Patients who are using Care Credit can go to https://www.carecreditpay.com to pay their bill. We are listed under UPD Dental Associates. Please call our office at 716-688-7071 if you have any questions.

UPD participates with many dental insurance companies. Some of these insurances include: Aetna PPO Plan, Ameritas, Anthem, BCBS Dental Plans, Cigna, CSEA, Delta PPO Plan, Dental Pay Plus, FEP Dental, GEHA, GHI, Guardian, Highmark Dental, Luminare, Metlife, NOVA, Principle, SEBF, Teamsters, United Concordia, Univera, United Healthcare, Dentaquest (Fidelis and Wellcare plans only), Healthplex  (Excellus and Univera Plans only), Liberty (Highmark and Independent Health Plans only),United HealthCare, and NYS Medicaid. 

If you don't see your insurance plan listed here, please contact our Billing Department at 716-688-7071.

To save some time at your first appointment, please fill out our Health History Form. This form should be printed and brought to our office with your child’s insurance card. Depending on your coverage, a fee or copay may be due for services rendered.

There could be several reasons your child has a toothache. Rinse the irritated area with warm salt water. Look for food or debris between the teeth and floss gently. If your child is at the age where he/she is teething or adult teeth are coming in, you may give your child acetaminophen, but never place aspirin on the tooth or gums. Also, please make sure to call us so one of our clinical staff members can answer any of your questions and get your child in to see a pediatric dentist.

It’s normal to have permanent teeth come in behind baby teeth on the bottom of your child’s mouth. In this case, a permanent tooth is acting as a placeholder and the tongue will eventually push it forward. It isn’t, however, normal for permanent teeth to come in behind baby teeth on the top of your child’s mouth. If this happens, please call and arrange to see one of our pediatric dentists.

Since a toothbrush’s bristles can’t adequately clean plaque in between teeth or under the gums, it’s important to floss teeth once a day. Flossing not only helps to prevent against gum disease and cavities, but according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention can also ward against more serious – even life threatening – diseases.

New guidelines from the American Dental Association report that parents should use a smear of toothpaste with fluoride to brush baby teeth twice daily as soon as they erupt. Once children are 3 to 6 years old, then the amount of toothpaste can be increased to a pea-sized dollop. No matter what your child’s age, he/she should be brushing twice a day!

While every child is different, it is typical for children to start to losing teeth around the ages of 5 to 6. Also, teeth will normally fall out in the order in which they came in. This means that the lower center teeth will likely be the first to go, followed by the top center teeth.

In order to prevent cavities and other dental problems, it’s important that your child visit the dentist every six months for a check-up. If your child is a part of our COHDY Program, we might recommend that he/she comes in more frequently to ensure that an individual treatment plan is being met.

Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of teeth! Since caring for children’s teeth is very different than caring for adult teeth, dentists who specialize in pediatrics must complete an additional two to three years of training. All of our pediatric dentists at UPD have fulfilled this training and are passionate about providing the very best oral health care for the children in our community.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that your child should visit the dentist no later than his/her first birthday. Visiting the dentist early can help to prevent childhood caries (tooth decay that causes cavities).

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the surgery and care for patients with congenital, developmental and acquired craniofacial disorders of the head, neck, teeth and jaw.

Oral and maxillofacial services are offered at multiple convenient UPD locations throughout Western New York, including our Downtown Buffalo and East Aurora offices. For locations with these services, please click here.

UPD Dental Associates participates with many different dental insurances. Do not let insurance be a barrier. If you have concerns, please contact us to discuss possible options.

Wisdom teeth are the four teeth furthest back in the mouth, two on the top and two on the bottom. These teeth usually erupt around the age of 20.

Sometimes when wisdom teeth come in, there is not enough room in the mouth for the teeth. When this occurs, it means the teeth can become impacted which means that the teeth do not fully emerge. Symptoms may include:

• Pain in the jaw
• Gums that are red and swollen
• Gums that are tender or bleed
• Bad breath

Many people, teens as well as those in their early 20s, have their wisdom teeth removed. However, not all people need to have them removed. When the teeth are coming in and they do not fit in your mouth there may be damage to other teeth, the teeth might not come in straight or cysts could form. In these instances, it’s possible that you may need to have them removed.

