How can we help you?
At our general dental office in Lincoln, NE, we encourage your questions because we want you to have all the answers you need to make informed, confident decisions about your dental care. Dr. Amy and our dental team want the best for you and are always happy to share their knowledge with you.
Some questions we commonly hear are listed below, and we invite you to share with us anything else that's on your mind. Don't hesitate to call us at (402) 413-6686, and we will be happy to assist you!
General
Even if you don't have dental insurance, we offer a way to save on costs with our in-house dental membership plan. Using it is easy: You pay a yearly membership fee for yourself or your entire family, which entitles you to two free exams and teeth cleanings, as well as routine x-rays. You will also enjoy a discount on most other services we offer at Roots Dental.
Benefits of Our Dental Savings Plan
With our dental savings plan, you'll enjoy many benefits, including:
- NO deductibles
- NO co-pays
- NO exclusions
- NO annual limits
- NO pre-authorizations
There's no waiting period, and you can begin using your benefits as soon as you sign up!
Please call us for more details.
Children's Dentistry
Dr. Amy agrees with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's recommendation that children be seen by a dentist when their first baby tooth appears but no later than age one.
Baby Teeth Are Important Too!
As soon as your child has a baby tooth, they can develop cavities (caries), and it's crucial that we prevent this from happening. Several problems can occur if they have an untreated cavity and lose the tooth before it's ready to come out on its own.
Neighboring teeth start to drift and tilt, closing the space meant for the permanent tooth when it emerges. Since the tooth doesn't have enough room to emerge in a straight position, it can come in at an odd angle. In turn, this can lead to tooth misalignment that may require orthodontic treatment in the future to correct.
Evaluating Your Child's Risk for Cavities
To prevent this from happening, Dr. Amy will complete a caries risk assessment to determine the likelihood of your child developing cavities. If they are at high risk, we will discuss strategies to minimize the likelihood that we will need to intervene with fillings.
We also use this first visit to answer any questions you may have about your child's dental health, review home care recommendations, and screen for any habits that may adversely affect the development of the jaws.
Schedule Your Child's First Dental Visit with Us
We understand you might feel nervous or apprehensive about bringing your little one to the dentist at an early age. You can rest assured that Dr. Amy loves working with children and will provide the same caring treatment she would for her own child.
Please call our Lincoln, NE, dental office today to schedule a convenient appointment for your child's first dental visit.
Dental Crowns & Bridges
The purpose of a dental crown is to protect, strengthen, or support a damaged tooth and restore proper function. Because a crown fits over the entire visible part of a tooth, it protects it and creates a new chewing surface.
The crown strengthens the tooth by absorbing chewing forces that might otherwise damage the tooth further.
Why We Recommend Dental Crowns
Common reasons we would recommend a porcelain crown at our Lincoln, NE, dental office are:
- Restore a cracked or broken tooth
- Protect a tooth that’s too decayed for a filling
- Strengthen a root-canaled tooth
- Top off a dental implant
- Correct aesthetic tooth flaws
If you have a problematic tooth, Dr. Amy will examine it and take an x-ray to see what’s happening inside. If the damage or decay is minimal, she might recommend dental bonding or a tooth filling.
For more extensive, she will show you the x-ray and an intraoral image to help you visualize the problem and understand why she recommends a crown.
Do You Need a Dental Crown in Lincoln, NE?
Dr. Amy is an experienced dentist in Lincoln, NE, who enjoys finding solutions for her patients so they can enjoy optimal oral health. If you need a crown, rest assured that she uses only the highest quality materials to produce beautiful, long-lasting tooth restorations.
Please call us at (402) 413-6686, so we can determine if a dental crown is the solution for you.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is a long-term, stable tooth replacement that looks, feels, and functions like a real tooth. While getting a dental implant requires multiple appointments and several months to complete, patients tell us their only complaint is that they wish they’d done it sooner!
