Find Answers for FAQ in Plano, TX

1st In Smiles offers an incredible in-office teeth whitening treatment that gives you whiter results in just one hour! Our Opalescence Boost whitening system will make your teeth several shades brighter under the care of Dr. Rick Barfield. We’ll also give you whitening gel to take home for touch-ups. To get whiter teeth in time for an upcoming wedding or social event, call us to set up a convenient appointment. Don’t forget to ask us about our Free Whitening for Life offer!

Yes! Dr. Barfield and his team enjoy working with all ages. Each member of your family is welcome in our office and can expect the same high level of care from our team.

The best time for a first dental appointment is around the age of 2. Until then, be sure to clean your child’s teeth each day!

Absolutely! Keep in mind that if you have not yet left your nicotine habit behind, you are jeopardizing your overall oral health. That said, we can at least make your smile look more beautiful in the meantime. In fact, here at 1st In Smiles, we can use dental veneers to cover up stubborn stains, as well as cracks, chips, and other dental damage. Alternatively, we have a great professional teeth whitening solution.

Of course! For adult orthodontic treatment, we offer Invisalign. You’ll wear a series of virtually invisible plastic aligners to correct crooked, crowded, or gapped teeth without attracting any unwanted attention. Whether you’re interested in Invisalign for boosting your oral health or just the appearance of your smile, call us to schedule a free orthodontic consultation with Dr. Barfield.

Dental implants are the closest thing to your natural teeth that you can get. They’re an excellent investment in your smile and your happiness. However, the main factor in deciding whether implants are right for you is the thickness and strength of the bone that will support the implants.

All-on-4 dental implants allow many people whose bone isn’t right for traditional implants to replace their missing teeth. Dr. Barfield angles two rear implants to provide more contact with, and support from, the surrounding bone. He will perform a thorough examination, including detailed imaging, to determine the best approach to replacing your missing teeth.

Dr. Barfield and the rest of our 1st In Smiles team have lots of experience in calming nerves. Their gentle chairside manner is enough to relax most patients. If you’re still nervous about a procedure, we offer three kinds of safe dental sedation: inhaled sedation (“laughing gas”), oral sedation in the form of a prescription pill, and intravenous (IV) sedation. IV sedation is especially useful if you need a long procedure or want to get multiple procedures in a single appointment.

Regular dental cleanings and exams go a long way toward keeping your teeth free of cavities. At 1st in Smiles, we recommend you visit us at least every six months for these services. In addition, we may suggest additional preventive treatments such as fluoride and/or dental sealants. Of course, it’s also important to practice good oral hygiene at home. Brush at least twice a day with a toothpaste approved by the American Dental Association. Floss at least once a day. 

A grinding habit can damage your enamel, creating chips, cracks, or even breaks that will need to be repaired with restorative dentistry. It’s best to prevent this from happening by wearing a mouthguard. Dr. Barfield can create a custom-made mouthguard that will prevent you from grinding your teeth in your sleep, which is when most grinding occurs.

Maybe. If you haven’t been flossing, your gums may bleed the first few times you resume this oral hygiene best practice. However, if you notice blood when you brush for more than a few days, we recommend seeing us ASAP. It can indicate problems including gum disease. The sooner you treat it, the better. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults.

If you are in discomfort, you should visit us ASAP. Doing so allows us to treat issues that, left to progress, can develop into more serious problems that can wreck your dental health. Common dental emergencies include toothaches and broken teeth. If you’re not in pain but something just doesn’t look or feel “right,” give us a call. Something as seemingly innocuous as swollen gums or dental discoloration can signal a problem that needs quick attention.

Dental exams are essential in maintaining a healthy smile. They help us prevent small problems from becoming bigger ones. We can even prevent problems from occurring in the first place with dental cleanings and other preventive care. We recommend visiting us at least once every six months for exams. If your oral health isn’t incentive enough, you also receive free professional-strength teeth whitening gel ($50 value) as long as you follow our recommended schedule for exams.

Dental fillings are made of either amalgam (a blend of metals) or composite (a blend of ceramic and a plastic compound). At 1st in Smiles, we use composite fillings because of their many advantages. One of the biggest benefits is their natural appearance. Unlike metal fillings, composite fillings look completely natural in your smile.

Either dental implants or conventional dentures will restore your smile’s function and appearance. Implants do offer many advantages you won’t receive with dentures. For example, they prevent the bone shrinkage in your jaw that otherwise occurs when you lose teeth. Since replacement teeth are attached to implants instead of just sitting on your gums, you also won’t need adhesive to keep them securely in place. Plus, you’ll enjoy a stronger bite, with no worries about loose or dislodged dentures.

If you have a snoring problem, then it’s likely neither you nor other members of your household are sleeping well at night. Dr. Barfield can fit you for a custom-made mouthguard that will move your jaw into a position that keeps you from snoring. He also works with a sleep apnea specialist, who can test you to see if you have apnea. If you do, we’ll determine whether you should be treated with a mouthguard and/or a CPAP machine.

If you have lost an adult tooth due to accident or neglect, there are solutions to help you restore that missing tooth. It is important to do so in order to maintain full function of your smile. One solution is to use a dental bridge. This means attaching a row of dental crowns (also known as a bridge) to the healthy teeth on either side of the missing one. While a great solution, bridges will cause healthy tooth enamel to be lost.

Another option is to use a dental implant. The implant will actually replace your missing tooth root in the jaw bone. We will attach a beautiful dental crown to the top of your implant to complete the restoration. The result will look and feel so natural that you might forget exactly which tooth was replaced!

If you need a new toothbrush, you may want to consider an electric toothbrush. Studies show they may do a slightly better job at removing plaque than manual brushes. They also come with handy features like timers that help you brush for a full two minutes. In particular, they work well for people with arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and similar mobility issues. That said, the important thing is to get a brush you like – manual or electric – and make sure it has soft bristles. Hard bristles can actually damage your tooth enamel.

Yes, it really is! Because a custom mouthguard is made using impressions of your teeth, it will fit you perfectly. There is no need to use a frustrating – and often ineffective – boil-and-bite process to adjust the fit. Dr. Barfield can fit you for a custom mouthguard to protect your teeth during athletic activities. In addition, he can provide you with custom mouthguards to relieve TMJ pain and to alleviate sleep apnea symptoms. 

While you may feel discomfort when wisdom teeth are coming in, this isn’t necessarily an indicator they should be removed. Dr. Barfield will use high-tech equipment like digital X-rays and an intraoral camera to examine these third molars in the back of your mouth. This will help him determine if wisdom teeth will negatively impact your other teeth. If so, he will likely recommend removal. There’s no need to worry about the procedure. You can get dental sedation if you need it.