FAQ
You probably have questions about your dental health, whether this is your first visit to a dental office or you are a flossing pro. You’re not alone in wondering about these things.
Below is a list of common questions regarding dental care and our procedures at Perkins Dental Clinic. Of course, we don’t expect to cover everything, so if you don’t find what you’re looking for below, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and we’ll be sure you get an answer as soon as possible.
At Perkins Clinic, we accept all major insurance providers. However, Perkins Dental is a Preferred Provider for the following major dental insurance plans:
- Aetna
- Always Care
- Assurant PPO Plan
- CHIPS
- Cigna
- Delta Dental
- Dental Health and Wellness
- Guardian
- Humana
- Lincoln
- Medicaid
- MetLife
- Mississippi Can
- Sunlife
- United Concordia
- United Healthcare
- 1st National Bank Pontotoc
- Ashley Furniture
- Bancorp South Pontotoc / New Albany
- Baptist Memorial Hospital-North MS / Oxford
- Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County / New Albany
- BNA Bank
- Brazil Furniture
- City of New Albany / LG&W
- Cooper Electrical
- Delta Furniture
- Diversity Vuteq
- Encore Furniture
- Fusion Furniture
- Genesis Furniture
- Gentiva
- Kevin Charles
- LabCorp
- Marten
- Master-Bilt / Standex Lowes
- MDOT
- Metal Impact Corporation
- New Albany City Schools
- Pontotoc City Schools
- Pontotoc County Schools
- Pontotoc Electric
- Recline Design
- S & S Furniture
- Southern Motion
- Toyota
- Union County Schools
- VIP Cinema Seating
- Walgreens
- Wal-Mart
- Wal-Mart Distribution Center
- Washington Furniture
- IMPC
- Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.
- AT&T
- Lowes
You should change your toothbrush every three months.
While we do encourage you to make an appointment by contacting us ahead of time, you are welcome to drop in during our normal business hours.
A missing tooth is a serious matter. Teeth are made to work together in a particular way. When you lose a tooth, the nearby teeth may tilt or drift into the empty space. The teeth in the opposite jaw may also shift up or down toward the space. This can affect your bite and place more stress on your teeth and jaw joints, possibly causing pain.
Teeth that have tipped or drifted are also harder to clean, which puts them at a higher risk for cavities and gum disease.
When a tooth is missing, the bone may shrink. If that happens, it may change the way the jawbone supports the lips and cheeks. This can make your face look older over time.
A crown is a cover, or “cap,” your dentist can put over a tooth. The crown restores the tooth to its normal shape, size and function. A crown can make the tooth stronger or improve the way it looks.
If you have a tooth that is weakened, worn down or cracked, your dentist will recommend a crown. Sometimes a cavity is just too large for a filling and requires a crown for strength. A tooth that has to undergo root canal treatment will often require a crown to protect the restored tooth.
We also can use crowns to cover a badly shaped or discolored tooth and improve your smile!
Please contact our office, and we can go through a number of payment options.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that a child have his or her first oral health care appointment around age one. ADHA suggests an oral health visit as soon as a baby’s first tooth erupts.
The American Dental Association advocates brushing twice each day. ADHA recommends that you discuss this with your dental hygienist who understands your individual oral health needs and will be able to make a recommendation appropriate for you.
