Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Many of our patients are extremely health conscious and want the best care for themselves and their families. If you are wondering about the safety of dental x-rays, you are not alone.

At Family & Implant Dental, we use digital dental x-rays to diagnose dental conditions. Even before the age of digital x-rays, dental x-rays were among the lowest in radiation. With the implementation of digital technology, the amount of radiation emitted dropped by 80-90 percent over traditional dental x-rays, making them extraordinarily safe.

Because of the generally low cost and the increased safety of digital dental x-rays, they are a great investment in your smile. We use them to diagnose conditions that are not visible with the naked eye alone. We can see decay, bone loss, and even certain types of cysts and tumors using digital dental x-rays.

We only take the x-rays necessary to monitor your health. We take bitewing x-rays approximately once a year and full mouth x-rays (which show the roots of your teeth and your periodontal bone levels) about every 3 to 5 years.

Of course, everyone is different! If you have a lot of dentistry or a history of decay, we may recommend more frequent x-rays in order to help you stay healthy.

X-rays allow us to diagnose conditions when they are small and easier to treat. By the time a tooth hurts, it may be too late!

If you use an electric toothbrush, you will probably notice that it is easier to remove more plaque with less effort on your part. The important part of brushing is to use proper brushing techniques and fluoride toothpaste for the best results.

Here are some tips to get the most out of brushing your teeth:

• Brush for at least two minutes.
• Brush using the tips of the bristles – don’t press hard!
• When brushing near your gums, use the brush at a 45-degree angle to gently reach slightly below your gums.
• Change your toothbrush or toothbrush head regularly – at least every three months or sooner if it looks frayed.
• Brush every surface of your teeth, including behind your teeth.
• Brush at least twice daily – more if your teeth feel dirty or you eat sugary snacks.

An electric toothbrush can make accomplishing all of these tasks easier. They often come with timers and different settings that make brushing easier and more convenient.

For patients with reduced dexterity due to an injury or arthritis, an electric toothbrush can be easier to maneuver.

If you need help with brushing techniques, we are here for you! Our hygiene team is great at working with patients to achieve maximum oral health. It all starts with great home care!

At Family & Implant Dental, we completely understand that losing a tooth can feel like a traumatic experience. You will probably have concerns about eating and speaking once your tooth has been extracted. Most of all, you are probably concerned with how you will look. It makes sense because your smile is your calling card and one of the first things people notice about you.

We don’t just remove your tooth and then abandon you! We offer a wide variety of tooth replacement options and give our patients choices when it comes to their dental treatment.

Here are some ways you can complete your smile:

Dental implants – This is most effective way to replace a missing tooth. An implant mimics the root of your tooth and integrates with your bone to provide unsurpassed stability and function. You will have no dietary restrictions once your treatment is complete.

Fixed dental bridge – This works well for patients who have a missing tooth and want additional options. We use your adjacent teeth to secure an artificial tooth in place. A dental bridge will keep your remaining teeth from shifting; however, unlike dental implants, it will not prevent bone lass and requires some dietary restrictions.

Partial and complete dentures – We offer custom dentures to replace multiple missing teeth. We also offer implant-retained dentures for your convenience.

If you are an older teen or adult and want a straight smile but you feel reluctant to wear brackets and wires for months on end, you are not alone! Dr. Shah has introduced Invisalign in our West Milford, NJ dental office to make this process easier, more comfortable, and more discreet.

Invisalign is different because it eliminates the need for patients to have brackets and wires. Instead, we use clear plastic trays that place pressure on your teeth in order to move them into their ideal alignment. This works for both achieving a healthier, more attractive smile, and more comfortable smile.

Misaligned teeth can be difficult to restore. If you need a crown or filling on an overlapping tooth, for example, it is difficult to give you the most esthetic restoration because of the position of your teeth. By straightening your teeth, your fillings and crowns look better, feel better, and function better.

Of course, we know that many people just want to look great. Invisalign is effective for that too! Wearing your clear aligner trays will not be noticeable to others, even when you speak and smile, unless you tell them about it. You might! Many of our patients are excited about finally getting the smile they have always wanted!

Having your teeth whitened can give you added confidence when it comes to your smile. Everyone loves a bright, white smile!

If you have invested the time and effort it takes to achieve a whiter smile, you are probably wondering how long it will last. 

Your white smile depends on your commitment to keep it that way! If you avoid a few things in your day-to-day life, you can maintain your white smile longer! These include:

• Tobacco 
• Coffee
• Red wine
• Tea
• Soda

If you have whitened your teeth and start to notice that they are not as bright as they used to be, we can provide whitening gel refills to touch up your smile. In a few days to a couple of weeks of touching up your teeth with your home teeth whitening kit, you can see dramatic improvements.

Remember that the best time to whiten your teeth is right after a dental cleaning. By removing surface stains during a cleaning, your whitening gel can do a better job by coming into contact directly with your clean teeth. A dental cleaning may even polish light stains away.

Even if you have whitened your teeth in the past, you can achieve that brightness once again. Give us a call!

No one likes shots, but we make the process much easier by taking a little extra time and care with each of our patients.

Delivering anesthetic is all about the technique! Dr. Shah is has mastered the technique over the years because he knows that patient comfort is essential to people getting the dental care they need. 

We can use a topical gel prior to delivering the anesthetic in order to make it the least painful process possible. What you feel is a slight pinch and a lot of wiggling. He does a great job of distracting you and makes the experience a lot more tolerable.

Don’t let the fear of a shot keep you from the dental care you need! If you are fearful about your dental appointment or you have difficulty getting numb, just let us know. We are happy to accommodate our anxious patients. 

By seeking preventive dentistry and early treatment for conditions, you can often avoid problems altogether. We always make sure our patients are numb before starting treatment and make each procedure as comfortable as possible. Gentle dentistry is our goal!

Contact us if you have are in need of dental work so we can help you have a positive, comfortable experience every time!