Preventative Services
Good dental health begins with regular check ups at our dental office and the preventative work you do at home everyday. Cleanings are recommended every six months and x-rays to be taken once a year. This can help detect problem areas that may need dental treatment in order to protect the health of your mouth and the beauty of your smile.
Sealants
Sealants are used to fill in narrow grooves in a tooth that cannot be adequately cleaned by brushing. In some cases, a tooth structure has fine grooves or pits which accumulate plaque - not because the person doesn't brush, but because they're too narrow to allow even one bristle into them. These will develop cavities over time. The sealant is brushed on, cured, and seals the grooves and pits, making it possible to brush off all the plaque and keep your teeth healthy.
Routine Dental Cleanings
Routine dental cleanings should be performed by a dental hygienist every six months. During these cleanings, the hygienist will remove sticky plaque and hard tartar deposits from your teeth. These appointments are incredibly important for preventing gum disease and making sure your home care routine is sufficient. Routine dental cleanings are paired with a regular checkup to allow the dentist to check your mouth for any issues.
X-Rays
Dental x-rays are one of the most useful tools for diagnosing dental problems. Our office recommends x-rays once a year to assist our staff in detecting decay, periodontal problems, and/or abnormalities of the teeth and surrounding structures. Most dental issues that are diagnosed with our routine x-rays can be restored or treated before the patient experiences pain from an otherwise undetected problem. X-rays work by passing through the tooth that is being evaluated. These “rays” leave a resulting pattern that is read and diagnosed by Dr. Kapec. This allows us to look at the areas not visible to the human eye.
Dental x-rays produce a very low amount of radiation exposure. Our dental film was recently updated to a more sensitive technology so that our radiation dosing is less per patient. This allows for a safer environment for our patients and peace of mind knowing that your health is our priority.
Non-Surgical Gum Treatments
The gums, ligaments, and bone around the teeth form the foundation for your teeth. These structures are also referred to as the periodontium. When the periodontium is not healthy, it jeopardizes the teeth just as a bad foundation would threaten the stability of a house. Signs of unhealthy periodontium (gum disease) may be as follows: gums that are red and bleed easily, persistent bad breath, gums that are pulled away from the tooth, loose teeth, and changes in the position or bite of the teeth. Any of these signs may mean something is wrong. With the proper care, however, it may be possible to return them to a healthy state. This is where appropriate gum treatments come in.
If you're having a problem, please schedule an appointment so we can take care of it right away. The treatment usually involves a deep cleaning or root planing done under a local anesthetic. When the gum disease gets too severe it may need to be treated through surgery or extraction. This is why it is important to get it treated at the first sign of a problem.