Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): General Dentistry

If you have a dental emergency, we know you want relief, and you want it fast! That is why we allow time in our schedule for our emergency patients. We will make every effort to accommodate you and get you in to see us the same day.

Note: If you have a critical injury that affects your face or jaw or you are experiencing excessive bleeding or swelling, please go to an emergency room or call 911.

At Buxton Family Dental, we have the skill and experience necessary to deal with a wide range of dental emergencies. There are some situations that require immediate attention, like intense pain or a knocked-out tooth. With others, like a loose crown or filling, you should be treated as quickly as possible, but it may not be necessary for you to drop everything to come into our Fort Collins dental office for same-day emergency treatment.

If you are having a problem, call us right away at (970) 482-6333. We will listen to your concerns and let you know what you can do to help yourself until we can see you. Since we leave extra time in our schedule, we can typically see emergency patients the same day.

As your general dentist in Fort Collins, CO, Dr. Kendall Buxton enjoys treating patients of all ages. We help your little one get a healthy start with their oral health and provide comprehensive dental services for all the other members of your family.

Your time is valuable, and it’s easy for dental appointments to keep getting pushed to the bottom of your to-do list. The last thing you need is to have to bring your family to different dentists to get the age-appropriate care they need. At Buxton Family Dental, we offer all the comprehensive dental services your family needs such as cleanings, exams, fillings, and many more.

Do you have a toddler ready for their first dental exam, or a parent who needs to restore worn or damaged teeth? Dr. Buxton personalizes dentistry to fit your individual needs. Our skilled dental team has all the training and experience required to address your family's needs at every stage of life.

We hope you’ll choose Buxton Family Dental for all your general dentistry needs. Here you’ll find a comfortable environment filled with happy people who want you to enjoy the best possible oral health.

Are you looking for a Fort Collins dentist who can provide your entire family with quality care? Please call Buxton Family Dental at (970) 482-6333 to arrange a dental appointment to get started.

Cavities are caused by the bacteria that live in every human being's mouth.  These bacteria thrive on the sugars that you place in your mouth, they then form dental plaque, and these plaques contain the bacteria's acidic byproducts that eat away the surfaces of your teeth.  If these softened areas get too large they can break down further or "cavitate".  These will continue to grow unless the dental decay is removed and the tooth restored by a dentist.  We like to find a cavity when it is small and repair it before there is major breakdown.

Cavities can form on various surfaces of your teeth.  Some people are more prone to certain types of cavities than others:

• The most common type of cavity forms in the deep grooves and fissures found on the chewing surfaces of your teeth.  Bacteria can easily hide out in these areas and some people struggle to brush them away.  This deep grooves are the main reason most dentist's recommend sealants at a young age.  These cavities are usually found with a dentist's explorer.  Your tooth is made of the hardest substance in the human body so it should feel solid when tested by your dentist.  If a soft or sticky spot is found by the explorer this is the most common indication that there is a cavity.  
• The next most common type of cavity is found between your teeth.  These are cavities prevented by flossing.  They usually form when bacteria collect just below the spot where neighboring teeth contact each other.  These types of cavities are usually found with our routine bitewing x-rays.
• Another common area to get a cavity is along the gum line.  Dental plaque is easily formed along the gum line.  On the lingual side (the side of your tooth facing your tongue), plaque formation is less common because it is routinely washed away by your tongue.  It is much more common on the buccal side (the side of your tooth facing your lips and cheeks) and special effort must be made to brush it away. These cavities are detected visually or again by running the dental explorer across the tooth surfaces looking for breakdown.
• Another very common type of decay is called recurrent decay.  This is decay found along the margins of an existing restoration (a filling, crown, etc.)  The margin is where a dental restoration meets your tooth.  Microscopic bacteria hide on any ledge, crevice, or crack that they can find and this junction between your restoration and your tooth is an ideal space no matter how well the restoration is done.  For this reason it is very important to be mindful of the dental work you have in your mouth and take extra care to maintain it.

If you're concerned that you might have a cavity and would like it evaluated, please give us a call at Buxton Family Dental!

