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While we welcome you to bring any dental records you may have, we do not routinely request records from a prior dentist. We are often able to accomplish our comprehensive exam and develop your treatment plan using the diagnostic information we gather clinically. If we need records, we will be happy to assist you in obtaining them.
We recognize that some of our patients are very busy and appreciate a reminder of their appointment time. We are excited to offer Sesame 24-7, an automated appointment reminder system. We require 48 hours advance notice to cancel a reserved appointment.
When you arrive, you’ll meet one of our hygiene assistants. She or he will guide you through your appointment.
We are proud of our state-of-the-art facility, which houses some of the most progressive dental equipment in the state. On the way to your treatment room, your hygiene assistant will show you around the office.
Once you’ve been acquainted with your surroundings, we will take a series of X-rays, photographs, and impressions for models of your teeth.
Your assistant will take five X-rays of your teeth. The first are called bitewing X-rays, which allow us to see decay between the teeth. The last is called a panoramic X-ray, and it allows us to see all of your teeth, soft tissues, and jaw in one view. We use this X-ray to check for cancer, wisdom teeth, infection, and hardening of the carotid arteries. The series is all digital, which means you will be exposed to 1/10th of the radiation involved in the regular film that most dentists continue to use. Also, because the images are digital, we can view them on the computer screen with you.
We’ll take four photographs: a picture of you smiling, and shots of your upper and lower teeth. Patients enjoy these photos because for the first time, they can see all of their teeth and what they look like.
One of our doctors will thoroughly examine your teeth, your occlusion (the way your teeth touch), and your gums. She will look for decay, gum disease, and oral cancer. With the help of the assistant, she will note all the fillings and crowns you may currently have as well as any new treatment you need. Even though our X-rays are very advanced, they are not helpful in diagnosing cavities on the biting surfaces of teeth and therefore we use DIAGNOdent. This laser device detects cavities in this area. If any of your teeth need restoration, Dr. Mary will demonstrate these needs on the screen using your pictures and X-rays.
We consider all the dentistry we do to be cosmetic. We only use white filling material and treat aesthetics as a high priority. If needed, Dr. Mary will discuss your options for straightening your teeth. Cherry Hill Dental has powerful software that can quickly and easily show you what you’ll look like with straight white teeth. In only a few minutes, you can see a new smile.
Everyone wants whiter teeth, and we are excited to offer all of our new patients free custom trays for their upper and lower teeth so they can have the bright smile they have always wanted. Most offices charge $500 or more, but we feel it makes such a difference in our patients’ lives that we like to offer it as a gift to you. Your assistant will take impressions of your teeth that our lab will use to make the custom trays. You will return to the office in about two weeks to pick up your upper tray. Two weeks later, you will return so we can check the shade of your upper teeth versus your lower teeth, and give you your lower bleach tray.
After one of our hygienists removes any hard deposits from your teeth and conducts a thorough exam, the hygiene assistant will polish and floss your teeth and give you a fluoride treatment to keep your enamel healthy and strong.
Our treatment coordinator will take the treatment Dr. Mary recommends and give you a written estimate of what your insurance is expected to pay and what your investment in the treatment will be. We realize that dental health is a priority for you and you may consult loved ones in the decisions you make regarding your treatment. If you would like a CD-ROM of your X-rays, pictures, and presentations about treatment recommended for you, we can provide those for you.
When scheduling your treatment, every effort will be made to accommodate you. Early morning and late afternoon appointments are in high demand, so please plan accordingly. Also, we organize our schedule very carefully and do not overbook. Our chairs sit empty if an appointment is missed. Our time is our only inventory and when it is gone, it is gone. Please be prompt and we will extend you the same courtesy.
If you cannot detect the decay, how can you treat it? If a tooth looks suspicious but doesn’t stick with an instrument and looks normal on X-rays, should the tooth just be watched, or does that give bacteria more time to destroy the tooth’s surface?
Treatment decisions require a higher degree of certainty. The DIAGNOdent laser decay detection aid removes the doubt from treatment decisions regarding hidden decay or questionable stained grooves. The device’s ability to see into pits and grooves enables us to treat sub-surface cavity lesions with confidence.
We are looking forward to seeing you at your appointment. If you have completed all the requested forms and returned them to our office in advance of your appointment, you should arrive at the time of your appointment and we will be ready to begin. If you are unable to complete the forms and return them, please arrive several minutes early to complete that process. Without the information from these forms, we will be unable to begin your appointment.