Dental Services
Why regular Care is so important
Most people should see a dentist every 6 months for a complete examination, any needed x-rays, the recommended cleaning service, and in some cases a fluoride treatment. Children and many adults receive a regular preventive cleanings every 6 months and this combined with their homecare prevents gum disease just fine. However, some patients need to come in more frequently to prevent gum disease or to maintain a good oral health condition following the onset of gum disease. Our office employees licensed dental hygienists to provide our patients with excellent cleaning services and individualized assistance to help you maintain or improve your specific home care needs. Your dentist and hygienist will go over your specific condition (health of your gums and supporting structures) and with you, determine if every 6, 4, or 3 months is the right schedule for your cleaning services. It is our goal to help you keep your teeth for a lifetime, preventive cleanings and proper home care are the essential ingredients in doing this - so we do everything we can to insure you are fully informed of your condition and how to maintain and/or improve it.
If it has been a while since you had a complete examination and/or professional teeth cleaning, then you may need other cleaning services before you can be placed on a maintenance schedule. This topic is covered in more detail under Periodontal Care, but everyone should be aware that gum disease is one of the leading causes for tooth loss in the United States. So getting yourself on a regular schedule or staying on a regular schedule is your best line of defense. Don't hesitate to get back in the swing of things, the sooner you get back to a dental office to assess your current needs, the faster you can get back on the right track and stop any further destruction.
All too often people believe, "there is nothing hurting or bothering me, so I am fine!" That is unfortunately not usually true when it comes to dental issues, most dental problems have no early warning signs, so the first sign of trouble, typically means a major service is now needed to fix the problem. Another factor in people putting off regular examinations is a lack of understanding as to what all the dentist is doing during an examination. Too frequently it is assumed the dentist is just looking for cavities, while this a part of the exam it is certainly not all of it. Here is a list of everything which happens between the hygienist and dentist during a complete examination:
- Cancer screening (mouth, head, and neck)
- TMJ (jaw joint) check for proper operation
- Occlusal evaluation (check of how the teeth fit together)
- Evaluation of existing dental work for problems
- Check for new cavities (visually, with instruments, and on films)
- Evaluation of x-rays for bone loss, cavities, abscesses, or other abnormalities
- Measurements of pocket depths to check for gum disease/bone loss
- Cosmetic evaluation (if needed or wanted)
Another important part of your regular visit is the taking of x-rays. It is easy to see large amounts of decay visually and with the use of instruments, but when decay is just getting started on a tooth surface which is blocked from view and touch by another tooth, x-rays are the only way to see it while it is small enough to handle with a filling. It is also not possible to see anything going on under the gum tissue, which could include bone loss around one or more teeth or even throughout the entire mouth - only x-rays can allow the doctor to see these areas. The same is true for abscesses, which develop around the tip of the root - they too can only be seen on radiographs. So without utilizing x-rays, your exam would not be truly complete.
A more optional service is also performed at your routine visit, if you, your hygienist, and Dr. Seaman agree it would be helpful to your condition - then a fluoride treatment will be done. Fluoride can help you out in a couple of different ways. First, if you have areas of weakened (not quite decayed yet) enamel, fluoride can help the enamel recover and thus stop the decay from forming. Fluoride is also helpful in lessening or stopping general tooth sensitivity, as it helps to seal up microscopic openings in the enamel, providing better insulation against hot and cold. For patients who frequently whiten (bleach) their teeth, fluoride is often used to stop the sensitivity which occurs after whitening. Years ago fluoride was mainly recommended for children, as they tended to be not as diligent in their homecare and more likely to have sugary substances on their teeth for longer periods of time; now, more and more adults are receiving regular fluoride treatments as the rate of cavities seem to be on the rise. If you think about it, it is rare to find someone who still drinks a lot of tap water! Now that the "bottled water" revolution has taken over, the fluoride most people ingested through city drinking water has become a thing of the past, so regular fluoride treatments help to counteract the loss of fluoride in the water. Also in our office, you have the option of two different types of fluoride treatments, varnish or foam, applications. Studies have shown varnish applications continue to provide protection to your teeth for a much longer time frame between treatments. This type of application also lessens general sensitivity for a much longer time frame, after treatment. You can discuss the benefits of fluoride treatments and which option is best for you with your hygienist to make an informed decision about adding this to your routine preventive program.
A more optional service is also performed at your routine visit, if you, your hygienist, and Dr. Seaman agree it would be helpful to your condition - then a fluoride treatment will be done. Fluoride can help you out in a couple of different ways. First, if you have areas of weakened (not quite decayed yet) enamel, fluoride can help the enamel recover and thus stop the decay from forming. Fluoride is also helpful in lessening or stopping general tooth sensitivity, as it helps to seal up microscopic openings in the enamel, providing better insulation against hot and cold. For patients who frequently whiten (bleach) their teeth, fluoride is often used to stop the sensitivity which occurs after whitening. Years ago fluoride was mainly recommended for children, as they tended to be not as diligent in their homecare and more likely to have sugary substances on their teeth for longer periods of time; now, more and more adults are receiving regular fluoride treatments as the rate of cavities seem to be on the rise. If you think about it, it is rare to find someone who still drinks a lot of tap water! Now that the "bottled water" revolution has taken over, the fluoride most people ingested through city drinking water has become a thing of the past, so regular fluoride treatments help to counteract the loss of fluoride in the water. Also in our office, you have the option of two different types of fluoride treatments, varnish or foam, applications. Studies have shown varnish applications continue to provide protection to your teeth for a much longer time frame between treatments. This type of application also lessens general sensitivity for a much longer time frame, after treatment. You can discuss the benefits of fluoride treatments and which option is best for you with your hygienist to make an informed decision about adding this to your routine preventive program.