Dental Exams & Cleanings
What are dental exams & cleanings?
Keeping your teeth healthy and clean requires more than diligent brushing and flossing at home. In many cases, plaque will build up on different areas of the teeth, hardening into a chalky white substance known as tartar. The only safe way to remove tartar buildup is with a professional cleaning performed by a registered hygienist. Exams are necessary as well, since they give us a view of your dental and oral health to prevent issues from getting worse.
Why are dental exams & cleanings necessary?
Even with the best brushing habits, you can still benefit from a professional cleaning. Exams are just as necessary, since they can alert us of minor problems so that treatment is both easier and more effective. Cleanings help to prevent gum disease and tooth decay when done regularly. It’s never too late to start taking better care of your smile with routine preventative treatment.
How often should you come in for dental exams & cleanings?
We recommend coming into our office once every six months to keep up with your dental health. If you have children, try to get them in for their first appointment as soon as possible. If it’s been a long time since your last cleaning, it’s never too late to start loving your smile.
What can you expect at the appointment for dental exams & cleanings?
The appointment will begin with a professional cleaning. This is performed by a licensed registered dental hygienist who uses special instruments to clear away heavy tartar buildup and surface stains. Your teeth are then polished and carefully flossed before the gums are checked for signs of inflammation or infection. Once the cleaning has been completed, we come in to perform the exam. The exam allows us to check for signs of tooth decay, loose or broken restorations and even oral cancer. To make your future appointments easier, we’ll pre-schedule them before you leave the office.
Dental X-rays
What are dental X-rays?
A dental X-ray is an image that enables us to see underneath the surface of teeth and gums. These images can help us to see decay, infections, impacted teeth, bone loss and many other oral-related problems. X-rays use a very minimal amount of radiation, so they are safe for patients of all ages. Our goal is to provide you with a comfortable and safe experience when having X-rays taken.
The four “bitewing” X-rays used to check for cavities have a minimal total amount of radiation (0.005 mSv) which is less than the average daily dose of radiation from everyday life. For comparison, a plane ride across the country would expose each passenger to about 4 times more radiation (0.02 mSv) and a chest X-ray would have up to 20 times more radiation (0.1 mSv) than the four dental X-rays.
Why would you need dental X-rays?
The main reason you would need dental X-rays is because in many cases, an examination just isn’t enough. There may be a lot of things going on below the surface of your gums and we won’t be able to see anything without the help of an X-ray. Some of the different things that we can see on an X-ray include underlying tooth decay, root infections, bone loss and impacted wisdom teeth. For children, X-rays allow us to monitor development and growth of permanent teeth.
What makes someone a candidate for dental X-rays?
Most of our patients are candidates to have dental X-rays taken. Because we use such a small amount of radiation, the process is deemed safe and necessary for those coming into our office. However, we will always go over your medical history prior to recommending any type of X-ray procedure. This ensures that you are healthy enough to undergo radiation in the office.
What happens during the dental X-ray process?
Our friendly team member will drape a lead apron over your midsection. We then place a tiny, comfortable device inside of the mouth and behind several of your teeth. Our X-ray machine is then aimed at this device and the image is taken. We repeat this exact process for all other necessary X-rays. Our team of experts will then review your X-rays to help in creating a unique treatment plan. We often recommend that X-rays be taken regularly and at most appointments.
Fluoride Treatments
What are fluoride treatments?
Fluoride is most commonly found in dental products, like toothpastes and mouthwashes. It is designed to protect and strengthen a person’s teeth, making them less prone to developing cavities. Regardless of the amount of fluoride that you use each day, we offer professional treatments that can add further protection for your smile. Fluoride treatments are great for adult and pediatric patients alike.
Why might you need fluoride treatments?
There are a few reasons for needing fluoride treatments. First, you might benefit from treatment because you’re more susceptible to decay. This is especially true among children and teens who might not necessarily brush and floss properly. For others, it’s a way to strengthen their teeth along with using other methods and products at home.
What makes someone a candidate for fluoride treatments?
We can easily determine if fluoride treatments are right for you with an exam. For children coming into our office, we may recommend that they have fluoride treatments as a way to keep their smiles looking their best. In truth, most of our patients can benefit from these treatments. You can have them done as often as they might be needed.
What can you expect during fluoride treatments?
The treatment process will begin by having you sit in one of our comfortable dental chairs. We then work on cleaning your teeth before applying the fluoride. A liquid fluoride is then brushed over the teeth. You will be instructed on how to care for your teeth after treatment. For most patients, they’ll need to avoid eating and drinking for about an hour to allow the fluoride to fully penetrate the teeth. You can have these treatments done as often as they are needed, as some of our patients have treatment done every single time that they come into the office for either a cleaning or checkup and want to further protect their smile.
Sealants
What are sealants?
Sealants are thin, clear protective coverings that can be applied to the molars or premolars. They are meant to prevent cavities and deep staining that could otherwise occur if they weren’t in place. The beauty about sealants is that they’re ideal both for pediatric patients as well as adult patients alike.
Why might you benefit from sealants?
The reason you might benefit from sealants is because your back teeth have grooves, deep fissures and pitting. This can sometimes make it difficult to keep the teeth clean. Likewise, these areas can become deeply stained over time and be more susceptible to tooth decay. Both children and adults can benefit from having sealants placed.
What makes a person a candidate for sealants?
With the help of a thorough examination, we will be able to determine if sealants are right for you. Sealants are great for patients of all ages, though we often recommend them to our pediatric patients who may not be able to brush and floss properly just yet. If you have older sealants, we can replace them easily in our office at your own convenience. Sealants wear away naturally in roughly one to three years after initial application.
What happens during the sealant procedure?
The sealant procedure is quick, simple and done within minutes in our office. We first clean and then dry the back teeth. A clear liquid varnish is then brushed over the teeth, only on the back chewing surfaces. These sealants are then dried and cured with a bright light. The process is then repeated for any other back teeth that need this type of protection. It is important that you still brush and floss your teeth normally, since sealants do not protect the front teeth or between the back teeth after they have been placed in our office.