Preventative
Care Services
An Ounce of Prevention...
We prioritize prevention above all else. We
make sure your six-month check-ups and cleaning visits are fast, gentle
and thorough. Our preventative care is the best dental insurance you will
ever have. We catch things early to keep you in top health. Maintaining
your mouth is our number one priority. 
- Comprehensive Exams
- Periodontal Disease Diagnosis & Treatment
- Periodontal Hygiene (Ulrasonic Scaling)
- Sealants
- Night Guards & Mouthguards
Why does your dentist want you to schedule appointments twice a year - even if your last oral exam was perfect? Regular dental visits are essential to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. For maximum benefit, a good home care regimen must be supplemented with an examination at least every six months.
Depending on the status of your oral health, your dentist may recommend more frequent visits. Checking your teeth for decay is only a small part of a thorough oral exam. At every regularly scheduled dental appointment, your dentist examines your teeth, gums, mouth and throat. During each exam your dentist (or dental hygienist) will also: check your gums for inflammation, tooth mobility and pockets; examine your mouth for indications of possible cancer, diabetes and vitamin deficiencies; and note any irregularities in your facial structure, bite, saliva and temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Your dentist or hygienist will clean your teeth and encourage you to maintain good oral hygiene.
After completing the clinical dental exam, your dentist might outline a detailed treatment plan, if necessary, and indicate when you need to return for a follow-up visit. Regular preventive maintenance of this type, along with a thorough home care regimen, helps assure your good oral health.
Periodontal Disease Diagnosis & Treatment
Diagnosis
Periodontal disease is diagnosed by your dentist during a periodontal examination. This type of exam should always be part of your regular dental check-up.
A small dental probe is gently used to measure the pocket or space between the tooth and the gums. The depth of a healthy pocket measures three millimeters or less and does not bleed. The periodontal probe helps indicate if pockets are deeper than three millimeters. As periodontal disease progresses, the pockets usually get deeper.
Treatment
Periodontal treatment methods depend upon the type and severity of the disease. Your dentist and dental hygienist will evaluate for periodontal disease and recommend the appropriate treatment.
Periodontal disease progresses as the pocket or space between the tooth and gums gets filled with bacteria, plaque, and tartar, causing irritation to the surrounding tissues. When these irritants remain in the pocket space, they can cause damage to the gums and eventually, the bone that supports the teeth!
If the disease is caught in the early stages of gingivitis, and no damage has been done, one to two regular cleanings will be recommended. You will also be given instructions on improving your daily oral hygiene habits and having regular dental cleanings.
If the disease has progressed to more advanced stages, a special periodontal cleaning called ultrasocin scaling and root planing will be recommended. It is usually done one quadrant of the mouth at a time while the area is numb. In this procedure, tartar, plaque, and toxins are removed from above and below the gum line. This procedure helps gum tissue to heal and pockets to shrink. Medications, special medicated mouth rinses, and an electric tooth brush may be recommended to help control infection and healing.
Periodontal Hygiene (Ultrasonic Scaling)
The objective of ultrasonic scaling is to remove plaque and tartar which cause inflammation to the gum tissue and surrounding bone. This is anon-surgical procedure which completely cleanse the periodontium, work very effectively for individuals suffering from gingivitis and moderate/severe periodontal disease.
What Do Ultrasonic Scaling Treatments Involve?
Utrasonic scaling treatments are only performed after a thorough examination of the mouth. The dentist will take X-rays, conduct visual examinations and make a diagnosis before recommending or beginning these procedures.
Depending on the current condition of the gums, the amount of tartar present, the depth of the pockets and the progression of the periodontitis, local anesthetic may be used.
The scaling tool removes tartar and plaque from the surface of the crown and root surfaces. In many cases, the scaling tool includes an irrigation process that can also be used to deliver an antimicrobial agent below the gums that can help reduce oral bacteria.
Following this deep cleaning procedures, the gum pockets may be treated with antibiotics. This will soothe irritation and help the gum tissues to heal quickly.
A sealant is a thin, plastic coating applied to the chewing surface of molars, premolars and any deep grooves (called pits and fissures) of teeth. More than 75% of dental decay begins in these deep grooves. Teeth with these conditions are hard to clean and are very susceptible to decay. A sealant protects the tooth by sealing deep grooves, creating a smooth, easy to clean surface.
Sealants can protect teeth from decay for many years, but need to be checked for wear and chipping at regular dental visits.
What Do Sealants Involve?
Sealants are easily applied by your dentist or dental hygienist and the process takes only a couple of minutes per tooth.
The teeth to be sealed are thoroughly cleaned and then surrounded with cotton to keep the area dry. A special solution is applied to the enamel surface to help the sealant bond to the teeth. The teeth are then rinsed and dried. Sealant material is carefully painted onto the enamel surface to cover the deep grooves or depressions. Depending on the type of sealant used, the material will either harden automatically or with a special curing light.
Nightguards are mouthpieces custom made for a variety of purposes. The most common purpose is to treat patients that grind, or clench their teeth at night. This can cause damage to the teeth, and the joint, known as the "TMJ," or Temporomandibular joint. People who clench or grind can cause severe wear to their teeth as well as damage to the joint resulting in "clicking," or "popping" upon opening and closing the mouth, or chewing. The nightguard is custom made to fit either the top or bottom jaw, and is typically worn at night when people tend to grind or clench subconsciously, and protects the teeth and joint from damage. This is often a result of stress. Soft nightguards are usually made for people that clench or grind but don't have clicking or popping of the joint, where hard nightguards are usually made when there is a joint problem resulting in clicking and popping.
Mouthguards are fabricated for protection for patients active in sports where there is a likelihood of injury to the face, and possibly the teeth. These would include boxing, and hockey, for example. These appliances are usually thicker than nightguards, and can be made in a variety or combination of colors, if desired. Nightguards are generally clear.
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