Category: Our Office

Dental Insurance 101: Understanding Your Policy’s Terminology

Posted February 15, 2021 by Paris Mountain Dental

At Paris Mountain Dental, we understand that dental insurance can be confusing. Not only is it completely different from medical insurance, but policies can use strange terminology that can leave you scratching your head. Today, we want to shed some light on dental insurance so you can maximize your dental benefits.

How Are Dental HMOs & PPOs Different?

The first step in understanding your dental insurance is learning what type of plan you have.

PPO Plans

If you have a PPO, you’ll probably have higher out-of-pocket costs for treatment. On the plus side, you’ll have the flexibility to select your primary dentist. You can also see dental specialists without needing a referral from your primary provider.

HMO Plans

HMO plans are usually lower cost, with a focus on preventive care. They will incentivize you to get regular dental cleanings and exams. However, you will have less choice when selecting your dentist, and you’ll need a referral to any specialist.

Does It Matter If a Provider is “Out of Network”?

With medical plans, a provider that is out of network usually will not be covered. With dental plans, this may not be the case. Some plans still cover out of network providers, but at a lower percentage of the treatment. Paris Mountain Dental accepts both in network and out of network insurance providers.

What Type of Treatments Does Dental Insurance Cover?

Most dental plans provide different levels of coverage depending on the type of treatment. For example, routine preventive care like dental cleanings, exams, and X-rays are typically fully covered. Basic procedures like fillings and root canals are generally covered at around 80 percent. Other major procedures, like crowns or bridges, may be covered at around 50 percent.

Insurance Help in Travelers Rest

Still can’t make sense of your dental plan? Paris Mountain Dental recommends that all of our patients read through their dental plans to make sure they’re taking advantage of all their benefits. However, we know that dental plans can be hard to understand. Our team is always available to answer questions about your plan and to help you strategize to maximize your benefits.

Paris Mountain Dental Savers Plan

If you don’t have dental insurance, please look into our Dental Savers Plan! Members pay an annual fee for the discount plan which includes preventive services and discounts on other services. You can join as an individual or pay for a family membership. The Dental Savers Plan eliminates the hassles and confusion associated with dental insurance. To ask us any questions or schedule an appointment, call us today!

We can help you navigate your insurance coverage!

Is It Safe To Go to the Dentist in the Middle of a Pandemic?

Posted January 13, 2021 by Paris Mountain Dental

This past year, our lives were disrupted in unprecedented ways due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has changed the way we socialize, the way we shop, and the way we stay healthy. Our team at Paris Mountain Dental has been diligent about updating safety and cleanliness procedures so that you and your family can feel safe going to the dentist in the middle of the pandemic.

New Infection Control Procedures

Our new infection control procedures are designed to ensure that you and your family stay safe and healthy while getting the quality dental care you need. From the way you schedule appointments to your time inside our office, we’ve worked to implement recommendations from the American Dental Association, the CDC, and OSHA so you can feel confident visiting our office.

For example, we pre-screen all of our patients before their appointments. The office has plenty of hand sanitizer available and we have limited the amenities we offer in our waiting room to make things easier to clean and disinfect. We ask our patients to wait in their car until their appointment time and are scheduling appointments to allow for social distancing. Patients are also asked to wear masks while in our office.

Is Visiting the Dentist Safe During COVID-19?

Even during a pandemic, it is important to keep up with your regular dental appointments with Dr. Ghimire and our team. Regular visits to our office allow us to keep an eye on the health of your teeth and to diagnose and treat any potential issues before they develop into serious problems. Professional cleanings every six months prevent cavities and gum disease. To ask our team any questions about our pandemic protocol, give us a call.

Preventive Care in Travelers Rest, SC

Paris Mountain Dental is here to help you maintain good oral health. We understand that the disruptions to regular routines caused by the pandemic have knocked some people off their hygiene habits. If you are working or attending school from home, it’s easy to stay in pajamas and neglect morning oral care. More stress snacking has also made good oral hygiene at home more important than ever. Make sure you’re brushing your teeth twice daily for two minutes each time and flossing each day to keep your pearly whites healthy and strong. If you are due for a six month preventive exam and cleaning, give us a call to schedule your next appointment!

