• ANSWER: The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes Prosthodontists as the only dentists who possess advanced specialty training and expertise in the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation, and maintenance of patient’s oral health.

    After 4 years of dental school, to earn credentials as a Prosthodontist, a dentist must complete an additional 3 years of intense residency training/education at a university, hospital, or in the military. During this time, all future Prosthodontists develop specialty training in the treatment of implants, veneers, complete dentures+hybrids, crowns+bridges, and complex full-mouth reconstructions.

    The level of expertise possessed by a Prosthodontist is only able to be achieved through many years of dedicated and focused preparation in a formal and structured hands-on curriculum. These experiences give Prosthodontists a unique understanding of the interplay between the form of facial aesthetics, the biology of the oral environment, and the dynamics of mastication and jaw function.

    Click this link → PATIENT GALLERIES to see the phenomenal before and after treatments performed at our clinic.

  • ANSWER: Dr. Cone is first and foremost a Prosthodontist (a dentist who has undergone an additional 3 years of specialty training recognized by the American Dental Association/ADA® at an accredited university, hospital, or within the military). Prosthodontists take into consideration the biological health, functionality, and the cosmetics/aesthetics during the treatment planning and execution of patient cases . The term “Cosmetic Dentist” is a term that has become increasingly ubiquitous for general dentists who want to attract patients to their practice. However, the American Dental Association (ADA) does not recognize cosmetic dentistry as a specialty degree. Any dentist, regardless of education, skill, or training can advertise that they are a “cosmetic dentist.”

    A general dentist/family dentist will often advertise cosmetic dental services, however, it is very rare that you will ever see any of their work shown on the office webpage. The reason why real patient treatments with veneers, implants, all-on-x rehabs, crowns, dentures, tooth whitening, etc., are not shown is usually because the general dentist doesn’t routinely perform these procedures, or they don’t feel that the final result was good enough to photograph and display publicly.

    Even though we do mention “Cosmetic Dentistry” in our marketing, it is simply because it is a term that many people are now very familiar with. The Nuance philosophy is and always has been that the form of the teeth (cosmetics/aesthetics) should integrate and harmonize seamlessly with the function of the teeth.

    Click this link → PATIENT GALLERIES to see the phenomenal before and after treatments performed at our clinic.

  • ANSWER: The letters after a doctor’s name are designations for the credentials they have earned. All U.S. based dentists will have earned either a D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery), or D.M.D. (Dentariae Medicinae Doctorae, Latin for Dental Medical Doctor) degree. There is no difference between a D.D.S., and a D.M.D. The M.S. represents a three-year long Master of Science degree; C.D.T. is awarded for anyone who has passed all the requirements to be a Certified Dental Technician; and F.A.C.P. indicates that a Prosthodontist has earned Board Certification and has achieved the coveted honor of becoming a Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists.

  • ANSWER: Board Certification is a rigorous examination process conducted by the American Board of Prosthodontics. The Board seeks to identify individuals who are committed to the advancement of the specialty and demonstrate a strong desire for life-long learning and a lifetime of ethical practices. Achieving Board Certification and Diplomate status as a Prosthodontist matters so much because it represents the highest level of honor and achievement a clinician in this specialty can obtain. Dr. Cone is currently one of only three practicing Board-Certified Prosthodontists in the entire state of Maine, and the only Prosthodontist with dual credentials as a Certified Dental Technician (CDT).

  • ANSWER: No. We are a prosthodontics dental specialty clinic and we adhere to a dedicated and life-long focus on this single area of dental medicine. We also believe that there is value in having working relationships with other dental specialists that possess advanced training in a specific field: oral surgery, endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, and pediatrics. For this reason, we DO NOT extract teeth, perform root canals, apply braces/Invisalign®, place implants, or provide treatment for children under the age of 18 (except for complex cases when teeth are missing, misshaped, or malpositioned).

    As a prosthodontics specialty clinic, we should be the first dentist a patient sees prior to having teeth removed or repositioned, getting a root canal, or receiving an implant. Prosthodontists are experts in treatment planning and coordinating dental visits with the other dental specialists and laboratory technicians we collaborate with to ensure a successful treatment outcome.

    Click this link → PATIENT GALLERIES to see the phenomenal before and after treatments performed at our clinic.

