Frequent Questions

The Answers to Your Common Concerns

It's important to us that we demonstrate care and consideration for all of your concerns, while you're in the office as well as while you're not. That's why we've provided this list of common questions, and our corresponding answers. Just click on any question to learn more. If you have questions not listed here, please don't hesitate to email or call our dental office in Mesquite!

• How does Dr. McKnight keep up to date on all of the current techniques and materials?
• What makes you different than any other dental practice I can visit?
• Can you show me a personalized example of how my smile can look, before I choose to undergo treatment?
• I really don't like visiting the dentist, is there anything you can do to help me relax?
• I don't like drills. Are there any other options?
• Crowns, Onlays, Inlays, Veneers & Partials…can you tell me more about these procedures?
• I've been snoring for years, why should I be concerned now?
  
• My breath has a terrible odor, even though I brush every day. What can I do about it?
• Constant headaches are starting to interfere with my life. Can the dentist help me?

How does Dr. McKnight keep up-to-date on all of the current techniques and materials?

Dr. McKnight is dedicated to ongoing education, which allows him to stay at the forefront of modern dentistry. Multiple hours of continuum courses with the renowned Pankey Institute, and an enthusiasm for research and teaching, give Dr. McKnight a marked advantage in learning about leading edge technology, therapies, procedures, and materials. Armed with this knowledge, Dr. McKnight is able to implement the right advancements for our patients comfort and health.

back to top

What makes you different from any other dental practice I can visit?

Though our job is caring for teeth, our passion is caring for our patients. Dr. McKnight takes a patient-centered approach to dentistry and focuses on building lasting relationships through individualized attention and exceptional service. Getting to know you and your unique needs results in truly personalized care, the ability to accurately evaluate your oral health requirements, fully understand your smile goals, and create a treatment plan tailored specifically to you. We’ll help you understand every recommendation and assist you in making the right decisions to have a vibrant, strong, and healthy smile.

back to top

Can you show me a personalized example of how my smile can look, before I choose to undergo treatment?

Yes, we can! Our cosmetic digital imaging software provides a glimpse of your future smile before we begin a single procedure. It also give you the ability to communicate to us, visually, what changes you would like to see. Together, we can discuss the options and modify the images until we achieve a look you love.

back to top

I really don't like visiting the dentist, is there anything you can do to help me relax?

Absolutely. Dr. McKnight provides sedation dentistry for patients who are anxious during treatment, fearful of visiting the dentist, as well as for patients with health issues who find it physically difficult to sit in the dentist’s chair. Safe and effective, sedation dentistry can sooth away worries, and make long appointments in the dental chair more comfortable. Don’t let fear and anxiety keep you from all the benefits good oral health has to offer. Talk to Dr. McKnight about sedation dentistry today.

back to top

I don't like drills. Are there any other options?

If the sound, vibration, and heat produced by dental drills causes you discomfort, air abrasion may be an option for you. Using a high-pressure stream of tiny aluminum oxide particles, air abrasion can be used on certain small cavities to blast away decay while preserving tooth structure. Comfortable and quick, air abrasion is a popular choice.

back to top

Crowns, Onlays, Inlays, Veneers & Partials…can you tell me more about these procedures?

Though each of these procedures can provide you with a beautiful smile, there are key differences between them:

• Crowns are a prosthetic tooth designed to fit snugly over your existing tooth structure and have the ability to restore function to severely decayed teeth.
• Onlays and inlays are conservative options used to replace large fillings, sometimes allowing a patient to avoid a crown.
• A partial denture, commonly referred to as a partial, consists of multiple teeth on a gum colored base. Instead of being in a row, they are spaced across the base to fit like a puzzle with your existing teeth. Partials are removable and are normally secured with clips or brackets.
• Veneers are made of thin porcelain sheets layered atop one another. Hand-crafted to blend with your smile, porcelain veneers fit over your front teeth like a sheath instantly masking cracks, chips, gaps, and discolorations.

To find out more about these procedures, or the other restorative and cosmetic procedures Dr. McKnight offers to rejuvenate your smile, call our Mesquite dental office for an appointment.

back to top

I’ve been snoring for years, why should I be concerned now?

Snoring can be a problem for many reasons, but the most serious indication is sleep apnea, a condition that causes the sufferer to stop breathing for 10 seconds or more when sleeping. Snoring, constant waking, fatigue, and stress can all indicate sleep apnea, which poses severe health risks including heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, memory loss, and even premature death. Often a simple, comfortable dental appliance is all that’s needed to alleviate symptoms and allow you to get a good night’s sleep. An examination by Dr. McKnight can help determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea, so contact our officefor your appointment.

back to top

My breath has a terrible odor, even though I brush every day. What can I do about it?

Chronic bad breath, or halitosis, can have many causes from health conditions such as diabetes and internal infections, to lifestyle issues such as stress, diet, and hormonal fluctuations. Halitosis can also be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition: gum disease. With a thorough examination, Dr. McKnight can help you get to the root of the problem and provide the proper treatment, targeting the source. You don’t have to live with this treatable condition, contact our Mesquite dental practice for your appointment today.

back to top

Constant headaches are starting to interfere with my life. Can the dentist help me?

If headaches are a regular source of discomfort and frustration, you might have TMJ Dysfunction. When the normal function of the temporomandibular joints, or TMJ, is interrupted, headaches can result as well an array of other symptoms including earaches, stiffness in the neck and shoulders, and clicking and popping in the jaw. Lifestyle issues such as stress that initiate grinding or clenching the teeth can be the culprit behind TMJ Dysfunction, as can a misaligned bite. Dr. McKnight offers TMJ Therapy to alleviate symptoms and return your quality of life. A simple dental appliance that repositions the jaw can help the muscles relax, the TMJ rest, and provide you with relief. To find out more about TMJ Therapy, call our office and schedule an appointment. It’s just one more way Dr. McKnight can help you smile.

back to top