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Frequently Asked Questions

I’m considering making an appointment. What should I expect?

Before your visit:

For your convenience, you have the option to provide medical, dental, personal and insurance information online through our software management system, or print the forms at home and fill them out by hand. Completing this information before your appointment will speed up your visit. We also suggest you call in your insurance information prior to your visit so we can have you set up in our system.

Your initial (non-emergency) visit:

We conduct a thorough initial exam (including oral cancer screening). In lieu of recent X-rays, a full set will be taken, and a comprehensive treatment plan will be developed.

We will explain areas of concern as well as opportunities. We will also research insurance benefits and explore affordability of treatment. Our goal is to help you understand the potential of excellent dental care and a radiant smile, and to find the best way to fit your dental wants and needs into your budget.

I’m interested in Veneers. What’s the process?

• Appointment #1: We will work with you to plan your treatment and help you visualize the outcome. Capistrano Dental uses digital photography to simulate the final outcome of your veeners.
• Appointment #2: We carefully prepare your teeth and take impressions. Temporary veneers will be created and installed during this visit, and will help you envision your final results. In some instances we can combine the 1st and 2nd appointments to expedite your treatment.
• Appointment #3: We remove your temporary veneers and test your porcelain veneers. Once we know you are happy with your new veneers, we bond them in place with multiple layers of adhesive.
• Appointment #4 (Optional): We may invite you to an extra appointment to check your veneers and ensure that you love you new smile!

I’ve been told I need a Crown. What should I expect?

• Appointment #1: We remove old or defective material and replace it. We also prepare the tooth for the crown by reducing the tooth structure. Once we reduce the size of the tooth by a precise amount, the missing portion of the tooth is replaced with a temporary (or “provisional”) crown. This restores the tooth’s normal appearance while the permanent crown is being crafted at the laboratory. It allows you to eat and function normally for the week or two waiting period.
• Appointment #2: We remove your temporary crown, and place and test your final crown using a temporary adhesive. Once we are certain of the proper fit, we cement the permanent crown in place.

An expertly crafted crown looks and feels natural and should last ten years or more.

I may need a Dental Implant. Why?

Your teeth were designed to last a lifetime, but sometimes they don't! Replacing missing teeth is important to your general health and to the health of your other teeth.

When you lose a tooth, you lose chewing ability, but even more alarming is that unreplaced teeth can cause other teeth to be lost, tipped or crowded and create subsequent problems. Not to mention the obvious problems of poor appearance and loss of self-esteem caused by one or more missing teeth.

Dental implants are often an excellent option to replace a failing or missing tooth. For more than 50 years, dental implants have been used to replace missing teeth. Implants have come to be considered more effective and predictable than bridgework, resin bonded bridges and endodontic treatment.

What exactly are dental implants?

Dental implants are substitutes for the roots of missing teeth. They act as an anchor for a replacement tooth or crown or a set of replacement teeth.

Am I a candidate for implants?

Implants may be the right choice for anyone missing one or more teeth due to injury, disease or decay. They are appropriate for patients of any age and are especially practical for patients who can no longer wear removable dentures. Let us evaluate your dental and medical history to determine if you are a candidate for dental implants.

Do I have enough bone?

It is important that you have enough bone to support a new implant. There are many safe and effective ways to correct bone deficiency. We will advise you if additional bone material is needed to secure your implant.

How long will it take?

Treatment time can vary greatly depending on your needs. We will evaluate your needs and give you an approximate timetable. It’s always our goal to provide the services you need with the least inconvenience to you.

Whom should I consult for my implant treatment?

Capistrano Dental offers the ideal combination of training, experience and credentials. Our AAID credentialed doctors will perform your surgical and/or restorative procedures to the most exacting standards of the profession.

How Do I Get Started with Capistrano Dental?

Simply call our office at (949) 487-3273 to schedule a free no-obligation consultation for yourself, your family member or friend. Or click here to schedule an appointment online.

We’re eager to help you achieve optimum dental health AND look your very best!

Post-Operative Questions

What do I do after a tooth extraction?

Keep pressure on the gauze pad at the extraction site for one hour. If bleeding continues, use new gauze and maintain pressure for another 45 minutes.

For more extensive procedures including Impacted Wisdom Tooth Extraction, Implant Surgical Procedures, etc; you may receive an ice wrap. This should be worn intermittently on the day of surgery only—10 minutes on and 5 minutes off—until you go to sleep. Specific instructions for your surgical treatments may include unique directions supplied to you at the time of your treatment.

On the day of your extraction, avoid eating or drinking hot foods and beverages. Also, do not rinse, use a straw, spit or drink carbonated beverages. Do not brush your teeth on the day of your surgery. You may resume gentle brushing and flossing the day after.

