We offer routine and preventative care. These services include periodic oral evaluations, teeth cleaning, and X-rays. Getting your teeth professionally cleaned on a regular basis can prevent dental problems, but good at-home oral hygiene is just as important. We educate our patients about oral hygiene practices and the best oral care products. We want to keep you smiling.
Cleanings are done by our dental hygienist, Carrie. She removes plaque, deposits, and tartar from the teeth. She will also polish the teeth, which smooths the surface of the teeth and makes it more difficult for plaque and tartar to build up on the tooth surface. This is an essential part of preventing cavities, gingivitis, and periodontitis. We recommend that children and adults get their teeth cleaned every six months, but in some cases, scheduling cleanings more often can be beneficial. Poor oral hygiene, tobacco and alcohol use, diabetes, pregnancy, periodontal and gum disease, and other medical conditions can make it necessary to schedule more frequent cleanings. These regularly scheduled exams will help to keep your teeth and gums healthy, and allow us to detect any problems, such as cavities, oral cancer, or gum disease.
During your initial cleaning and exam, we will make a treatment plan, which is simply a list of any problems you may have. We will go over this with you, so you’re aware of your treatment needs. We will discuss your options with you so you are knowledgeable and can make decisions based on what’s best for you. We will schedule appointments for you based on these decisions, so we can help you achieve a happier, healthier smile.
Sometimes it is necessary for patients to have a deep cleaning, also called root planing. This is done when the gums have started to pull away from the teeth or the roots of the teeth have tartar on them. Root planing is one of the most effective ways to treat gum disease before it becomes severe periodontal disease. This is a series of two appointments, one for the right side of your mouth and one for the left side. During this procedure, we use a local anesthetic to numb the area. Our hygienist then cleans between the gums and the teeth down to the roots. After this procedure, as long as you maintain good oral hygiene, your gums should heal and become firm again.
Oral hygiene habits begin at an early age, and we are committed to helping our patients develop good oral hygiene practices from the beginning. We recommend children having their first oral exam and cleaning at age three. If children are nervous about coming to the dentist, Carrie, will simply count their teeth on their first visit, in an effort to ease them into it. We make every effort to provide a safe, gentle, anxiety-free atmosphere for the entire family.
