Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We see this problem frequently at our Covina dental office. The change in the alignment of your teeth has most likely occurred because you did not wear your retainer after orthodontic treatment was complete.

It’s understandable that you didn’t want to continue to wear the retainer as prescribed by your dentist. After all, you spent a lot of time dealing with braces, and you were probably anxious to be done with the process.

What most people don’t realize, though, is that your teeth are always moving slightly, whether you’ve had braces or not. The purpose of a retainer after orthodontic treatment is to make sure that the shifting of your teeth does not allow your teeth to drift out of alignment.

It is imperative that after orthodontic treatment you wear a fixed or removable retainer to prevent relapse and keep your teeth in alignment.  Misaligned teeth can cause two major problems:  

1. Proper oral hygiene becomes difficult and may allow periodontal disease to develop.
2. Your bite will change, which can lead to clenching and/or grinding of teeth.

If your teeth have shifted, please contact our Covina dental office, and we can arrange a consultation. Dr. Huang offers Invisalign and Clear Correct aligner therapy to fix your misaligned teeth and give you back the smile you want.

Missing teeth are not just an unattractive nuisance – they can also lead to all sorts of problems with your oral health. It is important to have missing teeth replaced as soon as possible, and at our Covina dental office, we have three options to choose from, depending on your needs.

If you have several teeth missing in one area of your mouth, we can use a partial denture. This is a removable dental prosthetic with artificial teeth that is attached to your natural teeth. Dr. Huang may also recommend a full denture to replace all your teeth.

A dental bridge is also a good option for replacing teeth. An artificial tooth (called a pontic) is held in place by crowns on either side that are fastened to adjacent teeth. The pontic can also be secured with a dental implant to provide added stability.

Dental implants are the preferred tooth replacement option by both dentists and patients because they are firmly implanted in the jaw, restoring complete functionality to the tooth. A dental implant can be used to replace one tooth or multiple teeth. Dental implants are a great innovation, but they are not right for everyone.

If you’re bothered by missing teeth, please contact our Covina dental office. Dr. Huang will be happy to assess your situation and help you decide which treatment option is best for you.

Dental implants have recently become the tooth replacement method of choice for dentists and patients alike. They offer a permanent solution for replacement of missing teeth and are designed to look, feel, and function just like your natural tooth.

Many factors go into deciding if a patient is a good candidate for dental implants. These include, but are not limited to, the state of your overall and dental health, the volume and quality of bone needed to support the implants, and your time and budgetary concerns.  Dental implants have proven very effective for patients who want to:

• Replace one or more missing teeth
• Support and stabilize an existing bridge or denture
• Preserve jawbone density and strength
• Improve a sunken facial appearance caused by tooth loss

Dental implants are completely independent of surrounding teeth, so they also provide a tooth replacement option that does not put stress on adjacent healthy teeth.

If you are interested in learning more about dental implants or your other tooth replacement options, please contact our Covina dental office for an appointment. We will be happy to arrange a consultation with Dr. Huang so that he can conduct a thorough exam and answer all your questions.

You can get faster answers by calling us today: 626-332-1014

We believe you should be completely comfortable before proceeding with any proposed treatment. Dr. Huang will be happy to assess your situation and provide a second opinion about the procedure you are considering.

Dentures made today have come a long way from the “false teeth” you probably remember from years ago. We can create beautiful natural-looking dentures that are unique and actually improve your appearance.

Advances in dental technology and materials allow us to make dentures that look like your own teeth. We start by talking to you about your expectations to ensure that you are completely happy with the finished result.

Dr. Huang works closely with the trained technicians at our trusted dental lab to make sure that your new dentures complement your facial features perfectly. We want your dentures to be comfortable, functional, and natural-looking. In fact, our dentures look so real, that no one will realize they’re not your own teeth.

Modern dentures are made with a smooth material that conforms closely to the shape of your jaw, so you don’t have to worry about embarrassing slips and shifting that always seem to happen at the most awkward moments.

Dentures are an investment, but a set of properly made dentures will improve your appearance and actually improve your quality of life. If you need a new set or would like to replace old, worn dentures that no longer fit properly, please contact our Covina dental office and we will be happy to arrange a consultation with Dr. Huang.

Gum disease is a prevalent problem among adults in the U.S. Millions of people are affected by periodontal disease, many without even knowing, so it is important to be aware of its signs and symptoms, which include:

• Puffy, red, or inflamed gums
• Gums that bleed while brushing or flossing
• Chronic bad breath that isn’t helped by mouthwash or brushing your teeth
• A change in the way your teeth feel and fit together when biting down
• A feeling that your teeth are coming loose
• Receding gum tissue makes your teeth appear longer

Treatment may include gum therapy by the hygienist at our Covina dental office, followed by local delivery of antibiotics. We will recommend a regular schedule of maintenance to prevent gum disease from developing again in the future. Dr. Huang works with several excellent gum specialists and, if necessary, we will be happy to refer you for further treatment.

Finding and treating gum disease quickly is important. Without treatment, periodontal disease can spread rapidly and cause serious oral health problems like deterioration of your jaw bone and even tooth loss.

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, please contact our Covina dental office and arrange a checkup with Dr. Huang. We want to help eliminate gum disease as soon as possible so that you can enjoy many years of good oral health.

Teeth grinding (bruxism) is very common and, in most cases, it’s related to stress and is only temporary. However, chronic teeth grinding should be addressed promptly to prevent long-term damage to your teeth and general oral health.

People grind their teeth for many reasons. One of the most common non-stress-related reasons is problems with your dental bite. If your teeth don’t line up properly, you bite down with more force on one side of your mouth than the other.

For most people, this occurs during sleep when they’re not aware that it’s happening. If you wake up with headaches or neck and shoulder pain, there’s a good chance that it’s related to grinding your teeth.