For 2-3 days, we recommend a diet of soft food and liquids (soups, yogurt, milk shakes, juices).

Children should avoid biting on numb lips or tongue.

You may experience some pain, bruising around your lips and/or some swelling, especially after extraction of impacted wisdom teeth. Ice bag application and medication prescribed for you will help to minimize your discomfort.

Please take all medication as directed.

Call our office immediately if you experience excessive bleeding, severe pain or swelling or if you have any questions or concerns. In case of serious emergencies always call 911.

What do I do after an implant is placed?

You should expect minor discomfort and some bleeding the day of the surgery.
Please take all medication as directed.

Apply an ice bag on your face over the surgical intermittently on the day of surgery only—10 minutes on and 5 minutes off—until you go to sleep.

Be sure to attend your follow-up appointment for removal of sutures and inspection of your progress.

Do not brush teeth near the surgical site, only your other teeth. There may be a temporary loss of feeling in the surgical area and the tooth may feel loose. This is normal.

Do not attempt to inspect the treated area by raising your lips with your fingers. Do not smoke, spit or use a straw on the day of the surgery, and avoid smoking for a few days after the surgery.

Call our office immediately if you experience excessive bleeding, severe pain or swelling or if you have any questions or concerns. In case of serious emergencies always call 911.

What do I do after I get a crown, veneers or a filling?

Temporary crowns are designed to protect your tooth and prevent other teeth from moving out of alignment. Temporary crowns are usually made of plastic or soft metal, and can break or come off if too much pressure is applied, or if you chew sticky or hard foods. Chew on the opposite side from the grown if possible. If your crown falls off, save it and call our office.

After the permanent crown is cemented, you may feel slight pressure and your bite may feel different for a few days. If the bite feels uneven or you still experience discomfort while chewing after 2-3 days, please call our office. Bite issues must be adjusted quickly to avoid permanent damage to the tooth.

You may brush your teeth normally, but while flossing around the crown, take care to remove the floss gently from the side, and not pull on the crown.

With new veneers or fillings, do not chew on it for one hour and until your numbness is gone.

If you are supervising a child with a new filling, make sure they don’t bite on their numb lips or tongue. This can cause serious injury to the soft tissue.

You may experience cold and heat sensitivity and some soreness on or around your gums. This usually subsides in few days.

Call our office if you experience pain or discomfort for more than a few days after a new crown or filling, or if you have any questions.

What should I expect after surgery?

You should expect some bleeding or oozing for the first 12 to 24 hours. Swelling is also normal following oral surgery and should peak within two to three days, then start to diminish by day 5. You may experience some discomfort after anesthesia wears off. It should decrease in 3 days or less.

To alleviate bleeding: Place gauze over the surgical site and maintain pressure by biting for at least 2 hours. Replace gauze every 30 minutes during that time. Keep your head elevated and try to rest. Do not suck or spit excessively.

Treat ongoing bleeding by replacing gauze with a new folded gauze placed and maintain pressure until the bleeding stops. Some oozing and discoloration of saliva is normal.

To alleviate swelling:

Place ice or a cold compress for 10 minutes each half-hour for the first 8 to 12 hours. Note: Use ice bags or cold compresses only on the day of surgery.

To alleviate discomfort:

Begin taking pain medication immediately after surgery as directed. The medicine usually requires 45-60 minutes to take effect.

Diet

During the first weeks after surgery, a nutritious liquid or soft diet may be helpful of necessary. My sure to drink at least two quarts of liquid a day to aid the healing process. Do not smoke during the healing period.

Physical Activity

For the first 24 to 48 hours, you should REST. Patients who have been sedated should not drive a car or engage in any activity requiring alertness for 24 hours.

For seven days after surgery:

• Brush teeth carefully.
• Rinse mouth using warm salt water (or a prescription mouth rinse), three to five times per day.
• Take all prescribed medications as directed. Antibiotic prescriptions should be taken until fully consumed.
• Use a warm, wet washcloth or heating pad on your face for swelling. Continue until the swelling subsides.
• If sutures were used, return to the office in 5 to 7 days to have them removed.
• Dry socket is a delayed healing response that sometimes occurs 2-4 days after surgery. It can generate a throbbing pain on the side of the face, and may continue upward toward the ear. In mild cases, increasing your pain medication can control the symptoms.

Following any dental procedure, contact Capistrano Dental if:

• Bleeding is excessive and will not stop.
• Discomfort is unmanageable or dry socket causes to intense pain.
• Swelling is excessive, spreading or growing after 48 hours.
• Allergic reactions to medications occur which are causing a generalized rash or excessive bleeding.
• You suspect you have developed an infection.