Sealants
Dental sealants are thin coats of material painted onto your child’s back teeth to protect their grooves and depressions from gathering bacteria and food. Studies have shown that 88% of cavities in American school children are caused by food and bacteria being caught in the back molars.
Mouth Guards
Using mouth guards during sports or athletic activity can help prevent dental damage. Well-made mouth guards are comfortable, practical and protective. We make them custom fit to your mouth.
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel. At your check-up, we can determine whether your teeth would benefit from a fluoride supplement. We offer supplemental fluoride for patients of all ages and can advise the best solution to meet your needs. We provide fluoride in the form of foam, varnish, or even prescription toothpaste to use regularly at home. The treatments are safe and especially effective in decreasing the number of cavities in children.
Oral Cancer Screening
In the United States, one person dies from oral cancer every hour and 115 Americans are newly diagnosed with oral cancer every day. As with other cancers, early detection is crucial. Some of the most common causes are:
- Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
- Tobacco uses of any kind
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Excessive sun exposure to the lips
- Poor fitting dentures
Mention any changes you notice in your mouth to your hygienist and dentist.
Bruxism Guards
Many people suffer from bruxism or teeth-grinding. Occasional bruxism does not usually cause harm, but when teeth grinding occurs on a regular basis, the teeth can be damaged and other oral health complications may develop. The causes of bruxism vary but most damage occurs during sleep and a person may be unaware of the grinding.
We can fit you with a custom fit mouth guard to protect your teeth from grinding during sleep. The procedure requires an impression of your teeth which is then sent to a lab. A hard bruxism guard is created that can both withstand the wear and tear of grinding and balance your bite so your muscles can relax.
Cleanings
Good oral hygiene is important not only for aesthetics but for general health. Poor oral hygiene can lead to a variety of oral and general health problems such as gum disease, infection, tooth decay, bone loss, heart disease, oral cancer and more. Regular cleanings and checkups can help prevent these problems.
There are different levels of cleaning, depending on the needs of the patient:
- Prophylaxis: (regular dental cleaning) involves removing the sticky, soft bacteria infested plaque and tartar that have deposited on the teeth. If the deposits accumulate on the teeth it will harden and cause disease in the gums. The purpose of this cleaning is to leave the tooth structure clean, smooth and bacteria free. This is a preventative treatment.
- Debridement:When hard deposits have been left on the teeth for long period of time, they can thicken and cover the gums. Often, we must remove the large deposits first to properly assess the condition of the teeth. This is the first step to treating disease.
- Scaling and Root Planing:This treatment is performed when periodontal disease is present, often referred to as “gum disease”. When large clumps of hard deposit are left on the root surfaces of the teeth, it is rejected as a foreign object by the body. The body then responds by slowly destroying bone around the tooth. The best way to treat this disease is to slow it down by removing the hard deposits. The root surfaces are then smoothed to help prevent further build-up. This procedure helps gum tissue to heal and periodontal pockets to shrink.