PREVENTIVE CARE

Our preventive services can provide you with the tools necessary to keep your teeth healthy for a lifetime. With periodic examinations and diagnostic radiographs (x-rays), we can detect subtle changes in your dental health that will allow for conservative treatment. Other preventive services include the treatment of periodontal disease and maintenance of periodontal health, fluoride treatment, sensitivity relief, sealants, nightguards, athletic mouthguards, and TMJ splints.

EXAMS
Regular dental exams are an important part of your dental health regimen for many reasons:

PERIODONTAL SERVICES
Your regular "check-up" or "cleaning" is much more important than those terms imply. Three out of four adults will be affected by periodontal disease at some point in their lives. A routine "cleaning" twice a year along with good daily oral hygiene can keep your gums healthy for a lifetime. For those who are already afflicted with periodontal disease, after diagnosis, appropriate treatment can be prescribed. This treatment may include a "deep cleaning", called scaling and root planing, gum or bone surgery or the use of antibiotics or antimicrobials.

FLUORIDE
Fluoride is found in many foods, rinses, toothpastes, and water supplies. Some patients may require additional fluoride to fight tooth decay. This may involve the use of a high fluoride toothpaste at home or a topical application of fluoride in our office.

SENSITIVITY RELIEF
Teeth can be sensitive for a variety of reasons: cavities, cracked teeth, worn enamel. In the case of mild sensitivity due to worn enamel, a desensitizing toothpaste may be recommended. For more severe sensitivity, sensitive teeth may be "sealed" to prevent the sensitivity.

SEALANTS
Dental sealants are tooth colored coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth. Sealants keep plaque and food out of the pits and grooves of teeth, reducing the risk of decay. Sealants are an inexpensive way to protect your child's teeth from decay and they only take a few minutes to apply.

ATHLETIC MOUTHGUARDS
Contact sports can be harmful to your teeth. A tooth can be fractured, avulsed (knocked out) or can eventually die from a direct blow. These injuries can be significantly reduced with the use of a mouthguard. Custom-made mouthguards provide the maximum protection and are the most comfortable to wear. Children with protruding teeth are at higher risk for injury. Children participating in any contact sport should be fitted with some form of mouthguard.

NIGHTGUARDS
Many people suffer from daily stresses. In some people, these stresses contribute to wear and tear on their teeth in the form of clenching and grinding. Many people are unaware that they are wearing down the chewing surfaces of their teeth or the chewing surfaces of their fillings or crowns. A soft acrylic guard can be worn at night or during periods of intense concentration to help eliminate the wear on your teeth.

TMJ SPLINTS
The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, can become inflamed or the muscles connected to this joint can become sore due to injury or overuse. In some cases, a soft appliance can be used short-term to alleviate the stress on the muscles and the TMJ. For more severe TMJ problems, a hard acrylic splint may need to be worn or a specialist may need to be seen for additional treatment.