FAQ

1. What does the first visit at Gruene Family Dental entail?
At Gruene Family Dental, comprehensive dental care is our main focus. That's why your new patient appointment is all about you! We take any x-rays necessary for proper diagnosis; then Dr. Rude performs a complete exam and thoroughly discusses the treatment options that will work best for you. Our new patient coordinator will help you through the entire process from setting up your new patient appointment and explaining insurance benefits to scheduling your treatment.

2. Why do I need periodontal maintenance? Can't I just get my teeth cleaned?
The word prophy or phophylaxis cleaning means prevention of gum disease by cleaning plaque and calculus that forms above the gum line. Once the dentist has diagnosed you with gum disease, a more focus appointment is necessary. Perio maintenance involves advanced evaluation of tissue and bone levels along with a more in depth scaling of you teeth. Perio. maintenance appointments are generally longer in length, and anesthesia is not necessary.

3. What precautions do you take to ensure patient safety?
We have a state of the art sterilization center and even have a third party sterilization specialist perform weekly audits to make sure our equipment is functioning correctly for your maximum safety. We use a special water bottle sterilization system that is proven to eliminate bacteria in our water lines.

4. What can I do about my stained and discolored teeth?
Bleaching is the most popular request in the dental office. Patient's young and old alike are asking for it. On the Oprah show, bleaching was sited as the easiest, quickest, cheapest way to look younger. The bleaching agent is carbamide peroxide, and the concentration varies from 6 - 35%. It can be accomplished in several ways. There are many over the counter products available, but they have very low concentration bleach and often don't bleach as far back as most people smile. Some people advertise using a curing light for instant bleaching. A very strong concentration of bleach is used that often leaves patients with extreme sensitivity. The procedure will usually take about an hour and is very costly. Touch up bleaching or additional sittings to achieve desired degree of whiteness is usually required. In recent literature, the curing light has shown to be ineffective. By far the best way to get long term, affordable bleaching with the least amount of sensitivity is with custom trays made by your dentist. The trays are made to fit your teeth from models made on your first appointment. The bleach comes in dispensing tubes and the refill packs are inexpensive, so touching up is easy.
Bleaching has been shown to cause no significant damage to your teeth. Once your teeth are lightened to the level you desire, they will never return to their original shade. Touching up may be desirable once or twice a year.

5. What should I do if I have bad breath?
Bad breath (halitosis) can be an unpleasant and embarrassing condition.  Many of us may not realize that we have bad breath, but everyone has it from time to time, especially in the morning. There are various reasons one may have bad breath, but in healthy people, the major reason is due to microbial deposits on the tongue, especially the back of the tongue.  Some studies have shown that simply brushing the tongue reduced bad breath by as much as 70 percent.

What may cause bad breath?

Keeping a record of what you eat may help identify the cause of bad breath.  Also, review your current medications, recent surgeries, or illnesses with you dentist.

What can I do to prevent bad breath?

In most cases, your dentist can treat the cause of bad breath.  If it is determined that your mouth is healthy, but bad breath is persistent, your dentist may refer you to your physician to determine the cause of the odor and an appropriate treatment plan.

6. Is there another way I can have a tooth replaced other than a bridge?
Yes. Dental implants can provide artificial teeth that look natural and feel secure. Dental implants can also be used to attach full or partial dentures. Implants, however, are not an option for everyone. Because implants require surgery, patients must be in good health, have healthy gums, have adequate bone to support the implant and be committed to meticulous oral hygiene and regular dental visits. If you are considering implants, a thorough evaluation by your dentist will help determine if you would be a good candidate.
First, surgery is performed to place the anchor. Surgery can take up to several hours, and up to six months may be required for the bone to grow around the anchor and firmly hold it in place. Some implants require a second surgery in which a post is attached to connect the anchor to the replacement teeth. With other implants, the anchor and post are already attached and are placed at the same time.
After the gums have had several weeks to heal, the next step is begun. The artificial teeth are made and fitted to the post portion of the anchor. Because several fittings may be required, this step can take one to two months to complete.
Implant surgery can be done either in a dental office or in a hospital, depending upon a number of factors. A local or general anesthetic may be used. Usually pain medications and, when necessary, antibiotics are prescribed. Your dentist will give you instructions on diet and oral hygiene.

7. I take an oral bisphosphonate. Am I at risk for osteonecrosis of the jaw?
If you use a bisphosphonate medication-to prevent or treat osteoporosis (a thinning of the bones) or as part of cancer treatment therapy-you should advise your dentist. In fact, any time your health history or medications change, you should make sure the dental office has the most recent information in your patient file. Here's why:
Some bisphosphonate medications (such as Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva) are taken orally (swallowed) to help prevent or treat osteoporosis and Paget's disease of the bone. Others, such as Aredia, Bonefos, Didronel or Zometa, are administered intravenously (injected into a vein) as part of cancer therapy to reduce bone pain and hypercalcemia of malignancy (abnormally high calcium levels in the blood), associated with metastatic breast cancer, prostate cancer and multiple myeloma.
In rare instances, some individuals receiving intravenous bisphosphonates for cancer treatment have developed osteonecrosis (pronounced OSS-tee-oh-ne-KRO-sis) of the jaw, a rare but serious condition that involves severe loss, or destruction, of the jawbone.

Symptoms include, but are not limited to:

If you receive intravenous bisphosphonates (or received them in the past year) and experience any of these or other dental symptoms, tell your oncologist and your dentist immediately.
More rarely, osteonecrosis of the jawbone has occurred in patients taking oral bisphosphonates.
Most cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw associated with bisphosphonates have been diagnosed after dental procedures such as tooth extraction; however the condition can also occur spontaneously. Also, invasive dental procedures, such as extractions or other surgery that affects the bone can worsen this condition. Patients currently receiving intravenous bisphosphonates should avoid invasive dental procedures if possible. The risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients using oral bisphosphonates following dental surgery appears to be low.

Am I at Risk?
Because osteonecrosis of the jaw is rare, researchers can not yet predict who, among users, will develop it. To diagnose osteonecrosis of the jaw, doctors may use x-rays or test for infection (taking microbial cultures). Treatments for osteonecrosis of the jaw may include antibiotics, oral rinses and removable mouth appliances. Minor dental work may be necessary to remove injured tissue and reduce sharp edges of damaged bone. Surgery is typically avoided because it may make the condition worse. The consensus is that good oral hygiene along with regular dental care is the best way to lower your risk of developing osteonecrosis.

Cancer Treatment and Oral Health
Dental care is an important element of overall cancer treatment. As soon as possible after cancer diagnosis, the patient's treatment team should involve the dentist. Individuals who will undergo cancer treatment should:

8. What is a veneer? Will it improve the appearance of my teeth?
There's no reason to put up with gaps in your teeth or with teeth that are stained, badly shaped or crooked. Today a veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct nature's mistake or the results of an injury and help you have a beautiful smile.
Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front side of teeth. They're made by a dental technician, usually in a dental lab, working from a model provided by your dentist.
You should know that this is usually an irreversible process, because it's necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to accommodate the shell.
Your dentist may recommend that you avoid some foods and beverages that may stain or discolor your veneers such as coffee, tea or red wine. Sometimes a veneer might chip or fracture. But for many people the results are more than worth it.

9. What is the advantage of a tooth colored filling over a silver filling?
While silver fillings are still indicated in certain circumstances, tooth colored fillings, or composites, have many advantages. Aside from the obvious esthetic benefit, composites actually chemically bond to the teeth versus a mechanically retained silver filling. Here’s the difference: the chemical bond is so strong that it can actually help prevent tooth fracture.