Hello again, my friends, my patients. Welcome, once more, to another thrilling and informative edition of Ask Dr. Dave. Today we have another dental question for you. It is one that has come up fairly regularly, so I feel that it is time to finally address it. Read on. Take notes.

• Dear Dr. Dave,
  It took me a long time finding a dentist that I could trust and feel comfortable with. But, since I have grown comfortable with her, I have asked her a few questions, and she is now suggesting that I find a cosmetic dentist. What is a cosmetic dentist? Why should I see one? And most importantly, do I need to be concerned with getting too many dental digital xrays? My regular dentist took some, and she said that, if I go to see a cosmetic dentist, I may need to have more dental digital xrays done. Could that be too much?
  Thanks for all of your help and everything that you do.
  Sincerely yours,
  Edna K.

Thanks so much for the insightful questions, Edna. Like I mentioned in the intro, a lot of people are asking these questions, and since you asked them both, I figured now was the time to address them.

1. A cosmetic dentist is a dentist who does not work on the hygiene aspect of oral care, but purely the aesthetics. They make sure that you are comfortable with your smile and how it looks. They can provide services like tooth whitening, veneers, and even dental implants.
2. You would see a cosmetic dentist if you wanted something done with your mouth cosmetically that your regular dentist is unable to do. What are the questions you are asking your dentist about? Do you have a missing tooth that you want replaced? Are you looking for a better replacement for dentures? Do you want a tooth whitening procedure that will last?
3. Dental digital xrays, or digital radiography as we call it, is a form of imaging that uses digital xray sensors instead of photographic film. This makes it much quicker because we do not need to use chemicals to develop the xrays, and we can digitally transfer and enhance the images. It also produces less radiation than a standard, conventional radiography.
   If you are getting these weekly, even with the less radiation, I would be concerned. But, if it is just two times, and that is all that it should take, then you should be fine. Remember, your dentist, whether cosmetic or not, needs a really good look at what is going on in there sometimes, in order to make the best, most informed decision.

There you have it, Edna and faithful readers. Thanks for checking in this time, and I will be back soon with more answers to your burning questions.
Until next time, do not forget to floss!
Dr. Dave Continue reading here: Kirkland dentures