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Many of our patients and website visitors have questions about our office. You can read our most commonly asked questions below. If you don’t see the information you need here, call us at 858-245-9429.
How does Dr. Erfani keep up-to-date on all of the current techniques and materials?
Dr. Erfani averages more than 150 continuing education hours above the required norm a year. Most of these courses are at distinguished institutions, such as PAC-Live, the Misch Center for Advanced Implantology, and the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dentistry.
Dr. Erfani also encourages his team to pursue their ongoing studies as well. That way, our entire practice stays up to date with the latest techniques and materials.
Can you show me what my smile will look like ahead of time?
We have several techniques to help you visualize the end results of our aesthetic and restorative work. We begin by asking a number of questions. Then, we take wax impressions of your mouth, use the impressions as a template for temporary teeth, and make additional changes and enhancements. The result is a 3-D model of your new smile that accurately demonstrates the beautiful changes that are possible.
Do you accept referrals?
We’re happy to accept referrals from other dental offices as well as recommendations by our patients to their families and friends. We request that a patient evaluation form be completed before the first visit and that all records and x-rays be forwarded to our office.
Do you accept my insurance plan or offer payment options?
Dental Insurance
Half of our patients do have dental
insurance, and many of the policies differ in their requirements.
To simplify this process, we've adopted the following procedure:
As most cosmetic dental work is not covered by dental
insurance plans, we ask that you pay at the time of service
regardless of insurance involvement,
and obtain any reimbursement directly from your insurance company.
Please note that your insurance policy
is a contract between you and your insurance company.
We will be happy to assist you in completing and providing
copies of insurance paperwork
for submission to your insurance provider.
At your first visit, please bring your insurance card
so we may enter the appropriate information into your computerized
patient file. We request that you also keep us updated as to
any changes in your insurance coverage.
Our treatment coordinators will be happy to assist you with
any questions you may have about insurance.
Nobody likes to be surprised when it comes to costs. Our policy
is to inform you what your investment will be prior to any treatment,
and define financial arrangements with you before we begin. After
your initial examination, we will review with you our recommended
treatment plan and its projected cost. We ask only that you begin
treatment within ninety days from the date of the treatment plan
presentation and complete treatment within one year, so we may
honor the quoted fee.
To make getting a beautiful new smile as easy as possible,
we offer several convenient payment methods. Our treatment coordinators
are available to discuss financial arrangements and help you
select the method of payment that best meets your needs. To provide
the highest quality care on a sound basis, we have developed
a full range of convenient payment options from which to choose.
Payment Plans
Full payment is due at the time of service. For smile design
and full mouth reconstruction, full payment is due at your
pre-op appointment. We accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard,
American Express, and approved payment plans.
A popular option for many of our patients is our long-term financing plan
that offers:
- No down payment
- Selection of a monthly payment that fits within your budget
- Payments that will never change
- Fixed rates ranging from 9.99% to 12.99%
- No pre-payment penalty
- In office application with a 15 minute approval time
- No application fees or forms
Our staff will be happy to provide additional information
on our payment plan partners.
Will I be charged if I need to cancel an appointment?
If you must make a cancellation, please do so at least 48 hours before the appointment. Otherwise, you will be charged a cancellation fee in most cases. We are aware that most cancellations are made because of anxiety, and we want to assure you that we make every effort to make your visit with us relaxing and comfortable.
What do I do if I have an emergency when the office is closed?
We know your schedule can change abruptly. Please call us immediately so we can reschedule you. If you cancel within 24 hours before your scheduled time, we reserve the right to charge you a cancellation fee.
We are aware that most cancellations are made because of anxiety. If you’re feeling jittery, please call us at 858-245-9429. We want you to know that we make every effort to make your visit with us relaxing and comfortable.
What makes you different than any other dental practice I can visit?
Several things. First Dr. Erfani offers the finest in aesthetic, restorative, and neuromuscular dentistry. He and his team have the expertise and extensive training to help you have the smile and oral health you deserve without referring you to a specialist.
We also offer sedation dentistry, which helps patients eliminate their anxiety and helps save time by performing several procedures in one single visit.
If you want to know what really makes us different, call us at 858-245-9429 to schedule your first appointment.
I want my front teeth to look better, but I do not want to wear braces. What would you recommend?
There are a variety of ways to improve the appearance of your teeth without braces. We offer several cosmetic services, such as porcelain veneers or recontouring, to straighten your teeth. Dr. Erfani is also certified in Invisalign®, a method that straightens your teeth over a few appointments.
If you would like to enhance the appearance of your smile, call us so we can schedule an appointment with Dr. Erfani. After listening to your goals and concerns, he can suggest the best method to straighten your smile.
My spouse snores and keeps me up at night. Can you prescribe an appliance that prevents snoring?
We encourage your spouse to come in for a consultation with Dr. Erfani to determine the cause. Sometimes people who snore may actually stop breathing for short periods during the night — a condition called sleep apnea. In other cases, snoring can be caused by enlarged anatomical structures within the mouth and throat. In the latter situation, we offer snore-guards, a small appliance that holds the mouth and throat open while you sleep and thus, prevents snoring. These devices are easy to use and we custom fit them to ensure your comfort.
What is Smile Analysis and Smile Design?
