Hygiene Services

Preventative maintenance is the cornerstone of any respectable dental treatment plan. During the last 20 years, research has shown that the primary cause of tooth loss is no longer tooth decay but gum disease. As such, we have focused our attention on the periodontal health of our patients by instituting a non-surgical soft tissue management program to allow for early detection and treatment of periodontal infection.

This includes:

• De-plaquing, scaling and root planing of the teeth roots
• Irrigation with bacterialcidal solutions below the gums
• Desensitization of the teeth roots
• Polishing of the teeth
• Fluoride Treatments
• Regular re-care intervals that are patient specific

Digital Radiography

Digital Radiography is a type of x-ray that uses a small sensor instead of the film used in conventional x-rays. The sensor transmits the image to a computer monitor.

Advantages of digital radiography over conventional x-rays include: less radiation exposure, enhanced patient education and faster dental procedures.

Panoramic Radiography

Panoramic radiographs serve as a useful tool in screening for many ailments of the head and neck. These include:

• Dental cysts
• Fractured jaws
• Impacted wisdom teeth
• Extra teeth
• Missing teeth
• Assessing crowded teeth
• Orthodontic assessments
• Implant assessments
• Nerve proximity
• Tooth decay
• Periodontal disease
• TMJ - Temporo-mandibular joint disease
• Oral Cancer

Sealants

The most important reason for getting sealants is to avoid tooth decay. Sealants are thin, plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, thereby removing the home where plaque often reside. Getting sealants put on is simple and painless.

Children should get sealants on their permanent molars as soon as the teeth come in - before decay attacks the teeth. The first permanent molars come in between the ages of 5 and 7. The second permanent molars come in when a child is between 11 and 14 years old. Other teeth with pits and grooves also might need to be sealed. Teenagers and young adults who are prone to decay may also benefit from sealants.

Fluoride

Discovered in the 1960's, fluoride represents another inexpensive method of preventing tooth decay. Fluorides act by replacing a water soluble hydroxyl group on the enamel crystal with a fluoride group, thereby rendering the enamel crystal of which the teeth are made, insoluble in acid.

Fluoridation of the teeth may be from topical application during a cleaning appointment, the use of fluoride toothpastes, the fluoride in your drinking water or the fluoride in some mouthwashes. All of these serve to strengthen the teeth against the acid excreted by bacteria.