Preventive Care

The Oral Health Evaluation

Your first visit will begin with us listening carefully to your wants and concerns, thoroughly assessing your dental health status through a complete examination, and considering everything that affects your mouth's function and appearance, its hygiene and your overall health. Our extensive exam includes:

A review of your dental history
A review of your medical history as it pertains to your dental care
A test of chewing muscles, jaw joints, and occlusion (bite)
Evaluating gum tissue health
Examination for dental decay
An oral cancer screening
Assessment of each tooth and any existing restorations (fillings, crowns, or bonding)
Assessment of the fit, function, and adequacy of partial or full dentures
An aesthetic evaluation
Appropriate x-rays to show areas we can't see
Study models of upper and lower teeth when appropriate
Close-up photographs of your teeth and face

If you want to explore the possibilities of improving the beauty of your smile as well as maintain a high level of health, function, and comfort, don't be shy about bringing up your "what if" and "I've always wished" thoughts.

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Your Treatment Plan

After reviewing the findings from your oral health evaluation with you, we'll provide pros and cons associated with various treatment options. We will also provide information sheets and other useful tools to help you understand existing conditions and recommended treatment. We will take the time to answer questions you may have. Your plan will reflect your oral health goals and will address the time required, recommended sequence and cost of treatment. We will also base our recommendations on what our experience has shown to be successful for other patients.

We will work with you to provide dental care that leads to long-term health and proper function. We hear frequently that this approach is more thorough than patients have ever encountered before, giving them more confidence and more reasons to smile.

Preventive Services

Cleanings

Regular cleanings to polish your teeth and remove plaque is an important routine in keeping your teeth healthy. In addition to thoroughly cleaning and polishing your teeth, we regularly update your medical history and assess gum tissue health.

Sealants

A sealant is a plastic material that is bonded to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (most often in children). The sealant acts as a barrier to bacteria, protecting susceptible areas from decay and cavity. During your child's Oral Health Evaluation, we will determine if your child needs a sealant to help protect their teeth.

X-Rays

To assist us in being thorough when examining your mouth, we may recommend x-rays. These may include films of your teeth, entire jaw system, and if necessary, specific films of your jaw joints.

Oral Cancer Screenings

Early recognition of oral cancer signs and symptoms is crucial in having a good outcome, should one of our patients ever have to deal with this. We screen our patients for the presence of oral cancer as new patients to the office, and again whenever they have their teeth and mouth examined.

We begin that regular screening process when our patients reach the age of 17. We also recommend that our younger patients have the Gardasil vaccination to prevent oropharyngeal cancer due to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

Fluoride Treatments

Fluoride is used in dentistry to strengthen the enamel of teeth that are at elevated risk of developing decay.

We most commonly use fluoride on children, during the years they aren’t as skilled or motivated to brush adequately to prevent decay. We also frequently recommend fluoride for adults who may have areas susceptible to decay, such as around restorations they want to protect, or on root surfaces that might be exposed and more likely to decay.

We use fluoride both in the office and also as a prescription-strength product for home use.