01-23-2007 - Dear Tim, Many people have the misconception that one has to have dental insurance to have dental treatment. This is not true. We do need medical insurance to have medical care because otherwise we might go bankrupt if we had a medical emergency and we had to pay for all the costs out of pocket. I have never heard of a person who went bankrupt because of a dental emergency. Dental work can usually be done in stages so that patients like yourself can afford to have needed dental treatment. Try to figure out a monthly dental budget amount that would be in your comfort zone, and then talk to the financial coordinator in a dental office. There are alot of options that are available for dental patients. I would be happy to see you in my office for a complimentry consultion. For more information visit my website which is cosmeticdentistknoxville.com. Thanks for your question, Dr. B :)   « less

01-23-2007 - Dear Marianne, I know that you are disappointed that you did not get the result that you wanted form the “ take home tray whitening”, that your dentist prescribed to you. Ther are other patients who have tried “over the counter” products and take home tray whitening and just haven’t gotten the results that they desired. Sometimes there are other factors that should be considered that have a negative effect on tooth whitening: i.e. Does the patient drink coffee, tea, or red wine? Does the patient drink a lot of soft drinks? Does the patient smoke or use tobacco products? Is the patient’s gum tissue healthy? Are the patient’s teeth sensitive to hot or cold? However, there is hope for you and other patients like you. Motivated people usually don’t give up on what they want. Come see us! I will be happy to see you for a complimentary consultation to be able to better advise you about your own dental concerns and discuss with you other teeth whitening options that you may find interesting, ( including the advantages and disadvantages of “laser teeth whitening). Please visit my website at cosmeticdentistknoxville.com for more information. Thanks for your question …… Dr. B   « less

01-23-2007 - Dear Mrs. Long, Dental implants are made of metal…. So are a lot of crowns and bridges that are placed in people’s mouths by dentists everyday. I have read that any metal can have a “scattering” effect on some of the images of the MRI depending on which area of the body the image/images are taken. If an MRI for your head has been recommended to you then I would suggest that you ask your prescribing physician about this. There are options for dental patients who prefer non-metallic restorations. In dentistry in the last five years new porcelains and techniques have been developed that allow dentists to recommend to interested patients solid porcelain crowns and bridges that look more natural and are very durable. I will be happy to see you for a complimentary consultation to be able to better advise you. Please visit my website at cosmeticdentistknoxville.com for more information. Thanks for your question… Dr. B   « less

01-23-2007 - Gingivitis is red, puffy, irritated gum tissue that bleeds easily. It is the first stage of periodontal disease. The way most dentists and dental hygienists would recommend treating this stage is with a thorough professional scaling and polishing of the teeth. I personally believe that a good dental hygienist will help most patients with this condition. Your dentist and dental hygienist will recommend that people with this condition improve their home care... "brush and floss only the teeth that you want to keep!" I hope this helps... Dr.B :)   « less

01-23-2007 - Dear anonymous, Dental fees are always a sensitive subject to both dentists and patients. The individual dentist’s fees for a particular dental procedure should be a reflection of the dentist’s experience, the overall quality or level of service, the degree of difficulty to perform the service, and the associated costs of labor, materials, lab fees and facility expense. Unfortunately, there can be a wide disparity in dentist’s fees from one dentist to another. One reason is that there can be a big difference in the individual dentist’s experience and his or her commitment to thoroughness and quality. Whenever I am asked “how much” I charge for…..whatever dental procedure, I always give a wide range because I am committed to thoroughness and quality. Before quoting a fee, I first have to evaluate how the patient might respond to dental treatment….. are they very apprehensive? Will my staff and I need to spend extra time? Go more slowly? Use nitrous oxide? etc. I also have to evaluate if a patient can open his or her mouth wide enough, if they gag easily, if they have other health concerns that may compromise treatment, if there is decay or periodontal disease present, if they have “TMJ” or bite related issues such as grinding or clenching their teeth, how much tooth structure is remaining on any given tooth, (will I have to plan for additional time and costs to “build” the tooth back in order to have enough tooth structure to do a crown?). Is the crown that “needs” to be replaced on a front tooth (in the “esthetic zone”), or is it on a back tooth? Is the crown the doctor prescribes or recommends going to be a solid gold crown, solid porcelain crown, porcelain to metal crown, etc.? What about the dentist’s staff, and their experience and training? What about the overall office, décor, new technology and commitment to infection control and cleanliness? These are just a few of the other factors to be considered. To give you a straight answer about whether or not $1500.00 is too much to pay to replace your wife’s crown…. I don’t know, maybe….maybe not. I can tell you this much. If you call a dental insurance company or check other “pricing surveys” in your area and ask them what their fees are for a particular service they will not take into consideration the factors that I mentioned above. Patients need to remember that we dentists are working 3-6 inches away from their brain. Quality and thoroughness never go out of style….and usually we pay more to get it. I hope this helps, Sincerely, Michael B. Beeler, DDS P.S. You may want to log on the Knoxnews.com and view the response that I gave another person’s inquiry about second opinions that was posted on 9/5/06.   « less