We have new protocols to ensure your safety!

Open for Emergencies During COVID-19

Posted April 15, 2020 by Paris Mountain Dental

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, our Travelers Rest, SC dental office is operating under limited hours for emergencies only. The safety and health of our patients, our employees, and our community are our top priorities. We will let you know when we are once again able to provide our patients with the quality care and the safe environment that is a hallmark of our practice.

Paris Mountain Dental adheres to the strict safety standards recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We have always been extremely mindful of our patients’ health and safety and will be even more vigilant in the future. Rest assured when we do welcome you back that our office and equipment will be thoroughly disinfected.

Protect Yourself & Your Loved Ones

We encourage all of our patients to protect themselves and their families by following the recommendations from the CDC. For example:

Practice social distancing. Stay home as much as possible.
When it is necessary to go out, keep at least six feet away from others.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Always wash your hands after using the bathroom and before eating.
Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth unless you have just washed your hands.
Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then dispose of it.
Disinfect objects and surfaces that are frequently touched.
Do not share dishes or utensils.
Get adequate rest and eat a healthy diet.
Take extra precautions if you are sick to reduce the spread of the disease.
Even if you feel healthy, be mindful of the health of others. Some people are asymptomatic when they have the disease and can unknowingly spread it to others.

Keep Brushing & Flossing!

We recognize that many of you are experiencing unprecedented upheavals and challenges in your daily lives and routines. Please take good care of your mental health as well as your physical health and your oral health. We encourage everyone to take some time for positive, uplifting activities to help relieve stress.

Paris Mountain Dental thanks you for your loyal patronage and regrets the inconvenience our temporary closure will cause to those with scheduled appointments and plans for smile improvements. Our team looks forward to welcoming you again to our office as soon as this crisis has passed.

Emergency Dentist in Travelers Rest

If you experience a dental emergency we are here to help! Give us a call at (864)610-6188 and we’ll get you in as soon as possible.

Stay safe during the COVID-19 crisis!

The History of Dentistry

Posted November 13, 2018 by Paris Mountain Dental

Dentistry is one of the oldest medical professions, but like other medical professions, it was very primitive until relatively recently. In this article, we offer a brief summary of dentistry’s history, which we hope you’ll find both educational and entertaining.

Primitive Dentistry

Archaeological evidence suggests that humans have been trying to fix bad teeth since at least 7000 B.C. Unfortunately, their contributions to dentistry were largely worthless. The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle, for example, believed that women had fewer teeth than men. Although he was married twice, he apparently never bothered to count the teeth of his wives, because he would have quickly learned that he was wrong. And the ancient Sumerians theorized that tooth decay was caused by tooth worms. Although their theory was totally wrong, it was generally accepted as fact until the 1700s.

The Birth of Modern Dentistry

The French surgeon Pierre Fauchard almost single-handedly invented the modern dentistry profession in 1723 when he published his book “The Surgeon Dentist,” which defined a comprehensive system for caring for and treating teeth.

Fauchard is also credited with being the first person to figure out that tooth decay is caused by acids from sugar instead of worms. He also pioneered the use of dental fillings, and was the first dentist to keep dentures in place by anchoring them to molars—a technique that provided the foundation for modern braces.

Dentistry in the USA

The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, established in 1840, was the first dental college in the United States. Harvard University Dental School, founded in 1867, was the first university-affiliated dental institution. The dental profession’s first official organization, the American Dental Association, was formed in 1859.

In the marketplace, Colgate introduced the first commercial toothpaste in the 1870s, and mass-produced toothbrushes appeared soon thereafter. The first fluoride toothpaste appeared in 1955, when Procter & Gamble introduced its Crest brand, and fluoridated toothpaste has been the industry standard ever since.

