Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

A dental night guard is a custom appliance made in a dental lab to cushion the upper and lower teeth to prevent wear or clenching while sleeping at night. It can also be worn during the day if a patient finds that they grind or clench. It should be taken out periodically to be cleaned.

There are many products on the market that alleviate cold sensitivity. The most recommended one is sensitivity toothpaste containing potassium nitrate. Also, high fluoride products like Prevident, which can be prescribed by your dentist, are recommended. In addition to these, using proper toothbrushing technique (soft bristle brush) or an electric toothbrush will prevent toothbrush abrasion. Toothbrush abrasion exposes the roots of the tooth which can be very sensitive to cold.

It is generally recommended that you see a dentist two times a year for regular cleaning, x- rays, and exam with your dentist. Not only will this give you peace of mind that your teeth are healthy, but it also establishes a history with your dentist to maintain optimal dental health and diagnose any issues your teeth may have before they become extensive.

Even with excellent hygiene habits, it's easy to miss small areas of your teeth. Over time, the missed plaque will harden into tartar, which can only be removed with a dental hygienist's tools. When tartar accumulates beneath the gumline, the end result is red, puffy, inflamed gums — the beginnings of periodontal disease. 

There are many products on the market that alleviate cold sensitivity. The most recommended one is sensitivity toothpaste containing potassium nitrate. Also, high fluoride products like Prevident, which can be prescribed by your dentist, are recommended. In addition to these, using proper toothbrushing technique (soft bristle brush) or an electric toothbrush will prevent toothbrush abrasion. Toothbrush abrasion exposes the roots of the tooth which can be very sensitive to cold.

Examinations are an important opportunity for us to check in with you, see how you are doing, and make sure that your teeth are healthy. We want to catch problems when they are small and can be treated easily. This allows for more comfortable and less costly dentistry for you. 

Unfortunately, by the time you are in pain, simple measures are often no longer effective. Regular examinations allow us to nip this situation in the bud and keep your teeth healthy and beautiful.

Flossing removes the bacteria-filled plaque in between the teeth that your toothbrush cannot reach. If this plaque is not removed it can cause tooth decay, gingivitis, and bone loss.

Dental x-rays provide the doctor with images of decay or tarter build-up between the teeth that cannot be seen by simply looking in the mouth. X-rays also identify infection and bone loss.

X-rays are a dentist's most important diagnostic tool. Often, problems start inside your teeth or beneath the gumline. By the time the problem is visible to the naked eye, it can be painful and more difficult to treat. Using x-rays taken on a regular basis, we can catch problems early and treat them quickly and comfortably.

When you don’t maintain proper homecare (i.e. brushing two times per day and flossing one time per day) and have regular dental cleanings plaque and tarter build up on your teeth and cause inflammation in the gum tissue.

Absolutely not! You are never too old to have a beautiful smile.

Call us today to find out what we can do to help you. We'd be happy to show you pictures of some of our other cosmetic transformations.

We offer a range of cosmetic dentistry services that includes whitening, composite(white-filling) materials, and porcelain(all-ceramic) crowns

We take our time trying to pick the right shade for your teeth.  We know that it's important that your teeth are both healthy and attractive.

If you'd like to find out which of our services can help you meet your goals, call our office to schedule your consultation.

There are multiple options with whitening your smile.  Quite frequently, the only option you may need is just whitening.  However if the discoloration is resistant to whitening, then we have other ways of improving the appearance of your teeth such as bonding or porcelain crowns.  Please call us to find out which of our services is right for you.

Dental crowns are designed to be durable and to function much like your own teeth. You need to use common sense, however, and avoid biting down directly on foods like hard candy or nuts.

A broken crown is not just costly to replace, but you may also damage underlying healthy tooth structure.

A crown is the recommended restoration for a tooth that has had a root canal, has large decay or has broken in an area that cannot be repaired with a filling. It encompasses the whole tooth structure for strength and restores the tooth to its original shape and size.

A dental bridge is a solution for filling the space left by a missing tooth. It is basically a single dental restoration that usually includes two dental crowns and a replacement tooth (pontic) that fills the empty space. The dental crowns are secured to adjacent teeth on either side of the empty space and provide support for the artificial tooth.

Modern dental materials and technology have dramatically improved the appearance of dental crowns and bridges. The porcelain used in today’s crowns and bridges can be color-matched to blend perfectly with the shade of your natural teeth.

