Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

A full smile makeover combines cosmetic and restorative dental procedures to improve your smile’s function and appearance. Your smile is unique, so the procedures we recommend will depend on your dental needs, goals, and preferences. 

Getting Started

The first step is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Fontenot so he can evaluate your oral health. He will customize your treatment plan according to your needs and may recommend one or more of the following services:

• Teeth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dental treatment because it removes tooth stains and discoloration and gives you a dramatically brighter smile. We offer both in-office whitening and custom take-home trays. 
• Dental bonding involves the application of tooth-colored composite resin to a tooth to improve its shape, size, or shade. We commonly recommend bonding to address gaps and chipped, cracked, or misshapen teeth. 
• Veneers are ultra-thin shells of porcelain or composite resin bonded to the front surface of teeth to improve a tooth’s appearance. 
• Invisalign clear aligners and Six Month Smiles braces straighten misaligned teeth, address overcrowding, and correct overbites and underbites. 
• Dental crowns can be used to restore a decayed or broken tooth or to improve the appearance of a tooth that’s misshapen or discolored.

We Offer Full Smile Makeovers

A full smile makeover restores your oral health, improves chewing comfort and function, and enhances your smile’s appearance. You will also feel renewed confidence, knowing that your smile is healthy and looks great. 

Dr. Fontenot would be happy to meet with you to evaluate your needs and recommend the treatment to achieve your desired results. Please call our Scott or Carencro, LA, dental office to schedule an appointment.

Brushing and flossing at home are crucial for excellent oral health, so kudos if you’re already doing it consistently! However, even with excellent at-home oral hygiene, our dentist recommends routine professional teeth cleanings for several reasons.

Benefits of Routine Teeth Cleanings

• Remove plaque and tartar — Brushing and flossing remove plaque, but you can’t reach all tooth surfaces. You also can’t remove the hardened plaque buildup called tartar, but your hygienist can do so easily using specialized tools.
• Prevent gum disease — Routine teeth cleanings can help prevent gum disease by removing plaque and tartar from along the gum line, where it's most likely to cause inflammation.
• Detect oral health problems — During a routine cleaning, your hygienist examines your mouth for signs of cavities and gum disease. Early detection means we can promptly treat these problems and help prevent more serious issues in the future.
• Brighten your smile — A routine teeth cleaning helps remove surface stains on your teeth, leaving your smile looking brighter and whiter. It also gives your teeth a nice fresh, clean feel!

Schedule a Teeth Cleaning Appointment

At Fontenot Family Dentistry, we provide preventive services like teeth cleanings and exams to help you stay a step ahead of cavities and gum disease. If you are due for your next routine checkup, please call our Scott or Carencro, LA, dental office to schedule an appointment.

At Fontenot Family Dentistry, we offer several tooth replacement options, but dental implants are the most popular for several reasons: 

Improved oral health: A dental implant is designed to mimic a natural tooth’s function and structure. This helps maintain proper spacing of remaining teeth and prevents other teeth from moving and shifting out of place.

Improved appearance: Replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant that looks like the real thing improves your appearance and can boost your confidence.

Improved functionality: A dental implant is firmly anchored in your jawbone, providing a foundation for the replacement tooth called an implant crown. The result is greater stability when chewing and the ability to eat the foods you love.

Long-lasting: With proper care, a tooth implant can last a lifetime, unlike dentures or bridges.

Better jawbone health: When you lose a tooth, the jawbone begins to break down. An implant stimulates the jawbone, prevents further loss, and maintains the integrity of your jaw.

Schedule a Dental Implant Appointment

We recommend dental implants because they are a long-lasting, healthy solution that restores the health, function, and beauty of your smile. If you are considering a tooth replacement, please call to schedule with our dentist at our Scott or Carencro, LA, dental office. 

Traditional removable dentures rest on top of your gums, while implant dentures are supported by implants placed in the jawbone. Implant dentures offer a more stable and secure fit and, unlike traditional dentures, restore full, comfortable chewing function. 

Our dentist, Dr. Ian Fontenot, serves patients in Scott and Carencro, LA, and offers full implant services. While implant dentures are a great innovation and an excellent choice for many, there are some factors we must consider before recommending them. 

• Good oral health — Your teeth and gums must be healthy and disease-free before we can recommend implant placement. If you have gum disease or other oral health issues, Dr. Fontenot will recommend treating them before proceeding with implant dentures.
• Jawbone density — Dental implants require a strong, healthy jawbone to provide proper support. If you have suffered bone loss in your jaw, you may need a bone graft before we can successfully place the implants. 
• Smoking — Smoking or using tobacco products inhibits your body’s ability to heal and reduces the success rate of dental implants. 
• Medications — Certain medications, such as those used to treat osteoporosis, can impact the long-term success of a dental implant. During your initial evaluation, Dr. Fontenot will review your medical history and medications to determine if implant dentures are appropriate.

We Offer Full Dental Implant Services

Dr. Fontenot places and restores dental implants at our Scott and Carencro, LA, dental offices. He has helped many of our patients discover implant dentures' stability, comfort, and predictability. 

Please call Fontenot Family Dentistry to schedule an appointment to see if you’re a good candidate! 

Yes! We are pleased to offer IV sedation, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedation to ensure your comfort and pain-free procedures.

Types of Sedation We Offer

Nitrous Oxide 

Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is a gas that’s mixed with oxygen, so it’s delivered through a small nose mask. When you inhale, it produces a very relaxed, calm, and dream-like state.

Sights and sounds around you will fade into the background, and the effects last as long as we administer the gas. When we stop the flow of nitrous, you’ll inhale pure oxygen for several minutes. After your appointment, you can drive yourself home safely.

Oral Conscious Sedation

Oral sedation involves taking a relaxing medication that makes you feel very calm and drowsy. You’ll remember little of what happened during your procedure. The medication takes several hours to leave your system, so you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment.

IV Sedation

IV sedation is the deepest level of relaxation we offer. The “IV” stands for intravenous because the medication is delivered directly to the bloodstream.

Effects are immediate, and you will be semi-conscious and unaware of what’s happening around you. Most patients don’t remember anything that occurred during their appointment. IV sedation's effects last for several hours, so we require you to have someone else drive you home safely.

Learn More about Sedation Dentistry

Dr. Ian Fontenot is licensed to safely deliver all forms of dental sedation at our Scott and Carencro offices. Please call us for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last permanent teeth to emerge, usually in the late teens or early twenties. For some people, these teeth cause discomfort, pain, or issues with surrounding teeth.

When this occurs, our dentist may recommend wisdom tooth removal.

Signs You Need Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Here are several situations where removing third molars may be the safest and healthiest option: 

• Pain or swelling — Pain or swelling in the jaw or back of your mouth near your wisdom teeth can indicate that they are causing problems.
• Tooth Crowding — Wisdom teeth can cause crowding or damage to other teeth, potentially leading to alignment issues or bite problems.
• Decay or gum disease — It’s difficult to clean wisdom teeth properly, making them more prone to decay or gum disease.
• Impaction — If wisdom teeth don’t have enough room to emerge properly, they may become impacted or stuck in the gums and at risk for infection.

Comfortable Wisdom Teeth Extraction

If you wonder if you need your wisdom teeth removed, please call Fontenot Family Dentistry to schedule an appointment at our Scott or Carencro dental office. Dr. Fontenot will perform an exam and take x-rays to determine if removing them is in your best interest. 

In some cases, he may suggest leaving them in place if they are not causing any problems. However, if extraction is necessary, we recommend scheduling the procedure as soon as possible to prevent further problems.