FAQ

Get Your Questions Answered in Our Phoenix, AZ Dentist Office

What is gum disease?

Gum disease is an infection of the gums that occurs as plaque builds up along the gumline. Bacteria works down under the gums and causes damage to the tissues below the surface. At first, the infection will be undetectable to you. If left unchecked, gum disease will lead to the weakening of your bone structures and the loss of teeth. In fact, gum disease is the number one cause of lost adult teeth.


How do I know if I have gum disease?

At first, you won’t know that you have gum disease. This is one reason that three-month dental cleanings and exams are so important. Your hygienist will notice the infection before you can! As gum disease progresses from gingivitis to periodontitis, you might notice your gums turning bright red instead of remaining their normal pink. You might also notice bad breath, loose teeth, a changing bite, or even the loss of teeth.

The only sure way to know that you have gum disease is to visit the office and have a thorough exam completed. If caught early, a professional cleaning is enough to remove the infection. We can then work with you to prevent further problems from occurring.


How can I improve bad breath?

Bad breath is most often a result of bacteria buildup in your mouth and the sulfur compounds that they produce. It can also be caused by your diet or certain medications you may be taking. In order to improve your bad breath, we must first determine the problem!

Bad breath can often be corrected with thorough cleaning. Maybe the answer is simply knowing how to properly clean your tongue, for example. More often, chronic bad breath is a result of gum disease or decay that needs to be taken care of. A quick trip into our office can help us determine which approach is best for you.


What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is a small titanium post that is inserted into your jawbone as a replacement for a missing tooth root. The titanium works well with your body. Your bone will actually fuse with the implant in a process called osseointegration. This fusion creates a foundation that is strong enough to support dental restorations, like crowns, bridges, or even dentures!


Are dental implants a good solution for me?

Dental implants are an option for most patients we see. There are rare instances where your health may inhibit your ability to get an implant, but most patients are able to receive the implant they need to restore a missing tooth or teeth.

Some offices will turn you away based on your bone mass, but we have the ability to perform bone grafting surgery to build up your jawbone in preparation for a dental implant placement. If you are unsure about your chances for a dental implant, simply come in for a consultation to learn more about dental implants and their benefits.

Are you ready to get your questions answered in person by our very own Dr. Komarnyckyj? Call us at 602-842-6841 to set up your free consultation or exam. You can also contact us through our online form. We can’t wait to see your smile very soon!


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    5300 N. Central Ave., Suite 130
    Phoenix, AZ 85012

    “Hi, my name is Amy and I came to Dr. Kormarnyckyj’s office about a year and a half ago. I’ve had multiple appointments since then, but during each appointment everyone was fabulous. The assistant is always sensitive, nice, caring, genuine and always has the patient’s intention at heart. The receptionist up at the front always has a smile on her face and is willing to help whenever necessary. Dr. K truly, truly cared from appointment #1 to appointment #20 or however many we had. He was always there, always caring and always did what we needed to do. All in all the service was great, even during the not so fun times of surgery and extractions and all of that, he was great. Multiple appointments, but every single one of them I left feeling good about the service and what they did for me here. I highly recommend coming to Dr. K.”

    -Amy

    “My name is Marilyn and I’m a patient of Dr. Komarnyckyj. He did a dental implant for me in October 2011 and it’s worked out very well. The experience was good and I would recommend Dr. Komarnyckyj to anyone who needs a dental implant.”

    -Marilyn B

    “Hi my name is Melony. I was referred to Dr. Komarnyckyj and his staff from my original dentist for unfortunately needing an implant cause I had some bad teeth. I have had an exceptional experience here, no pain what so ever. I couldn’t believe what I had gone through just to have the implant put in, I was expecting horrifying pain and being off for days and I’ve had none what so ever. Follow up appointments where easy, they were always willing to put you in wherever you needed to. Staff has been wonderful, very caring, and very considerate. They call to check on you, they call more than your regular doctor would call. They’re absolutely wonderful. I’d recommend them to anybody. If I have to have another implant, this will be the place I come to. Thank you.”

    -Melony

    “Hi my name is Nick and I’ve had implant surgery done with Dr. Komarnyckyj. I am extremely pleased with his services, his staff is very fantastic and the care that was taken was incredible. I’m very pleased and I highly recommend Dr. K’s office. Thank you!”

