David R Baldare DDS LTD FAQs

The brand of your toothbrush is not as important as the type of bristle and the head size. Using a soft toothbrush with a small head is most recommended as medium and hard brushes tend to cause irritation and cause gum recession. A small head allows you to easily get around each tooth and should not injure your gums. Rather than scrubbing your teeth, be sure to brush at least twice a day and visit us at least twice a year for cleanings.

We recommend using a toothpaste that contains fluoride to discourage dental decay. As long as it contains fluoride, you're free to use a toothpaste that tastes good to you.

Flossing is important to keep your gums healthy. Floss at least once a day to prevent cavities developing in areas where your toothbrush cannot reach.

Crowns and caps are restorations to repair a broken tooth that covers all or most of a tooth. There is no difference between a crown and a cap. These restorations can be made of gold, porcelain, composites.

Both bridges and partial dentures replace missing teeth. A bridge is permanently attached to teeth or implants, while a partial denture is attached by clasps and can be easily removed. In our experience, most patients are typically more satisfied with bridges than with partial dentures.

White fillings are typically preferred because they are more similar in color to the rest of your teeth and they help strengthen a tooth that's been weakened by decay. At David R Baldare DDS, we generally use only composite or tooth-colored fillings.

No. While it's true that most teeth that have had root canal treatment do need crowns in order to strengthen the teeth and restore normal function, not every tooth that needs a crown also needs a root canal.