Preventative Care

To maintain optimal dental health, you should have a dental exam and cleaning at least twice per year. Regular checkups facilitate early detection of more serious problems, and when we detect problems early, it makes treatment a lot easier. When you get an exam with us, we: 

• Assess gum health
• Diagnose any existing tooth decay
• Take digital x-rays and analyze them for decay, bone loss, abscesses, tumors, cysts, and other problems
• Screen for the presence of oral cancer
• Check the stability of existing fillings and other restorations
• Inform you of all findings and make treatment

Healthy teeth start with controlling plaque and tarter. By removing plaque and tartar, your oral health is enhanced and your risk of cavities and gingivitis go down. To help you get rid of plaque and tarter, we offer cleanings by our dentist and our dental hygienist. Our talented dental hygienist uses manual instruments to remove moderate plaque and tartar buildup, or an ultrasonic device to scale away heavier buildup. The cleaning is finished with polishing to remove stains. We guarantee it will leave your mouth feeling clean and refreshed.

Fluoride is a mineral that naturally occurs in most water sources. When teeth are still forming, fluoride works by making tooth enamel more resistant to tooth decay. At the end of each cleaning, we’ll offer a fluoride treatment. 

If you’re playing any sports where a potential collision with your mouth might occur, we can create a custom mouth guard to help protect your teeth. Mouth guards typically cover the upper teeth, and are designed to protect against broken teeth, cut lips and other damage to your mouth.