Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can we help you?
We encourage patients to come to us with questions about their treatment, our dental office, or what to expect when they come to Roots Dental. Our entire team is committed to helping you feel confident in the decisions you make regarding your oral health.
Below, you will find some of the most common questions that patients have. If you don’t see yours listed, just give us a call. We are always happy to help.
Other
Do you offer payment plans?
We never want finances to stand between you and a healthy, comfortable smile. That is why we make dental care affordable with payment plans that meet the needs of the families in our community.
We offer two different payment plans and work with a wide variety of insurance companies.
CareCredit Patient Financing
CareCredit is like a credit card. It is a revolving account that you can use for medical, dental cosmetic, vision, and veterinary care.
You must choose a participating provider, like our practice, to use CareCredit. CareCredit plans offer both long-term and interest-free payment options so that you can make a choice that works well for you.
In-House Financing
We also offer in-house financing for patients who qualify. Rather than using an outside company, we will break the cost of your treatment into monthly payments that fit your budget. To learn more about this, contact our office. We can help you get started.
It is helpful to know the cost of your treatment before applying so that you have an idea of what your monthly payments will be.
You can learn more by visiting our financial page or by calling our Portland dental office. We are here to help and look forward to providing solutions that will work well for you and your family.
How quickly can I get a dental appointment?
Once you make a decision to go to the dentist, receiving an appointment promptly is a big priority!
We welcome new patients of all ages and make it easy for families and individuals to find a time that works in their busy schedules by keeping a work schedule with varying times to meet the needs of our busy patients.
Flexible dental appointment times
We offer both early morning and evening appointments so that you can easily work around your professional and school schedules. With two dentists on staff, we can even schedule more than one family member at a time, making it easy to get kids and parents the dental care they need in an efficient manner instead of waiting for school breaks or vacations.
The best way to find out how quickly we can see you is to give us a call. Contacting us as soon as possible will give you a better choice of appointment times.
If you are experiencing a dental emergency and have tooth pain, we will make your condition a priority and treat you as quickly as possible – often on the same day. Prompt treatment may even help us save your tooth or prevent more serious dental conditions.
You can reach us at (503) 878-8702.
Why should I choose Roots Dental?
Choosing a dentist is a big decision and can have an impact on the future of your oral health and smile. Naturally, you probably have a number of questions about the type of care you receive when you come to our Portland dental office.
Choosing a dentist who is a good fit for you, your partner, and your family depends on a number of factors that are important to you. Here are some of the qualities you might find helpful when making your decision to join our dental family:
You are Our Priority
We make patient comfort a priority. Dentistry does not have to be a painful or stressful experience. Our dentists are gentle and use the latest anesthetic techniques to make your care more comfortable.
We have the highest standard of care. We don’t cut corners or make excuses. You deserve the best, and we provide you with the latest that modern dentistry has to offer.
Our team is professional and friendly. Let’s face it; you will spend at least a couple of hours a year with our dental team. We hire professionals who value building relationships with our patients. They are also nice people who love what they do.
We work with our patients and support their decisions. We provide you with the information you need to make a good choice for your oral health, and then the decision is up to you! Contact us at either of our Portland locations to set up an appointment.
Dental Implants
How long will dental implants take? How much do they cost?
Missing teeth create a number of problems for your oral health and appearance. We often recommend dental implants because they are an excellent solution!
Cost of Dental Implants
Predicting the cost of dental care is tricky because each patient is so different. The best way to get accurate information about the cost of a dental implant and how long your procedure will take (including healing times) is to contact our Portland dental office and schedule an evaluation with either Dr. Jacqueline Gambee or Dr. Leif Gambee. After an exam, they will be able to answer all of your questions in detail.
Time for Dental Implants
Dental implants do require some time to complete. This is because they actually integrate with your body and become part of your jawbone. Placement, healing, and restoration can take 3 to 5 months depending on your individual response to treatment. We use 3-D digital imaging to ensure that you get the best results possible.
