Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Dentures replace missing teeth with a removable appliance. Main types:
- Full (complete) dentures – replace all teeth in an arch.
- Partial dentures – fill gaps and clip to remaining teeth.
- Immediate dentures – placed the same day teeth are removed. They usually need relines as the gums heal.
- Implant-supported or implant-retained dentures – snap onto or attach to implants for more stability. See our dental implants process guide.
The process usually involves several visits for impressions, bite records and try-ins before the final denture.
Adjusting: it’s normal to have some sore spots, extra saliva and difficulty speaking or eating at first. Starting with soft foods cut into small pieces and reading aloud can help. Sore spots should be adjusted by the dentist rather than tolerated.
Care: clean dentures daily with a denture brush, take them out overnight unless told otherwise, and keep regular checkups. Over time the jaw changes, so relines or replacements are needed.
Our dentures guide covers this in more detail, and the guide to dental coverage for seniors covers coverage options for older adults.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Not everyone needs wisdom teeth (third molars) removed. Dentists usually recommend removal when they are causing or likely to cause problems, such as repeated infection of the gum over a partly erupted tooth, decay, damage to the neighboring tooth, cysts, or not enough room to erupt and be cleaned.
Questions to ask:
- “What problem are you seeing, or expecting, with each wisdom tooth?”
- “What happens if we monitor them instead?”
- “Who will do it — you or an oral surgeon?”
- “What anesthesia or sedation options are there, and what do I need to arrange (fasting, a driver)?”
- “How close are the roots to the nerve, and what are the risks?”
- “What should recovery look like, and what signs mean I should call?”
- “Can I have a written estimate with procedure codes?” (check with the dental insurance glossary)
After surgery, follow your surgeon’s written instructions. Increasing pain several days later, fever or swelling should be checked, and trouble breathing or swallowing or heavy bleeding that won’t stop with pressure needs emergency care. The which dentist do I need? tool tool explains oral surgeons, and the dental cost factors page covers what affects the price.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
They sound similar but work differently:
Dental insurance
- You pay a premium; the plan pays part of covered services.
- Usually has deductibles, an annual maximum, waiting periods and frequency limits.
- Often covers preventive care generously.
Discount or savings plans
- Not insurance. You pay a membership fee and get reduced fees at participating dentists.
- Usually no annual maximum or waiting periods, but you pay the discounted fee yourself.
- Only useful if dentists near you participate.
In-office membership plans are a third option some practices offer for patients without insurance, typically bundling preventive visits with a discount on other care.
How to compare: think about what care you expect this year (just checkups, or bigger work like crowns or implants?), whether your preferred dentist participates, and how soon you need care. Our dental plan calculator helps you weigh these, the dental insurance glossary explains plan terms, and our dental cost factors page explains why fees vary.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Both can replace a single missing tooth well. Common factors a dentist considers:
Dental implant
- A post placed in the jawbone, topped with a crown.
- Doesn’t require reshaping the neighboring teeth and helps maintain bone where the tooth was.
- Needs adequate bone and healthy gums; may need grafting.
- Usually takes several months from start to finish. See our dental implants process guide.
- Smoking, uncontrolled diabetes and some medications can affect healing — discuss your health history.
Bridge
- A false tooth attached to crowns on the neighboring teeth.
- Usually finished in a few weeks, without surgery.
- Neighboring teeth are reshaped, which makes most sense if they already need crowns.
- Cleaning under the bridge takes special floss or tools.
Questions to ask: “Am I a good candidate for both?”, “What happens if I wait?”, “What maintenance will each need?” and “Can I have a written estimate for each?” Costs depend on many factors; see our dental cost factors page. A removable partial denture is another option — our dentures guide explains it.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Here are general options worth checking:
- Community health centers. Federally qualified health centers often offer dental care with fees on a sliding scale based on income and household size. Ask whether the center near you has a dental clinic. See our community health centers directory to find one by state.
- Dental schools and dental hygiene programs. Care is provided by students under faculty supervision, usually at reduced fees. Appointments can be longer and there may be a waiting list.
- Medicaid and CHIP. Children’s dental coverage is included in every state; adult coverage varies. Our Medicaid dentist finder can help.
- Free clinics and charitable events. Local free clinics and periodic volunteer dental events may offer basic care.
- Office membership plans or discount plans. Compare them with insurance using our dental plan calculator.
- Ask about payment plans and phasing so the most urgent work is done first.