    -Nick R

    “Hi, I’m Pam and this is my follow up visit with Dr. Komarnyckyj. Last week I had a molar pulled; it already had a root canal, a retreatment and some laser treatment done on it. This was one of the easiest extractions I’ve ever had. I’ve also had implants and will probably do so at a later point since this a fairly new extraction. I highly recommend Dr. K. Usually I’ve been put to sleep or twilight sleep with an extraction. But this one was not a problem yet it was a molar. The staff was great and Dr. K is excellent. I was reminded of my appointment and the assistant is very calming. Again, if you need any type of extraction, gum procedure or an implant, please consider Dr. K and his staff.”

    -Pam

    “Hi my name is Pat and I’ve a patient of Dr. Komarnyckyj’s for about 5 years. My first visit was scary because I’d had many episodes where the dentist is doing a root canal and you’re in the chair for 3 hours, and then you end up loosing the tooth anyway. But with Dr. Komarnyckyj, it seemed to me that it was no longer than 30 minutes. He did a removal of my old tooth and at the same time put in my new implant which wasn’t bad at all. In fact, I got three implants there because I had to have two teeth pulled. And I swear, I thought it was only ½ hour compared to getting one root canal. This is something people shouldn’t be afraid of and it was really a pleasure, it wasn’t bad at all.” – Patsy P.

    “I’ve had to come back since, to have another one done because my tooth had to be pulled and again he’s doing the one process, the one time. I’m not having to get the tooth pulled and then go to the periodontist for the implant. It’s a one shot deal, which is much, much easier and less traumatic I think.
    I came again for another one, so in the last 5 years I’ve been back for the 3-tooth procedure was the one time; then I had to get the 2 more implants, one on each side on the upper. And the same thing, the only thing is you have to wait of course for to get your implant done so you have to wait about 3 months. Other than that as far as dental procedures go for that rather than going through the root canal and some else pulling it and going through that agony. This is far superior I thought “

    -Patsy P

    “Hi, my name is Phil and I was referred to Dr. Komarnyckyj by my regular dentist that I’ve been with for about 10-15 years. I needed to have a tooth replaced that was missing. I had an implant done here with Dr. K. It was easy, it was quick, and took a minimal amount of appointments which made it easy to fit into my schedule. The staff was wonderful, funny, and had a lot of good times together in just like 3-4 visits. I’m really pleased with the results.”

    -Phil

    “Hi I’m Richard. I was referred to Dr. Komarnyckyj by my family dentist. I needed crowns to be replaced. He did an excellent job on implants; they felt great from the start right to the finish. The whole staff was great, Marilynn and everyone else. I must admit that I shopped around and there is no such thing as $800 implants that are any good. It’s like a cheap replacement valve, it’s not worth it. He did an excellent job.”

    -Richard

    “My name is Susann and I’ve been a patient here for several years. I’ve had two implants under the hands of Dr. Kormanyckyj and I have been extremely pleased with the results. I was always treated extremely well, I feel like the staff is outstanding and the doctor’s skill is without doubt. After the surgeries I experienced very little discomfort, almost none which was a huge amazement to me. I expected a great big swollen up jaw and pain and didn’t have any of those symptoms at all. I’ve also really enjoyed the association here in the office and I’m very satisfied. I can whole heartedly recommend Dr. Komarnyckyj.”

    -Susann J

    “I’ve had extreme fears of dentist for years and searching upon the interne, was complete exhaustion and frustration in finding someone I thought I could trust. I stumbled upon this wonderful dentist. I came into his office he made me feel right at home, relaxed, recognizing how nervous I was. He said we’ll take care of the anxiety part. He asked why I wanted to now take care of the problems I had, I have never had anyone ask me that before. He truly cares about the person that he’s going to be working on.”
    “For the procedure, he told me I’d be taking some pills that would relieve my anxiety and I would be awake, which scared me to death. I would have to say that everything Dr. K promised was that and more. I had absolutely no pain, the medication he gave me put me out in a sense I was probably still half awake, but not completely, I don’t remember any of the surgery. The great thing about it is after the surgery I’ve had no pain, not one instant of pain it’s been a whole week since the surgery. I also the way he gave me the pills and not actually putting me completely to sleep, I didn’t have the 2-3 days of grogginess which makes me ill. I’m happy, I’m thrilled, and I’m excited. I can’t wait for the full outcome about; I can’t say enough good things. Dr. K’s awesome. I walked in with a mouth full of bad teeth, and I walked out the same day with a mouth full of absolutely as you can see, amazing teeth. It’s a quick shot with a promise beyond my imagination, it’s awesome. Thank you.”