If this is true for you, Dr. Huang can provide you with a custom night guard (also referred to as an occlusal splint) that gently repositions your jaw to prevent you from grinding your teeth.

It’s important to seek prompt treatment for teeth grinding because this constant force can create dental problems like unnatural wear on your teeth. A custom night guard made at our Covina dental office may be all you need to get relief from teeth grinding and protect your oral health.

If you grind and clench your teeth, the first step is to arrange a consultation with Dr. Huang. He will evaluate your situation and make appropriate recommendations for treatment.

We are always happy to welcome new patients to our office! Please feel free to phone us at (626) 332-1014 to arrange an appointment or follow the link to our convenient online appointment scheduling form.

Dental x-rays are an important diagnostic tool that helps us detect damage and disease that is not visible during a routine dental exam. The frequency of x-rays varies by individual and depends on your oral health, age, risk for disease, and signs of oral disease.

If you are new to our Covina dental office, we may take x-rays to check the status of your oral health and give us a baseline so that we can identify any changes that occur in the future.

In the case of children, their teeth are still in the process of developing, and they may be more susceptible to tooth decay than adults. Dr. Huang will take into consideration your oral health history and examine your mouth to determine whether or not you need x-rays.

For existing patients, we may also recommend a new set of x-rays if Dr. Huang detects any new cavities and to determine the current status of your oral health and evaluate the growth and development of your teeth.

Your safety is important to us, so we use digital x-rays to reduce your risk of exposure. If you need to schedule a dental exam or have any other questions about x-rays, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

We recommend that you make appointments for exams and professional cleanings at our Covina dental office at least twice a year. Maintaining this schedule ensures that we find and treat problems in their earliest stages for the most effective treatment.

Regular dental exams and cleanings are essential for detecting dental problems before they become serious and damage your oral health. Taking care of your own oral health with proper diet and brushing and flossing twice a day is important, but it’s only half the answer.

Conditions like periodontal disease (gum disease) can take a toll on your dental health long before you’re even aware it exists. A routine of regular visits with Dr. Huang and professional dental cleanings with our experienced dental hygienist allow us to find and halt the progress of the disease, preventing more complicated issues from developing in the future.

At our Covina dental office, our team works hard to make treatments like cleanings and visits comfortable and stress free. These are the easiest steps you can take to protect your long-term oral health. If you or a member of your family are overdue for an exam or cleaning, please contact our office, and we will be happy to arrange a convenient appointment.

Note: If you experience dental trauma that includes injury to the jaw or head, go directly to an emergency room or call 911.

A dental emergency is usually painful and often overwhelming. At our Covina dental office, we accept emergency patients and will make arrangements for you to be seen immediately. We also have an after-hours number where you can leave a message, and Dr. Huang will return your call promptly.

If you are experiencing severe pain, it is important to get in to see us as quickly as possible. We want you to get the relief you need without delay. It is also important to seek treatment because this type of pain indicates a serious problem.

You may have extreme tooth decay that has reached the interior portion of your tooth. When this happens, we must perform a root canal as soon as we can to relieve the pain and save your tooth.

If your tooth has been knocked out, call us immediately. You can try to gently reinsert the tooth into the socket, but do not force it. Don’t touch the root or let the tooth dry out. Keep the tooth wet in warm milk or water until you get to our office.

If a dental crown or filling has come out, do not use over-the-counter dental cement to reinsert it. Wrap the crown in a tissue to protect it until you can see us.

We are here to get you the relief and treatment you need when you need it. If you’re not sure that your situation is an emergency, please contact our Covina dental office. A trained member of our team will evaluate your problem and make an emergency appointment if necessary.

Many things contribute to tooth staining, and it is a problem that affects everyone to some extent. But your beautiful smile is important, and we are proud to use the new, innovative KöR Teeth Whitening and Bleaching system.

KöR is one of the newest entries to the long list of teeth whitening products, but it is a truly revolutionary treatment and unlike anything else available today. Depending on your needs, we can use an in-office treatment, the at-home version of KöR, or a combination of both.

You may wonder what makes KöR different from all the other teeth whitening products out there. First, and most important, unlike other products, KöR is considered to be a permanent teeth whitening treatment. KöR also achieves amazing results, lightening your teeth by as much as 16 shades!

The truly revolutionary aspect of KöR Teeth Whitening is that it restores the ability of your teeth to absorb oxygen. This means that the KöR whitening gel can get deep inside your teeth to dissolve stains. KöR is also the only treatment that can whiten teeth stained by tetracycline use.

We would love to help you achieve a truly dazzling smile. Please call our Covina dental office to learn more about KöR Teeth Whitening and how it can help restore the beautiful appearance of your smile.

We hear this question a lot lately because there has been some controversy about the safety of amalgam fillings. At our Covina dental office, Dr. Huang chooses to use tooth-colored fillings, mainly because they are a better aesthetic option for filling teeth.

Tooth-colored fillings are a composite material that is made of plastic and glass. This material is a perfect choice for fillings because it can be blended to match your natural teeth. When we use tooth-colored composite, the filling is virtually indistinguishable from the rest of your natural tooth.

We also choose tooth-colored fillings because the material bonds securely to dental enamel to support and strengthen a weak tooth. Tooth-colored fillings help us preserve healthy tooth structure as we only have to remove the decayed portion to create a long-lasting, durable filling.

Amalgam (silver) fillings are a blend of different metals, one of which is mercury.  While mercury is toxic in its elemental state, according to numerous studies it poses no danger when combined with other metals. The American Dental Association has deemed amalgam to be a safe dental material to use.

We would be happy to answer your questions about the advantages of tooth-colored fillings. Please contact our Covina dental office for more information.