Older adults should check our guide to dental coverage for seniors, as some Medicare Advantage plans include dental benefits. Our dental cost factors page explains what drives prices, so you can ask informed questions about estimates.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Medicaid dental coverage for adults is optional for states, so it varies widely. Depending on the state, adult benefits may be:
- Extensive – covering a broad range of preventive and restorative care
- Limited – covering some services, often with yearly caps
- Emergency-only – for example, extractions for pain or infection
Coverage can also change when state budgets change, so it’s worth rechecking each year. Children enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP receive dental benefits in every state.
How to find out what you have:
- Call the member services number on your Medicaid or plan card and ask what adult dental services are covered and whether there is an annual limit.
- Check your state Medicaid agency’s website.
- Ask the dental office to confirm coverage before treatment; some services may need prior approval.
To find participating dentists, use our Medicaid dentist finder. Adults who are also on Medicare should read our guide to dental coverage for seniors, and the dental insurance glossary explains terms like “prior authorization.”
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
A few terms explain most of how a dental plan pays:
- Premium – what you pay each month for the plan.
- Deductible – what you pay before the plan starts sharing costs. Preventive care is often exempt.
- Coinsurance by category – many PPO plans use a tiered structure in which preventive care is covered most generously, basic care (such as fillings) less, and major care (such as crowns) least. Check your own plan’s percentages.
- Annual maximum – the most the plan pays in a year. After that, you pay the rest. This is a big difference from medical insurance.
- Waiting periods – time after enrollment before certain services are covered.
- Frequency limits – how often services like cleanings or X-rays are covered.
- Missing-tooth clause – some plans exclude replacing a tooth lost before coverage started.
- Network – PPO plans pay more in-network; HMO/DHMO plans often require you to use their dentists.
Our dental insurance glossary defines these and more. To see whether a plan makes sense for your expected care, try the dental plan calculator, and the dental cost factors page explains why treatment prices vary.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
There’s no single schedule that fits everyone. In the US, dentists generally decide how often to take X-rays based on each person’s risk, rather than a fixed calendar. Someone with frequent cavities, gum disease or ongoing treatment may need them more often than someone with a long history of healthy teeth.
Why they’re used: X-rays show things a visual exam can’t, such as decay between teeth, bone levels around teeth, infections at root tips, and developing teeth in children.
Common types: bitewings (back teeth, checking for cavities between teeth), periapicals (a whole tooth and root), panoramic images (the whole jaw) and, for some procedures, 3D cone-beam scans.
Reasonable questions to ask:
- “Why do you recommend these X-rays today?”
- “Can you use my recent X-rays from my previous dentist?”
- “Does my insurance limit how often these are covered?” (frequency limits are explained in our dental insurance glossary)
Tell the team if you are or might be pregnant. Modern digital X-rays use low radiation doses, and offices use protective measures, but it’s fine to ask how they keep exposure low.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
It can take some persistence, but these steps often help:
- Start with your plan. Many states deliver Medicaid dental benefits through managed-care or dental plans. The member services number on your card, or the plan’s online directory, lists participating dentists.
- Use our Medicaid dentist finder to look up offices in your area, then call to confirm they are currently accepting new Medicaid patients. Directories can be out of date.
- Check community health centers. Many federally qualified health centers provide dental care and accept Medicaid. See our community health centers directory to find one by state.
- Look at dental schools and hospital dental clinics, which often accept Medicaid.
- For children, Medicaid and CHIP include dental benefits in every state, so ask your child’s plan for a pediatric dentist.
When you call, give your plan name and member ID and ask whether there are limits on the services they provide to Medicaid patients.
Adult dental coverage under Medicaid varies a lot by state. If you’re 65 or older, also see our guide to dental coverage for seniors.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
For most people, a general dentist is the right starting point. They handle checkups, cleanings, fillings, many crowns and often some root canals and extractions, and they refer to specialists when needed.
Common recognized specialties include:
- Pediatric dentist – children, teens and people with special health care needs
- Orthodontist – braces, aligners and bite problems
- Periodontist – gum disease and gum surgery; often implants
- Endodontist – root canals and tooth-pain diagnosis
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeon – complex extractions, wisdom teeth, jaw surgery, implants
- Prosthodontist – complex crowns, bridges, dentures and implant restorations
You usually don’t need a referral to see a specialist, though some insurance plans (especially HMO-type plans) require one. Check your plan using our dental insurance glossary.
