Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can we help you?

We appreciate oral health questions from our patients because it shows us that they are engaged and interested in maintaining a healthy smile. Our dental team is very experienced and always more than happy to share their knowledge with you!

Several of the questions we hear most often are listed below, but if there’s something else on your mind, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email or call (480) 400-5000.

BOTOX®

Serenity Smiles is pleased to offer BOTOX® in Scottsdale. Pain-free BOTOX  might be viable solutions if you’d like to enhance your natural beauty and turn back the clock to a more youthful appearance.

BOTOX smooths wrinkles and fine lines from your face and helps treat migraines and jaw joint (TMJ) dysfunction. 

BOTOX can help remove or reduce the appearance of the following:

  • Lip lines
  • Forehead lines (“11s”)
  • Frown lines
  • Eye wrinkles (“crows’ feet”)
  • Nasolabial folds (around the nose)
  • Marionette lines (mouth and chin lines)

Your dentist in Scottsdale, AZ reviews your medical history and performs an exam to determine if BOTOX is right for you. If you’re a good candidate, your dentist carefully administers BOTOX in the target area so the muscles can relax and loosen. Relaxed muscles mean less tension and, in turn, less visible wrinkles.

Book an Appointment with Your BOTOX® Dentist in Scottsdale

Dr. Justin Waters are BOTOX® dentists in Scottsdale who can help add the finishing touches to your stunning new smile. Please give us a call today at (480) 400-5000 to schedule your consultation at Serenity Smiles.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry in Scottsdale, AZ, can mean any treatment or series of procedures designed to enhance your smile’s appearance. And in our dental office, we offer all types of cosmetic dentistry options to conceal or repair most smile flaws.

Issues that cosmetic dentistry in Scottsdale can correct include:

  • Short or worn-down teeth
  • Asymmetrical teeth
  • Crooked teeth
  • Discolored teeth
  • Gummy smiles
  • Missing teeth

For patients with multiple issues, your cosmetic dentist can also talk to you about a smile makeover. This is a custom plan that addresses your various cosmetic needs. We can work on a timeline that fits your lifestyle.

Our cosmetic dentistry options include:

Most cosmetic dentistry is non-invasive (or minimally invasive), and some options—for example, dental implants—even promote improved oral health.

Whether you’re looking for a single treatment or multiple procedures, we can help!

Contact Your Cosmetic Dentist in Scottsdale, AZ, to Get Started

Taking excellent care of your teeth and not loving your smile seems unfair. To learn more about cosmetic dentistry or to arrange a consultation with our cosmetic dentist, we encourage you to reach out to a helpful and knowledgeable dental team member today.

Dental Crowns & Bridges

Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that cover an existing tooth. A dental crown can restore a damaged or decayed tooth’s comfortable function and improve its appearance. Tooth crowns can be made from porcelain, ceramics, and metal alloys, but porcelain crowns look the most realistic.

If you have one or more of the following concerns, a dental crown may be your solution:

  • Severe tooth decay
  • Brittle or weak tooth
  • Chipped or broken tooth
  • Unbalanced bite
  • Misshapen tooth
  • Discolored tooth
  • Tooth treated by a root canal

Dental crowns can also hold a dental bridge in place and complete a dental implant. With dental crowns, the possibilities for a restored smile are seemingly endless.

Dental crowns in Scottsdale, AZ are customized to meet your oral health needs and specific aesthetic goals. Our skilled and experienced dentists can help you get the healthy, functional, and attractive smile you’ve always wanted.

Book an Appointment for Dental Crowns in Scottsdale, AZ

Do you have a broken or damaged tooth? Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation with your Scottsdale dentist. Our team at Serenity Smiles looks forward to seeing you soon!

Even though your teeth are extremely strong, if they are worn and brittle, they are more prone to chipping and cracking. There are several factors that contribute to the breakdown of a tooth’s structure:

Poor Oral Care

Our mouths are home to millions of bacteria, some good and some bad. You can get rid of many harmful bacteria by brushing and flossing diligently and visiting your dentist for teeth cleanings every six months.

Poor oral hygiene creates conditions in your mouth that expose your teeth to acid attacks that gradually dissolve tooth enamel. This ultimately leads to tooth decay, and both can weaken your teeth over time.

Teeth Grinding and Bruxism

Teeth grinding or bruxism is a common problem directly linked to weak and broken teeth. Whether you grind your teeth at night or throughout the day, the consistent excessive force takes a toll on your tooth’s structure. Over time, your teeth weaken and become more prone to breakage.