5 Steps for Getting a Dental Implant
A dental implant consists of three parts: the titanium implant post, the abutment, and the tooth restoration. The five steps for placing and restoring a dental implant are as follows:
- Initial consultation — During this appointment, Dr. Amy will perform a comprehensive evaluation and take x-rays to determine if you are a good candidate.
- Dental implant surgery — An experienced oral surgeon will expertly place your implant in your jawbone. This procedure is done in-office under local anesthesia, so you won’t feel any pain.
- Implant healing — As the implant starts to heal, it fuses with bone and tissue around it. This process is called osseointegration, which gives the implant strength and stability.
- Abutment placement: — The abutment is the connector piece that attaches the implant to a crown, bridge, or denture. The oral surgeon uncovers the implant and attaches the abutment to it.
- Adding the tooth restoration — About two weeks after the abutment is added, Dr. Amy will attach the custom crown, bridge, or denture to complete your smile and restore chewing function.
Dr. Amy coordinates closely with the oral surgeon throughout implant placement and healing. She will explain all the steps involved and answer your questions to ensure you are comfortable with the process.
Are You a Good Dental Implant Candidate?
A dental implant replaces one or multiple missing teeth and can last a lifetime with excellent oral health care. If you want to find out how a dental implant can benefit your smile, please call our Lincoln, NE, dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Amy.
Preventive Dentistry
At Roots Dental, we use low-dose digital x-rays, a huge advancement in dental technology. They allow us to use a smaller dose of radiation that exposes patients to as much as 80 percent less than traditional film.
Of course, our expert dental team is experienced in taking x-rays and take every precaution to ensure that you and your family are safe.
How Dental X-Rays Benefit Your Oral Health
During a visual exam, dentists only see about a third of the tooth; even with magnification, decay often starts between the teeth, which we can only see with dental x-rays.
Digital dental x-rays also allow Dr. Amy to evaluate your gum health and see problems that arise in the bones around the teeth.
Since dental x-rays allow us to see decay in its earliest stages, we can treat it promptly before it becomes a more significant problem. When we treat dental problems early on, we minimize the need for invasive procedures, which helps you save time and money and spares you unnecessary discomfort.
Another benefit of modern dental x-rays is that we can share them with you, so you see what we see. Since the images are digital, Dr. Amy can enlarge, zoom in, and rotate them to get a clear view of the problem.
If she recommends a procedure, you will have all the information you need to make a confident decision about your treatment.
Call Us to Schedule Your Next Dental Exam
Rest assured, we only recommend x-rays when needed to monitor your oral health or diagnose a current problem. If you have questions about how we use x-rays or would like to schedule your next dental checkup and cleaning, please call our Lincoln, NE, dental office.
If you already brush at least twice a day for two minutes and floss once, congratulations! While your oral hygiene efforts go a long way toward eliminating harmful plaque buildup, they can’t do the whole job.
Plaque builds up on all surfaces of your teeth, and when it’s not removed from hard-to-reach spaces, it hardens into tartar or calculus. Tartar is filled with bacteria, and as it builds up underneath the gum line, it can cause inflammation that leads to gingivitis.
You can’t remove tartar with a toothbrush because it clings stubbornly to your teeth. Only a dentist or hygienist can remove tartar using their skill, experience, and specialized instruments.
5 Tips for Controlling Plaque and Tartar Buildup
Your dentist in Lincoln, NE, will also recommend steps you can take to minimize plaque and tartar buildup in the future, including:
- When you brush, be sure to clean all surfaces, including along the gum line and between teeth.
- Consider switching to an electric toothbrush that does a better job of removing plaque than manual models.
- Rinse daily with an antiseptic mouthwash that helps kill cavity-causing bacteria.
- If you smoke, consider quitting. Tobacco users have been found to develop more tartar than non-smokers.
- Eat a healthy diet and limit your intake of foods high in sugar and carbohydrates.
If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us—we are here to help you!
Schedule Your Next Teeth Cleaning with Us
At Roots Dental, we provide preventive dental services like exams and dental cleanings to help you avoid cavities and gum disease. Please call our Lincoln, NE, dental office to schedule your next appointment with us.