In a smile analysis, we look at all the factors that compose a smile; these are the shape of a smile, the size, the smile line, and the position of your teeth, lips, and gums when you smile. We listen to what you want to accomplish and any concerns you may have.
Once we have this information, we can provide a custom smile design. Using digital imaging software or wax-up models, Dr. Erfani will generate an image of your new smile, review the smile design results with you, and discuss the next steps to make it happen. Our goal is always to bring an attractive, youthful balance to your teeth, lips, gum line, and face.
What is Full Mouth Reconstruction?
Many patients come to Dr. Erfani because they have
degraded tooth function and difficulty in chewing effectively.
Crowded teeth, poor dental care and the age of your teeth all
can contribute to this condition.
When our teeth are out of ideal alignment, enormously destructive
forces begin to attack teeth. Every time your jaw closes, the
damage continues. Tooth breakage and pain of the jaw, neck
and head often ensue. In addressing and correcting these problems,
not only do patients find relief, improved function and better
oral health, but they also are delighted to achieve a beautiful
smile line and more youthful appearance. In patients 45 and
older, the results are not only attractive teeth, but it is
like having a non-surgical face-lift. This is why this procedure
is also called Full Mouth or Smile Rejuvenation.
How do I Choose
a Cosmetic Dentist?
After all, many general dentists perform at least some types
of "cosmetic dentistry." Choosing the right cosmetic
dentist for you, one with substantial experience in complex
cases, extensive hands-on training, and a gentle approach that
compliments your needs and wants is critical to achieving the
most successful outcome and your gorgeous, healthy, new smile.
To help you make this life-altering decision about how you
look, you owe it to yourself to consider the following factors:
Post-Graduate Training in Cosmetic Dentistry
It may surprise you to learn that
the vast majority of dental schools do not teach any courses
in cosmetic dentistry. For the few that do, they are usually
limited to only a few introductory courses. Your mouth is not
the place for on-the-job training. Therefore it is crucial that
the cosmetic dentist you select has completed a series of hands-on
courses in cosmetic dentistry. In-depth training is essential
to learn the
latest techniques and materials to get the best results. Currently,
the leading program in the world is at the Las Vegas Institute
(LVI). Dr. Erfani has completed extensive hands-on training
at not only LVI, Pac LIVE, CRE, The Dawson Center of
these institutions as well as hundreds of hours at other cutting-edge
professional education courses. Also, our entire team attends
continuing education seminars. As one of the only 60 Clinical
Insturctors at LVI, Dr. Erfani has to stay on top of the cutting
edge technology, and artistic form to be able to maintain providing
not only outstanding results to his guests but also to his
student dentists as well.
The Right Professional Credentials
In dentistry, as in medicine, specialties exist that indicate
a higher level of education, knowledge, and expertise in particular
areas of focus. Presently, there is not an American Dental
Association (ADA) recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry.
In 1984, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD)
was formed. And with over 5000 members is one of the biggest
cosmetic organizations in the world. In 2005 IACA the newest
dental aesthetic organization was formed, dedicating its efforts
to increase awareness of the dentists to not only cosmetic
but also the functional aspect of dentistry. Dr. Erfani is
an active member in both organizations as well as the International
Academy of Comprehensive Aesthetics, and The GenR8TNext group.
Extensive Smile Design Experience
Before you randomly select a dentist out of the phone
book or rely on your long-term family dentist to
give you the smile design of your dreams, think again. Excellent
cosmetic dentistry is an art. The fact is that many dentists
are generalists who simply have not performed cosmetic smile
designs very many times or with the regularity that leads
to mastery of this art. So, if you are considering veneers,
for example, you should ask exactly how many veneers the
dentist has placed. Dr. Erfani
has placed not just a few hundred cosmetic restorations like
many dentists, but rather thousands of veneers and all-porcelain
crowns and restorations a year.
Are all Veneers the Same?
If you want to improve your smile, beautiful custom-made porcelain
veneers and crowns are the platinum standard that world-class
cosmetic dentists use to create gorgeous smiles. Sometimes referred
to as porcelain laminates, veneers are thin, custom-made moldings
that resurface the face of unsightly teeth.
You may have seen people with unnatural looking dental work
that is easy to spot. Perhaps their teeth are unnaturally white,
opaque, and blocky, or maybe you've spotted the tell-tale signs
of dark metal showing between the porcelain and the gum line.
We want our clients' smile to appear so naturally beautiful that
people will only assume they were born with it. To get this type
of result takes a combination of artisans, the cosmetic dentist
and the master ceramist.
The first step in the fabrication of the veneers is for the
cosmetic dentist to design them in conjunction with the clients'
desires. This is where artistry, science, training, and knowledge
of materials merge. The dentist must specify the shape, thickness,
and colors. Natural teeth are not pure white, but rather have
subtle colors, hints of yellow, blue, pink, and these vary throughout
each tooth. The cosmetic dentist must communicate the exact specifications
for the ceramist to follow.
The most beautiful, realistic restorations are individually
hand made by a master ceramist. Each veneer or crown is crafted
from special tooth-colored porcelain to create the most natural
smile possible.
Veneers are natural looking, and can actually improve the
strength of your natural teeth because only a minimal amount
of natural tooth is altered to fit the veneer. The veneer is
also very secure, as it is tightly bonded to your natural tooth.
Veneers are also stain resistant and can transform even the darkest
teeth to a brilliant white.
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