Dental Hygiene/Periodontal Health
While at our office, we make sure that you receive the highest level of service and ensure that our dental work is of the highest quality. To ensure that you maintain great oral health, this level of quality needs to extend into your personal oral hygiene routine. We can help you establish a dental hygiene routine that will keep your teeth healthy and white. If you have any questions about your current hygiene plan please ask us.
Your teeth are not the only important part of your mouth. Your gums are essential to oral hygiene as well. We can provide periodontal cleanings and treatment, or refer you to one of our recommended specialists. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Oral cancer screenings
Oral cancer screenings are a very important part of the dental visit for the patient. With the advances in modern technology, we are now able to pinpoint the start of a potential problem much earlier in its evolution. The ability to do so is extremely important in being able to treat any issues prior to them becoming a major irreversible problem.
The oral cancer screening is often completed with an ultraviolet light or similar device that allows us to view issues that can't always be detected by the human eye under normal conditions.
Certain lifestyle choices can have a great impact on the health of tissues and your overall health in the mouth. If you are a smoker or heavy drinker, make sure to get regular screenings when you visit the dentist.
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure in which the periodontist removes plaque and tartar from below the gum line. Root surfaces are cleaned and smoothed with specially designed instruments, either a small scaler or an ultrasonic cleaner. It is important to remove the plaque and tartar from the pockets, because aside from the bacterial toxins that irritate the gums, plaque and the rough surfaces of tartar make it easier for bacteria to gain a foothold. After the plaque and tartar have been removed, the tooth's root surfaces are smoothed (planed), a procedure that helps gum tissue to heal and periodontal pockets (deeper than normal spaces between tooth and gum) to shrink. This procedure also makes it toughter for plaque to accumulate along the root surfaces. Medication may be recommended to help control infection and pain, or to aid healing. If you smoke or chew tobacco products, it is important to quit. After the scaling and root planing treatment is complete, another appointment will be made within a few weeks, at which time your gums will be examined to see how they have healed and how the periodontal pockets have decreaed. Most patients do not require any further active treatment, only preventative care.
