FAQs

Many insurance benefits provide preventative and diagnostic procedures fully. Each policy is particular to your contract with the insurance company, and the best way for you to discover your benefits is to call your insurance company directly and ask them. “What are my dental benefits?”

A sign of gingivitis is bleeding gums when you brush and floss your teeth. Bacteria that adhere to the teeth make the blood vessels of your gums leaky, causing bleeding.

We believe the best dentist is someone you feel comfortable with. Do they listen to you and what your goals are? Do they provide you with different options to achieve health? Do they treat you like you or your family would want to be treated? Do they have experience with the services you are looking for and need?

Demonstrate that you brush and floss your teeth. Have them brush while you are brushing and flossing.

You are building a habit, and it takes several days for the children to gain the habit.

All of the different options below have similar success if you follow the steps. The main difference is speed, cost, and convenience

• In-office Whitening : This is the fastest form of whitening. You come in for 90 minutes and have whitening in the office. The fee is $300 for a 90 minute session and includes one set of Opalescence Go Trays. If you have sensitive teeth, this option causes the most sensitivity for 1-2 days.
• Whitening Trays : prescription strength gels delivered in custom trays fitted to your teeth. This takes 7-14 days, and you whiten for 30-60 minutes at home every day. Refills of bleach can be purchased later. The fee is $125 for a set of trays and 4 gel syringes.
• Opalescence Go Whitening : A set of prescription strength, disposable whitening trays that you change daily. The fee is $59

How long will a new patient appointment take?

A new patient appointment takes about 90 minute. We gather baseline records of your smile, teeth, gums, jaw joint, and perform a visual cancer screening. We will discuss with you the findings of the examination, and your options to restore and maintain your teeth.

How long will a night guard appointment take?

To make impressions for a Night Guard it will take about 40 minutes and then you have to come back 2 weeks later to deliver the night guard. That particular appointment takes about 30 minutes.

How long will a crown appointment take?

The initial appointment is 90 minutes to shape, remove tooth decay, take a digital scan and make a temporary crown. Our lab makes the crown and you return in 3-4 weeks for a 30 minute appointment to have the permanent crown seated.

How long will a filling appointment take?

There is a wide range depending on the size of the filling and the number of fillings completed. Time can range from 30 minutes to 90 minutes.

How long will a tooth extraction appointment take?

Ranges from 30-60 minutes depending on the amount of tooth decay, bone loss and density of the bone, number of teeth removed. Additional time is given when a socket preservation is performed to preserve the bone in your jaw.

How long will a dental implant appointment take?

60- 90 minutes depending on the location of the implant, need for bone grafting and number of implants being placed.

How long will a regular checkup appointment take?

A regular 6 month checkup will take about 60 minutes.

You will be able to drive yourself home for the majority of dental procedures. If you are highly anxious, have multiple teeth removed or shaped at the same time it may be to your advantage to have a driver and also to help you remember home care instructions.

Tooth removal, and dental implants : Soft food- spaghetti noodles and spaghetti sauce, ice cream, mashed potatoes. Avoid nuts, seeds, chips and other foods that can break into smaller hard or jagged parts.

Fillings and crowns : Eat normally after the numbing has gone away.

Frequency depends on the health of your mouth, and also how clean you want to keep your teeth. Many of our patients love the feeling of clean teeth and will pay for additional cleanings beyond insurance benefits!

• Twice a year : Healthy mouths, Mild gingivitis, Low cavity history
• Three times a year : Moderate gingivitis, Mild to moderate periodontal disease
• Four times a year : Moderate to advanced periodontal disease
  Medical conditions affecting the mouth (chemotherapy, radiation treatment or other medical conditions)

We offer laughing gas (Nitrous Oxide). The benefit is that laughing gas relaxes you, does not require a driver, and you can return to your normal activities within 10 mins of stopping the gas and breathing pure oxygen.

Different dentists have areas of expertise and experience. Dr. Murchie has had extensive training on cosmetic, Invisalign, dental implants, and restorative dentistry, enabling him to solve many different conditions.

• Healthy : The best way to replace a missing tooth is with an Implant.
• Have large fillings : bridge may be the best option
  Your smile and lip line- there are times when a dental implant is the best and others where a porcelain bridge solves the problem.

We love to do Invisalign! The process is simple: call us for a smile consultation, we will take some pictures, record a digital scan and send the information to Invisalign. Most cases are 8-16 months long. No shots, no wires and works very well.

A dentist certified in Invisalign will be able to help you with Invisalign. Dr. Murchie is a member of the American Academy of Clear Aligners, has been trained by Dr. David Galler, and has had training through Molis Coaching on Invisalign.

Fillings, crowns and root canals we advise you to eat after the numbness has worn off so you do not bite your tongue or your cheek.

After an extraction, you can eat soft, warm or cool foods. Nothing Hot. I would wait to eat until after the numbness has worn off. Avoid any hard crunchy foods for a few days.

We have the ability to contact Dr. Murchie directly on our messaging system through text and cell phone.

A great age to start seeing children is at 3 years old. And this is really to introduce them into everything to see how they do. Sometimes kids are not ready and when that happens we just suggest bringing them back in 6 months for us to try again.

(2+2+1) Brush your teeth for 2 minutes 2 times a day and floss once a day at night time. Brushing and flossing removes the bacteria and food that attach to your teeth throughout the day.

We work with many different insurance plans. We love to help our patients receive their maximum benefits and will work with you to navigate the complicated world of insurance.

We are located at 115 Broad Street Road Suite C Manakin Sabot VA 23103. We are right across the street from Satterwhite’s Restaurant.

Gather the broken pieces or tooth immediately. If a tooth is knocked out, place it in milk or saliva, and bring it with you to our office. Immediately call our office and we will arrange for you to come in immediately.