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Comprehensive Exams
Comprehensive exams are the standard of care in dental offices today. Initial examinations include review of your medical history and consultation time to review your dental options. These are necessary and important steps in providing quality dental care. However, there is an essential difference in the dental care you receive in our dental practice.
What is the difference? Our Focus.
We focus on the reasons why you initially called us for help. You define what is important to you.
We provide answers to your dental questions so that you can make the best choices for you. We are here to look after your well-being. We are here for you.
Professional Dental Cleanings
Everyone loves the smooth feeling and shiny look of their teeth after a professional dental cleaning. However, there is much more to your visit. Our hygiene visits also include an oral cancer screening. We check for lumps and bumps, bone loss, tooth decay and evaluate the health of existing restorations. We can also check blood pressure and send the results to your doctor, if needed.
Professional dental cleanings form the foundation for preventing gum disease and tooth decay. Dental cleanings remove buildup and stain above your gum line. If buildup appears below the gum line, it indicates gum disease and often requires a more involved type of treatment. Preventing disease is certainly preferable to treating disease!
Did you forget to brush?
Most people are aware they should brush and floss their teeth. But, few people realize that clean teeth and healthy gums can protect against a variety of health problems! When you don’t brush and floss effectively or frequently enough, the bacteria in your mouth multiplies on your teeth and gums. Colonies of bacteria then cause destructive changes that damage your teeth, gums and jawbone. In addition to getting cavities, gum disease, pain and infection, the bacteria enters your blood stream and increases your risk for systemic problems like heart disease, stroke, respiratory illness, diabetes complications and pregnancy complications.
You are in control of you oral health
This is the good news… it’s your mouth! You can control your oral health by establishing a habit of brushing and flossing twice daily. Use a soft toothbrush, the proper technique and quality fluoride toothpaste. There are advanced toothpastes, rinses and electric toothbrushes, so you can do a much more thorough job at home than was possible in the past. The most effective thing you can do is to call the office for an evaluation of your condition. We will offer advice as to which of the many new products are right for you.
Dental Sealants – Long Term Protection
The back teeth have deep grooves on the chewing surfaces. These groves can be so deep and narrow that it is impossible to clean deep enough with a toothbrush. If bacteria and food remain on your teeth and form acids, the tooth enamel will break down and cause a cavity. A dental sealant is a thin resin film bonded to the chewing surfaces of teeth. Sealants keep food and bacteria out… preventing decay.
How effective are sealants?
They are extremely effective and long-lasting if applied properly. For this reason, our dentists participate in the placement of sealants, making sure teeth are sealed as well as possible. Sealants can wear down over the years, so they are checked at each visit to make sure your teeth are protected. Another benefit of professional examinations and cleanings!
Dental Health and the Extraction of Wisdom Teeth
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.
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 trapping plaque and food. In addition, wisdom teeth can be entrapped completely within soft tissue and/or the jawbone or only partially break through the gum tissue. Teeth that remain partially or completely entrapped are termed “impacted.” Partial eruption allows for an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause infection. Partially erupted teeth are also prone to tooth decay and gum disease because their location is hard to brush and floss.
We periodically evaluate your dental x-rays for the presence and alignment of wisdom teeth. The extraction of wisdom teeth is a surgical procedure that requires treatment by an oral surgeon.
Non-Surgical Extractions
The extraction of a tooth can be necessary for a number of reasons including severe decay and advanced periodontal disease. Teeth can also break in a way that cannot be restored. Often teeth that are poorly positioned are removed in preparation for orthodontic treatment. Most non-surgical extractions can be performed here in our office.
What is a Dry Socket?
A dry socket occurs when a blood clot fails to form in the socket where the tooth has been extracted or the clot has been dislodged causing a significant delay in healing time. Please follow our post op instructions to reduce the chances of developing a dry socket.
Dental Mouth Guards
For Sports
According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation (NYSSF), 15 million dental injuries and 5 million cases of traumatically lost teeth occur every year. It has been estimated that in just one season, an athlete participating in a contact sport has a 10% chance of experiencing a facial or oral injury. In fact, close to half of all injuries seen in our office are sports related.
Sports mouth guards are soft plastic dental appliances which protect teeth, jaws, lips, cheeks, tongue and gums from damage caused by accidental traumatic blows and collisions.
For Bruxism
Bruxism is a habit of grinding or clenching the teeth, usually during sleep. When a person has bruxism, the tips of the teeth look flat. People can clench or grind so often and so hard that over time their teeth become sensitive. They experience jaw pain, tense muscles and headaches along with excessive wear on their teeth. An occlusal - made of hard acrylic - can absorb the force of biting and protect the enamel from excessive wear.
What are the signs?
• Teeth look flat or have wear facets
• Sore jaw
• Sensitive teeth
• Worn or fractured tooth enamel
• Loose teeth
• Earache
• Insomnia
• Headache
• Facial pain
Infection Control
The best defense against disease is information. Being enlightened about the spread of infection will better equip you to make wise decisions regarding your health care. We take exceptional care in our daily procedures to protect you from injury and infection. We hope sharing our policies will bring you comfort.
Our entire team follows procedures recommended by several federal agencies: the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Everyone benefits from rigorous infection control – you, our doctors and our dental team. Please ask any member of our team if you have questions.
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