With proper placement, your dental restoration should be virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

At first, your dentist may recommend that you wear your dentures to sleep. This will speed up your mouth’s adjustment to the dentures and allow you to quickly detect and correct any spots where the fit is uncomfortable. After your mouth has adjusted to the dentures, they may be worn throughout the day and removed while you sleep. Give our East Brainerd office a call today if you have more questions.

Yes.

When you first get your dentures, you will need to start with soft foods and slowly introduce harder foods as you get used to biting and chewing with the dentures in. Chew gently and take smaller bites to avoid loosening the dentures as you eat.

It will take your mouth some time to get used to the feel of dentures. After a few months, however, you will feel comfortable eating and talking with your dentures in and experience little to no soreness or discomfort. If you ever do experience soreness or if your dentures aren’t fitting right, please let us know.

At Bridge Dental Care, your Chattanooga emergency dentist, Dr. Primesh Modi, understands that families are often busy, and fitting dental appointments – including emergency dental visits – into hectic schedules is essential to get needed dental care.

If you have a dental emergency, especially involving tooth, face, or jaw pain, we advise you to contact us immediately. Typically, if you call early enough in the day, we can provide a same-day dental emergency appointment. Dr. Modi even has some Saturday appointments for those unexpected dental emergencies on the weekend, which unfortunately happens quite often.

Our office hours are:

Monday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thursday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Saturday By Appointment Only

In short, yes. We recommend you contact your Chattanooga emergency dentist immediately for an appointment. Swelling is typically an indication of an infection, which is often accompanied by pain. Leaving an active infection in your mouth not only puts you at risk for tooth loss, but also impacts the health of your body.

A toothache and swelling may indicate the need for root canal treatment. A common misconception about root canal therapy is that it is a painful procedure. In reality, root canal treatment almost instantly reduces pain in the tooth, jaw, and face, by removing the infection and bacteria and diseased tissue deep within the tooth. While it is common for your tooth to feel sensitive for a few days after the body’s natural healing process takes over, you should feel like yourself again in a few days to a week.

Any time you feel pain, it is your body’s way of alerting you of trouble that you should not ignore! If you do not yet have a dentist in the Chattanooga area, we welcome you to our practice. Bridge Dental Care works with many major insurance companies and offers financing options to eliminate the stress of budgeting your dental emergency and getting treatment when you need it most.

Often, the pain due to a toothache or infection starts small and increases with time. If you have a toothache, swelling, or a broken tooth, it’s a good idea to give your Chattanooga emergency dentist a call. Dr. Primesh Modi is experienced in treating many common dental emergencies:

• Broken tooth
• Infection and swelling
• Knocked-out or dislodged tooth
• Broken crown, filling, or dental bridge
• Object lodged in the gums
• Sports trauma
• Car accidents

At Bridge Dental Care, we welcome dental emergencies and prioritize treatment – often treating painful dental emergencies on the same day to provide relief and get you back to your busy schedule.

How  Quickly Can I get an Emergency Appointment in Chattanooga?

In some cases, we can put off a dental emergency appointment until the next convenient time. Situations like a broken crown or filling could wait a day or two, but we don’t recommend that you go any longer than that before visiting our Chattanooga dental office for an exam. Leaving a tooth exposed could lead to decay, advanced fractures, split teeth, pain, or even a root canal infection that requires more complex treatment or even an extraction.

Schedule a Emergency Dental Appointment

We understand that dental emergencies can feel painful. Our gentle dental team is here when you need us most. Give us a call if you notice changes to your oral health.

Dental x-rays provide the doctor with images of decay or tarter build-up between the teeth that cannot be seen by simply looking in the mouth. X-rays also identify infection and bone loss.

We welcome all ages in our office! We are happy to discuss your scheduling needs, so just give us a call and speak with our friendly front desk staff!

We recommend that you brush your teeth at least twice daily using good technique. Our skilled dental hygienists will be happy to review your technique with you and give you pointers to help you improve so you can get the most out of your home-care routine.

For most patients, we recommend twice-yearly visits for cleanings and examinations. If you are currently being treated for a particular concern, we may recommend that you visit us more often. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a child should visit a dentist by their first birthday or within six months of their first tooth erupting, whichever comes first. While this may seem a bit early, these visits are important in establishing good oral health habits, which parents can pass along to their children. 

