Teeth Cleanings
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What are Dental Exams & Cleanings?
Keeping your teeth healthy and clean requires more than diligent brushing and flossing at home. In many cases, plaque will build upon different areas of the teeth, hardening into a chalky white substance known as tartar. The only safe way to remove tartar buildup is with a professional cleaning performed by a registered hygienist. Exams are necessary as well, since they give us a view of your dental and oral health to prevent issues from getting worse.
Why are Dental Exams & Cleanings necessary?
Even with the best brushing habits, you can still benefit from a professional cleaning. Exams are just as necessary, since they can alert us of minor problems so that treatment is both easier and more effective. Cleanings help to prevent gum disease and tooth decay when done regularly. It's never too late to start taking better care of your smile with routine preventative treatment.
How often should you come in for Dental Exams & Cleanings?
The American Dental Association recommends a dental visit for cleaning and exam at least once every six months. Your dentist or hygienist may recommend every three to four months (depending on your oral health needs) in order to keep up with your dental health. If it's been a long time since your last cleaning, it's never too late to start loving your smile. We offer care in a judgement-free and relaxed manner.
What can you expect at the appointment for Dental Exams & Cleanings?
The appointment will begin with a professional cleaning. This is performed by a licensed registered dental hygienist who uses special instruments to clear away heavy tartar buildup and surface stains. Your teeth are then polished and carefully flossed before the gums are checked for signs of inflammation or infection. Once the cleaning has been completed, we come in to perform the exam. The exam allows us to check for signs of tooth decay, loose or broken restorations. We then perform an oral cancer screening where we examine and assess high risk areas for every patient and notify them if we discover anything suspicious. To make your future appointments easier, we'll pre-schedule them before you leave the office.
Hu-Friedy Handheld Air Polishing Device
The AIR-FLOW® handy 3.0 PERIO portable air polishing unit enables dental practitioners to efficiently, safely and comfortably perform air polishing treatments in any operatory. Designed with a team of ergonomics experts, the slim handpiece is easy to grip and rotate, while the position of the powder chamber ensures an unrestricted view of the patient’s mouth. Simply connect the handy 3.0 PERIO device to your dental unit for a simple and convenient subgingival air polishing experience.
Features & Benefits
- Lightweight device allows for optimal clinician comfort
- Sleek design to ensure easy vision of the treatment area
- Well-balanced for easy handling
- Connects to dental unit
VELscope Oral Cancer Screening
Traditional oral mucosal examination tools rely on reflected light to visualize the oral cavity. VELscope® Vx uses tissue fluorescence rather than reflectance. Natural tissue fluorescence is caused by "fluorophores" that, when excited by light of an appropriate wavelength (e.g. blue), will emit their own light at a longer wavelength (e.g. green). The resulting fluorescence may reveal information about cellular, structural, and/or metabolic activity changes that are often directly related to disease processes occurring inside the tissue.The VELscope Vx system is a powerful device for the enhanced visualization of mucosal abnormalities such as oral cancer and premalignant dysplasia. Unlike other adjunctive devices used by dentists, the VELscope Vx system does not require any dyes or prolonged testing procedures. In fact, VELscope Vx examinations can be performed in the dentist's office during routine hygiene exams (and under normal lighting conditions) in about two minutes.
Features & Benefits
- Helps you see things which may be hard to visualize otherwise
- Clinically proven for the enhanced visualization of mucosal abnormalities
- A very important tool in the fight against oral cancer
If you think you might benefit from a cleaning and exam, call our office today so that one of our helpful staff members can further assist you.
