Meet the Expert »
Rick Van Tran
Expert in »
Dentistry
Questions Answered
Ask a Question

Subscribe to Rick Van Tran's Question Feed
Dr. Rick Tran was originally born in the southern part of Vietnam but was raised in Salinas, California. He received his bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from UCLA in 1999 and shortly thereafter, completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery from New York University. He has been practicing dentistry since 2004. Dr. Rick joined the Manteca practice as of October 2008 as Drs. Cardenas and Richmond were transitioning into retirement. Beginning October 14, 2009, Cardenas, Richmond & Tran Dental will be branded as Manteca Dental Care.

We strive to provide top quality dental care with an experience that is unparalleled. Manteca Dental Care is devoted to making your dental visit as comfortable as possible while getting the necessary care to optimize your dental health. In addition to routine general and family dentistry, Dr. Rick also provides cosmetic and full mouth restorations, which includes, but not limited to; implants, crowns, bridges, dentures, orthodontics, and bleaching. He is also certified to safely sedate patients who are apprehensive or terrified about seeking dental treatment. We will go out of our way to give all the members of your family, from kids to adults, the personal attention, comfort, and good dental care they deserve. We truly will treat your family like it was our own.

Contact Information
Phone: 209-823-9218
Fax: 209-823-1134
Address: 521 East Center Street
  Manteca, CA 95336
Loading...


Ask Rick Van Tran a Question

Dentistry Questions Answered by Rick Van Tran »
Section: Dentistry
Q:  How old should your child be for their first dentist visit?
A: 

Your child's first visit to the dentist should happen before his or her first birthday. The general rule is six months after eruption of the first tooth. Taking your child to the dentist at a young age is the best way to prevent problems such as tooth decay, and can help parents learn how to clean their child's teeth and identify his or her fluoride needs. After all, decay can occur as soon as teeth appear. Bringing your child to the dentist early often leads to a lifetime of good oral care habits and acclimates your child to the dental office, thereby reducing anxiety and fear, which will make for plenty of stress-free visits in the future.

Many first visits are nothing more than introductory icebreakers to acquaint your child with the dentist and the practice. If your child is frightened, uncomfortable or non-cooperative, a rescheduling may be necessary. Patience and calm on the part of the parent and reassuring communication with your child are very important in these instances. Short, successive visits are meant to build the child's trust in the dentist and the dental office, and can prove invaluable if your child needs to be treated later for any dental problem. Child appointments should always be scheduled earlier in the day, when your child is alert and fresh. For children under 36 months, the parent may need to sit in the dental chair and hold the child during the examination. Or, parents may be asked to wait in the reception area so a relationship can be built between your child and the dentist. 

The dentist should be able to answer any questions you have and try to make you and your child feel comfortable throughout the visit. The entire dental team should provide a relaxed, non-threatening environment for your child.

Happy Brushing!

Was this answer helpful? Yes | No
11 people have found this answer helpful.

Section: Dentistry
Q:  Why is it that a dentist wants you to see a periodontist before they do any work. I found that they won't even clean your teeth until you see one.
A: 

Hi There!

Most general dentist recognize that certain circumstances may require input from a periodontist. Whether you need to see a periodontist is often initiated by your general dentist or hygienist after they have seen you. It also depends on the general dentist's philosophy of dental care; some will refer to a periodontist immediately as they don't perform cleanings in office and other general dentists will treat patients and refer only the severe cases to the specialist.

When you are referred to the specialist, the periodontist and your general dentist will work closely together to see that you get the best treatment possible. In general, the patient with the most severe levels of periodontal disease or those that are at highest risk for infection are typically referred to a specialist.

Sometimes patients may need to see a periodontist because of the following:

  • profuse bleeding during tooth brushing and flossing
  • red, swollen, or tender gums
  • gums that have pulled away from the teeth
  • persistent bad breath
  • pus between the teeth and gums
  • loose or separated teeth
  • a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite down

When you have these symptoms, it is very difficult for a general dentist or hygienist to clean your teeth and remove all the tartar and plaque as needed. Therefore, a trip to the periodontist is necessary. Whether or not you see a periodontist first or last, your general dentist or hygienist should follow up and advise you on how to maintain your oral health.

Our office employs hygienists to perform thorough cleanings on each and every one of our patients. We try to keep everything in house and will only refer the severe cases to a specialist. Call our office to have an exam done to see if a referral to a periodontist is necessary. If no referral is needed, our friendly hygienists can perform a cleaning for you. I hope I have answered your question. Happy Brushing!

Was this answer helpful? Yes | No
(2) people have found this answer helpful.

Section: Dentistry
Q:  Hello I used to be a big meth head, I have been clean for a couple years now and I am noticeing that my gums are very weak they bleed all the time and My teeth are no better. Is there any suggestions you may have or do you know if there is a dentist in manteca that has a payment plan?
A: 

First off, I want to congratulate you on your accomplishment of being clean for the past few years. Stopping meth use is the first step of getting you on the right track to better oral health. Secondly, I want to apologize for the delayed response. Finally, I will outline how meth affects your mouth and gums and hopefully answer any other additional questions you may have.

"Meth mouth" is one of the most notorious physical effects found among meth users. Poor hygiene and the consumption of sugary food and drinks can rapidly turn pearly-whites into a yellow, decaying, stomach-turning mess that often leaves meth users with enormous dental bills and gaping holes in their mouths.

What exactly is meth mouth?
"Meth mouth" occurs when a person has a rapid onset of dental decay. Often, their teeth become blackened and stained and appear to be rotting away and falling apart. What makes it different from normal dental decay is the rapid rate at which it occurs.