These early visits also have preventative value in that they allow the dentist to monitor the development of the child's teeth, gums, and jaw and identify any issues, like the potential tooth for decay, before they develop into serious problems. They allow a  dentist to monitor your child's oral health over time and detect any potential dental problems early. 

As the child grows up, regular trips to the dentist every six months, certainly by three years of age, serve to reinforce the importance of good oral care habits in the future, such as brushing, flossing, and, well, scheduling regular visits to the dentist. 

Neglecting your child's dental health can have long-term consequences that can be both painful and costly. Bringing your child to the dentist regularly can help prevent these problems and ensure that they maintain good oral health throughout their life.

For more information about children's dentistry in Chattanooga, contact Bridge Dental Care today. 

When you don’t maintain proper homecare (i.e. brushing two times per day and flossing one time per day) and have regular dental cleanings plaque and tarter build up on your teeth and cause inflammation in the gum tissue.

In its earliest stages, we can reverse gum disease by improving your hygiene routine and adding in an antimicrobial treatment. Once gum disease has progressed past a certain point, however, the disease is not reversible. We can still provide treatment that will stop the disease in its tracks and prevent further deterioration of your gum and bone tissue.

Coming into our Chattanooga dental office for regular cleanings with one of our excellent dental hygienists will help keep your gums in great shape, but what you do at home matters as well. Brush twice daily and floss every evening. Our hygienists will be happy to show you good brushing and flossing technique.

Preventing Gum Disease

Here's some preventive measures you can take to prevent gum disease:

• Don't smoke or chew tobacco.
• Eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Use an antiseptic mouthwash. We'll be happy to recommend one.
• If you have a health condition that can affect your dental health such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer, please let us know so that we can take extra steps to help keep your gums healthy.

Give our Chattanooga dentist office a call today if you've got more questions on gum disease prevention. We're more than happy to chat with you about your dental health!

The appropriate treatment for your gum disease will vary depending on how far your disease has progressed and any contributing factors such as hygiene and other health conditions. 

Gum Disease Treatments

• An increased dedication to excellent oral hygiene
• Antimicrobial rinses and other products
• An antibiotic medication that is placed in the gum pockets
• Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing)
• Laser therapy
• Gum surgery

We will discuss your situation with you and recommend the treatment that we believe will be the most appropriate for your unique needs. Give us a call if you've got any additional questions!

It is important to understand the process of a root canal. During a root canal, the goals of treatment are to clean the bacteria that is harboring in your tooth, remove the nerve, and RELIEVE YOUR PAIN.

The Process Of A Root Canal.

The first step is make sure you are completely anesthetized and comfortable.  The next step is to create an access to the canal.  The third step is clean inside the canal and remove any bacteria and nerve.  Once, the canal has been sufficiency cleanse, then a thermoplastic material called Gutta Purcha, will be used to seal the canal to help prevent bacteria re-infection.

Once the canal(s) have been filled, then a permanent filling or crown will used to properly restore the tooth.  A crown will certainly be needed if a root canal is completed on a back tooth(premolar or molar) to keep the tooth from fracturing.  You may potentially feel some soreness around the tooth for a few weeks, but there should not be any pain postoperatively.  

Give our office a call today if you've got more questions about root canals!

A root canal is the treatment of the nerve chambers within a tooth. The nerve and blood vessels are removed and the chambers of the tooth are sterilized. The nerve canals are then filled to the tip of the root to remove the infection and alleviate pain. This saves the tooth from being lost.

When the interior of your tooth, specifically the canal, is disturbed by bacteria or trauma, the nerve starts to become inflamed or degenerates.  The inflammation of the nerve can lead to severe hot/cold sensitivity and pain upon pressure.  Degeneration of the nerve can lead to pain upon pressure or chewing.  Sometimes discomfort from either inflamed or degeneration of the nerve can be unprovoked.  Root canal therapy will help eliminate the discomfort by removing the nerve and cleaning out the bacteria that infiltrated the canal.  It is of utmost importance to properly restore the tooth in a timely manner.

The techniques used to perform root canals have advanced considerably, making this routine procedure no more uncomfortable or inconvenient than a filling. Many people who need a root canal are currently in pain, and a root canal will relieve your pain and save your tooth. After your procedure, you may experience some swelling and discomfort, but this will go away quickly.

