Dental Education Center

Welcome to our Dental Education Center at Lane & Associates.

Here, our doctors and staff have answered some of your most popular questions and given specific definitions to regularly used dental terms in the office! Find out more about each question by clicking on the section header. There you can listen to and read the responses provided by our very own dentists at Lane & Associates.

Cavities

  1. What is a cavity?
  2. How do I know if I have a cavity?
  3. Why do I keep getting cavities?
  4. How can I prevent cavities?
  5. Can a cavity go away on its own?
  6. What happens if a cavity is left untreated?
  7. What foods should I avoid to prevent cavities?
  8. Can I drink diet soda to avoid cavities?

Chipped Tooth

  1. What can cause a chipped tooth?
  2. What should you do if you chip a tooth?
  3. How do you fix a chipped tooth?
  4. How long does it take to fix a chipped tooth?
  5. How much does it cost to fix a chipped tooth?
  6. Does a chipped tooth hurt?
  7. Can grinding your teeth cause a chipped tooth?
  8. Does insurance cover fixing a chipped tooth?
  9. Should I have a chip in a baby tooth fixed?
  10. Can you fix a chipped front tooth?
  11. Do mouthguards prevent teeth from chipping?
  12. Can chewing on ice caused chipped teeth?

Cosmetic Bonding

  1. What is cosmetic bonding?
  2. What is the difference between cosmetic bonding and veneers?
  3. Can the dentist fix the gap in my teeth?

Cosmetic Dentistry

  1. What is cosmetic dentistry?
  2. What is the difference between a cosmetic dentist and general dentist?
  3. What training do you need to be a cosmetic dentist?
  4. What are the different types of cosmetic dentistry?
  5. When should I go to a cosmetic dentist?
  6. Does insurance cover cosmetic dentistry?
  7. Professional teeth whitening vs. teeth whitening kits
  8. Can the dentist reshape my teeth?

Dental Crowns

  1. What are dental crowns?
  2. What are dental crowns made of?
  3. Are gold dental crowns made of real gold?
  4. History of dental crowns vs. porcelain veneers
  5. What is a CEREC crown?
  6. What are the pros and cons of a CEREC crown?
  7. Can you do a root canal on a crown tooth or a CEREC crown tooth?

Dental Bridges

  1. What is a dental bridge?
  2. What are the types of dental bridges?
  3. Dental bridges vs. Dental implants
  4. How long do dental bridges last?
  5. What causes dental bridges to fall out?
  6. Why do I need an implant for a dental bridge?

Dental Exams

  1. What happens during a Dental Exam?
  2. How often should I go to the dentist?
  3. Do I need to have my teeth cleaned every time I go to the dentist?
  4. Can the dentist fix a cavity during a dental exam?

Dental Fillings

  1. What is a dental filling?
  2. How long do dental fillings last?
  3. What are dental fillings made of?
  4. Does it hurt to get a filling?
  5. Can I get a filling on a crowned tooth?
  6. Can I update my metal filling to a tooth-colored filling?
  7. Can sugary drinks hurt dental fillings?
  8. How do dental fillings attach to your teeth?
  9. Pros and Cons of updating a metal filling to a tooth-colored filling
  10. Why do metal dental fillings still exist?
  11. Will my dentist tell me if I need a filling replaced during my dental exam?

Dental Implants

  1. How does the dental implant process work?
  2. Why would I need a dental implant?
  3. What is a dental implant made of?

Dental X-Rays

  1. Are dental x-rays different from normal x-rays?
  2. What are ‘bite-wing’ x-rays?
  3. Are dental x-rays safe?
  4. How often should I get dental x-rays? Do I have to get x-rays when I go to the dentist?
  5. Do I have to get new dental x-rays when I change to a new dentist?
  6. Do kids need dental x-rays more often than adults?
  7. Do dental x-rays cost extra? Does insurance cover dental x-rays?

Dentures

  1. What are dentures? What are they made of?
  2. How are dentures made?
  3. How long do you have to wait to get dentures after your teeth are pulled?
  4. Dentures with dental implants

Endodontists

  1. What does an endodontist do?
  2. What is the difference between an endodontist and a general dentist?
  3. What is the difference between an endodontist and a periodontist?
  4. What procedures does an endodontist perform?

Emergency Dental

  1. What counts as emergency dental treatment?
  2. How do I know if I need emergency dental treatment?

Flossing

  1. Why do my gums bleed when I floss?
  2. Floss picks versus traditional floss, is one better?
  3. Are Waterpiks better or worse than traditional floss?
  4. Why do I keep getting food stuck in my teeth?
  5. If I don’t floss the week before or a few days before my dental appointment, will my dentist know?

Gums

  1. What are your gums made of?
  2. How hard should my toothbrush bristles be if I have sensitive gums?
  3. Can you fix receding gums?

Gum Disease

  1. What is gum disease?
  2. What causes gum disease?
  3. How can you tell if you have gum disease?
  4. Can gum disease be treated?
  5. Can gum disease make your teeth loose?
  6. Can gum disease cause bad breath?
  7. What is the best toothpaste for gum disease?
  8. What is the best mouthwash for gum disease?

