The Importance of Having a General Dentist
As a specialist, Dr. Young like a sub-contractor. He takes care of some very specific things within the context of a bigger picture. Your general dentist oversees your care and is a critical element to your overall dental and medical health.
He will not place dental implants on patients who do not have a general dentist who knows them well.
If you are new to town and you need to find a general dentist, he and his team are happy to help.
If you are transferring from a periodontal practice in another location and are looking primarily for periodontal supportive care, again you first need a good general dentist. The dentist he would refer you to will certainly send you to see Dr. Young, or bring him in to see you. But your hygiene visits for periodontal supportive care will most likely remain in the general dentists office. Because this dentist and Dr. Young work closely together, be assured that you are receiving his services even when you am not there (and better yet, you don’t have to pay for my work behind the scene with this dentist’s team).
Consultation Visits
We are usually able to schedule people to be seen within two working days for a consultation whether it is for a dental implant evaluation because of a gum concern. At this visit you can meet and discuss your concerns with Dr. Young and it provides you an opportunity to have any or all of your insurance questions addressed.
The Comprehensive Periodontal Examination
This appointment usually takes at least an hour and it may spill over into another appointment where you and Dr. Young will discuss the findings in more detail. He is a strong believer that you are best helped by him when you understand your problems AND know what to do about them, both in the short and long terms. If you want to know more about what he thinks on this subject, check out his blog.
If you know this is what you need and wish to move forward, you may bypass the consultation visit. Simply let us know your desires when you call.
About Dental X-rays
The number and type of x-rays needed will depend on the number of x-rays already taken by your referring dentist, as well as the treatment or treatments you are in need of. When analyzing gum disease, a full series of x-rays is standard.
In most cases, we will likely need to take periapical x-rays. Periapical means “around the tip of the root.” These x-rays give a detailed view of the bone and roots that otherwise cannot be seen simply by looking in the mouth. It is important to know how long the roots are, whether there are any unusual shapes, and if there are bone quality issues that need to be considered.
A word about radiation: A full-mouth series of x-rays will expose you to an extremely low amount of radiation. This is due to the extremely high-speed film used today. Exposure lasts only a fraction of a second, and the rest of your body is shielded. The chance of illness from untreated dental problems far outweighs that from radiation.