Generally speaking, teeth will yellow or orange discoloration will respond extremely well to whitening.  Teeth that have bluish-gray tint/discoloration generally are more difficult to treat with whitening.

There are several ways to improve the whiteness of your teeth:

1. Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits – Maintaining a gleaming smile without clean and healthy teeth and gums is extremely difficult. Before looking into any specialized teeth whitening solutions, ensure you brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss daily to remove plaque and surface stains.
2. Limit staining foods and drinks – To maintain teeth whiteness, avoid certain foods (like beets and dark berries) and drinks (coffee, tea, red wine) that can stain teeth. If you consume any of these, rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash afterward.
3. Avoid tobacco products – This is fairly straightforward. All tobacco, whether smoking cigarettes, cigars or smokeless chewing tobacco, or “dip” that goes inside the cheek or bottom lips and presses against the teeth, is notorious for staining teeth.
4. Whitening toothpaste – whitening toothpaste, available at supermarkets and pharmacies, contain mild abrasives that can help remove surface stains, though these will likely be less effective against deeper stains.
5. At-home whitening treatments – Also available at most outlets at which whitening toothpaste is available are a variety of teeth-whitening treatments, typically containing hydrogen peroxide, which you can administer at home via gels, trays, or whitening strips. Speak with your dentist before starting any at-home treatment, and be sure to follow any treatment’s instructions carefully.
6. Professional teeth whitening – Professional teeth whitening, provided in-office by your dentist, uses stronger whitening agents, like Opalescence Boost’s chemically-activated whitening gel, will likely provide you with the most immediate, dramatic, and long-lasting results.

There are certain foods that may stain your teeth, like coffee, tea, red wine, and dark-colored fruits. Having good home care will help prevent daily staining. Surface stains that do accumulate can be removed by your dental hygienist every six months. Over-the-counter and in-office whitening treatments can improve the brightness of your teeth by lightening the first few layers of enamel.

Teeth Whitening in Chattanooga

Contact us to learn more about teeth whitening!

Generally, whitening usually lasts anywhere from 1 to 3 years.  Sometimes whitening can last much longer in certain situations.  If you consume a lot of food and drinks that stains considerably, then the whitening effect will not last as long.

While the whitening kits you can find at your local drugstore cost less than professional kits, the truth is that this is a case where you get what you pay for.

Drugstore whitening kits are designed to be "one size fits all," which often translates to "one size fits none." The strengths are much lower than what you can get in a professional kit, meaning that you must use the product for a longer period of time and are still unlikely to get the results you can find in a professional product. Additionally, your results are not being monitored by the dentist you know and trust. Give our office a call today!

Teeth staining can have several different causes. Some of the most common culprits we see include:

• Smoking
• Drinking staining beverages such as coffee, tea, and red wine
• Eating staining foods like berries and curry
• Inadequate dental hygiene
• Certain health conditions
• Genetics

Unfortunately, whitening will not change the color of your restorations(fillings/crowns/onlays/inlays).  It was important to whiten your teeth before you have any restorations completed that may appear in your smile.

It shouldn't. 

Most professional whitening products contain an added desensitizing ingredient that protects even sensitive teeth and keeps you comfortable during the process. Additionally, the customizable nature of professional whitening treatments prevents the product from coming into contact with soft tissues like your gums, lips, and tongue. 

If your teeth are very sensitive, please talk to us so that we can help you determine whether whitening is appropriate for you.

Composite fillings bond directly to your tooth, which results in the removal of less healthy tooth structure. Amalgam fillings require additional sculpting of the tooth to provide anchors for the solid amalgam. Composite fillings are not as hard and inflexible as amalgam fillings, which means stresses caused from biting and chewing can be distributed more naturally and reduce the risk of your tooth cracking.

Yes. Unlike amalgam fillings, tooth-colored fillings are a custom-mixed resin composite. The composite mixture is matched to your tooth color and bonded directly to the tooth. This usually results in a filling that is nearly indistinguishable from your natural tooth.

Most insurance companies will cover composite fillings up to the cost of a silver amalgam filling. You may be responsible for the difference in cost between the more expensive composite filling and the amalgam filling. Our office will happily review your insurance coverage and discuss your financial options with you.