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Dental Hygiene/Periodontal Health
In addition to the meticulous cleaning, polishing, and examination of your teeth at the maintenance check-up visit, 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. During the exam portion of the recare visit, the doctor may suggest the need for other preventive measures, such as dental sealants to protect permanent molars in children from decay, or night-guards to protect teeth or jaw against bruxism and TMJ.
If we feel that you are suffering from gingivitis or more severe gum disease, we may recommend scaling and root planing. These measures can be instrumental in preventing bone loss and helping you to keep your natural teeth.
Oral Cancer Screenings
During a dental exam, the doctor will not only check the health of your teeth and gums, but will also do a thorough check of your neck, cheeks, soft palate, and tongue for lumps, red or white patches, or recurring sore areas.
Oral cancer, though claiming 3 times as many victims as cervical cancer, is one of the few cancers that has not seen a significant reduction in incidence over the past 30 years. Smokers, especially in combination with greater than average alcohol comsumption, are at higher risk. Early detection is key. However, most oral cancers are not detected until later stages when five-year survival rate is only 22%. Because of this risk to your health, we have incorporated the state-of-the-art VELscope oral cancer screening system as part of the conventional oral cancer exam. VELscope fluorescence technology is fast, painless, and potentially life-saving! For more information on Velscope, visit the links section on our website.
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 where infection-causing bacteria become lodged. Root surfaces are cleaned and smoothed with specially designed instruments. These procedures remove the bacterial toxins which irritate the gums, and eliminate the rough root surfaces that allow harmful bacteria to gain a foothold.
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