Frequently Asked Questions
Caring for your Child's Teeth
Why are the Primary Teeth so Important?
Your Child's First Dental Visit
Facts About Dental Insurance
Information on Insurance Coverage for Fluoride Treatments
Office Insurance Information
Caring for your Child's Teeth
Daily brushing should begin when their first tooth erupts. Once your child is old enough to spit well, you can begin using a pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste. Until your child is 7 or 8, brush for them. Proper brushing removes plaque from the teeth and gums. Flossing can start as soon as they have teeth touching, which prevents the toothbrush from accessing these areas.
Why are the Primary (Baby) Teeth so Important?
Your baby's teeth begin erupting about 6 months of age and eruption continues until the second molars erupt at 2 1/2 to 3 years of age (20 teeth). Early or later eruption schedules are seldom problematic, but should be checked if it deviates significantly. Permanent teeth begin around 6 years with the lower incisors and back (6 years) molars. The permanent teeth (except wisdom teeth) should be in by 11 to 12 years old.
It is important to maintain the health of the primary teeth. Neglected cavities can lead to problems which affect developing permanent teeth. Primary teeth are important for proper chewing and eating, permitting normal development of the jaw bones and muscles, and providing space for the permanent teeth and guiding them into the correct position. Primary teeth also affect the development of speech and add to an attractive appearance. While the front teeth last until 6-7 years of age, the back teeth are not replaced until ages 10-12.
Your Child's First Dental Visit
Your child should visit the dentist by his/her first birthday. The purpose of the first visit is to help your child become acquainted with the doctor and staff. We approach children in a casual, friendly, yet direct manner to establish rapport and acquire their attention. Parental chair-side "coaching," hand-holding, and hovering are not usually productive when the doctor and staff are communicating with the child. This may seem contrary to parental instincts, but our experience tells us that young children can only be attentive to one voice at a time. "Acting out" and rescue behavior are prevalent with close parental presence. Children's reactions to a first visit at our office are all different. Their behavior is based on many factors, temperament, degree of parental attachment, pre-school experience, prior medical or dental care, etc. Young children are not inherently afraid of dentistry, but may react adversely to new environments or people. Young children may also exhibit anxiety from the loss of control inherent in dental care. If your child requires dental treatment, Dr. Long will discuss options for the completion of necessary procedures. Most treatment can be accomplished without significant medications for anxiety, but some children may benefit from some level of sedation to make treatment easier for them to accept.
Parents are welcome to come in and see the operatory, meet the staff and doctor at the first visit. We recommend that during subsequent visits that parents remain outside the operatories. This helps to keep the child's attention focused, promote communication, rapport building and facilitate prompt treatment by reducing distration. A discussion of these issues will be addressed at the initial appointment.
It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as needle, pull, drill, or hurt. We make a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child.
"Over preparation" of your child for the first appointment may create more apprehension than comfort. We like to emphasize the social aspects of our developing relationship with your child. Many adults have had difficult dental experience and have significant dental fears. Care must be taken not to communicate negative impressions to your children.
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Facts You Should Know About Dental Insurance
Dental insurance is rapidly playing a larger and larger role in helping people obtain dental treatment. Since we strongly feel our patients deserve the best possible dental care we can provide, and in an effort to maintain a high quality of care, we would like to share some facts about dental insurance with you.
Dental insurance is NOT designed to be a PAY-ALL, it is only meant to be an aid.
Many plans tell their insured that they'll be covered "up to 80%" or "up to 100%." In spite of what you are told, we have found most plans cover about 40% to 50% of an average fee. Some plans may pay more--some less. The amount your plan pays is determined by how much your employer paid for the plan. The less they paid for the insurance, the less you will receive.
It has been the experience of many dentists that some insurance companies tell their customers that "fees are above usual and customary" rather than saying to them that "our benefits are low." Remember, you get back only what your employer puts in, less the profit of the insurance company.
Please do not hesitate to ask us any questions about our office procedures. We want you to be comfortable dealing with these matters, and we urge you to consult us if you have any questions regarding our services and/or fees. We will fill out and file insurance forms at no charge, and do all we can to assure you receive maximum benefits.
If you have any questions regarding insurance, we ask that you contact your company regarding the specifics and details of the plan that it is conducting on your behalf.
Information on Insurance coverage for Fluoride Treatments
The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists both recommend that children receive preventative cleanings and fluoride treatments every six months. Our office supports these guidelines and recommends this treatment for your child. Some insurance companies limit the number of fluoride treatments that they will consider for payment to one per calendar year, instead of the recommended two. If you have a concern about how your insurance company pays for fluoride treatment, we encourage you to contact a service representative at your insurance company. Our treatment recommendations are based on best treatment, not insurance reimbursements.
Office Insurance Information
As a professional courtesy to our patients, we file dental insurance with most insurance companies. We currently do not file claims for Delta Dental, since they will not pay our office directly--only to the patient. However, we will provide you with completed claim forms to submit directly. We will help in every way we can in filing your claims for prompt payment. The balance will be arranged for you to pay according to our office credit guidelines.
For claims in accident situations, we will provide you with the needed information to file for direct reimbursement from your insurance company.
© 2007 Dr. Evan G Long, DDS, PA. All Rights Reserved.
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