Opting for dental implants, as with all high-quality dental care, does require an investment on your part. We provide exceptional dentistry at a great value and offer payment options to make treatment attainable for just about any budget.
We believe dental implants are well worth the wait and cost because they provide a stable, reliable, and long-lasting solution to missing teeth.
Emergency Dentistry
Is my problem a dental emergency?
If you have a dental problem that concerns you, we would like to know about it. We don’t ever want you to hesitate to call us because you’re not sure if your situation is a dental emergency or not.
The first step is to call your emergency dentist in Portland, OR, so we can determine if what you’re experiencing requires an urgent visit to Roots Dental.
There’s no question that a traumatic injury like a knocked-out tooth requires immediate attention. In fact, there’s a small window of only a few hours in which we have any hope of reinserting the tooth successfully in your jaw. Keep the tooth root moist, but don’t touch it. Call or have a friend call us immediately and let us know what’s going on.
It’s easy to ignore a twinge of pain and self-medicate with over-the-counter pain relievers. But any tooth pain indicates a problem is developing, and you need to see your Portland dentist right away. An excruciating toothache is a sign that your tooth is severely decayed or infected and requires immediate treatment to save it from extraction.
A broken tooth can be annoying and uncomfortable, but we can probably safely schedule you for our next available appointment. Even if you’re not in pain, you need treatment to replace a lost dental crown or filling, and the sooner, the better.
These are some general guidelines, but you’re unique, and so are your dental needs. If you have a toothache, broken tooth, lost crown or filling, or some other dental problem that concerns you, call your emergency dentist in Portland, OR. We’ll schedule a dental appointment at Roots Dental to see you as soon as possible to provide the treatment and relief you need.
Sedation Dentistry
Do you offer sedation dentistry?
Dental anxiety, a strong gag reflex, and difficulty getting numb are all reasons that our patients have said they stay away from the dentist. Rather than putting you through a stressful or less-than-ideal dental appointment, we decided to come up with a solution by offering sedation dentistry here in our Portland dental office.
Every patient is different, and with that in mind, we wanted to make your options convenient for you with three different sedation levels to choose from.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
This is a mild, odorless gas that you inhale through a small nose mask. We control your sedation level throughout your appointment. The effects wear off shortly after we stop administering the gas, and you will feel clear-headed by the time you drive home.
Oral Conscious Sedation
As the name suggests, you will remain conscious throughout your appointment, but you may not remember much of it because oral sedation helps patients relax into a dreamy state. Time flies, and your appointment will feel easy and stress-free. You will need a driver since the medication is long-lasting. You will also feel groggy after treatment and should go home and rest.
IV Sedation
This is our highest level of sedation and will be administered through an IV. Like oral sedation, you will need a driver and should take the rest of the day off to relax after your treatment.
Will my dental procedure hurt?
One of the concerns that our patients talk to us about is the memory of a painful dental procedure in the past that has created anxiety about future treatment. At Roots Dental, we make patient comfort a priority for all procedures – from the smallest filling to full-mouth reconstruction. Our dentists are highly skilled at delivering anesthetic in a way that causes minimal discomfort.
We use high-strength topical gel to numb the area before we numb your tooth. This results in a more comfortable overall experience. Next, we use the latest anesthetics to provide a comfortable experience. We administer the anesthetic and wait for it to take effect before we begin any procedure. Each patient is different, and we leave enough time for every patient to become completely numb before beginning any procedure.
If your tooth is not numb, we will not work on it.
Types of Sedation Dentistry
Sometimes having anxiety can prevent anesthetic from becoming fully effective. We can help with any anxiety you may have because we offer sedation dentistry in three different levels:
- Nitrous oxide sedation
- Oral conscious sedation
- IV sedation
Please contact us if you have had a history of dental anxiety or would like to learn more about how we provide gentle dentistry for our patients