Our which dentist do I need? tool tool walks you through common situations, and you can then search the dentists near me directory by specialty. For patients with disabilities, see our special needs dentistry guide.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
A short phone call can save time and surprises. Questions many people find useful:
Coverage and payment
- “Are you in-network with my exact plan?” (give the plan name and group number)
- “Do you accept Medicaid for adults/children?” (also see our Medicaid dentist finder)
- “Do you offer a membership plan, payment plans or self-pay pricing?”
Scheduling
- “How soon can a new patient be seen?”
- “Do you have early, evening or weekend hours?”
- “How do you handle emergencies for existing patients after hours?”
Services and comfort
- “Do you see children?” / “Which procedures do you refer out?”
- “Can you accommodate dental anxiety, mobility needs or sensory needs?” (our special needs dentistry guide lists more questions)
- “Which languages does your team speak?”
First visit
- “What does the first appointment include, and should I request records from my old dentist?”
You can shortlist offices with our dentists near me directory. Terms like “in-network” and “UCR fee” are explained in the dental insurance glossary.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
A brief, sharp twinge with cold drinks or air is often called dentin sensitivity. It happens when the softer layer under the enamel is exposed, letting temperature changes reach the nerve more easily.
Common causes include:
- Gum recession exposing root surfaces
- Enamel worn by grinding, hard brushing or acidic foods and drinks
- A cavity, cracked tooth or worn filling
- Temporary sensitivity after a cleaning, whitening or new filling
Things people often discuss with their dentist: toothpaste for sensitive teeth, a soft brush with gentle technique, fluoride treatments, and a night guard if grinding is suspected.
Book a visit if the pain lingers for more than a few seconds after the cold is gone, wakes you up, happens with biting, or is in one specific tooth. These can point to a problem that needs treatment. Throbbing pain with swelling or fever is more urgent — see our dental emergency checker.
Unfamiliar words like “dentin,” “recession” or “bruxism”? Check the dental glossary.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Bleeding gums are common, but they’re not something to ignore. The most frequent cause is gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, where plaque along the gumline irritates the gums. Early gingivitis is often reversible with better daily cleaning and a professional cleaning.
Other possible contributors include brushing too hard, starting to floss after a break, hormonal changes such as pregnancy, some medications (including blood thinners), and certain medical conditions.
General tips:
- Use a soft-bristled brush and gentle strokes along the gumline twice a day.
- Clean between teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes. Light bleeding often improves within a week or two of consistent cleaning.
- Don’t stop cleaning an area just because it bleeds.
See a dentist if bleeding continues beyond a couple of weeks, gums are receding, teeth feel loose, or there is a bad taste or swelling. A dentist or periodontist (gum specialist) can measure gum pockets to check for more advanced disease. Terms such as “periodontitis” and “scaling and root planing” are explained in our dental glossary.
Seek medical care promptly for heavy bleeding that won’t stop or unexplained bleeding elsewhere in the body.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Mouthguards help cushion blows to the face and can lower the risk of broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue and cheeks. They’re often recommended for contact and collision sports, and also for activities with falls or flying objects, such as skateboarding, basketball or baseball.
Common types:
- Stock: pre-formed and ready to wear. Least expensive, but often the loosest fit.
- Boil-and-bite: softened in hot water and shaped to the teeth. A popular middle option.
- Custom-made: made by a dental office from impressions. Usually the best fit, at a higher cost (see our dental cost factors page).
Tips: a guard should be comfortable, not block breathing or speaking much, and be replaced as children grow or the guard wears. Rinse it after use and store it in a vented case. Children with braces should ask their orthodontist which type to use.
If a tooth is knocked out during a game, see the first-aid steps in our knocked-out tooth thread and use the dental emergency checker. A head injury needs medical evaluation first.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Sucking on a thumb, finger or pacifier is a normal, soothing habit for babies and toddlers, and many children stop on their own.
Why dentists ask about it: when the habit is frequent and intense and continues as permanent teeth come in, it can affect how the teeth line up and how the upper and lower jaws meet. How often and how hard a child sucks matters more than simply whether they do.
General tips often shared:
- Praise and gentle encouragement tend to work better than scolding.
- Notice when the habit happens (boredom, tiredness) and offer a comfort alternative.
- Never dip a pacifier in sugar, honey or syrup.
- For older children, a dentist can explain options if the habit is hard to break.
When to ask: bring it up at your child’s regular dental visits so the dentist can watch how the teeth and bite are developing. If you’re unsure whether a pediatric dentist or orthodontist is the right person to see, our which dentist do I need? tool tool explains the differences.
General education only, not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Please see a licensed dentist about your own situation. For a medical emergency (trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, a major injury or rapidly spreading swelling), call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
