Preventive Care
The foundation of a healthy smile is maintaining a preventative care routine. Our practice provides patients with the highest quality preventive care, including regular cleanings, exams, and x-rays. For patients that need a more in-depth approach to gum health, we perform special cleanings, often referred to as deep cleanings.
More Information on Preventive Care and Periodontal Treatment:
Your preventive cleaning appointment will commence with an exam to assess the health of your gums and determine suitability for a regular cleaning. As part of this examination, dental x-rays will be taken. Our office utilizes digital x-rays, which notably decrease radiation exposure while generating clearer images, facilitating the early detection of infections and cavities. If your teeth and gums are deemed healthy, we will proceed with a regular cleaning, involving the comprehensive removal of plaque and calculus, polishing, and instruction on oral hygiene. Fluoride treatment is available for both children and adults, often alleviating bothersome sensitivity.
If after the exam, it is determined that you are showing signs of gum disease, you may require a different type of cleaning known as scaling and root planing, or deep cleaning. Symptoms that the dentist and hygienist are attentive to include bad breath, significant plaque and calculus buildup, and pocket depths exceeding 4mm. In healthy gums, the tissue firmly attaches to the tooth, and the space between the tissue and the tooth should ideally measure 1-3mm in depth; this measurement is referred to as the pocket depth.
What can you expect during the procedure?
Deep cleanings may be conducted by either the hygienist or the doctor and may require more than one appointment to complete. In most cases, a topical anesthetic is applied to the gums to minimize discomfort during the procedure. The operator will meticulously remove all plaque, stains, and calculus both above and below the gum line. Root planing, an integral part of the process, involves smoothing the root surface of the tooth to facilitate gum healing and firmer attachment. Following the treatment, a follow-up appointment will be recommended within a month, which is typically shorter than the initial deep cleaning appointment. Subsequently, you will be placed on a 3 or 4-month recall schedule called periodontal maintenance, aimed at effectively managing your gum disease.
Bite Guards (bite Splint):
Our office utilizes Invisalign to treat patients seeking a straighter smile. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign involves no wires or brackets. Instead, it employs clear plastic trays and attachments to shift your teeth gradually. These attachments are tooth-colored bumps affixed to your teeth, aiding the trays in their effectiveness. The number and positioning of attachments may vary and can alter throughout the treatment process. Each aligner is designed to be worn for approximately 22 hours a day, typically for two-week intervals.
One of the significant advantages of Invisalign is the ability to remove the aligners for brushing and flossing, promoting healthier teeth and gums. Unlike the frequent visits required with traditional braces for wire adjustments, Invisalign often entails fewer office visits. We provide patients with enough trays for several months, and when they run out, a brief appointment with the doctor suffices for progress checks and to receive more trays.
Whether you're concerned about a single tooth or seeking a comprehensive smile transformation, Invisalign offers an option tailored to your needs.