Contact Meng Dentistry
Step into our cozy oasis of kindness.
- Lori G.
Your Questions, Reliable Answers:
Please review our FAQ from patients just like you.
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What can I expect from my first appointment?
During your first appointment, we assess your overall dental and oral health with a comprehensive oral evaluation. Upon completion of your medical/dental health forms, we ask you to tell us your goals regarding your smile, teeth, and gums.
We want to ensure we discuss all questions and concerns about your dental health. Our team then takes intraoral photos and x-rays of your teeth to identify areas of decay, cracks, and malfunctioning restorations. In addition, an oral cancer screening, TMJ, and muscle evaluation, as well as a thorough examination of your teeth and gums, will be completed at this time.
Our dentist in Wichita, KS, Dr. Meng, customizes your treatment plan and explains your options. However, if your treatment recommendations are complex, we may schedule a second consult appointment to allow time for a further discussion and explanation.
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Do you accept new patient referrals?
Yes, we accept patient referrals. Over the years, patients have given us the compliment of referring family and friends to our practice, and we’re grateful for that.
Our reputation for excellent dental care depends on two factors:
1. Our good work
2. Your beautiful smile.Your confidence in our dental care motivates us to strive for excellence daily. Thank you for your referrals! We appreciate your trust and support.
We invite new patients to contact Meng Dentistry for complete family dentistry, including cosmetic and restorative care.
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When should I start bringing my child to the dentist?
Like any parent, you worry about your child’s health. But, don’t forget about their oral health as well.
The American Academy of Pediatric DentistryOpens new window to AAP Dentistry web site recommends taking your child to the dentist by their first birthday. While this may seem early for dental treatment, it’s important to remember that baby teeth are essentially placeholders for the adult teeth soon to come.
Give your child a healthy start – a lifetime of happy smiles starts young. Please schedule your baby’s one-year dental appointment today at Meng Dentistry.
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I really don’t like visiting the dentist. Is there anything you can do to help me relax?
Believe it or not, you’re not alone. Many people are uncomfortable at the dentist. However, your comfort is our top priority, and our Wichita, KS dental office is designed to promote a positive, relaxing dental visit each time.
For your comfort, we offer nitrous oxide to keep you comfortable and relaxed. We can also position our television monitors for you to watch during your visit and ease your mind. Additionally, we encourage you to bring headphones to help you drown out noises if they bother you. Then, you can enjoy your favorite music or a podcast instead.
Our team strives to understand what you don’t like about visiting the dentist and helps you address and accommodate your needs. We take pride in all the patients we’ve helped (who didn’t like visiting the dentist before) become comfortable seeing Dr. Meng and our kind, caring team. We go the extra mile to meet your individual concerns and needs.
Fun fact – we refer to these wonderful patients as “dental converts” as they’ve gone from saying “I just don’t like visiting the dentist” to “I’m happy to see Dr. Meng and her team!”
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What is a crown, and why might I need one?
If your doctor recommends a crown, it’s likely to either correct a broken tooth or repair a tooth that’s deteriorated due to cavities (decay).
Tooth decay eats away at healthy tooth structure, much like rust eats away at metal. If it’s not removed, decay will deteriorate the tooth to the point where extraction is the only viable treatment option.
Sometimes, when decay is removed, it leaves healthy tooth structure but not much of it. In this case, we may place a crown to restore the look and function of your tooth while keeping your natural, underlying tooth structure.
Most crowns are crafted with precision-milled porcelain and customized for each patient, giving you a natural, long-lasting smile. We offer life-like crown restorations in Wichita, KS to keep you smiling.
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I know I need x-rays, but I prefer not to be exposed to unnecessary radiation. Do you offer digital x-rays?
Yes, we offer digital x-rays. Digital x-rays utilize less radiation and are safer for you than traditional film-based x-rays.
You’ll find that we research the latest technology to find the best solutions to promote your overall health, safety, and comfort.
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How does fluoride help my teeth?
Research shows that fluoride reduces cavities in children and adults by halting tooth decay. Fluoride also helps repair the early stages of tooth decay even before the decay is visible.
