Frequently Asked Dentistry Questions

What do I do if I have a dental emergency?

If you have a problem causing pain we will usually see you that day. If your emergency is after dental office hours and you are a patient of record, please call our 24 hr. answering service (281) 482-2631 and a live person will see that Dr. Sierra or someone on our staff contacts you. If you are not a patient we have seen before, please call our dental office the next working day and we will make every effort to get you comfortable as quickly as possible. For advice on common dental emergencies, click here.

Do you accept new patients?

Yes, however we do carefully control the volume of patients so that all our patients are given the time and care they need. Many new patients are accustom to having a “cleaning” done on their first visit. We have a very detailed, comprehensive examination and consultation for all our new patients. We prefer to schedule the appropriate hygiene or periodontal visit after our examination. Should you or your family wish to be seen by Dr. Sierra please click here. For all necessary forms, please click here.

Does your dental office accept children as patients?

Yes! Our dental office is designed to make children feel comfortable and secure. We believe that treating the whole family is extremely important. Parents usually make good role models for their children in the dental chair and therefore, we encourage families to come together even when the children are infants or toddlers. Our dental office has many features to capture children’s attention, such as a Koi fish pond, reception room fish tank and children’s area. We are fortunate to be able to spend the necessary time with small children, having them feel safe and comfortable in our dental office, which allows us to treat them without strong sedatives or other risky medications.

Will I have to file my own insurance?

No, we have a full time staff member dedicated to helping with your insurance coverage. We will give you an estimated predetermination of the portion of your treatment, which will be covered by insurance, and we will file the necessary forms for you. For more information on your dental coverage, click here.

Do you do “Bleaching” and how is it done?

Yes, tooth whitening is a very popular treatment that we are now doing on many of our patients of all ages. It takes years off a persons appearance and has a minimum of possible side effects. There are many techniques available and our dental office will determine with you which would be best for your situation. For more information on “Tooth Whitening/Bleaching” click here.

Are you a “Cosmetic” Dental office?

Our doctors are masterful in the area of “Esthetic” dentistry. New technology offers the option of truly natural appearing, youthful smiles. Never before have we been able to assure patients that their dental restorations will appear completely natural. Any Dentist can label themselves as a “Cosmetic” Dentist, however, there is no official accreditation by either the Texas State Dental Board or the American Dental Assoc., as a recognized specialty. What is important is how much postgraduate study and experience the Dentist has in that area. For more information click here. To see a sample of our work, click here.

Does your dental office keep up with the latest technology?

The unequivocal answer is yes. We have the latest, most advanced digital x-rays which offer up to 1/15 th the dosage of conventional film x-rays. We have digital, intraoral cameras so you can see what we see. Our special “Imaging” software will allow you to see your own mouth in a “before and after” prior to actually having the work done. We have a “Diagnodent” cavity detecting laser wand to look for cavities beyond the surface enamel before they even show up on x-rays. All our water to our dental units is supplied through a special, isolated, system which is disinfected daily.

Our new instrument, called CEREC® 3D, allows me to complete a ceramic tooth restoration in one visit instead of two, saving you time and inconvenience. This technology uses tooth-colored material, so your smile won’t be discolored by silver-colored fillings.

What is the typical cost of a dental implant?