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint. This joint between your jaw and your skull is the only joint of its kind in your body. Unfortunately, it can be the source of many painful problems for some people. If you experience joint pain, headaches, muscle pain, nighttime grinding and clenching, or similar symptoms, you may be suffering from TMD or temporomandibular disorder.

TMD can be caused by misaligned teeth, traumatic injury, or muscular habits often triggered by stress. At Buxton Family Dental, we can treat many TMJ issues with a simple appliance that will help guide your jaw into a more comfortable position and protect the teeth. Typically, these appliances are worn at night while sleeping, which is when most of the problems occur. Other cases require daytime use, which necessitates an appliance that is a little more discreet for appearance’s sake.

Periodically, we’ll meet a patient whose TMD case is much more complicated in nature and requires the aid of a specialist. There is still no specialty recognized by the American Dental Association that strictly focuses on TMJ treatment; however, many general dentists and various specialists focus heavily on this type of treatment so they can help these more complicated cases. Come on in for a consultation and we’d be happy to help you decide what type of treatment you need.

Teeth can only feel one thing - pain.  Fortunately, we live in a day and age where that pain can be eliminated in order to repair and preserve teeth.  There is a wide variety of gadgets and techniques that have been developed to make getting numb easier,  but sadly, needles are still involved with the vast majority of those methods.    At Buxton Family Dental we take great pride in our ability to make dental care as comfortable as possible even for people with a fear of needles.  With a little extra time and patience getting numb does not have to be a miserable experience. 

First we rub a very strong topical anesthetic onto your cheek to start the numbing process.  Next we warm our anesthetic so that it is body temperature.  When the anesthetic is placed the key is to go very, very slowly.  Many people believe that the pinch they feel comes from the needle itself, but most of that discomfort actually comes from the local anesthetic delivered to the tissues.  Once the anesthetic has had adequate time to work, we can begin fixing your tooth, but we always go cautiously to make sure your teeth are comfortable.  Every individual is different.  If you take extra time or extra anesthetic to get numb, we'll note it for the next time.  If you have any dental anxiety about this part of dentistry, we're more than happy to help and give you the extra care you need!

As a general dentist, Dr. Kendell Buxton has the training and expertise to provide comprehensive dental care for you and your family. He worked in numerous dental practices around the country before he opened Buxton Family Dental and that knowledge and experience allow him to provide all the essential services needed to keep your smile healthy and beautiful.

Some of the services we provide are:

• Children’s dentistry
• Prevention, including cleanings, exams, and x-rays
• Gentle periodontal treatment
• Tooth-colored fillings
• Restorations, including crowns, bridges, and dental implants
• Root canal therapy
• Cosmetic services like teeth whitening and bonding

While Dr. Buxton is a highly skilled professional, he also recognizes the essential role that trained specialists play in your dental care. We maintain close relationships with an exceptional group of professionals in the Fort Collins area, so you can be confident that you are in the best possible hands if we feel a referral is appropriate.

If you are interested in experiencing high-quality dentistry in a warm and welcoming setting, please call Buxton Family Dental. Our team will go out of their way to show you how much we value you as a patient and how happy we are that you are taking care of your oral health.

One of our goals at Buxton Family Dental is to help you better understand your oral health needs. We know from experience that educated patients tend to be more proactive with their dental care and suffer from fewer problems as a result.

An essential part of the process is getting to know you so we can understand your needs and tailor your treatment accordingly. Then we can work together to develop a long-range plan to keep your smile healthy.

Another way we help you understand your dental needs is by using technology like intraoral cameras that let you see what we see when we look in your mouth. The camera is about the size of a pen, and Dr. Buxton directs it over your teeth during your exam.

The image captured is displayed simultaneously on your chairside monitor, so you can see in real time what the problem is and why we need to treat it. We also use comfortable digital sensors instead of x-ray film to produce images of your teeth that we can share with you and point out problems.

At Buxton Family Dental, you can be confident that we will never recommend a procedure you don’t need or want. By working as a team, we can provide you with the personalized care you need for a smile you’re proud to show off.