Interestingly, many people are misinformed about fluoride and fluoridation. It’s a safe component when used correctly. When your dentist applies fluoride to teeth, usually in the form of a fluoride varnish, gel, or liquid, that fluoride is more concentrated than the fluoride contained in toothpaste or mouthwash.
The American Dental AssociationOpens a new window to the ADA web site recommends that dental professionals use any professional strength, fluoride varnish, gel, or liquid products carrying the ADA seal of acceptance. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
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I just want my smile to look good. What are some options to help the appearance of my smile?
You’re not alone! Most people want a nice smile since it’s the first thing others notice.
You may be interested in a few minor cosmetic adjustments, or you may have concerns that need more attention. For example, some smiles can be enhanced with simple whitening or bonding treatments. Other smiles need porcelain veneers, crowns, implants, or bridges; gum contouring; periodontal therapy; or a combination of all these techniques.
Dr. Meng will suggest a treatment plan based on your goals, areas of concern, and the overall condition of your oral health.
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How can losing a back tooth affect my smile?
Losing a back tooth darkens your overall smile, making it look smaller and narrower. In turn, your smile appears to stop short, and the look is exaggerated if your missing tooth has teeth on both sides.
Also, missing teeth reduce function during chewing, and even one missing tooth affects the function of many teeth. When you’re missing a tooth, you compensate by chewing differently. In turn, this puts pressure on different parts of your mouth. This can cause your other teeth to shift, which creates gaps and spaces and may even cause fractures that result in additional tooth loss or the need for future restorations.
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What are my options for replacing a missing tooth?
Replacing missing teeth, either with an implant or bridge, alleviates the problems associated with missing a tooth. These options can restore your smile to its beautiful, full appearance.
A dental implant is an excellent solution for replacing missing teeth. The dental implant procedure involves the placement of a titanium post to replace the root of the tooth, much like a knee or hip replacement.
Once the post integrates solidly into the bone, it can act as a new, strong support for a natural-looking porcelain restoration. Implants can replace a single tooth or an entire set of teeth, offering more function and permanence than traditional dentures.
A bridge is another solution for replacing a tooth. Using neighboring teeth as the supportive structure, your dentist places a porcelain restoration over the adjacent teeth and into the vacant space. This restores the functionality and look of your smile.
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Do you offer appliances to help with snoring?
If you or a loved one snores, you’re most likely aware that snoring often accompanies fitful sleep. However, severe snoring may also be a sign of a more serious problem like sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea occurs when an individual periodically stops breathing during sleep. The snoring happens when the soft palate relaxes to the point where it cuts off the airway.
Custom sleep appliances may be able to help – they’re designed to comfortably hold the airway open during sleep. We have a wide variety of sleep appliances available. Our dental team works with your medical team to select the right one that fits your needs.
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I want cosmetic dentistry. Will my insurance pay for it?
Insurance is designed to assist in paying for your dental services. However, most procedures are not fully covered by insurance.
Cosmetic dentistry, in particular, is not usually covered by most dental insurance plans. So to help you afford your new smile, we offer various payment options.
Meng Dentistry also pays special attention to maximizing the benefits that your insurance provides. Please ask our treatment coordinator for more details and find out how you can comfortably afford your treatment while maximizing your dental insurance benefits.
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Does your office offer periodontal services?
Yes. Our office will assess your periodontal health during your initial comprehensive examination. Based on our findings and the severity of your gum disease, our doctor recommends the best treatment. A large percentage of our patients are managed in conjunction with our excellent hygiene team for the treatment of mild to moderate gum disease.
If your gum disease is severe, we may recommend a consultation with a periodontist. We are fortunate to have board-certified periodontists in our community to assess and help manage patients with more advanced needs. In addition to advanced periodontal therapy, they perform advanced regenerative and implant procedures.
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My gums bleed; why is this?
Gums affected by gingivitis and periodontal disease become red and inflamed, often bleeding during brushing or flossing. Timely treatment can reverse these conditions. However, periodontal disease can worsen when ignored, becoming a more serious condition called periodontitis.
