Adult Preventative Dental Care

Working with Your Dentist and Your Dental Hygienist

By committing to regularly scheduled preventative dental care and a good home care routine you will ensure that your teeth are clean, strong, and white. Working with your dentist and your dental hygienist you can significantly improve your ability to avoid common dental conditions like cavities, gum disease, enamel wear, and tooth loss. Most of our patients are scheduled every six months for a check-up and a cleaning. Some patients with periodontal issues or other more serious conditions may be need to be seen more frequently to manage their conditions.

Hygiene Maintenance Exams

Our hygienists provide a personalized, caring and gentle experience for patients of every age in our practice. Consistent high-quality preventative care is the key to healthy teeth and gums. We recommend a regularly scheduled hygiene exams that include a comprehensive review of your oral and general health, a thorough cleaning, a periodontal examination and instruction and advice for good home care plan. By committing to an excellent proactive/preventative hygiene maintenance exam plan you can avoid more serious and costly dental health issues in the long run.

X-rays

Digital radiography or digital x-rays use a small sensor inserted into your mouth to capture images of the teeth. The sensor sends information visual information directly to the computer and the images can be viewed instantly on the screen. There are many other benefits to digital radiography including significantly less radiation exposure for our patients. Digital x-rays use up to 90% less radiation than film x-rays. The images are of digital x-ray are instantaneous and of higher quality than traditional film x-rays. The images can also be enlarged and magnified on the screen and the brightness, contrast and color can also be adjusted to optimize to allow the dentist to see more detail and make a more accurate and comprehensive diagnosis. Digital x-rays are also much more environmentally friendly; no film, no chemicals and no waste.

A digital panoramic x-ray is an important diagnostic tool in our practice. It covers a wider area than a conventional x-ray and, as a result, provides valuable information about the tooth positioning and any bone abnormalities. A pan x-ray can be used to plan treatment for full and partial dentures, braces, extractions and implants.

A panoramic x-ray can also reveal dental and medical problems including, impacted teeth and wisdom teeth, periodontal disease, jaw tumors and oral cancer, and jaw disorders such as TMD/TMJ.

Oral Cancer Screening

The American Cancer Society recommends a comprehensive oral evaluation and soft tissue exam annually. Our doctors perform a comprehensive evaluation of your mouth including the associated structures in the head and neck area. Your initial evaluation will include a detailed medical history followed by the physical examination of your head, neck, and oral cavity including tongue, lips and cheeks.

Teeth Grinding/Bruxism

According to the American Dental Association (ADA) teeth grinding, which is also known as bruxism, can be the result of stress, anxiety and even sleep disorders. It can also a significant side effect of most anti-depressant medications and can be the result of an abnormal bite or secondary due to teeth that are missing or crooked.

Symptoms include:

•    dull headaches
•    jaw and facial muscle soreness
•    teeth that are painful or loose
•    fractured teeth

Nightguard

When our patients exhibit signs and symptoms of bruxism, or teeth grinding, we will recommend a custom night guard to protect your teeth while you sleep. This is a comfortable and effective way to alleviate symptoms and minimize damage to your teeth and jaw.

Fluoride

We recommend the application of fluoride at regular hygiene maintenance appointments for both children and adults to help prevent tooth decay. Patients with a high rate of tooth decay or those at risk for developing decay due to chronic dry mouth or post-radiation treatment can also benefit from using topical fluoride rinse on a regular basis. Patients with exposed root surfaces may benefit from the use of topical fluoride reduce sensitivity in those areas. the associated.

Sealants

Sealants are recommended for children to help protect permanent posterior teeth from decay. We also recommend sealants for adult patients who experience sensitivity associated with exposed root surfaces or cervical erosion. Sealants form a buffer to help reduce the risk of decay for both children and adults.

Perio Monitoring

Healthy gums are an important aspect of overall oral health. Our hygienists are trained to evaluate your gums for recession and gingivitis, or periodontal disease. We include an annual perio probe in one of your hygiene maintenance exams each year to carefully monitor condition of your gum health. If any periodontal issues are diagnosed our periodontist can customize a treatment plan for you right here in our office.