What to Expect as a New Patient at Gardens Dental Care
When you make the wise choice to visit Gardens Dental Care, we want you to know what to expect. Our practice is conveniently located at 5520 PGA Blvd, Suite 208 in Palm Beach Gardens, at the corner of Central and PGA Blvd. You’ll see Gardens Dental Care signage on the East side of the spacious parking lot. You can take the elevator or stairs and find our office on the second level, near the North Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce.
If you’re a new patient, plan to come early to complete paperwork or fill it out here in advance to expedite the process.
Plan for about an hour and half for that initial visit. That said, we pride ourselves on respecting your busy schedule and it is rare for any patient to wait for more than a few minutes before being called back to a dental chair. Your future hygiene visits for a healthy smile lasts only about an hour.
Your first appointment it is important we get to know you so we can provide and plan with you for your best oral healthcare possible. What is involved in that? First off, we encourage you to ask questions and let us know any expectations for your smile.
Do you want straighter or whiter teeth? Do any of your teeth ache or is your jaw sore in the morning? Are you interested in preventative care – anything that can help you save money or keep you out of the dental chair?
Our talented and friendly hygienists will take a series of digital x-rays so Dr. David Yates or our other associate dentists can see what is happening beneath the gum line especially to see if there is any tooth decay.
We will also give your teeth a thorough cleaning. That said, if we see that you have periodontal disease, we will discuss the options available to you. One way we identify this serious issue includes measuring the pocket depth of the groove between your gums and teeth.
We do this by placing a dental probe beside your tooth beneath your gum line, usually at several sites throughout your mouth. In a healthy mouth, the pocket depth is usually between 1 and 3 millimeters (mm). Pockets deeper than 4 mm often indicate periodontitis.
How can you know if you have gum disease? Watch this video:
Advanced gum disease is called periodontitis. Chronic periodontitis affects 47.2% of adults over 30 in the United States. It can lead to the loss of tissue and bone that support the teeth and it may become more severe over time.
If it does, your teeth will feel loose and start moving around in your mouth. This is the most common form of periodontitis in adults but can occur at any age. It usually gets worse slowly, but there can be periods of rapid progression.
We will discuss with you the ways we can work to achieve optimal oral health for you. This is why we would never just polish the diseased teeth of a new patient.
After the exam, we will talk to you about any dental problems and offer treatment options. We’ll also give you tips on how to best care for your teeth.
If you are interested in cosmetic dental treatment, our experienced doctors are happy to sit down with you for a free smile assessment after your initial exam and cleaning. We offer everything from teeth whitening to veneers to dental implants and will work with you to develop a personalized plan.
We believe that good dental care begins with open communication. We promise to speak honestly with you about any symptoms you have that may require further dental treatment.
Our experienced dental professionals will outline all the treatment options available in a way that you can understand. We want you to know the big picture so that you can make your dental treatment decisions with confidence. And we will never perform any treatment without your prior approval as well as reviewing your treatment plan and costs.
At Gardens Dental Care, we realize that many people do not have dental insurance so we offer the affordable Gardens Dental Care Membership plan.
Our plan is $30 a month for a healthy mouth and covers two cleanings, two exams, x-rays, an emergency visit and discounts on treatment. For more information, click here.
We also offer many financing options so that you don’t have to put off having a healthy beautiful smile today.