Periodontitis is more difficult to treat. It affects your gums, bone, and teeth in a way that can’t be reversed but needs to be managed and controlled. To prevent tooth loss, you may need more extensive, specialized treatments from your general dentist or periodontist.
If left untreated, periodontitis eventually results in tooth loss – teeth either fall out on their own or require extraction. If you don’t diagnose and treat periodontitis in its early stages, you may require extensive surgery to save your teeth and put yourself at risk for serious health problems. We can help assess your needs and help you with a plan to manage them appropriately.
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My gums bleed after I brush. Is this something to be concerned about?
It’s certainly not desirable to have bleeding gums following brushing. However, the condition may or may not require attention, depending on the source of the problem.
Any of the following can cause bleeding gums:
- Localized trauma to a small area that should heal in two weeks
- Improper, rough “scrubbing” instead of gentle, small circular or up and down brushing motions
- Using a hard-bristled toothbrush instead of a soft one
- Plaque and/or tartar build-up below the gum line
- Gum sensitivity due to gingivitis or periodontal disease
If your problem persists despite correct brushing and flossing methods or if it occurs every time you brush, please contact Meng Dentistry for an evaluation.
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How do sealants protect teeth?
A sealant is a tooth-colored material usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (premolars and molars). This tooth-colored resin bonds into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, acting as a barrier. Sealants protect enamel from plaque and acids and guard against disease-causing bacteria.
While thorough brushing and flossing help remove food particles and plaque from smooth tooth surfaces, toothbrush bristles can’t reach into the depressions and grooves to efficiently extract food and plaque. Dental sealants protect these vulnerable areas by “sealing out” plaque and food.
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Sometimes when I chew, I get a sharp pain. What can I do to correct this?
Most dental pain from chewing is caused by a fracture or crack in the tooth. This pain may be corrected by placing a porcelain crown or through more advanced treatment.
You want to correct the pain as soon as possible to prevent further tooth damage. Please contact us today to schedule a restorative dentistry visit in Wichita, KS.
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How can porcelain veneers help my smile?
Porcelain veneers improve your smile by correcting a multitude of cosmetic problems at once, including:
- Gaps in teeth
- Chipped and broken teeth
- Crooked teeth
- Dull or yellowing teeth that can’t be whitened by traditional means
Porcelain veneers broaden, straighten, whiten, and beautify smiles. Many of our patients feel like veneers are the best improvement they could’ve made for their overall confidence.
Please ask us how porcelain veneers and smile makeovers can improve your smile at your next visit, or send us a message today. You can access many cosmetic and restorative services under one roof at our Wichita, KS practice.
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I want my teeth to be whiter. Do you recommend at-home or in-office whitening?
At-home whitening and in-office whitening procedures directed by your cosmetic dentist are both effective ways of brightening your smile. For either whitening treatment, your dentist customizes the process to ensure you’re happy with the results.
Your custom, take-home whitening kit includes a special tray custom-fit to go over your teeth. You also receive a prescription whitening gel, which is inserted into the tray before you wear it.
Dr. Meng and her team give you detailed instructions about how long you should wear the tray each day. You should expect the entire at-home whitening process to take between two and four weeks, leaving you with a beautiful, bright smile.
If you desire fast, immediate results, then an in-office whitening procedure at our Wichita KS dental practice may be right for you. The treatment utilizes a special tray that fits around your teeth for desensitizing pretreatment and posttreatment if needed and for touching up results over time.
Under our dentist’s supervision, we use a much more powerful whitening gel, giving you amazing results in just a few hours!
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How can I safely whiten my teeth?
Several procedures are available to help whiten your smile, from at-home whitening products to in-office supervised treatments.
Dr. Meng evaluates the potential for whitening your teeth based on your current tooth color and the causes of your discoloration. We’ll then recommend the best at-home whitening option.
Once you decide on the most appropriate treatment method, you’ll spend anywhere from two to four weeks undergoing a series of simple whitening treatments. After that, we recommend you touch up your results as needed for a treatment or two every one to six months, depending on your stain-causing habits.