The Aging Process

It’s understandable that teeth can weaken with age, considering the years of wear and tear they are exposed to. Often, other factors contribute to breaking teeth, such as decay and repeated dental procedures.

Treat Broken Teeth with Dental Crowns in Scottsdale

If you have broken or cracked teeth or teeth that are worn and weakened from teeth grinding and TMJ problems, dental crowns may be the solution. A crown covers the entire tooth to protect it and creates a new chewing surface to restore function.

At Serenity Smiles, we can determine the underlying cause for teeth that break and customize a solution. We are pleased to serve patients in Scottsdale and the greater Phoenix area and would be happy to help you. Please call us to schedule an appointment to get started.

Dental Implants

Dental implants in Scottsdale, AZ, are an excellent choice for restoring a missing tooth because they’re as close to a natural tooth as possible.

While completing a dental implant takes a few months, most patients find that the benefits dental implants provide are worth it.

The Dental Implant Process

The first step in the dental implant process is to meet with your Scottsdale dentist to determine if you’re a good candidate for the procedure. Our friendly dentists will ensure that you’re in good general health and that you have enough healthy bone to support the implant.

Next, dental implant surgery takes place in our Scottsdale dental office with Dr. Justin Waters The procedure is straightforward; most patients say it’s less invasive than a tooth extraction. After your surgery, we’ll give your implant a few months to heal and integrate with your bone.

Finally, when your tooth implant is completely healed, our dentists will attach the right restoration to complete your smile. This could be a porcelain crown for a single tooth restoration, or it could also be a dental bridge or denture to replace multiple missing teeth.

Book an Appointment for Dental Implants in Scottsdale

Do you have questions about dental implants in Scottsdale, AZ? Contact your team at Serenity Smiles at (480) 400-5000 for more information.

Emergency Dental Care

A dental emergency is any oral health concern that requires prompt treatment to relieve pain, stop bleeding and swelling, or prevent further issues from developing. Untreated dental emergencies can put your oral and general health at risk. However, our emergency dentists in Scottsdale, AZ are highly skilled and experienced in gentle, stress-free dental care.

Common dental emergencies we see at Serenity Smiles in Scottsdale are:

  • Persistent toothache
  • A dental abscess (infection)
  • Broken, chipped, or fractured teeth
  • Knocked-out teeth
  • Soft tissue injury (lips, cheeks, tongue)
  • Damaged or lost restoration (filling or dental crown)
  • Broken orthodontics
  • Bleeding or swelling in or around the mouth that won’t stop

Our team at Serenity Smiles can quickly alleviate your discomfort and treat your problem with gentle and modern dental care. If you’re unsure if you have a dental emergency, please don’t hesitate to call us at (480) 400-5000, and we can offer guidance.

We Treat Dental Emergencies in Scottsdale, AZ

Serenity Smiles welcomes patients of all ages in case of a dental emergency. Our emergency dentists in Scottsdale have the expertise and training to treat virtually any dental emergency, so please give us a call at (480) 400-5000!

Dental emergencies are stressful and inconvenient! But you can rest assured that you’ll be feeling better in no time when you have an emergency dentist in Scottsdale, AZ, that you can trust.

Sometimes it’s hard to know when the right time is to contact your dentist if you’re experiencing an emergency. Some of the dental emergencies your team at Serenity Smiles handles are:

  • Lost or broken restorations, such as dental crowns or fillings
  • Toothaches and dental pain
  • Chipped or broken teeth
  • Tooth infections or abscesses
  • Cracked or broken dentures
  • Knocked-out (avulsed) teeth

We encourage our patients to contact our Scottsdale dental office if they’re experiencing tooth pain or an emergency, even if they’re unsure. Our knowledgeable and friendly team can assess your situation over the phone to determine if you need immediate attention or can schedule a future appointment for your situation.

Same Day Emergency Dental Care in Scottsdale

Our dentists offer same-day treatment if possible and leave room in their schedules to accommodate emergency patients. If you contact our dental office after our regular business hours, you’ll receive instructions on how to reach our on-call dentist.

If you’re looking for an emergency dentist near me who you can rely on, contact Serenity Smiles today at (480) 400-5000.

General Dentistry

We perform a few types of teeth cleanings at Serenity Smiles in Scottsdale, AZ; dental prophylaxis (prophy), deep cleaning, and periodontal maintenance.

Prophylaxis Dental Cleaning

Our dentists and hygienists recommend prophy (preventive) cleanings every six months for patients who don’t have gum disease. With a prophy cleaning, your hygienist uses a specialized instrument to remove plaque and tartar from the fronts, backs, and sides of your teeth.

