Parrish | Childs

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Your level of trust in your dentist’s experience and skill is important. In addition to many years of experience, Drs. Parrish and Childs participate heavily in continuing education by attending advanced classes and seminars. Participation in these seminars ensures that they offer you the latest techniques in dental care.

Secondly, you deserve a dental team that cares for you as an individual. Your dental health and your goals for your smile are unique to you. We want you to have a WOW experience every time you walk in our office or contact us on the phone. Finally, you should be able to communicate easily with your dental care team. One of our primary functions is to provide you with information. We want to know your goals for your dental health. We also want to answer your questions about how healthy your mouth is, tell you where our concerns are, and tell you what your options are. Your freedom to discuss all applicable treatments and the costs involved is important to your overall comfort with your dentist.

Your first visit to Drs. Parrish and Childs is designed to allow us to establish the condition of your dental health so that we can work with you to achieve your dental goals. There are three things that most people want from their dental team. First, they want an attractive smile. Second, they want their teeth to function properly when speaking or chewing food. Third, they would like to fully understand the costs involved in their dental treatment as well as the available payment options. After a review of your medical/dental history we will ask you to tell us your goals regarding your smile, teeth and gums. Digital photos and X-Rays will be taken of your teeth to identify areas of decay, cracked teeth and malfunctioning restorations. Diagnodent™, a specialized laser, will also be used on your teeth, notifying us of early areas of decay that are not visible on the X-Ray or digital photographs. We strive to preserve as much of your teeth as possible by catching decay in its earliest stages. We will also assess your gums and recommend the appropriate hygiene treatment for you. As always, our focus is that you achieve the goal of keeping your teeth for a lifetime.

If you are having a problem or a pressing concern we will appoint you first to address this concern. Once that is taken care of or if you have no pressing concerns, we will schedule you for a comprehensive oral evaluation.

You are not alone. Most people want to have a nice smile since it is the first thing others notice about you. You may be interested in a few minor adjustments or may have concerns that need more attention. Some smiles can be enhanced with simple whitening or bonding treatments. Other smiles need porcelain veneers, crowns or bridges; gum contouring; periodontal therapy or a combination of all these techniques. Drs. Parrish and Childs will suggest a treatment plan for you based on your goals, areas of concern and the overall condition of your oral health. Contact us for a complimentary smile evaluation to determine what course of action will produce the best solution for you.

Many people who notice chipped or cracked teeth don’t remember when the injury occurred. Many damaged their teeth while they were sleeping. Grinding or clenching your teeth during the night can cause your teeth to chip, crack and even break over time. New research shows that you are able to exert up to five times the amount of pressure on your teeth while sleeping than you do while awake. To keep you from seriously damaging your teeth, we recommend a dental appliance called a night-guard. A custom fitted night guard protects your teeth from grinding & clenching in your sleep. Drs. Parrish and Childs take great care in making sure you have a proper fit to prevent pain in your jaw joint. If you suffer from headaches you may find that a side benefit of your night-guard is headache prevention. Many headaches start during the night, caused by the extreme pressure generated as you grind and clench your teeth. Ask us about having a night-guard custom created for you.

Cracks and fractures are also caused by unknowingly biting on hard objects in your food. Often the discomfort will ease over a few weeks. Some cracks are just in the enamel, which is not a major concern. However, sometimes cracks form in the underlying dentin, which may or may not be sensitive. Often you only notice them once in a while when chewing something hard that hits just right. These cracks have the potential to cause you to lose a tooth. We evaluate your teeth for these cracks with intraoral cameras that can pick up these cracks before you become aware of them. Once a tooth becomes sensitive or painful it may indicate a more complicated treatment.

Bleeding gums are caused by the body’s response to untreated inflammation of the tissue around the teeth. This is due to bacteria in the mouth being able to form plaque, tartar and calculus, which infect the tissue. The early stages of this infection process are called gingivitis. You may only notice symptoms like bleeding when brushing and flossing, some bad breath, and maybe an awareness that something is wrong but very little discomfort.

