As your dental care provider, we’re your expert on all things tooth care. We love getting questions from our patients! Dr. Freund and the Altitude Dental team get a lot of great questions, and we've rounded up the most common ones right here.
If your question isn't covered below, contact us directly or give us a call at (406) 587-1688. We're happy to talk through anything.
For most healthy adults, dental cleanings are recommended every six months. This routine schedule allows your hygienist to remove plaque and tartar buildup, monitor your oral health, and identify potential concerns before they progress.
However, individual needs may vary. Patients with a history of gum disease, a higher risk of cavities, tobacco use, or certain medical conditions—such as diabetes—may benefit from more frequent visits, typically every three to four months. These appointments, often referred to as periodontal maintenance cleanings, are more comprehensive than standard preventive cleanings and are designed to support long-term gum health.
Learn more about our cleaning services
Root canals get a bad reputation, but the procedure itself is actually one of the most misunderstood in all of dentistry. A root canal doesn't cause pain, it relieves it.
You may need a root canal if the soft tissue inside your tooth (called the pulp) has become infected or inflamed. This can happen from deep decay, a cracked tooth, or repeated dental procedures on the same tooth. Common signs include:
The only way to know for sure whether you need a root canal is to have a dentist examine your tooth, take X-rays, and evaluate your symptoms. If you're experiencing any of the above, don't wait. The sooner you're seen, the more options you have.
With modern anesthesia and technique, most patients are genuinely surprised by how comfortable the experience is. The majority of people report that having a root canal feels much like getting a routine filling. The real discomfort usually comes from the infection itself, not from the treatment.
Our dentists take patient comfort seriously, and our team will walk you through every step so there are no surprises.
Contact us to schedule an evaluation
Dental implants are the most durable tooth replacement option available today. The titanium implant post that fuses with your jawbone can last a lifetime with proper care. The crown placed on top of the implant typically lasts 15 to 25 years before it may need to be replaced, though many last much longer.
Longevity depends on good oral hygiene, regular checkups, and lifestyle habits. Smoking, teeth grinding, and poor home care can all shorten the life of an implant.
Dental implants have a very high success rate, but in some cases complications can arise. Knowing the warning signs early can make a significant difference in outcomes.
Signs of dental implant failure include:
Some of these signs may indicate peri-implantitis, an infection similar to gum disease that affects the tissue surrounding the implant. Caught early, it can often be treated without losing the implant entirely.
If you have an existing implant and something feels off, don't wait to call us. Early intervention is always the best path forward.
Learn more about implant services at Altitude Dental
Longevity depends on good oral hygiene, regular checkups, and lifestyle habits. Smoking, teeth grinding, and poor home care can all shorten the life of an implant.
Dental crowns typically last between 10 and 15 years, though many last 20 years or more with proper care. The lifespan of a crown depends on the material it's made from, where it's located in your mouth, and how well you maintain it.
Things like grinding your teeth at night, chewing on ice, or using your teeth as tools (we see you with that packaging) can shorten a crown's life considerably. Regular checkups allow us to monitor your crown and catch any wear before it becomes a bigger problem.
At Altitude Dental, we offer CEREC same-day crowns, which means you can walk in with a damaged tooth and walk out the same day with a permanent, custom-fit crown. No temporaries, no second appointment.
CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. That's a mouthful, but what it means in practice is pretty simple: we can design, mill, and place a permanent ceramic crown in a single appointment, right here in our Bozeman office.
Traditional crowns require two visits, a temporary crown in between, and impressions sent to an off-site lab. With CEREC, we use digital scanning technology to create a precise 3D model of your tooth, design your custom restoration on-screen, and mill it out of high-quality ceramic in about 15 minutes. No goopy impressions, no temporary crowns, no waiting two weeks.
It's one of the ways Altitude Dental invests in technology to make your experience faster, more comfortable, and more convenient.
If you're looking to brighten your smile, you have good options, and we offer both of the main approaches right here in Bozeman.
In-Office Whitening: This is the fastest way to see dramatic results. A professional-strength whitening gel is applied to your teeth, and you walk out the same day with a noticeably whiter smile. It's a great choice before a special event or if you just want results without the waiting.
Take-Home Whitening Kits: We also provide custom-fitted take-home whitening trays with professional-grade bleaching gel. These deliver excellent results over one to two weeks and are a great option if you prefer to whiten on your own schedule.
What about over-the-counter products? Drugstore whitening strips and toothpastes can offer modest improvements, but they can't match the strength or precision of professionally supervised whitening. If you've tried them and haven't seen the results you were hoping for, professional whitening is worth a conversation.
One important note: whitening treatments work on natural tooth enamel but won't change the color of crowns, veneers, or composite fillings. If you have existing restorations, talk to our dentists about the best approach for your whole smile.
Contact us to ask about whitening options
General dentistry focuses on the health, function, and maintenance of your teeth and gums. That includes cleanings, fillings, root canals, extractions, and treating gum disease.
Cosmetic dentistry focuses on the appearance of your smile. Treatments like veneers, teeth whitening, bonding, and tooth contouring fall into this category.
In practice, the two overlap quite a bit. A crown, for example, is both a restorative treatment (it protects a damaged tooth) and a cosmetic one (it looks and functions like a natural tooth). Many of the services we offer, including CEREC crowns, veneers, and whitening, serve both goals at once.
At Altitude Dental, we don't think you should have to choose between a healthy smile and a beautiful one.
This is one of our favorite questions because it shows you're being thoughtful about your care. A few things worth looking for:
Credentials and continuing education. Dentistry evolves quickly. A good dentist invests in staying current with advanced training, new techniques, and modern technology. Our practitioners have advanced training in crowns, implants, root canals, and cosmetic dentistry.
They listen before they treat. A great dentist takes time to understand your concerns, explain your options clearly, and let you be part of the decision-making process. You should never feel rushed or pressured.
The team treats you like a person, not a chart number. From the first phone call through checkout, the experience should feel respectful, organized, and genuinely caring.
Reviews from real patients. Online reviews can tell you a lot. Look for patterns, not just star ratings. Are people mentioning comfort? Friendliness? Clear communication?
You actually want to go back. This is the real test. If you dread the dentist, it may not be dentistry you're dreading. It may just be that you haven't found the right fit yet.
If you're looking for a dentist in Bozeman, we'd love the opportunity to meet you. Schedule a visit with our team and see how we do.
