related to headaches or poor sleep?

• What cosmetic treatments will improve the appearance of my smile?

• What are my options for replacing missing teeth?

• Can you replace my old silver filings with white ones?

• What are the differences between crowns, bridges, implants, and veneers?

• I’m experiencing [dental problem/pain] — what does that mean?

We’ll outline our dental cleaning recommendation & care plan

For new patients, we typically schedule exams and cleanings as two separate visits. (We can even make sure to structure as back-to-back appointments to make it as convent as possible.) This allows us to conduct a thorough review of your oral health and goals before determining the type of cleaning to best fit your needs.

So after your exam, Dr. Jivan will provide the recommended path forward. He will outline what type of cleaning we suggest and why. Plus, he will discuss any other follow up appointments and treatments that may be necessary based on what was noticed during your exam.

This may include:

• Fillings for cavities
• Crowns or root canals
• Dental implants
• Custom-made mouthguard • Gum disease treatments
• Cosmetic treatments

The time has come – let’s clean you up!

Once you are ready for your cleaning, you can expect the process to be focused on your needs and comfort. We’ll take our time to ensure you are relaxed. Since it’s been awhile since your last cleaning, you may be a little anxious. Dr. Jivan will offer several safe and non-invasive options to help calm your nerves. Dr. Jivan will remind you that your gums may bleed — this is normal and not painful.

With your new proper brushing and flossing regimen in effect, your next cleaning should have less bleeding. After your visit, you may also notice your gums feel a little tender for a couple hours. Most patients find a simple over-the-counter pain medication like Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen is enough to calm any discomfort.

You’ll end your appointment by talking with our patient coordinator

Before you leave, our patient coordinator and front desk team will work with you to schedule your next cleaning and any follow up appointments. We’ll also cover the cost of these treatments and financing options. We know investing in your health can be a financial sacrifice so we like to be transparent and work with you and your situation as much as possible. For those without insurance, we will discuss our in-house “Dental Savings Plan” options. We want to make dental health and treatment accessible to all who seek it!

You’ll leave our office feeling good about the the care you received and confident in the future of your dental health!

HALLOWEEN CANDY: YOUR FAMILY DENTAL SURVIVAL GUIDE

With Halloween comes ghosts, goblins and long-awaited TREATS! – And we all know, sugar in these treats can do some damage to the teeth of the little ones and even yours!

And how does the damage happen? When sugar or other food scraps come into contact with the bacteria in our mouth, an acid is produced that is responsible for cavities.

But as a Dad, I am definitely not suggesting that we forget the fun of trick-or-treating. We can absolutely enjoy the fun of Halloween and the treats without any problem…The important thing is to always brush your teeth twice a day and clean between your teeth with floss!

Did you know that chocolate is one of the top choices for trick-or-treating night, which is a good thing because it’s also one of the most popular treats given out on Halloween. Chocolate tends to keep your teeth cleaner than other types of candy, especially dark chocolate, which has less sugar than milk chocolate.

When it comes to sticky gums or gummy type candy, these can be the worst for your teeth. They are difficult to remove and stay on the teeth longer, leading to cavities.

Harder candies are to be avoided as they can break or damage your teeth. Sour-tasting ones are normally very acidic and can weaken and damage your tooth enamel, making them more vulnerable to cavities.

If you are going to attack popcorn, remember to have dental floss on hand to prevent it from getting stuck in your teeth, it is also sticky, sugary, and can be hard.

Remember, Halloween is only once a year, so enjoy it! And today is officially November 1st, which is National Toothbrush Day!

Throughout the year, be sure to:
Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
Clean between your teeth daily
Eat a healthy diet that limits sugary drinks and snacks
Come see us for your bi-annual cleanings!