Our Services
Preventative Care
EXAMS, X-RAYS, and CLEANINGS
Preventative care is the key to a healthy smile. Just like an annual physical is essential to your body’s overall well-being, a routine dental cleaning is key for the health of your smile. Preventative care consists of exams, x-rays, and cleanings. Dental cleanings are key to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. During a dental cleaning, a dentist or dental hygienist will remove bacteria, plaque and tartar buildup from your teeth surfaces. They may also perform other preventive services during the same visit, such as dental sealants and fluoride treatments.
Regular Checkups and Cleanings should be performed every 6 months while X-rays should be taken every year. Dental X-rays help dentists visualize diseases of the teeth and surrounding tissue that cannot be seen with a simple oral exam. In addition, X-rays help the dentist find and treat dental problems early in their development, which can potentially save you money, unnecessary discomfort, and maybe even your life.
How often should you get a dental cleaning?
According to the American Dental Association, people should schedule teeth cleanings at regular intervals recommended by their dentist. For many people, this will be every six months. But that could change based on your unique oral health needs.
Types of dental cleanings
There are different types of dental cleanings, based on your needs. But all have the same end goal — to remove harmful bacteria and reduce your risk for dental issues.
- Prophylaxis. This is a routine, preventive cleaning for people who have healthy teeth and gums overall. It’s the most common type of dental cleaning.
- Gross debridement. People who haven’t been to the dentist in over a year, or who have extensive plaque buildup, often times require a gross debridement. It’s similar to a typical prophylaxis, but it may take longer. The main purpose of debridement is to determine if there are any issues that weren’t initially diagnosed before the dental cleaning.
- Scaling and root planing. Also known as a deep dental cleaning, scaling and root planing reaches deep beneath your gum line to flush out bacteria and hardened tartar (calculus) around your teeth roots. Dentists reserve this procedure for those with mild to moderate periodontitis (gum disease). People who undergo scaling and root planing receive local anesthesia to numb their gums during the procedure.
Emergency Care
If you have a sudden dental emergency, please call our office right away. We try and leave room in our schedule to help patients experiencing abscesses, cracked teeth, knocked out teeth, etc.
Cosmetic Dentistry
If your teeth are stained, discolored, worn, chipped, broken, misaligned, misshapen, or have gaps between them, modern cosmetic dentistry can give you a better smile. A “smile makeover” improves the appearance of your smile through one or more cosmetic dentistry procedures. We can work with you to develop a treatment plan to make you love your smile.