    -Anne

    “Hi I’m Kathy. I came to see Dr. Komarnyckyj as a second consult because I was a little upset over the news that I needed a couple implants. I wasn’t real comfortable not knowing what I was getting into, but Dr. Komarnyckyj talked to me and answered every question I had. He thoroughly made me comfortable with the procedure and I had total trust in what he was going to do. Today I came in for my final check up and I’m happy to say that I am very glad that I came to see Dr. K and I would recommend him to do your implants.”

    -Kathy K

    “My name is Lisa. I had a dead tooth and my regular dentist suggested, well we discussed the options of what I should do. I decided an implant would probably be the best bet, so he recommended Dr. Komarnyckyj. I came to the office and I must say it was the best dental experience of my life. He pulled the tooth originally and no pain. It was a very pleasant experience. Then I healed for a while and came back and had the implant which was easy as falling off a log. The nicest thing is, after all of my dental treatments in this office, I got Häagen-Dazs ice cream! Now who ever gives you that when you go to a professional? The staff was wonderful, they know what they’re doing. The receptionist is willing to work with you as far as scheduling appointments. Of course, Dr. K knows what he’s doing, he’s an extremely nice man and dedicated professional. Like I said, it was probably the best dental experience of my life and I highly recommend him.”

    -Lisa

    Dr. Komarnyckyj: “This is Lois M. and she has had some dental implants done to replace some teeth to help stabilize her lower denture. Lois, could you tell us about how long you’ve had your teeth missing?”

    Lois: “I was 14 years old, a freshman in high school. I was a hit and run victim and it knocked out my front teeth. I had to have surgery to get the roots out and I ended up with partials. When you get partials, they ruin the rest of your teeth eventually, It doesn’t matter how good you take care of your teeth

    -Lois M

    “Hello my name is Mari and I came to Dr. Komarnyckyj because I needed a tooth implant. Doing a lot of research, I was kind of afraid to get this done, but at the same token I needed something that was more permanent for me since I’m a diabetic. I wanted to find out what the pro’s and con’s where. Dr. K was recommended to me by my own dentist. I came and met the staff and consulted with Dr. K very friendly man and took interest in my case. I was concerned because I am diabetic, but he put it to personal touch which put me at ease right from the start. His mother is also diabetic so he has done some dental work on her as well…implants as a matter of fact, so that convinced me. The staff here with Dr. K is absolutely fantastic they set you at ease right away and they make you comfortable. Any questions you have, any concerns or any anxieties they relax you right away. I had my implant done, painless absolutely painless. The recovery was painless, no problems. I came for check up’s, I got my crown and I’m very grateful to the staff and Dr. K for allowing me the opportunity of going through this process, painless. Thank you.”

    -Mari

    “Hi, my name is Marie and I recently fractured my front tooth which scared me to death. I needed to have and implant put in because the tooth was totally removed. I came in here and met Dr. Komarnyckyj and was I shocked that it didn’t hurt at all. He was able to put the implant in my jaw and it grew around perfectly. All I can tell you, is that I’m very, very happy with the results and the way I was treated at this office…See my pretty teeth? So cute!”

    -Marie I

    “Hi, my name is Marie. I was recommended to Dr. Komarnyckyj by my friend Wally. I had two implants placed on the top of my mouth and I had a very pleasant experience in Dr. K’s office with very little discomfort. I could go to work the next day which I was very happy about that. I’ve worn a partial for quite a while, and I was really happy to get rid of the partial. My dental implants feel really good and I recommend Dr. K’s office to anyone, they will have a very pleasant experience.”

    -Marie

    “Hi, I just want to tell you a little bit about my experiences here in this office. This is the third implant that I’ve done and the other two times that I had an extractions and implants done, I really made them totally knock me out. But, this office convinced me that I could probably do it without the extra sedatives and I was completely impressed with the process. The entire thing did not hurt one single bit and I wasn’t even in pain the night after the extraction and surgery. I was very pleased. I was only in the office a very short amount of time and everything was great.”

    -Amber

    “Hi my name is Don. I went to my dentist because I had a crown fall off and after looking at the tooth said it was a bad tooth and has to come out. He directed me to Dr. Komarnyckyj. I came out here and Dr. K pulled the tooth, I never felt the tooth go. It was amazing! He then put the post for the implant into the jawbone and it was nothing like what I even imagined it would be. There was absolutely no pain. There was no pain with pulling the tooth, there was no pain putting the implant post in which is a screw that goes into the jaw and then a post that goes into that. It was an interesting thing, it took 10-15 minutes and Dr. K said, “Alright, you’re all set”. I just said, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I was there for like 5 minutes expecting much more of a deal and it was nothing like that. I had no concept of what getting an implant would be, but the bottom line is I would do it again in a heartbeat because it was amazing. My dentist then put the crown on over the implant. The whole thing was totally painless and a great experience, I recommend it to anybody who needs that kind of process.”

