Frequently Asked Questions
Questions? Read our FAQs below for helpful information about our practice.
APPOINTMENTS
Indigo Dentistry is open Monday-Wednesday, 8:30a–5:30p, Thursday, 10:30a–6:30p, and Friday, by Appointment Only.
Sat: Closed
Please note that our office will be closed in observance of the following holidays:
New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day
- For your convenience, we offer the following methods to schedule your appointments:
- Online scheduling: To request appointment availability, please CLICK HERE to fill out the form. Our scheduling coordinator will contact you to confirm your appointment.
- Call our office at (972) 779.0300.
- Email us with your preferred date or day of the week and time range, and our scheduling coordinator will contact you to confirm your appointment.
Our goal is to provide “Quality Dental Care” to all our patients in a timely manner. No-shows, late arrivals, and cancellations inconvenience not only our providers but our other patients as well. However, we understand that last-minute scheduling conflicts can occur.
If you must change or miss an appointment, we require a 24-hour notice by phone at (972) 779.0300. Late cancellations, last-minute rescheduling, or failure to show will result in a broken appointment charge of $50 or no reappointment. If more than one family member is scheduled & fails to make their appointment, a $50 cancellation fee will be assessed for the first individual and $40 for each family member thereafter.
Please call our office at least 24hours in advance of your appointment. We’ll work with you to help you find another date that fits your schedule.
If you have pain or an emergency situation, every attempt will be made to see you within 24 hours. If you need urgent dental care after our office hours, please call (972) 779.0300 and select option 2 to leave a message for the doctor on-call, and he/she will return your call as quickly as possible.
APPOINTMENTS
We will conduct a thorough examination on your first visit to determine the best course of action to achieve your goals and optimal dental health. We will:
- Take full mouth x-rays to identify any current problems and to use as a baseline on future visits to detect early signs of problems.
- Assess gum condition and health, which includes periodontal measurements.
- Examine teeth for cavities and condition of old dental restorations.
- Perform a head and neck exam, including salivary glands and lymph nodes, for swelling or other abnormalities.
- Screen for oral cancer and TMJ (jaw joint).
- Clean and polish your teeth, if a deep cleaning is not recommended.
Many health conditions are indicated in the mouth and can affect oral health, so your medical information is very important in diagnosing issues with your teeth, gums and mouth.
Fillings can last for many years, but over time they wear down, discolor, crack and sometimes fall out. Early detection of problems with fillings can help you avoid getting cavities under the filling and causing more serious decay. Let us know if you’re experiencing any pain. We’ll check your fillings at every visit to determine if any need to be replaced.
Composite fillings are widely preferred to amalgam today to fill new cavities and replace old fillings needing repair. Though more esthetically pleasing, these fillings tend to require replacement more frequently than amalgam.
Absolutely. Dental xrays are essential, preventative, diagnostic tools. Many oral conditions occur between teeth or under the gums or bones, undetectable by the human eye, and may have no early signs or symptoms. Left untreated, these conditions can create serious dental and general health problems, including loss of teeth and heart problems. Early detection with xrays can make treatment much less painful, faster, and less expensive. The American Dental Association recommends getting a full series every three years.
SEDATION
Many dental procedures can be completed under local anesthesia (i.e. numbing with Lidocaine or a counterpart). However, to help more anxious patients relax, or for more complex procedures, inhalation sedation and oral sedation are available.
Known as nitrous oxide or “laughing gas,” you’ll experience a feeling of euphoria after 5-10 minutes of breathing in the gas. You’ll be aware of your surroundings and able to respond to questions. Inhalation sedation has very few side effects and is eliminated from the body within 3 to 5 minutes after the gas supply is stopped. Patients feel effects of the gas at different degrees, and some (though few) may not feel any effects at all.
This general anesthetic allows you to be conscious but feel very little during treatment. We provide you with medication to be taken before your appointment, allowing you to be fully relaxed by the time we begin your dental treatment. You will not be able to drive after the treatment, so you should expect to have someone bring you to our office and take you home after your appointment. Many patients will experience some degree of amnesia and not remember their dental treatment at all.
CHILDREN
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, you should begin cleaning your child’s gums with a soft cloth soon after birth. As soon as the first tooth appears, start brushing twice daily with a soft infant toothbrush and just a smear of toothpaste. When you come in for your child’s first visit, we’ll show you how to brush properly.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends visiting the dentist as soon as the first tooth appears, or by the child’s first birthday, whichever is first. We can look for potential problems and help your child get to know us as their friend. These early visits can make your child’s experience with a dentist a positive one. Dr. Collier sees infants for check-up visits as early as 6 months in order to educate the parents on what to expect before the first tooth even erupts.
Please note that patients under 18years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all visits. We want to meet with both of you to discuss findings and treatments, and to address your questions and concerns.