Preventative Care Information
Comprehensive Exams
We will conduct a thorough exam that will include a medical health history, dental history, blood pressure screening, periodontal evaluation, head and neck cancer screening, evaluation of the TMJ, complete series of X-Rays, caries risk assessment, personalized treatment needs consultation, and then solicit any questions or concerns not addressed.
Oral Cancer Screenings
It is important to address and treat any abnormalities as soon as possible, as cancers can become life threatening. As part of your routine dental exam, an oral cancer screening will be performed at each hygiene visit. Oral cancer typically starts as a small white or red spot that does not go away. It can affect the lips, gum tissue, check lining, tongue and roof of your mouth. Risk factors include: tobacco use, frequent alcohol use, excessive unprotected sun exposure, HPV, 40+ years of age.
Digital Dental X-Rays
We use digital x-ray technology that maximized the diagnostic properties and minimizes radiation exposure to you. X-Rays are a necessary part of dental examinations to determine bone health, interproximal decay, abnormal pathologies and anything else not visible clinically. They will be taken at regular intervals to provide you with the best health care possible.
Worried about X-Ray radiation? Radiation is measured in a unit called “microsievert”. Every digital x-ray only exposes a person to 4 microsieverts. By comparission, a CT scan of your abdomen is 8,000 microsieverts, a mammogram is 700 microsieverts, smoking a pack of cigarettes a day for a year is 80,000 microsieverts, a plane ride from Los Angeles to New York City exposes you to 30-40 microsieverts, living in a brick/stone/concerte building each year exposes you to 70 microsieverts and lastly, every banana that you eat? They expose you to a whoping 0.1 microsieverts of radiation!
Intra-Oral Camera
This is a wonderfully small camera that can take enlarged pictures inside your mouth. These are great for showing patients what is going on in areas that they cannot easily see. As well as sending authorizations to insurances companies to approve treatment.
Cleanings
You’ve heard the rule of two when it comes to teeth – Brush for Two minutes, Twice a day and visit your Dentist Two times a year! There are 5 surfaces to every tooth and at least 2 millimeters of tooth structure below the gums, that means there are lots of nooks and crannies for plaque, bacteria, and food to hide! If those are left, they will munch away at your teeth and cause tooth decay. Visiting your dental professional to remove them is necessary.
Sealants
Sealants are plastic protective coverings that are applied to the pits and grooves of the chewing surfaces of your back teeth. These areas are typically deeper than your tooth brush bristles can reach. This protective covering acts as a barrier to plaque, acids, and sugars that can contribute to tooth decay.
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride is an important mineral that is involved in the enamel matrix of teeth. Fluoride treatments are topical applications of this mineral intended to strengthen the enamel layer of teeth. We offer fluoride varnishes that are painted on to the teeth (typically for children) and trays with fluoride gel that patients bite into for a few minutes (typically for adults).
Space Maintainers
In children, early tooth loss can cause shifting of the remaining teeth and can lead to crowding. These changes can inhibit the eruption of permanent teeth mandating surgical exposure and (additional) orthodontic re-positioning. To prevent this, the dentist may recommend placing a temporary space maintainer. Space maintainers are typically bands that encircle the tooth posterior to the one missing with a loop extending over the empty socket and resting on the anterior tooth.
Mouth Guards
Mouth guards may be recommended for a variety of reasons. If you are an athlete or participate in contact sports, an athletic mouth guard is recommended. A properly fitted mouth guard can help to prevent damage to teeth. If you are clenching or grinding your teeth an occlusion guard may be recommended to prevent tooth and joint damage and relax your muscles.
