Preventative Care

Dental Hygiene Visits

Keeping your healthy smile for a lifetime is best accomplished through a team approach.  In addition to the meticulous cleaning, polishing, and examination of your teeth, we also take the time to help our patients develop proper oral hygiene habits at home. We will evaluate your hygiene techniques and make adjustments to your routine where needed.

If our exam reveals that you are suffering from gingivitis or more severe gum disease, we may recommend additional measures to minimize bone loss and help you to keep your natural teeth.

Oral Cancer Screenings

During a dental exam, the doctor will check your neck and oral tissues for lumps, red or white patches or recurring sore areas. Screening for early changes in the oral tissue can help detect cancer at a stage when it can be more successfully treated.

Sealants and Fluoride

As an additional preventative measure, topical fluoride varnish and resin sealants can be applied to young teeth (and older ones, too) to help make them more decay resistant.

Treatment For Gum Disease

Scaling & Root Planing

Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure in which the dental hygienist removes plaque and tartar from below the gum line. Root surfaces are cleaned and smoothed with specially designed instruments. It is important to remove the plaque and tartar from the pockets, because plaque and the rough surfaces of tartar make it easier for bacteria to gain a foothold.