FAQs

For all basic procedures, we follow the suggested Fee Guide issued by the BC Dental Association. This is the same Fee Guide that the most major insurance plans follow. The amount covered by your insurance company may be affected by such factors such as annual limits of coverage or treatment set by your unique plan, reduced coverage for certain procedures, and/or the ability to deny coverage at any time they choose. Due to the Personal Information Privacy Act (PIPA), many insurance companies will not allow dental offices to contact them to inquire about plan information for their patients. Ultimately it is your responsibility to know the details of what your insurance covers, but we do our best to help you understand the information you are provided.
We would like to remind you that while your insurance does cover much of the cost of the dental services we provide, insurance plans are not treatment plans. They are not set up to cover everything. In fact, most insurance plans do not consider what is needed to maintain your optimum dental and oral health. As your dental care provider, we believe it is our responsibility to provide you with the best care possible, regardless of your insurance restrictions. Your insurance coverage is a contract between you and the insurance carrier, therefore you are responsible for paying the difference between our fees for the services provided and what your insurance pays for. In some cases, the patient pays in full and is reimbursed by their insurance. In all cases, payment is due at the time of treatment.

In most cases, if we have all the information about your insurance plan, we can bill your insurance directly. We submit forms for insurance claims on your behalf, and as a courtesy, we can accept direct payment from your insurance carrier. However, if your insurance is negligent in paying the account, we will send you a statement for the outstanding amount. We accept the right to approve or deny your insurance. Ultimately, you are responsible for your insurance information and any charges on your account.

In our office, we follow the Fee Guide put out by the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia for basic procedures. This is updated annually on February 1st. Major treatment such as crowns, bridges, and denture work is charged independent of the fee guide, but remains competitive among other offices in our area.

Our office offers several options for teeth whitening that are all very effective and safe for enamel. Teeth whitening can be done here in our office (for internal discolourization due to root canal therapy or for teeth that have discolored due to some medications) or at home (for surface stains). For whitening at home, we make customized whitening trays that you fill with a gel whitening formula and wear at your leisure – usually over night. We also offer professional-strength white strips that you can take and use anywhere. At our office, internal bleaching is for teeth that have had root canal therapy and have turned dark or grey over time. Patients that have root recession may experience sensitivity during and after any whitening session. Patients should be aware that once teeth are whitened, high-staining foods such as red wine, tea, red sauces, and smoking will discolour teeth over time, so teeth will require periodic maintenance to keep white.

You may have broken your tooth to such a point where a simple filling may not provide enough support to the remaining tooth structure. You may have an extremely large filling in place that diminishes the integrity of the tooth causing fracture lines. You may have had a root canal therapy which devitalizes the tooth resulting in brittle teeth that are susceptible to fracture. All of these instances are valid reasons why you may require a crown to fully restore a certain tooth and to make sure it can withstand the forces of chewing.

Although you may have been prescribed an antibiotic to help with the pain and possible swelling of your infection, the chronic infection remains in the site and will return usually far worse than the original episode. Root canal therapy will clean out the necrotic (dead) tissue from inside the canals (roots) and will be sealed from inside the tooth. A final filling is placed inside the tooth and it is usually recommended to have a crown placed to fully restore and strengthen the tooth. Once this procedure is completed, slowly over time, the body heals the infected site.

Although amalgam fillings do contain mercury, it is amalgamated with other metals and is perfectly safe in this solid form.

We use digital radiography at our office and this results is up to 90 % less radiation than with traditional x-ray film. Potentially, you could get more radiation from the sun or from fluorescent lighting than you get from dental x-rays. As a safety precaution, all patients are covered by a lead apron to minimize radiation exposure.

A nightguard will slightly open the joints relieving the pressure and stress placed on them and the teeth due to clenching and grinding. Some patients don’t realize that they clench or grind as they are probably doing it subconsciously. Often the teeth will show signs of wear that confirms grinding and clenching.

Whether you are missing one tooth or several, there are many options to help fill the spaces back in. Each case is unique and some options may not work for you. If you are missing only one or two teeth, a dental implant is a great option to fill the space without having to change the integrity of any of the neighboring teeth. An implant is replacement “tooth root” that is made of bio-compatible titanium. It is placed in the bone and, once integrated, acts like an independent tooth. Another option is a bridge which involves crowning both teeth that are adjacent to the space to support a beautiful replacement tooth that is permanently cemented in place. Another option is a partial denture which is sometimes favorable for patients who need to fill the space left by several missing teeth, with the option to add more teeth to it as need be over time. All the options have pros and cons and will be fully discussed with you before you make a decision about what’s best for you.

With Travelers insurance, we require payment upfront, and as a courtesy to you, we provide a receipt and claim forms to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. Ultimately, you are responsible for your insurance information and any charges on your account.