    -Don

    “Hi my name is Edgar and I was referred to Dr. Komarnyckyj by my dentist. I was plead for implants which I had a lot of fear of. But Dr. K managed my fear really well and all my questions and concerns were answered properly. I thank the staff and I thank Dr. K, I will refer anybody I know to Dr. K for future reference.”

    -Edgar P

    “Hi my name is Erika, I was referred to Dr. Komarnyckyj from my general dentist. I needed to have an implant done on a back tooth that I had a crown on for quite a few years and it decided to give out on me so I had no other option other than to have an implant or to have no tooth. So I decided to go forward and do the implant and it has been an experience that I can’t even say… going into it, I was a little nervous and hesitant about how much pain and how much time and all that. But, it has been amazing. I am so happy that I went forward and did it, because now I have a brand new tooth. Dr. K and his whole staff have been so accommodating and so pleasant to be around. I appreciate their time, willingness and dedication to making it a positive experience. I look forward to enjoying my new tooth.”

    -Erika

    “Hi my name is Gena and I was referred to Dr. Komarnyckyj by my dentist as I needed to get an oral implant. About 6 months ago, we started the procedure and it’s now done. I have the crown on and I feel really good about it. I first got this procedure done to save another tooth, and now I don’t have to worry about the possibility of losing that tooth. Dr. K and his whole office staff have been wonderful, informative, and patient; I would refer him to anybody. So if you need an oral implant, you need to call Dr. Komarnyckyj.”

    -Gena A

    “Hi my name is Joana. I came to Dr. Komarnyckyj a couple years ago, I had an implant that had failed. I was a little nervous about having it redone. But when I came here the staff was really kind, generous and really made me feel comfortable. It’s been a little over 2 years now since I’ve had this process because it takes a little while. But every appointment that I’ve ever come into, I’ve felt so comfortable. They know my name, they know my history. I would recommend this office to anyone who is interested in a dental implant because this process has been really, really easy. I recommend Dr. K, he is a very, very awesome doctor. So come in, pay him a visit and I’m sure you won’t regret it”

    -Joana

    “My name Joann and I was referred to Dr. Komarnyckyj by my regular dentist. I needed an implant and I came here and the experience was unbelievable. There was no pain, no discomfort and the staff was fantastic. I can’t say enough about my experience with Dr. K and his staff. The follow up appointments with the staff were great, the receptionist called me and always reminded me of my appointments. The assistant was fantastic, she was my primary care after Dr. K, and Dr. K himself was just wonderful. Again, I can’t emphasis how it was such an easy procedure and I absolutely felt no discomfort or swelling or anything. I highly recommend to anybody who needs an implant or is thinking about getting implants to call this office, you won’t be sorry. Thank you.”

    -Joann

    “Hola, mi nombre es Juliana. Me hice un implante con el Dr. Komarnyckyj. Me siento muy, muy contenta porque la verdad es que me gusto mucho. Estoy muy feliz por el implante y me siento muy bien. Recomeindo implantes a quien lo necesite. Gracias a todos por el trabojo, fue muy bien hecho.”

    -Juliana

    “Hello, my name is Julie, Dr. Komarnyckyj did my implant. I was referred to him by my general dentist. The experience was very positive. The staff and doctor obviously know exactly what they are doing, I felt very comfortable and I know they are very knowledgeable about this practice. There is no pain at all, it is very efficient and the end product looks very good. There was nothing bad that happened afterward, so I’m very pleased with the whole experience and I highly recommend it.”

    -Julie

    “My name is Karen and I came to Dr. Komarnyckyj about 9 months ago, but it took me 6 years to get up the nerve to get a dental implant. I had the tooth pulled about 6 years ago and just tolerated the gap in my lower jaw for that long. It wasn’t until I came here to talk to Dr. K about gum restoration that I also talked to him and his wife Oksana about having my dental implant taken care of. Normally when I’ve gone for consultations for this, I would get very nervous, but they put me at complete ease and I was able to go through it because I respected the staff. Everyone was top notch and I never at any time felt I wasn’t doing the right thing. I knew I was here because I should be and I needed to finish up this process. A “Big” thanks goes to them because I now have a full set of teeth again and I’m thrilled with the results.”

    -Karen