Deep Cleaning: Scaling and Root Planing

Also called deep cleaning, scaling and root planing, is recommended for patients who have gum disease. It involves cleaning plaque and tartar from tooth and root surfaces to remove bacteria and reduce gum inflammation. Root planing smoothes tooth roots to help gums reattach more easily to the teeth.

Periodontal Maintenance Cleanings

If you have gum disease treatment, your hygienist will recommend ongoing periodontal maintenance cleanings. Periodontal maintenance is performed more frequently than other cleanings to prevent the progression of gum disease. Patients with gum disease typically have four periodontal maintenance cleanings four times a year.

Schedule Your Next Teeth Cleaning in Scottsdale, AZ

If it has been a while since your last teeth cleaning, and you’re unsure which type is right for you, please contact our Scottsdale dental office. Our hygienist will be happy to evaluate your gum health and see how we can help you preserve it.

Root Canal Treatment

We want you to feel comfortable seeking dental treatment, so we are pleased to offer sedation dentistry at our Scottsdale, AZ dental office. Our options are nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and IV sedation.

Nitrous Oxide for Short-Term Relaxation

Also called laughing gas or inhalation sedation, nitrous oxide ensures that you have a comfortable, pain-free procedure. Nitrous oxide is a gas that has been used safely in dentistry for over 100 years. Its mild effects are safe enough for children yet powerful enough to put you in an extremely relaxed and drowsy state.

Oral Sedation for Deeper Anxiety

Oral conscious sedation is a prescription medication that provides deeper relaxation than nitrous oxide, and the effects last for hours. Our dentist prescribes a calming sedative to take an hour before your appointment, and by the time you arrive, you’ll feel very relaxed and drowsy. You will remain in this state throughout your procedure and for several hours afterward, so you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment.

Safe IV Sedation for the Ultimate Relaxation

IV or intravenous sedation is also referred to as twilight sleep. This sedation method induces a semi-conscious state, but you will be alert enough to respond to your dental team. Most patients remember little if anything of what happened during their procedure.

By combining these sedation methods with strong anesthetics that numb the tooth we’re treating, we can provide a comfortable, anxiety-free experience.

Contact Us About Sedation Dentistry in Scottsdale, AZ

Would you like to learn how sedation dentistry can benefit you at your next dental appointment? Please contact Serenity Smiles for more information. We are pleased to serve patients in Scottsdale and the greater Phoenix area.

Teeth Whitening

The only safe way to whiten our teeth is under the supervision of a dentist. Products sold in stores and online may not be suitable for your oral health. They can damage enamel and lead to tooth sensitivity. When you whiten with your Scottsdale, AZ, dentist, you can count on a safe and effective treatment.

Our dental office offers in-house teeth whitening for the fastest results. With this method, you spend a little time in the dental chair, but we can whiten your smile during a single office visit. Many patients find this method relaxing. And it’s ideal if you need white teeth in a hurry.

We also offer a customized take-home kit. This method allows you to whiten on your own time. It may not be as fast as in-office whitening, but you can count on a much brighter smile after a few weeks.

Your dentist may also recommend combination therapy—start your whitening treatment in our dental office but finish up at home.

No matter the option, we’ll ensure the ingredients are safe for your teeth and gums and that you enjoy a predictable and beautiful result.

Looking for Professional Teeth Whitening in Scottsdale, AZ?

To learn more or to schedule your teeth whitening consultation with the dentist, contact our team today.

TMJ & Bruxism Treatment

When you have a teeth-grinding habit—also called bruxism—your teeth are regularly subjected to significant biting force. Common symptoms that you grind your teeth during sleep are headaches, neck, jaw, and shoulder pain, and excessive tooth wear or breakage.

Teeth grinding most often occurs during sleep and can also be related to sleep apnea or OSA. Fortunately, once your dentist accurately diagnoses teeth grinding, the solution is often as simple as a protective night guard.

How a Custom Night Guard Works

A night guard is a custom-made appliance worn over your teeth as a protective barrier. With a night guard in place, your upper and lower jaw can’t come into direct contact, which minimizes the stress and damage to your teeth. A nightguard also gives your jaw joint (TMJ) some time to rest and recover during sleep, which can relieve painful daytime symptoms.

At Serenity Smiles, we take digital impressions of the teeth to customize nightguards that fit comfortably and protect your teeth against teeth-grinding damage.

Custom Night Guards for Teeth Grinding in Scottsdale

If you experience symptoms like a sore jaw, headaches, or neck and shoulder pain when you wake up, a custom night guard at our Scottsdale, AZ dental office can help. Call Serenity Smiles to schedule an appointment so we can help relieve your discomfort and protect your smile.