Pediatric Dentistry

  1. What age should kids start going to the dentist?
  2. How often should kids go to the dentist?
  3. What is the difference between dentistry for kids vs. adults?
  4. When should kids switch from a pediatric dentist to a regular dentist?
  5. How do you help kids who are afraid of the dentist?
  6. What does a pediatric dentist do?
  7. What is the Lane and Associates child’s first dental visit program?
  8. Tips for parents about how to talk about the dentist with their kids
  9. How early should kids start flossing their teeth?
  10. How can parents get their kids to brush and floss?

Periodontist

  1. What does a periodontist do?
  2. When do I need to see a periodontist?
  3. What is the main difference between a periodontist and my normal dentist?
  4. What is the difference between a periodontist and an endodontist?

Root Canal

  1. What is a root canal?
  2. Can I get a root canal on a crowned tooth?
  3. How long does a root canal take?
  4. How do I know if I need a root canal?
  5. Does insurance usually cover a root canal?
  6. What can I expect after a root canal?
  7. Does a root canal hurt?
  8. Do they put you to sleep for a root canal?

Sleep Apnea

  1. What is sleep apnea?
  2. What causes sleep apnea?
  3. How do I know if I have sleep apnea?
  4. What does a CPAP machine do? Are there alternatives to a CPAP machine for sleep apnea?
  5. How do I know I should see a sleep doctor?
  6. Can kids have sleep apnea? How do I know if my child has sleep apnea?

Sleep Dentistry

  1. Do weighted blankets actually help you sleep better?
  2. Do blue light glasses actually work? Do blue light glasses help you sleep better?
  3. What side should I sleep on to get better sleep? Is there a best side to sleep on?

Teeth Grinding

  1. What is teeth grinding? What causes it?
  2. How do I know if I grind my teeth at night?
  3. Can grinding my teeth at night give me a headache in the morning?

Teeth Whitening

  1. How does tooth whitening work?
  2. Can I get a single tooth whitened?
  3. Do store-bought teeth whitening kits work?
  4. Does charcoal teeth whitening work?
  5. Why do my teeth hurt after a teeth whitening?
  6. Does insurance cover teeth whitening at the dentist?
  7. Does a teeth cleaning at the dentist whiten your teeth?
  8. Should you whiten your teeth in the morning or at night?
  9. How long does it take to whiten your teeth?
  10. Is teeth whitening bad for your teeth?
  11. Where can I get my teeth whitened?
  12. How long does teeth whitening last?
  13. What should you eat after teeth whitening?
  14. Do teeth whitening strips work?
  15. What is the best teeth whitening toothpaste?
  16. How long should you wear teeth whitening trays?
  17. What does the light do for teeth whitening?

 

Teledentistry

  1. What is teledentistry?
  2. How does teledentistry work?
  3. How does a dental exam work through teledentistry?
  4. When should I get a teledentistry appointment instead of a regular appointment?
  5. Do I need a computer to get a teledentistry appointment?
  6. Should I use my computer or my phone for my teledentistry appointment?
  7. Can kids do teledentistry?
  8. How do I request a teledentistry appointment?
  9. Does insurance cover teledentistry?

 

TMJ

  1. What is TMJ?
  2. What does TMJ stand for?
  3. What are the symptoms of TMJ disorder?
  4. What does TMJ pain feel like?
  5. How can you treat TMJ pain?
  6. What happens if TMJ is left untreated?
  7. Can you cure TMJ permanently?
  8. What kind of doctor do you see for TMJ pain?

Tooth Enamel

  1. What is your tooth enamel?
  2. Are sports and energy drinks damaging my teeth?
  3. Is spicy food bad for my teeth?
  4. Are diet sodas bad for your teeth?
  5. Why are my teeth so sensitive?

Tooth Extraction

  1. How does tooth extraction work?
  2. How do I know if I need to have a tooth pulled?
  3. How long does it take to recover from a tooth extraction?
  4. What can I eat after a tooth extraction?
  5. Can I drink a soda after tooth extraction?

Tongue

  1. Is sour candy bad for my tongue?
  2. Why does the dentist look at my tongue during a dental exam?
  3. What’s a sign that I need to have a doctor look at my tongue?
  4. Should I cut my tongue-tie?
  5. Should I trim my uvula?

Veneers

  1. What are veneers?
  2. How much do veneers cost?
  3. Are porcelain veneers covered by insurance?
  4. Does it hurt to get veneers? Is the process of getting veneers a painful process?
  5. What are veneers made of?
  6. How long do veneers last?
  7. What are press on veneers?
  8. Can coffee stain porcelain veneers?
  9. How many veneers should I get?

Wisdom Teeth

  1. What are wisdom teeth? What makes wisdom teeth different than normal teeth?
  2. What happens if I don’t get my wisdom teeth removed?
  3. Does everyone have wisdom teeth?
  4. How do I know if I need my wisdom teeth removed?
  5. Why do most people get their wisdom teeth removed in high school?
  6. Does it hurt to get your wisdom teeth pulled?
  7. Does insurance cover wisdom teeth removal?