The difference between meth mouth and other types of decay can be pretty clear. Most of the time when people have tooth decay, it happens in the back of the mouth, in the grooves of the teeth because that area is the hardest to clean. When a person has tooth decay as a result of meth use, the decay occurs on the front teeth, along the surfaces of the gumline - which, ironically, is the easiest area to get clean.

Can someone get meth mouth even if they don't smoke meth -- but, say, uses the drug intravenously?
You can get any of the effects of meth mouth without actually smoking meth. Contrary to popular belief, meth mouth is not a result of the toxic chemicals of the drug itself.

Meth mouth can occur for a number of reasons. First, meth users often become less and less concerned with their personal hygiene and sometimes stop taking care of their teeth altogether. Second, meth users crave sugary drinks, like sodas, when they're high on meth. Having a high intake of these beverages can help to cause tooth decay. The sugar combined with poor oral hygiene is a terrible combination for the mouth. Third, the use of meth slows down saliva production in the mouth - which is a natural cleanser of the oral cavity. Also, meth stimulates the grinding and clenching of teeth - this is how the teeth break apart while they are decaying.

So, do all meth users get meth mouth?
No, not all meth users get meth mouth, since it's brought on more by personal hygiene than the actual drug itself. If a meth user can still remember to brush his or her teeth and refrains from drinking sugary beverages, the risk of getting meth mouth will decrease. However, as stated before, chronic methamphetamine use can cause dry mouth (xerostomia), which significantly increases the risk of dental decay, enamel erosion and periodontal disease.

How many dental treatments can it take to cure meth mouth?
This can vary - some teeth can be restored quickly, but so many people come in to see dentists in such a severe state that their teeth can't be saved. Many people have no choice but to have dentures and partial dentures put in. Meth mouth robs people, especially young people, of their teeth.

What are typical treatments for meth mouth?
Frequent professional dental hygiene visits with the application of concentrated fluoride to prevent rapid progression of the tooth decay. After this, the teeth would be restored or removed (depending on the damage). The appropriate treatment is dependent on the extent of damage done to the teeth.

Are these treatments expensive? Up to how much can they cost?
The cost of the treatments depends on the amount of damage to the teeth that has occurred and the treatment needed to restore the teeth. If the damage is extensive then the costs can be in the thousands of dollars.

 What do you suggest for a meth user who is concerned about the condition of his or her mouth?
First, I would hope that if they are concerned about the condition of their mouth, they would seek professional help to treat the overall methamphetamine addiction. Cessation of the meth use would be the most desirable first step to stop the progression of meth mouth.

If a person is still using, the dry mouth (xerostomia) induced by meth will cause an individual to want to drink plenty of liquids - I would recommend drinking water and not sugary carbonated beverages. As stated earlier, the rate of progression of meth mouth can be reduced by practicing good oral hygiene, which includes brushing, flossing and rinsing with fluoridated mouthwash and getting frequent professional dental cleanings.

I hope I have answered your question and then some. Please call our office if you have any further questions! In regards to a dentist in Manteca that accept payment plans, I do know that most if not all can accept some sort of payment plan, including our office. Please do not hesitate to contact us! Have a great day!

Was this answer helpful? Yes | No
(3) people have found this answer helpful.

Section: Dentistry
Q:  Dear Dr. Rick Van Tran, How much does it cost to have a wisdom tooth pulled out without a health insurance? Thanks, your answer is highly appreciated. Sincerely, Aphin Deng
A: 

Hi Aphin,

Thank you for your inquiry!

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that most people get in their late teens or early twenties. Sometimes these teeth can be a valuable asset to the mouth when healthy and properly aligned, but more often, they are misaligned and require removal.

Wisdom teeth present potential problems when they are misaligned - they can position themselves horizontally, be angled toward or away from the second molars or be angled inward or outward. Poor alignment of wisdom teeth can crowd or damage adjacent teeth, the jawbone, or nerves. Wisdom teeth that lean toward the second molars make those teeth more vulnerable to decay by entrapping plaque and debris. In addition, wisdom teeth can be entrapped completely within the soft tissue and/or the jawbone or only partially break through or erupt through the gum. Teeth that remain partially or completely entrapped within the soft tissue and /or the jawbone are termed "impacted." Wisdom teeth that only partially erupt allows for an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause an infection, which results in pain, swelling, jaw stiffness, and general illness. Partially erupted teeth are also more prone to tooth decay and gum disease because their hard-to-reach location and awkward positioning makes brushing and flossing difficult.

There are three (3) types of wisdom teeth extraction procedure which depends on the tooth itself; soft tissue impaction, partial bony impaction, and complete bony impaction. Depending on which type of extraction you would need, the prices can range from $300 - $500 per tooth.

Usually if you have dental insurance, they will assist you in covering a portion of the fees, however you are still responsible for the remaining amounts and coverage usually depends on what your benefit plan allows. Hope this helps! Happy Brushing!

Was this answer helpful? Yes | No
(1) person has found this answer helpful.

Section: Dentistry
Q:  could you give me a price on a new pair of dentures?
A: 

The cost of a new pair of dentures will vary depending on your needs. The fee can vary around $1000 to $2000 per upper or lower arch.

If you have any dental benefits, they may be able to assist you in paying for part of the denture costs. We offer a free denture consultation for Manteca Bulletin readers. Please call our office at (209) 823-9218 to schedule an appointment so that we may assess your needs and give you a better estimate!

 We look forward in meeting you and providing you with the quality dental care you need! 

Was this answer helpful? Yes | No
(4) people have found this answer helpful.

Subscribe to Rick Van Tran's Question Feed

Ask Rick Van Tran a Question

Page 1 of 1