If left untreated this infection process will invade the underlying bone and begin to destroy this support for the teeth. Once the process involves the bone the treatment is more complex and costly. It could involve seeing a periodontist and having surgery to try to control the infection process. Gingivitis is curable. Periodontitis is not curable but it can be controlled if found and treated soon enough. Periodontitis, also called pyorrhea, caused over 80% of the population over 40 to wear dentures in the first half of the last century. We now understand the cause of this disease and know how to control it if found early enough.

We are proud of our hygiene team at Parrish and Childs. We understand both how to diagnose this problem early and how to treat it while it is curable.

Millions of people struggle with halitosis, or bad breath, despite daily teeth brushing. Although some of it can occur from systemic conditions involving the esophagus and stomach, most is due to conditions in the mouth. Gingivitis and untreated bone infections around the teeth create pockets where food collects and breaks down. The papillae on the surface of the tongue also collect this undigested food. You can minimize the problem with twice daily brushing with a soft bristle brush, daily flossing and tongue cleaning, regular professional care and careful cleaning of any dentures or removable dental appliances. However, if your hygiene is meticulous and the problem persists, we can offer several solutions.

First, we can provide a plastic tool called a tongue scraper that cleans away bacterial build-up on your tongue and significantly alleviates odor. Or we can recommend a specially prepared rinse or toothpaste designed to actually break the odor-causing sulfur bonds that cause bad breath. If the cause is from gingivitis or periodontal disease, you will need our assistance in correcting the problem. Finally, if we suspect a systemic or internal problem such as an infection or underlying condition, we may recommend a visit with your family physician or specialist to identify the cause.

Dentist directed at-home whitening and in-office whitening procedures are both effective ways of brightening your smile. In either case, your dentist customizes the treatment to ensure your happiness with the results.

Your custom home whitening kit includes a special tray that is customized to fit over your teeth. You also receive prescription whitening gel, which is inserted into the tray before you wear it. Dr. Parrish or Dr. Childs gives you detailed instructions about how long you should wear the tray each day and you should expect the entire home whitening process to take between two and four weeks, leaving you with a dazzling smile.

If you desire immediate results, visit Drs. Parrish and Childs for an in-the-office whitening procedure. Again, the treatment utilizes a special tray that fits around your teeth. However, with Drs. Parrish and Childs’ supervision, a much more powerful whitening gel is used, giving you amazing results in just a few hours!

Yes, we do offer digital X-Rays. Digital X-Rays use less radiation and are safer for you than traditional film X-Rays. You will find that in our dental practice, we research the latest trends in technology to find the solutions that promote your overall health, safety and comfort. This technology also enables Drs. Parrish and Childs to enlarge your radiographs to aid in both diagnosing concerns earlier and being able to show you what they are seeing.

Yes, we do offer monthly payment plans with our financial partners, Care Credit©, American General, and Capital One. We provide a variety of ways for you to pay for your treatment so that it fits comfortably into your personal or family’s finances. Judy Rogers, who has over 15 years experience maximizing people’s insurance and assisting with payment options, will work with you to create the solution that accommodates your special needs.

Today many patients such as you are interested in improving their smile through cosmetic dentistry. Dental insurance is a supplement that may not fully cover many procedures and may not cover some procedures at all. To assist in your financial comfort we offer a variety of financial options. We are happy to work with you to maximize the benefits that your insurance policy provides. Ask our financial coordinator how you can comfortably afford your dentistry and maximize your dental insurance benefits.

Most dental pain brought on by chewing is caused by a fracture, or crack, in the tooth. The pain can be corrected by placing an inlay/onlay, a porcelain crown, or with more advanced treatment. You want to correct the pain as soon as possible to prevent further damage or loss of the tooth. Contact us today to schedule a visit.