  • ANSWER: Dental x-rays help the clinician to see cavities that may have formed in-between your teeth, infections in the root of the tooth, impacted/unerupted teeth, bone loss, sinus issues and cysts/tumors. Further, x-rays often help in identifying unknown implant components.

    At Nuance Dental Specialists, our x-rays are low-dose, fully digital, and fall into 2 categories, each with a different purpose:

    1) Intraoral Radiographs: These x-rays may include a single or a few periapical images (PAX), which allow us to view the roots of the teeth. They may consist of 4 bitewings (BWX) which are often part of an updated early exam and allow us to see in-between the back teeth. Lastly, they may be part of a full-mouth series (FMX) which consists of approximately 18 images and are necessary for diagnosis and treatment planning. An FMX is typically updated every 3 years.

    2) Extraoral Radiographs: The only type of extraoral x-ray at Nuance Dental Specialists is a panoramic radiograph, or “pano”. The machine that captures the panoramic image may look similar to a cone-beam x-ray unit (CBVT) at other dental offices, however, the image that is created is special type of x-ray that shows all of the teeth, jaw bones, sinuses, and some of the major nerves all in a single, static image. A panoramic radiograph is typically undated every 3-4 years, or, if significant changes to the dentition and jaws have recently taken place in the patient.

    Radiation exposure associated with intraoral and extraoral digital dental x-rays at Nuance represents a minor contribution to the total exposure from all sources, including those that are natural and man-made.

    The total radiation exposure levels from routine digital dental x-rays are so small in fact that the latest guidelines from the American Dental Association (ADA®) now discourages the use of a lead apron and thyroid collar. The ADA® has also concluded that routine radiographs are safe for pregnant patients at all stages of pregnancy. The exception to these guidelines would only be for Cone Beam (CBVT) radiographs, which are not performed at the Nuance clinic.

    For more information on general dental radiation safety, click here → ADA® X-RAY GUIDELINESto see the most up-to-date scientific consensus from the American Dental Association®.

    For more specific information on radiation safety for expecting mothers, click here → ADA® X-RAY GUIDELINES DURING PREGNANCY.

  • ANSWER: Typically, if a tooth does not require additional treatment (e.g., a root canal or crown lengthening/gum-lift procedure), the turn-around time to receive your final crown (or implant crown), veneer, or bridge will be approximately 2-3 weeks for most cases. During this waiting period, our patients will often have a temporary crown/veneer in place.

    Click this link → PATIENT GALLERIES to see the phenomenal before and after treatments performed at our clinic.

  • ANSWER: Dental offices will typically accept payment in one of two ways 1): the dental office is “in-network” with an insurance company, or 2) the dental office accepts a “fee for service” in which case they do not receive payment from an insurance company for the treatment rendered. When a dental office chooses to be in-network, they make a decision to allow the insurance company to dictate the fees for each procedure that the patient will get billed for. This means that the dental office is limited on the amount of money they can charge for each procedure, and therefore if the dental office wants to remain profitable they need to utilize cheaper materials/laboratories and (or) rush the treatment time for each procedure so that they can fit more patients into each day.

    Competing on price with other dentists creates a “race to the bottom”, and we feel that this is an ethically bankrupt business model. We believe that our patients deserve better than this and we reduce our patient volume, dedicate more time to each procedure, and use only the best laboratories and products that money can buy.

    Click this link → PATIENT GALLERIES to see the phenomenal before and after treatments performed at our clinic.

  • ANSWER: No, unfortunately we DO NOT accept Maine Care. but the University of New England School of Dental Medicine (UNESDM) does. If you have Maine Care and are in need of emergency dental treatment, UNESDM may be an appropriate option for you.

    Please click here → UNE DENTAL SCHOOL to contact the dental school directly.

  • ANSWER: We understand that the cost of cosmetic and reconstructive dental treatment can be overwhelming. While we do not offer in-house financing options, we do accept CareCredit®. CareCredit® can be used to pay for out-of-pocket expenses that are typically not covered by your dental insurance. Special financing options are available that you may not be able to achieve with other credit cards or through other financial institutions. CareCredit®can also be used at other participating medical and dental practices.

    Click here → APPLY FOR CARE CREDIT®to see if you pre-quality.