FAQ’s

Greater Houston Dental Arts provides Orthodontic (braces, clear braces, lingual braces, and Invisalign), Periodontic and Implant (and adjunctive surgery) procedures. Please click our Services tab for more details.

We will conduct a thorough examination on your first visit to determine the best course of action to achieve dental, periodontal and orthodontic health and your goals. We will:

• Take full mouth x-rays to identify any current problems and to use as a baseline on future visits to detect early signs of problems.
• Assess gum condition and health.
• Teeth should be assessed for cavities with your general dentist (If you do not have a general dentist, Dr. Younus will be delighted to introduce you to some.)
• Perform a head and neck exam, including salivary glands and lymph nodes, for swelling or other abnormalities.
• Screen for oral cancer and TMJ (jaw joint).
• Determination and discussion of orthodontic and/or periodontic treatment needs.

Many health conditions are indicated in the mouth and can affect oral health, so your medical information is very important in diagnosing issues with your teeth, gums, and mouth.

Absolutely! Dental X-Rays are essential preventative and diagnostic tools. Many oral conditions occur between teeth or under the gums or bones, undetectable by the human eye, and may have no early signs or symptoms. Left untreated, these conditions can create serious dental and general health problems, including loss of teeth and heart problems. Early detection with X-Rays can make treatment much less painful, faster, and less expensive. The American Dental Association recommends getting a full series every three years.

At Greater Houston Dental Arts, we use the latest radiographic techniques to minimize the amount of radiation and follow the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle, as recommended by the American Dental Association.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, you should begin cleaning your child’s gums with a soft cloth soon after birth. As soon as the first tooth appears, start brushing twice daily with a soft infant toothbrush and just a smear of toothpaste. When you come in for your child’s first visit, we’ll show you how to brush properly.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends visiting the dentist as soon as the first tooth appears, or by the child’s first birthday. We can look for potential problems and help your child get to know us as their friend. These early visits can make your child’s experience with a dentist a positive one.

Please note that patients under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all visits. We want to meet with both of you to discuss findings and treatments, and to address your questions and concerns.

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, each child should first see the orthodontist at the age of 7 to assess the eruption of permanent teeth and ensure early intervention to prevent major problems with dentofacial development in the future.

During active orthodontic treatment, it is recommended to see the orthodontist every 4-8 weeks. The orthodontist will suggest the interval. Once orthodontic treatment is complete, we recommend seeing the orthodontist once a year, along with seeing your general dentist and hygienist at least twice a year (or more, as recommended by the dentist). We LOVE seeing our patients for years after they are done with treatment!

Once orthodontic treatment is complete, we recommend seeing the orthodontist once a year, along with seeing your general dentist and hygienist at least twice a year (or more, as recommended by the dentist).

Many dental procedures can be completed under local anesthesia. However, to help more anxious patients relax, or for more complex procedures, oral sedation, inhalation sedation and IV sedation (under the supervision of a board-certified anesthesiologist) are available.

The most common anesthesia, Novocaine works by blocking the nerve that supplies sensation to the teeth in a specific area. You feel no pain during the procedure and are totally alert, aware, and able to function normally. The effect wears off fairly quickly with no side effects.

Known as “laughing gas" you’ll experience a feeling of euphoria after just 2-3 minutes of breathing in the gas. You’ll be aware of your surroundings and able to respond to questions. Inhalation sedation has very few side effects and is eliminated from the body within 3 to 5 minutes after the gas supply is stopped.

This general anesthetic allows you to be conscious but relaxed during treatment. We prescribe medication to be taken before your appointment(under the doctor’s supervision), allowing you to be fully relaxed by the time we begin your dental treatment. You may not be safe to drive, so you should expect to have someone bring you to our office, stay at the office during the procedure and take you home after your appointment.

These drugs are administered into the bloodstream, allowing you to relax in a semi-conscious state with little or no memory of the treatment. You will not be safe to drive, so you should expect to have someone bring you to our office, stay at the office during the procedure and take you home after your appointment.

Greater Houston Dental Arts offers several payment options:

• Cash, check or credit card at time of service.
• Payment plans – For major treatments, we will work with you to develop a payment plan.
• Insurance – For your convenience, we will submit your insurance claims. All co-pays are due at the time of service in the form of cash, check or credit card.

If you have PPO insurance, only your estimated portion of the fees will be required at the time of service. For best service, please call in advance regarding your insurance information so it can be verified for an accurate estimation of your payment

Please contact our office to verify we are an accepted provider for your insurance plan.

Yes, we offer both short-term, interest-free financing and longer-term financing with low monthly payments. We will be happy to work with you to find the best payment option for you!

As a form of gratitude to patients that are referred by current patients of the office, we offer a discount to both.

We also offer a discount for full or early payment of treatment that is otherwise part of a payment plan (ie. braces and Invisalign®)

Request your appointment today

At Greater Houston Dental Arts, we make it convenient to plan your visit. Click the link to request your appointment time that fits your busy schedule. We can’t wait to see you.