And of course Paris Mountain Dental contributes to the history of dentistry by providing the highest quality of treatment and personalized care. If you have any dental issues, or if you’re just overdue for a checkup, be sure to contact us and set up an appointment today!

We look forward to hearing from you!

How Much Will a Root Canal Cost Me?

Posted July 30, 2018 by Paris Mountain Dental

If you need root canal therapy, you might be wondering how much it’s going to cost you. Here, we explain when a root canal is necessary, what the procedure is like, and the typical cost.

Why Would I Need a Root Canal?

A root canal is a procedure that repairs and saves a tooth that is badly damaged, decayed, or infected. If you’ve been experiencing tooth sensitivity or extreme pain in an isolated area in your mouth, you may need root canal therapy and should call us immediately so we can determine the next steps to take. This pain could be caused by an infection of the pulp inside your tooth as a result of an injury or an untreated cavity. Without treatment, your tooth infection can lead to an abscess, or a pus-filled pocket inside your gums. Root canal therapy cleans out the infection and spares you from having to get the infected tooth extracted.

What Happens During a Root Canal?

1. We’ll numb the area around the tooth so you’ll only feel light pressure during the procedure.

2. Next, we’ll gently drill into the tooth to get to the infected pulp.

3. Then we’ll remove the infected tooth pulp, clean out the canals, and use antibiotics to kill any remaining infection.

4. After removing the pulp, we’ll seal your tooth’s root canals to protect against future infection.

5. Finally, we’ll affix a natural-looking dental crown to restore function and give your tooth extra strength and a normal appearance.

How Much Does a Root Canal Cost?

The truth is that the cost for root canal therapy varies depending on the severity of your condition. While we understand that the cost of a root canal can be daunting for some, the treatment is vital for those with damaged or infected tooth pulps in order to preserve your oral health. To help ease the financial burden, we do our best to provide financial options for every budget. Paris Mountain Dental offers an in-house dental savers plan for uninsured patients that can keep root canal costs manageable. Our office is also very insurance-friendly. We file and track claims for you so you get the maximum benefits out of your plan. Get in touch with us to discuss the best payment option for your unique situation! Our team will work with you to keep the cost for root canal therapy affordable.

Do you need root canal therapy or have questions about how much a dental procedure will cost?

How Does Laser Cavity-Detection Work?

Posted June 30, 2018 by Paris Mountain Dental

Although you may think of tooth decay as something that you should be able to readily feel and see, a dentist is often the only one who can diagnose it. When enamel gets damaged, cavities form beneath the surface of your teeth and are usually invisible to the untrained eye, especially without special dental tools. If you have a cavity that’s been there for a while, you may develop a toothache or, if it’s particularly serious decay, possibly see holes or pits in your teeth. At Paris Mountain Dental, we use advanced laser technology to detect your cavities as early as we can. But how do lasers assist in recognizing cavities?

About Laser Cavity-Detection

Laser cavity-detection quickly and painlessly exposes the presence of cavities. This fascinating technology is based on the fact that weaker, decayed teeth reflect more light than healthy teeth. Light easily penetrates and is absorbed by healthy teeth but has a tougher time passing through teeth with cavities.

The DIAGNOdent^®

Our office proudly utilizes the DIAGNOdent system to assist Dr. Ghimire in identifying tooth decay. A pen-like laser scans your teeth, while the digital read-out portion of the device checks the density of your tooth’s structure to calculate the possibility of decay. Dr. Ghimire compares the device’s analysis to baseline measures, your dental X-rays, and her visual examination to determine if you have cavities that need to be treated.

Untreated Tooth Decay

By diagnosing cavities early, we can take care of them before they get worse. Untreated cavities can spread to neighboring teeth and cause more serious dental issues, such as gum disease, an infected inner pulp that requires root canal therapy, and tooth and bone loss. Ask our team for tips to improve your oral hygiene routine and prevent decay by contacting us today.

Schedule your next six-month checkup to confirm your teeth are strong and healthy!

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