Questions You Have
This list of FAQs offers convenient, clear answers to the most common patient inquiries about our practice, philosophy, and procedures. Feel free to contact us by phone or e-mail if you want more information.
Dr. Levenson subscribes to current industry journals to keep tabs on research and developments in the dental industry. He continues his dental education by regularly taking a variety of courses, and his special interest lies in esthetic dentistry techniques. In particular, he's attended the renowned Pacific Aesthetic Continuum in San Francisco, learning directly under masters in the field. Further, he stays abreast of new dental topics through his membership with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics , the Worcester District Dental Society, Hornbrook group, and the Academy of Sports Dentistry. He shares his learning with our entire staff, and each team member also participates in continuing education courses.
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If you're interested in teeth whitening, we'll first evaluate your potential based on the current color of your teeth and the causes of discoloration. Then we'll discuss your options, including the convenient, in-office Zoom! Whitening system or our simple at-home teeth whitening program.
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Our dental imaging software can help you visualize the end results of cosmetic and restorative work. By taking photos of your current smile, we can generate a graphic image to demonstrate how your proposed procedure(s) will affect your smile.
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Our office accepts nearly all of the major insurance plans. We will be happy to help you file your insurance. In addition, we accept cash, checks, and major credit cards, and are happy to make available third-party financing options.
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We recommend that our patients bring their children in for their first dental visit right after all of their primary teeth have erupted, or generally around a child's second birthday. Typically, we'll count their teeth, introduce them to our staff, show them how the dental chair works, and familiarize with our equipment. This provides us with an opportunity to spot and prevent any potential oral health/dental problems, and it also gives the child a positive, non-threatening dental foundation.
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Bleeding gums can signal gum disease. Improper, rough scrubbing instead of gentle, circular brushing motions may also cause irritation. Using a hard-bristled tooth brush instead of a soft one, plaque and/or tartar buildup below the gum line, or gum sensitivity due to gingivitis or gum disease are other factors. If your problem persists despite correct brushing and flossing, or if bleeding occurs every time you brush, you may have gum disease. We recommend you set up an evaluation appointment with Dr. Levenson as soon as possible. More serious health problems such as diabetes and heart disease are more common in people with gum disease. We can help patients arrest and successfully treat all stages of gum disease through our non-surgical soft tissue management program.
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With today's technology, materials, and advanced techniques, we offer many options to restore weak, broken, chipped, discolored, or missing teeth. For example, we can apply an all-porcelain crown, or a cap, to cover the outside of the problem tooth. Crowns can also cover large areas of decay after they've been filled. For smaller areas of decay, we can apply all-porcelain onlays or inlays, which are similar to crowns but retain more natural tooth structure. For unattractive front teeth, we can create pretty, natural shapes and shades by applying paper-thin porcelain veneers to the fronts. For patients who are missing a number of front/side teeth, we can create a removable partial denture designed for either the upper or lower jaw, made of all acrylic or all metal. They're attached to existing teeth by precision acrylic clasps and must be removed for cleaning, after eating, and before sleeping. For more information on any of these procedures, please feel free to talk with Dr. Levenson during your visit.
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Dr. Levenson offers a number of ways to improve the look of your front teeth without metallic braces. For crooked or unevenly worn teeth, a bit of reshaping and the addition of porcelain veneers or all-porcelain crowns may be sufficient to give them a bright, uniform look. In other cases, we can use Invisalign clear orthodontia. We’d be happy to talk with you about the option that best suits your situation.
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Of course we accept referrals from other dental offices, as well as from recommendations by our patients to their family and friends. We request that new patients complete an evaluation form prior to the first visit and that they forward all recent records and X-rays to our office.
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In the case of a true dental emergency, please call our office at (508) 753-3105. A contact number will be included in the message to reach the doctor after hours.
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We encourage our patients to ask Dr. Levenson questions. He’s available to talk with you via e-mail or voice mail. Depending on office traffic and the complexity of your questions, he tries to respond within 24 hours.
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While bridges and dentures offer prosthetic teeth for patients who are missing teeth or have teeth that require extraction, dental implants are the closest prosthetic to natural teeth. Our trusted specialists place implants, which means surgically implanting titanium posts in the jawbone. Then we attach a beautiful prosthetic tooth, also called an implant restoration, on the post to complete your smile. Dental implants can replace one or more teeth, or they can permanently anchor dentures, partials, or bridges. Because implants feature a strong foundation when the titanium bonds to natural bone tissue, they offer a solid, fully-functional, and absolutely gorgeous option for replacing missing teeth.
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