Frequently Asked Questions

There are four reserved parking spots specifically for our patients. If those are full, you can park anywhere parallel to our practice on the street, in the parking lot next to our practice, or in the Goodwill parking lot

Yes, we have individual and family membership plans. Please check them out, Click Here

Insurance plans accepted:

• Delta
• Metlife
• United Healthcare
• Cigna
• BCBS
• Aetna Dental PPO

• We will give you a tour of the clinic if you desire
• Based on the type of appointment, it can last anywhere from 1 to 1.5 hours, and a full mouth exam will include XRays
• Prior to appointment, please complete the patient information form, HIPAA consent form and patient financial policy
• Please bring your ID (license or state ID), insurance card to the appointment
• Prior to being seen by the doctor, we will go through all completed forms with you in case you have any questions

• Absolutely. Allay Dental Group offers teledentistry for virtual consults and second opinions. Please note that all virtual consults and second opinions without looking at the mouth are considered “indicative guidance”, and should not be considered as a definitive diagnosis or a treatment plan
• If your insurance does not cover teledentistry, we are happy to cover your appointment for only $45

Many many patients say to me that “I brush everyday, although I don’t floss as much as I should”. And the truth is brushing for some people can be 99.9% of what they need, and maybe they need to floss occasionally. But for some people, flossing is a 50/50. And the only way to know for sure is for us to look at your mouth. So why don’t we together decide how often you should be flossing. Because the truth is your brush cannot get everywhere. Together we can determine what’s going to be the appropriate interval for you to get floss in between those teeth, and ultimately maintain healthy teeth!

Fluoride is actually an element that exists in nature, that other things are built from it structurally. and enamel has calcium in it. One of the things that fluoride is able to do in enamel is to take the place of some of those calcium ions. When that happens the teeth are much more resistant to break down from acids. So fluoride is in the toothpaste and the water that we drink help create enamel that is more resistant to the things that break down teeth

Radiographs commonly known as x rays are a common tool to help your dentist properly diagnose oral health needs. Dental X-rays are a safe way to diagnose disease and injury of the teeth and gums, as well as help in treatment planning. X-rays allow doctors to:

• find cavities
• look at the tooth roots
• check the health of the bony area around the tooth
• determine of there is periodontal disease
• monitor good tooth health through prevention

If you are a new patient, your doctor may advise taking a full series of X-rays to assess your current oran health and use as a baseline going forward

X-Ray Safety

X-rays are a form of high energy electromagnetic radiation. The X-rays penetrate the body to form an image on film on screens. Did you know that cell phones, microwaves and computers all emit more radiation than dental X-rays? We live in a radioactive world, exposed to natural radiation from sun, soil, rocks, air and water. There is very low radiation exposure from a dental X-ray. It is less than what you are exposed to on a flight from New York to Los Angeles, or from watching a year of Television.

At Allay Dental Group, we will take steps to ensure you receive even less exposure to radiation when X-rays are taken. A lead apron is used to cover the body and reduce radiation exposure.

Please let your doctor know in advance if you are pregnant!

In many cases, it is safe to get a dental treatment done during your pregnancy. Please tell us you are pregnant before starting treatment. We will discuss areas such as:

• Xray’s during pregnancy
• FDA drug classifications for safety during pregnancy
• Why the second trimester is the best time for elective dental care
• How pregnancy impacts the choice of drugs we use in the office (e.g. local anesthetics, epinephrine, nitrous oxide, IV sedation)
• Physiologic changes in pregnancy and how that impacts dental care
• The relationship between periodontitis and low birth weight and preterm delivery
• Breastfeeding and medications
• Preeclampsia / eclampsia

When a tooth’s structure has been compromised by decay your doctor may choose a filling or a crown to repair it. There are some differences between the two options that you will like to discuss with your dentist as you plan the two treatments. When repairing a small area of decay, a filling is a great option. A filling helps replace the damaged portion of the tooth while preserving the majority of the tooth’s natural structure. Although filling can be short term and cause recurring decays. Crown could be the best treatment when a tooth has a large decay or broken from an injury. Although crowns are more expensive, the durability and longevity can offset the expenses from filling overtime. Talk to your dentist about what’s best for your situation!

A bridge is used to replace a missing tooth. It uses the tooth at either side of the missing tooth for support. The bridge is usually made from a ceramic or a composite material. It is very important to replace a missing tooth to avoid a process called overeruption. If not addressed, the opposing tooth can slowly begin to move and replace the empty space. This can alter your bite and potentially expose the roots of the over erupted tooth.Learn more about the procedure by watching the video below

Tooth decay is very interesting because it starts very quietly. This is because the decay starts on the outside of the tooth enamel, where there aren't any nerve endings. If you have a cavity, you may not feel anything. As the decay progresses and goes deeper into the tooth you might notice a little bit of cold sensitivity to sweet sensitivity. This is a tooth's way of telling you it needs some help. If that decay continues and gets closer to the pulp, sometimes the sensitivity gets very persistent. and if the decay reaches the pulp and causes those soft tissues at the very center of the tooth become infected you can then develop a raging toothache. So you really don't want to get to that point. Seeing your dentist on a regular basis and following your dentist's regular suggestions, taking regular XRays that can detect those decays early are the best ways to make sure you don’t end up with a toothache, or in some cases even lose your teeth

Having bad breath is never a pleasant experience. Most of us like to have a pleasant breath so that we don’t offend the people around us. There are some things you should know about bad breath that is often caused simply by poor oral hygiene. Such as if you allow bacteria in your mouth to continue to grow , it can create a disease process called periodontitis. This disease process can have a very bad odor. We are all aware that some foods such as garlic and onion can cause bad breath. But what you need to know about those foods is that cleaning your mouth is only a short term solution. The odor caused by those foods is actually a large molecule excreted through the lungs. So the only way you will actually get rid of the bad breath is to remove those types of foods completely from your body.

This can take 12-24 hours.

Similarly, there are certain disease processes that can cause bad breaths, such as chronic reflux, diabetes, kidney and liver diseases. And sometimes there are conditions such as dry mouth that can be brought on by taking certain medications, resulting in bad breath. The most important things that you can do is to regularly brush and floss your teeth, and clean your tongue thoroughly. Tongue has pockets that can let bacteria fester, so it is important not only to clean your teeth, but your tongue as well. These steps may increase your chances of having fresh breath