Quick answer: A first cleaning at Lotus Dental Group in Willow Glen usually takes 60 to 90 minutes. We review your health history, take any X-rays you need, clean and polish your teeth, and Dr. Prathima Chawla, DMD, does a full exam of your teeth, gums and bite. Children from age four can be seen the same day as their parents, and most PPO plans cover the visit as preventive care.

Quick answer: If a tooth can be saved, a root canal is usually the better choice — it keeps your natural tooth, protects your bite and costs less over time than replacing the tooth. An extraction makes sense when the tooth is cracked below the gumline, too broken down to rebuild, or has lost too much bone support. At Lotus Dental Group, both treatments — and the implants or bridges that replace an extracted tooth — happen in one Willow Glen office, so the recommendation is based on your tooth, not on who does which procedure.

Quick answer: Bleeding gums are not normal — they are usually the first sign of gum disease, and the earliest stage (gingivitis) is fully reversible with the right cleaning and home care. Left untreated, it can progress to periodontitis, which needs a deeper professional cleaning and ongoing maintenance to control. At Lotus Dental Group, gum disease is diagnosed and treated in the same office as the rest of your care — no referral to a separate periodontist required.

Dr. Prathima Chawla and her team have treated gum disease in Willow Glen and San Jose for more than 25 years, from the first sign of bleeding gums through ongoing periodontal maintenance.