Dental Emergency

July 11th, 2010

We are open on the weekends.  Saturday and Sunday by appointment only.  please call 703-522-2600

Dental Emergencies

When the average dental patient is dealing with a dental emergency it is hard to determine when to call the dentist. Most dentists will tell their patients if it hurts call us immediately. Tooth pain can indicate a more serious problem and the longer a patient waits the worse the pain will become. Doctors Roca in Arlington, Virginia provide  24 hour emergency care and Saturday office hours.  They will provide quality care for any circumstances.

Invisalign Braces in Arlington, VA.

June 2nd, 2010

Our current special for Invisalign is $2590 for mild cases.  More than half our cases qualify as mild Invisalign treatment.  We also offer low monthly payments of $119 with no down payment.  With this treatment you also receive the professional teeth whitening service for free.

Please call (571) 339-9656 to book your free consult.

Invisalign® utilizes 3-D computer technology with clear, plastic removable “aligners” to move teeth at a rate similar to traditional braces, but without any metal or wires. The “aligners” can be removed to eat and clean your teeth and are generally undetectable when worn. The computer imaging technology can predetermine and develop a treatment plan from the initial position of the patients teeth to their final desired position. Read the rest of this entry »

Children dentist in Arlington Va

April 2nd, 2010

Americans spend billions of dollars a year on dental care but ironically, most of that money is spent on fillings and root canals –the expensive aftermath of years of oral health neglect.
family dentist in arlington va

Study after study show that children who receive good oral health care starting at a young age tend to have less oral health problems as adults, yet 1 in 5 children don’t see a dentist each year according to a  study released by The Pew Center on the States in February, 2010. In an article published by USA Today (2/23/10), it was reported that the Pew Center on the States study found not only “one in five U.S. children go without annual dental care, but that most states lack key policies to ensure access to cost-saving preventive treatments.”
The Pew Center on the States is a non-profit policy analysis group that scored each of the states on eight policy benchmarks considered critical to children having access to and receiving dental care. A full report, entitled “The Cost of Delay: State Dental Policies Fail One in Five Children” is available online at www.pewcenteronthestates.org/costofdelay.
In order to receive a grade of “A”, a state had to meet at least six of the eight benchmarks. Only six states received an “A” grade. The majority of the 50 states (36) received a grade of “C” which is meeting only four of the eight policy benchmarks. In fact, the Pew Center found that two-thirds of the states were scoring a grade of C or worse.
A couple of the benchmark policies (on which the states were graded) that stand out as being achievable with relatively little cost and with a significant return on investment for both children and taxpayers include:
  • School-based dental sealant programs
  • Fluoridated water

If you have any questions about dental care for your kids please contact us.

Arlington Water and Fluoride

March 28th, 2010

Can the consistent use of bottled water result in individuals missing the benefits of optimally fluoridated water?

Yes. The majority of bottled waters on the market do not contain optimal levels (0.7-1.2 ppm) of fluoride. Read more about this in the online version of ADA’s Fluoridation Facts.

Can home water treatment systems (e.g., water filters) affect optimally fluoridated water supplies?

Yes. Some types of home water treatment systems can reduce the fluoride levels in water supplies potentially decreasing the decay-preventive effects of optimally fluoridated water.

For more detailed explanations, read the ADA’s Fluoridation Facts booklet. It is a 70-page comprehensive encyclopedia of fluoridation facts with over 200 scientific references. Order your copy of ADA’s Fluoridation Facts (Item No. J120) from the ADA Catalog.

The best option is to test your water after it has been filtered.  To do this try calling Water Control Center at (703) 228-6555.   Or private companies such as Burke water testing at 703-250-7711.  Once the fluoride count it found, bring it to your dentist for proper analysis.

If you have any questions please call or email Dr. Roca

Dental Implant Package deal

March 27th, 2010

For a limited time we have a package price on dental implants.  With a low monthly payment that comes out to be $90 a month.  Please see the image below for a price comparison.  By having all the steps of the implant process done in the same office we can be cost effective and make it more convenient for our patients.  Our Office is conveniently located in Arlington, Va two blocks south of the Clarendon metro stop.  Please call for your free implant consult.

Affordable Cosmetic Dentistry Financing

February 25th, 2010
Many dental insurances generally doesn’t cover cosmetic dentistry procedures because these procedures are viewed as personal choice. However, many people realize that the aesthetic appearance of their smile is extremely important to many aspects of their life, and will assume the cost of the procedures. We will do everything we can to insure that financing your procedure is feasible.

The initial will include several things, estimated cost of the procedure, and the fees to go along with it.

To help we offer multiple financial plans through CareCredit and Springstone. We also accept all major credit cards including Visa, Master Card, American Express and Discover.

CareCredit offers no-interest rates for three, six, 12, or 18 months, and 11.9% interest for those whose plan is 24, 36, 48, or 60 months. Monthly payments can be as low as 3% of the balance.

Springstone offers Financing from $2,000 to $40,000, No initial payments, No prepayment penalty and fixed rates as low as 5.99%.
The procedure cost should not stop you from getting the desired look you want. We will work with you to make sure you can afford the cost without any undue financial burden. Apply today to qualify for one of these finance plans. If you have any further questions, please contact Roca Dental so we can discuss the cost of the procedure and the financial options available.

