After forty years in the same office on Lancaster Ave, we’ve heard just about every question a patient can ask. Some come up at the front desk. Some come up in the chair with a mouth full of cotton, while others come up on the phone at 8 a.m. from someone who woke up with a toothache and isn’t sure what to do.
We love these questions. They mean people are paying attention to their health and thinking about their choices. So we thought we’d put the most common ones in one place, along with the answers we actually give.
These aren’t the questions you’ll find in a dental textbook. They’re the ones we hear from real patients in Wayne, Radnor, Devon, Berwyn, and across the Main Line. The ones that come with a little worry behind them, or a story, or a “my last dentist told me something different.”
Here’s what you ask, and how Strafford Dental answers.
“Why Does My Insurance Say I Need a Deep Cleaning When I Just Wanted a Regular One?”
This one comes up a lot, and it’s one of the most confusing parts of dental care for patients. You come in for what you think is a routine cleaning, and the next thing you know, the front desk tells you that you need something called scaling and root planing.
Here’s what’s actually happening. A regular cleaning, sometimes called a prophylaxis, is for healthy gums. It removes plaque and tartar above the gumline. A deep cleaning goes below the gumline to remove bacteria and tartar from the pockets around your teeth, and it smooths the tooth roots so your gums can reattach.
If your hygienist measured pockets deeper than 3 or 4 millimeters, or if your gums bleed easily, that’s usually why we recommend a deep cleaning. Gum disease doesn’t hurt in the early stages, so many patients are surprised when we tell them their gums aren’t as healthy as they thought.
Dr. Eric Gartner will walk you through your gum measurements and show you exactly what we’re seeing. If you don’t need a deep cleaning, we won’t recommend one. If you do, we’ll explain why and what happens if you wait.
“Why Do I Need X-Rays Every Year? I Had Them Last Year.”
We hear this one almost every week, and it’s a fair question. Nobody wants extra radiation or extra cost, even when the radiation from digital X-rays is minimal.
We take X-rays regularly because a lot can change in a year. Cavities can form between teeth where we can’t see them with the naked eye. Bone levels can shift. Infections can develop at the root of a tooth without any visible sign. By the time you feel pain, the problem is often advanced.
We don’t take X-rays on autopilot. We take them based on your risk level, your history, and what we find during the exam. Some patients need them every year. Some can go longer. If you’re due for X-rays, we’ll tell you why. If you’d rather wait, we’ll talk through the tradeoffs and make a plan together.
Our digital X-rays use a fraction of the radiation of old film X-rays, and the images come up on the screen in seconds. You can see exactly what we see.
“My Old Dentist Never Told Me to Floss This Way. Why Is It Different Here?”
Every hygienist has a slightly different technique, and every dentist has a slightly different philosophy about home care. That’s normal, but when a patient tells us their last dentist said something different, we take it seriously.
Our answer is that there’s more than one right way to clean your teeth. What matters most is doing it consistently and reaching the hardest-to-clean areas, especially between the teeth and under the gumline. Whether you use string floss, a water flosser, interdental brushes, or a combination, the goal is the same.
If we suggest a different technique than you’re used to, it’s usually because we’ve seen something specific in your mouth that would benefit from it. Maybe your gums are inflamed in one area, and a water flosser would be gentler. Maybe you have a crown or bridge that needs a different approach.
We’ll show you what we’re seeing and explain the reasoning. If your old technique is working for you, we’ll tell you that too. We’re not here to rewrite your whole routine for its own sake.
“Do I Really Need to Come in Every Six Months?”
The American Dental Association recommends a checkup every six months for most patients. That’s the standard we follow, but it doesn’t apply to everyone.
Some patients do fine with one visit a year. They have healthy gums, no history of cavities, and good home care. Others need to come in every three or four months because they have gum disease, a history of decay, or a medical condition that affects their oral health.
Dr. Gartner has been doing this long enough to know that a one-size-fits-all schedule doesn’t work. He’ll look at your history, your gums, your home care, and your risk factors, then recommend a schedule that fits you. Some patients are surprised when we say they can come in less often. Some are surprised when we say they should come in more. Either way, it’s based on what we actually see, not a blanket policy.
“Why Does My Jaw Hurt in the Morning?”
This is more common than most people realize, and we see it a lot on the Main Line. Demanding jobs, busy schedules, and stress tend to show up in the jaw. Many patients clench or grind their teeth at night without realizing it.
The signs are usually pretty clear once we look. Flattened chewing surfaces on your molars. Small chips or cracks along the edges of your front teeth. A jaw that pops or clicks when you open wide. Headaches that show up in the morning and fade by lunchtime.
If we think clenching or grinding is the issue, we’ll talk through your options. A custom night guard is the most common solution. It protects your enamel and eases the strain on your jaw. Small bite adjustments can help too. For patients with significant muscle tension, Botox in the jaw muscles can reduce clenching and ease the headaches that come with it.
This is one of those problems that gets worse if you ignore it. Catching it early makes a big difference.
“Is It Worth Fixing a Small Cavity Right Now, or Can I Wait?”
We get this one all the time, and we understand why. A small cavity doesn’t hurt. It’s easy to put off, especially if money is tight or your schedule is full.
We tell patients that a small cavity is a simple fix. A tooth-colored filling takes one visit, usually under an hour, and it’s one of our most affordable treatments. If you wait, the cavity grows. Eventually it reaches the nerve, and then you’re looking at a root canal or an extraction. That’s more visits, more discomfort, and significantly more cost.
We’re not trying to scare anyone into treatment. We’re just being honest about how decay works. The best time to fix a cavity is when it’s small. That’s true everywhere, but it’s especially true when you’re trying to stay on top of your budget.
If you’re not sure whether to treat now or wait, ask us. We’ll tell you what we’d do if it were our own tooth.
“Can You Tell Me What This Will Cost Before We Start?”
Yes, always. We don’t believe in surprise bills.
Before any treatment begins, we’ll walk you through the plan, the cost, and what your insurance will cover. If there are options, we’ll lay them out side by side so you can choose what works for your budget and timeline. If you don’t have insurance, we’ll talk through payment options and help you figure out the best path.
This is one of the things that sets a long-standing family practice apart. We’re not here to maximize a single visit. We’re here to take care of families in this community for decades. That means being upfront about costs and never pushing treatment you don’t need.
“What If I’m Nervous About Being Here?”
You’re not alone. A lot of our patients feel anxious about dental visits, and we take that seriously. We offer sedation options for patients who need them, including nitrous oxide and local anesthesia. We also go at your pace. If you need a break, we stop. If you want to know exactly what’s happening before it happens, we’ll tell you.
Dr. Gartner grew up in this practice. He watched his father calm nervous patients for years before he ever picked up a dental instrument. You don’t learn that skill in dental school. You absorb it by watching someone who’s good at it.
If anxiety has kept you away from the dentist, tell us. We’ve helped plenty of patients get back on track. You won’t be judged, and you won’t be rushed.
Ask Us Anything
If you have a question we didn’t answer here, ask us at your next visit or call us. We’d rather answer a question ten times than have a patient sitting at home worrying about something they don’t understand.
If you’re looking for a dentist in Wayne, PA, or if you’ve been away from the dentist for a while and you’re not sure where to start, we’d love to meet you. Call our office at 610-600-1559 to schedule a visit. You can also request an appointment online anytime. We’ll take the time to listen, answer your questions, and build a plan that works for you.
After forty years in Wayne, we’ve learned that the best dentistry starts with good conversation. Let’s have one.