Get Answers to Your Questions in Our Q & A
Serving clients throughout the Lower Mainland and beyond, ToothWhisperer believes it's important for our clients to be well-informed. On this page you can find answers to some of our most commonly received questions. If you need more information, or would like to schedule an appointment, simply contact us.
Q. How much will it cost for a cleaning?
A. A person who has good oral hygiene and regularly sees a hygienist will usually pay in the $250 to $350 range. Major factors affecting the costs are: a) how many teeth a person has; b) how much deposit is on the teeth; and, c) whether the person has periodontal disease or not.
Q. Does my dental insurance cover the cost of dental hygiene treatment?
A. Yes. Dental insurance policies cover hygiene treatment but there are usually limits on the amount of coverage offered by individual plans, so it's our practice to contact your insurer prior to your first visit to confirm any such limitations. For example, some plans only pay a certain percentage of the cost (e.g., 80%) and limit the number of times per year you can have your teeth polished (e.g., once every 6 months).
Q. Are you able to treat someone with periodontal disease?
A. Yes. Our hygienist worked for years in a local periodontal office and is well trained to identify a wide variety of periodontal conditions.
Q. How much does tooth whitening cost?
A. Our in-chair teeth whitening is a light-activated gel-based system that costs $300 for a one-hour session. We also have take-home whitening kits which include a tray (for patients who do not have custom bleaching trays) and individual syringes (for patients who already have their own bleaching trays).
Q. How do you whiten teeth?
A. Our in-chair procedure utilizes a hydrogen peroxide gel which is applied on the teeth to be whitened, cured with a curing light and removed. The procedure can be repeated until the desired shading is achieved.
Q. Can you desensitize teeth?
A. Yes. We use in-chair 3M ESPE® varnish to desensitize teeth during treatment. We also offer take-home desensitizing varnish by Clinical Research called UltraEz®.
Q. Do you have products to prevent cavities?
A. Yes, we have 3M Clinpro™ toothpaste that has 1.1% sodium fluoride and contains calcium and phosphate that is very effective at cavity prevention. We also have xylitol mints and chewing gums from Oral Science for people who prefer avoiding fluoride based products.
Q. Do you take patients receiving income assistance?
A. Yes. In particular, people receiving disability income assistance are covered through the Ministry of Housing and Social Development. We also provide referrals to local dentists for additional dental work, if needed.
Q. Are you easily accessible?
A. Yes. We are located in North Vancouver at street level for easy wheelchair access. Parking is in front of the clinic on the street.
Q. Do you refer to dentists?
A. Yes. Depending on what procedure is needed, from a simple filling, mercury-free restorative work to implant placement, we will refer you to a dentist or specialist who will provide the very best treatment.
Q. What do you do to remove staining?
A. For coffee, tea and smoke stains we use what's called a Prophy-Jet® with high pressure water and a baking soda solution. We also can do the more traditional polishing with gluten-free polishing paste.
Q. Do you do sealants?
A. Yes. We use bisphenol-free sealant from Ultradent®.
Q. Do you sell electric toothbrushes?
A. Yes. We have the top of the line Oral-B® Triumph with the SmartGuide available at cost.