What is Bonding?

February 1st, 2010

Bonding on the front teeth is an excellent method for repairing minor imperfections such as chips and stains. It can also be used to fill gaps between the teeth called diastemas. Although no cosmetic dentistry procedure can take the place of good oral and periodontal hygiene, bonding can brighten your smile quickly and easily.

Read the rest of this entry »

More about Dental Implants

January 24th, 2010

*Click here for our current implant promotion

Whether missing one tooth or all your teeth, more and more people are replacing the loss with dental implants. Having a more natural feel than traditional bridges or dentures, most implant procedures involve placing metal anchors into the bone of the jaw, allowing the anchor and bone to fuse, placing an extension or abutment in the anchor, and fixing a prosthetic tooth, or crown, on the extension. After undergoing this multi-step process, many patients find they have a better feeling, better looking, and more stable solution to their tooth loss than more traditional dental reconstructive approaches.However, the process of obtaining dental implants can be time-consuming, expensive, and success is not guaranteed. A patient considering this surgery should gather as much information as possible about the procedure and about the dentist who will be performing the procedure. This procedure outline will provide an introduction to dental implants and common risks and benefits of the procedure and can provide guidance as to more detailed questions to ask your dentist or oral surgeon.


Replacing a lost tooth is vital to maintaining the overall health and function of the surrounding teeth. It helps avoid tooth migration and loss of structure. It is necessary to avoid loss of bone from the jaw in that area. Implants are an effective means of counteracting these problems. Implants are also very strong and provide a feel as close to a natural tooth as can be currently achieved. Further, implants reduce the impact of the lost tooth on surrounding teeth, as traditional bridge structures often require reduction (filing down) of the two adjacent teeth to hold the bridge in place with crowns. Implanting avoids such alterations to the surrounding teeth when replacing a lost tooth.Implants, when replacing dentures, provide even more benefits. Dentures are notorious for slipping at the worst possible moments. Poorly fitting dentures can even affect diet, restricting food selections to easily chewed foods. Implants eliminate the possibility of slipping or pinching, and allow food of almost all types to be eaten (other than extremely hard foods such as chewing on ice, pits, or popcorn kernels, which is very bad for the implants and not good for natural teeth, either). In short, implants are the closest way to surgically restore a natural tooth to its original condition.
At the first appointment, the dentist will examine your teeth and determine whether implants are the solution to your dental problems. Often, x-rays are necessary to discover the state of the jawbone, particularly if the teeth have been lost for some time. This information can be used to determine if implants would work for you and, if so, what particular type of implant that would be best for your situation.
Under local anesthesia, the first step for many implant procedures is the exposure of the bone where the implant is to be made. This is followed by placement of the implant into the exposed jawbone. Implants that are placed in the bone are called endosteal implants and are made of titanium or a titanium alloy because this metal does not adversely interact with biological tissue. After placement of the implant a cover screw is put in and the wound is closed with stitches and allowed to heal. In general, placements in the lower jaw need to heal about three months, while placements in the upper jaw need to heal about six months.After healing, in a second surgical procedure, the implant is uncovered, the cover screw is removed and a healing abutment or a temporary crown is placed in the implant. Temporary crowns are generally used for esthetic reasons, when the implant is in a place that is visible. Both healing abutments and temporary crowns allow the tissue around the implant to be trained to grow around the final prosthetics tooth. After about two months the soft tissue will be healed to receive the final prosthetic tooth.Impressions are taken to make a custom abutment that takes into account the shape of the neck of the implant. The prosthetic tooth is sometimes attached to a gold cylinder that can be screwed into the abutment or it can be directly cemented onto the abutment. This multi-stage process, where the two surgical procedures are separated by a lengthy healing time, has proven to provide excellent stability in the final implant. Single step surgical implants are available, but skipping the healing step often loses some stability of the final implant.
Surgery time will vary greatly depending on the number of implants. For each of the two visits, one implant, going very smoothly, will take a little over an hour. Time goes up proportionally from there.
The implant procedure generally occurs in the office of a dentist, oral surgeon or periodontist.
Local anesthesia avoids the pain that would be involved in the surgical procedures during implantation and uncovering of the implant fixture. Most patients state that implants involve less pain and discomfort than a tooth extraction.
Following surgery, there will probably be bleeding, controlled by biting down on some gauze. Swelling may be controlled using an ice pack. Gums are generally sore after both surgeries for seven to ten days. You may be given antibiotics to take during the period immediately following the surgery.

Pediatric dentistry

January 24th, 2010

We have had several comments about the new article run by ABC news last week.  http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerindex?id=9640692

Read the rest of this entry »

Root Canal

January 8th, 2010

A root canal is one of the most feared of all dental procedures. Although a competent dentist can usually perform a root canal with minimal discomfort and with a high degree of success, problems may occur. When a tooth becomes infected, the treatment options include either root canal therapy or having the tooth removed. In most cases a root canal is the preferable choice, because it is the only way to save the tooth. Read the rest of this entry »