Why Your Crown Is Still Sensitive and What to Do About It
Direct Answer: Some sensitivity after a crown is placed is normal and usually fades within a few weeks. If it’s getting worse, concentrated at the gumline, or happens without any trigger, call your dentist. Getting a crown placed is supposed to be the end of the problem, the cracked tooth is covered, the pain from […]
Cracked or Broken Tooth: When a Filling Is Enough and When It Is Not
Direct Answer: A small chip or shallow crack often can be repaired with a filling or bonding. A break that weakens the tooth’s structure, or pain that lingers after biting, usually means a crown is the better choice. One of the most common questions we hear at Cedar Dental Group goes something like this: “I […]
Going to the Dentist When You’re Genuinely Scared: What Actually Helps
Direct Answer: Telling your dental team about your anxiety before your appointment is the single most useful thing you can do. That one step changes how the entire visit is structured around you. If you’ve been putting off a dental appointment for months, or years, because the thought of sitting in that chair fills you […]
Why Your Dentist Recommends a Crown After a Root Canal
Direct Answer: A root canal removes the living tissue from inside a tooth, leaving it more brittle and prone to fracture. A crown covers that tooth and distributes bite force so it doesn’t crack under pressure. You sat through the root canal. The pain is gone. And then your dentist tells you the next step […]
What a Deep Cleaning Actually Involves, and How You’ll Feel After
Direct Answer: A deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing, removes bacteria and buildup from below the gumline under local anesthetic. Most patients have some tenderness for a few days, then feel fine. A lot of people walk into a dental office saying some version of the same thing: “I haven’t been in a while, […]
Is a Gum Graft Cosmetic, Medical, or Both? How Coverage Gets Decided
Direct Answer: A gum graft can be cosmetic, medically necessary, or both, depending on documented clinical findings like root exposure and recession depth. Insurance coverage is driven by how the procedure is recorded, not just why the patient wants it. A lot of people run into the same confusing wall when they start researching gum […]
How Dental Insurance Works in Washington, and Where It Falls Short
Direct Answer: Most Washington dental plans cover preventive care at or near 100%, basic restorative work at 70-80%, and major procedures at around 50%, with an annual payout cap that runs out faster than most patients expect. Before mentioning what kind of appointment they need, a meaningful number of people who contact our office open […]
Receding Gums: How to Tell If a Graft Is Actually Necessary
Direct Answer: You likely need a gum graft when the root surface is exposed, sensitivity is measurable, or recession is actively progressing. A periodontist evaluation is the only way to know for certain. You noticed something. Maybe a cold drink hit sharper than it used to. Maybe you looked in the mirror and one of […]
Root Canal Alternatives: What’s Actually on the Table
Direct Answer: For a tooth with a living but inflamed pulp, conservative options like pulp capping may exist. For an infected or abscessed tooth, the real alternatives are extraction or doing nothing, both of which carry their own consequences. The question I hear most often before a root canal conversation is some version of this: […]
Gum Surgery vs. Deep Cleaning: How Patients Know Which One They Need
Direct Answer: Deep cleaning removes bacterial buildup above and below the gumline. Gum surgery addresses structural damage, deep pockets, bone loss, or tissue changes, that cleaning alone cannot reverse. One of the questions I hear most often from patients who’ve already gone through a deep cleaning goes something like this: ‘I did everything they told […]
