Hours:
Monday through Saturday 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
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Contact Us: (406) 541-2886
Hours: Monday through Saturday 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
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Family Dental Group was founded in 1983 by Dr. Doug Hadnot and Dr. Jackie Jones.
Family Dental Group was originally at the other end of the Southgate Mall by J.C. Penny’s.
Family Dental Group’s original location became a hockey store after we moved.
Family Dental Group’s current location was KB Toys before we moved in.
Family Dental Group is independent and locally owned.
Family Dental Group does not do cost shifting. All our patients are charged the same fees.
Family Dental Group offers a 5% discount for cash or check payments that do not involve insurance billing.
Family Dental Group moved to their current location in 2008.
Dr. Dusseau purchased Family Dental Group in 1999 from Dr. Doug Hadnot. Dr. Hadnot continued working here for 6 years and still comes to our Parties.
Dr. Dusseau was selected by the Department of Defense for the Space Program. Unfortunately, no mission specialists were funded by N.A.S.A that year.
Dr. Dusseau is an Army Combat veteran.
Dr. Norris is a graduate of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Dr. Hyvonen is a Montana native from Charlo.
Dr. Diggs graduated cum laude with an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul Minnesota.
Dr. Norris graduated summa cum laude with and undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from the University of New Hampshire.
Lisa has been a dental hygienist at Family Dental Group since 2004.
Danesa has a BS in Dental Hygiene from the University of Minnesota. She graduated in 2004.
Dr. Hyvonen was a bartender at Mr. C’s Hideaway before she went to Dental School.
Dr. Dusseau went to Airborne School when she was in the Army. Her husband pinned her jump wings on her.
Dr. Dusseau provided dental care for Iraqi prisoners after the Gulf War.
Our assistant Rita has been with us longer than anyone. She joined us in 2001.
Floss is cheap, so don't be stingy! Tear off about a forearm's length to start. Wrap one end around the middle finger of one hand to "anchor" it and pick up the other end about 4-6 inches away with the middle finger of the other hand. This allows you to manipulate the floss with your thumb and fore finger. As you soil a section of floss, "reel" in another 4-6 inches of clean floss with the anchor finger as you release the floss with the other finger.
Once you get the floss past the tooth contact, move the floss up and down, perpendicular to the tooth. Never shoe-shine the teeth in a back-and-forth motion! You will either notch your teeth or cut your gums, or both!
For most people, a checkup and cleaning every 6 months is standard protocol. Depending on a person's dental health, however, a dental cleaning every 3 to 4 months may be recommended.
For most people, a complete radiographic survey should be done every 3 years, and a "check up" or "recall" set every 6 to 12 months. A complete set of x-rays is estimated to expose you to the same amount of radiation you get on a flight from San Francisco to Seattle.
Doctors use x-rays as an aid in diagnosing problems. Without x-rays, "seeing" the problem will be difficult if not impossible.
The tongue, with its rough surface, is the most common source of bad breath. "Tongue scrapers" are very effective in keeping the tongue clean. The dental hygienists at Family Dental Group can show you how to use a tongue cleaner to help keep your breath fresh.
Cavities generally develop in the "hard-to-see" places in your mouth. These are normally the places where you need to floss. When bacteria combine with food particles, they form plaque that adheres to your teeth.
As long as plaque remains on the tooth, acid produced by bacteria will eat away the tooth structure. Once through the enamel, the acid attacks the dentin, which is that part of the tooth containing sensitive nerve fibers.
If the tooth decay reaches the dentin, a filling is needed to halt the degenerative process. Otherwise, it continues at an accelerated rate becoming larger and larger.
If not detected and repaired with a filling, the decay can reach the tooth nerve and cause the need for a root canal. With the decay removed and a filling in place the tooth is restored to its original contour.
Tooth decay happens when plaque or bacteria come in contact with the tooth and is allowed to sit. The bacteria, once fed with sugars, will begin eroding the enamel.
Causes of tooth decay include:
Adults tend to get cavities around old fillings, which may be cracked, rough around the edges or loose in the tooth. Another common form of tooth decay in adults is root cavities. These are likely to occur in adults who have receding gums due to age or periodontal disease. As the gum line recedes, the tooth root becomes exposed. Since root tissue is softer than enamel, it decays more easily.
Generally speaking, a soft bristled toothbrush is best. Whether you use a manual toothbrush or an electric, anything harder than soft, is too hard. Stiff bristles may give you that clean feeling, but they can also abrade your teeth and cause gum recession.
New patients receive a comprehensive examination which includes a screening for oral cancer, gum and bone disease, blood pressure, and systemic disorders. A routine oral exam is performed on established patients to determine any changes in dental and health status since the previous visit.
Your gum tissue is measured with a fine instrument ruler to calibrate in millimeters pocket depth between the tooth and the connective gum tissue around the tooth. Pocket depths more than 4 millimeters could indicate disease and infection. The deeper the pocket, the greater the extent plaque bacteria collects and infection in gum disease develops.
X-rays are taken as needed.
Tooth scaling and root planing occur as needed.
Routine cleanings also include a professional polishing (Prophy) that removes only the soft sticky plaque that is above the gum line.