When a permanent tooth has been extracted or lost, dental implants offer replacement tooth roots. These implants are made of metal and provide a foundation to have replacement teeth mounted on them. The replacement teeth are made to look like and match your natural teeth.

Pediatric, adolescent and adult oral surgery services are offered.

Parking is available and free for all patients and families in need of oral surgery

Yes, intravenous sedation services are available for your oral surgery procedure. Please contact (716) 402-1090 for additional information regarding sedation questions.

At UPD Dental Associates, we have a COHDY (Comprehensive Oral Health for the Disabled Youth) Program to care for those with special needs. We also service adults with special needs.

No fees or deposits will be charged at the time the appointment is made. Feel free to give us a call!

Yes, we offer translation services for patients and families who speak English as a second language. We utilize a translation line that accommodates more than 200 languages and we are able to have ASL interpreters available with 72-hour advanced notice. Our translation services are free of charge!

An orthodontist is a dentist who has undergone an additional 2-3 years of specialized training to be able to properly diagnose, prevent and treat dental and facial irregularities. Only those individuals who have completed this training can call themselves “orthodontists” and can be members of the American Association of Orthodontists.

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that kids get a check up with an orthodontist no later than age seven. At this time the orthodontist will be able to determine whether an orthodontic problem exists, or is developing, and recommend the appropriate treatment at the appropriate time.

Having improperly aligned jaws and/or teeth may lead to increased tooth decay, abnormal tooth wear, difficulty chewing, difficulty speaking and excessive stress on the supporting bone and gum tissue.

Appropriate orthodontic treatment can help restore proper function and esthetics, allowing you to achieve a healthy, beautiful smile. Click here for orthodontic locations.

Age should not be a limit to seeking orthodontic treatment. Healthy teeth can be moved at any age.

For the duration of orthodontic treatment you will have to make some changes. However, it is still important to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet. Here are some examples of foods to avoid when undergoing orthodontic treatment:

• Hard Foods – nuts, raw vegetables, hard rolls, chewing ice
• Chewy/Sticky Foods – gum, taffy, other chewy candy 
• Crunchy Foods – popcorn, chips
• Other – whole apples, corn on the cob

What foods are OK to eat?

• Dairy – pudding, yogurt, soft cheeses
• Fruits – bananas, sliced apples, apple sauce, berries, jelly/jam
• Veggies – cooked until soft, corn off the cob
• Meat – deli meat, ground meat
• Other – fish, eggs, peanut butter

Yes. Please continue your regular visits with the dentist. It is crucial to maintain excellent oral hygiene during your orthodontic treatment in order to achieve the best result. Routine visits with the dentist allow for professional cleanings to be completed throughout treatment.

For more information please visit MyLife. MySmile. My Orthodontist.

It is very important to have regular visits with your dentist. These visits allow the dentist to find any dental health issues early when treatment may be less complicated and invasive. Going to the dentist can even prevent issues from occurring. A dentist will check your teeth for any plaque or tartar buildup. Tartar can’t be removed by regular brushing and flossing, but a dentist can find and help remove it before it can cause other oral health issues.

Yes, it is still important to visit the dentist, even if you are not experiencing any symptoms. Dental professionals are highly trained to see problems that you might not even know you have. And because dental health is linked to your overall health, seeing a dental professional regularly could have positive impacts in other health areas. On top of that, the education and treatment that they provide may help you prevent problems from occurring. Taking preventative measures is one of the best ways to deal with any problems.

Visit our locations tab here to find the office closest to you. You may also click here request an appointment through our web site.

The first thing that happens during a dental visit is the hygienist or dentist will ask you about your medical history, followed by an examination of your mouth. After the dental professional is done examining your mouth, you will receive a cleaning which will help remove any food particles, plaque or tartar that are on and in between your teeth

Any radiation has the potential to damage cells and the body. The amount of radiation that you get from x-rays, however, is very low. Also, dental x-rays can be used to find issues that a dental professional may not be able to see with the naked eye, like hidden tooth decay and bone loss. This information could be helpful to get treatment early for an issue that may exist.

Here at UPD Dental Associates, we take instrument sterilization very seriously. Our state-of-the-art facilities offer hospital-quality sterilization.

Since a toothbrush’s bristles can’t adequately clean plaque in between teeth or under the gums, it’s important to floss teeth once a day. Flossing not only helps to prevent against gum disease and cavities, but according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention it can also ward off more serious – even life threatening – diseases.