Baton Rouge Dentist

Archives for February 2018

Why can’t my son’s dental work all be done in one appointment?

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We had a regular visit with my son’s pediatric dentist today. It was very frustrating. We were told that my son not only has to have several cavities filled, but he also needs to get caps on a couple of teeth. The frustrating part is that the dentist won’t just sedate my son and get it all done in one appointment. I have to bring him back several times over several weeks. Why? Is the dentist just trying to make more money off of me than he’s going to anyway?

James, Hyde Park, MA

Dear James,

Boy at the dentist's office

By stretching the work your son needs to be done over several appointments, it may seem that the dentist is trying to pad his pocketbook. As adults, we are often able to use sedation dentistry to get a lot of work done quickly and in the most comfortable manner. Unfortunately, that’s not always the best scenario with children and your son’s dentist may feel such.

It’s not a standard practice for most pediatric dentists to use sedation on children. Some think that when people are sedated during an appointment, they are asleep. This isn’t true. The medication used for sedation helps a patient be very calm and relaxed, so much so that they may not even remember much about the appointment, but they aren’t asleep. Dentists need their patients to be able to follow simple commands.

Why not use sedation?

Sedation does deal with medication, and with any medication, there may be side effects. Although patients under sedation are closely monitored, it’s not always recommended for children.

Another reason sedation isn’t routinely used is that pediatric dentists are used to treating children. It’s not unusual for their patients to feel scared or nervous, or for their patients to have considerable work to be done. Most likely your pediatric dentist has experienced your son’s same scenario several times and knows from experience how to get the work done in the safest, most comfortable, and reasonable way. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the most convenient way or the cheapest.

Speak to your son’s dentist before the work on his teeth begins and ask questions. He may be willing to work with you to create a treatment plan you are comfortable with or that is affordable. If you are still concerned, you could always get a second opinion for your son’s care.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Ryan Perry a family dentist in Baton Rouge, LA.

How can I get cosmetic work done cheaper?

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Is there such a thing as an affordable dentist? I had braces when I was in junior high, but once I was “done” with my retainer, they went crooked again.  I haven’t been regular with my visits to the dentist since I left home, so I have cavities. I’d like to fix my teeth now and my friend said  I should make sure to see a cosmetic dentist, but they said it was going to be an obscene amount of money to fix my teeth. They also got all bent out of shape when I asked if there was any way to do it cheaper. Are there any affordable dentists?

Katie, Dallas

Dear Katie,

There are affordable dentists, but if you want your teeth done right, be cautious. Cosmetic dentistry is not black and white. It is not an official area of study for dentists, so some who have had a two-hour class about Lumineers may call themselves “cosmetic dentists” in comparison to those who have taken extensive training on porcelain veneers to improve their skills. Because of this additional training, cosmetic dentists do typically charge more than regular dentists.

Some things to consider when looking for an affordable cosmetic dentist:

  • Ask questions. Some good questions to ask are about the dentist’s experience and schooling, and if there are pictures of work he did on other patients you can see.
  • Do your homework. Research the dentists on your woman-pointing-at-smilelist and see what experience other patients have had with them. Sometimes dentists offer free dental exams to understand your needs and to help you assess how comfortable you are with the office before doing any work. You can also call several dentist offices and ask for ballpark figures for the work you want to have done.  Compare the costs to the first dentist you visited. If the numbers for a dentist are significantly lower, that may raise red flags that that dentist isn’t as experienced or may cut corners.
  • Ask for your options. You were wise to ask if there was a cheaper way. Some cosmetic procedures are more costly, but there are often cheaper alternatives to improve your smile. Don’t be afraid to let the dentist know if something is more than you can afford.

With a little work on your part, you will find the right affordable dentist for you.

This post is sponsored by Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.