01-23-2007 - Dear Kaye, If your 8 “caps” or crowns were placed on your teeth in 1986 then it may be time to consider having them remade. The black line that you and other people see is probably the metal showing from the edge of the porcelain to metal crown. Gum problems like gingivitis, and “pockets” around peoples teeth can accelerate gum recession, and make the “black line” more noticeable. In my practice, I recommend to my patients to treat any gum related issues first (i.e. bleeding gums (gingivitis), or “pockets”(periodontal disease) and then discuss the replacement of worn out dental work. To better advise you about the cost and other questions that you may have about your personal dental concerns. I will be happy to see for a complimentary consultation. Please visit my website at cosmeticdentistknoxville.com for more information. Thanks for your question ….Dr.B   « less

05-03-2007 - Joyce, There are several different reasons why the enamel can wear on our teeth. Many people have excessive wear on their teeth due to night time grinding or clenching. Most patients tell me that they do not do this. However, when we are in a deep sleep we are unaware that we are (snoring) clinching or grinding our teeth. There are other contributing factors to tooth wear such as stress, biting forces, diet, mouth habits(such as biting our finger nails) and age. Patients always have different treatment options for tooth wear. The option that would be best for you would depend on how long you wanted the “fix” to last, how you wanted it to look, and of course, comfort, cost, time in treatment, etc. would enter into your decision. If your problem is bite related then just treating your two front teeth maybe masking an underlying problem that is not being addressed. Ask your dentist to evaluate your “occlusion”. If you have missing or crowded teeth or if you have had a lot of dental work done in the past, then you may need to address this issue before doing any further crowns. If you are interested, we will be happy to see you for a complimentary consultation to help you make the best choice that is right for you. Visit our website at www.mymasterpiecesmile.com or www.cosmeticdentistknoxville.com. Michael B. Beeler, D.D.S   « less

05-24-2007 - Dear Nancy, WOW! Fifteen years old with TMJ problems! I have been in private practice now for 31 years and I have been especially interested in helping people with TMJ "syndrome" and TMJ "dysfunction". Usually the best way that I can help a patient is by giving them current information after I have had a chance to do a clinical examination and evaluation. This a very complex medical/dental problem that has many contributing causing factors. I do happen to have a dental classmate who has a dental practice in Memphis, and he treats alot of patients who have TMJ "problems". Go to my website... call our office and we will help you as best we can. www.cosmeticdentistknoxville.com or www.my masterpiecesmile.com I hope this helps you. Dr.B:)   « less

05-24-2007 - Dear Angela, I have been in the dental business now for 31 years, and most all the dental professionals that I have met personally have a strong desire to help people. Of course, there are different levels of clinical experience and training with dental assistants, dental hygienists, and denists... and every dental office is different. Listening to patient's concerns, compassion, thoroughness, and attention to detail are areas that all dental professionals should have high on their "to do" lists for every patient. I really would not be able to give you an objective answer about the treatment that you recieved in your dentist's office. I want to believe that we dental professionals always want to do our best for our patients... however, even though we remake, redo, or "start over" on a particular proceedure or dental treatment sometimes we just can't please everybody. You may visit our office "online" and take a virtual tour by going to www.mymasterpiecesmile.com or cosmeticdentistknoxville.com. I hope this helps. Dr.B:)   « less

05-24-2007 - Dear Stephanie, Yes your "caps" (crowns) can be replaced. It is done routinely in most dental offices. I would recommend to you that the crown that is giving you problems could be remade, however, you may want to have an x-ray taken to evaluate the tooth because there may be something else that is causing your discomfort. (I prefer digital x-rays because patients are exposed to 90% less radition, they are more accurate, and the patient and the dentist can see the x-ray more easily on a computer monitor or a TV screen.)I hope that this advise is helpful. Dr.B :)   « less