PREVENTATIVE CARE
Preventive dental care focuses on working together to prevent dental problems. Our team at Macadam Dental can help you achieve a healthy set of teeth to last a lifetime. Don’t forget to visit our Facebook!
Our preventive dental care services include:
- Dental Cleanings
- Digital X-Rays
- Dental Sealants
- Diagnodent laser system (allows early detection of certain types of cavities)
Dental Cleanings and Exams
Having dental cleanings and exams twice a year is an important preventative step. Regular cleanings will us help identify problems when they are small or even hidden, which in turn will save you time and future problems that are often more destructive to our teeth and mouth.
Dental cleanings are a critical element in your regular oral hygiene. Your appointment will involve the removal of plaque, calculus, or tartar and surface stains that have built up on your teeth and along your gum line. By scheduling regular dental cleanings and exams, we can help prevent cavities and maintain periodontal health, staving off gum disease.
Ultrasonic Scaler
The ultrasonic scaler is an essential tool that our hygienists use to remove plaque and tartar. Using ultrasonic vibrations, the instrument is able to release calcified plaque (tartar) from your teeth. The vibrations are so tiny and quick that they generally can only be detected by the patient as a high-pitched sound. This tool helps us keep your teeth clean which helps reduce gingivitis.
Periodontal Scaling
Occasionally, one of our dentists may recommend that a more involved cleaning, known as periodontal scaling or “deep cleaning”, is necessary. The process involves cleaning the gums and teeth and then smoothing the roots. By having a deep cleaning done our hygienist is able to remove plaque, which is filled with bacteria, from any deep pockets.
Finally, our hygienist will brush, floss, and polish your teeth to remove any surface stains that have accumulated. At the end of the appointment, we may offer a fluoride treatment which will help strengthen your teeth. You will leave our office with a brighter smile and a healthier mouth.
Intra-Oral Camera
The intra-oral camera is a great educational tool that we use to show you anything of note that we find upon examination. Using the intra-oral camera we can take live footage from inside your mouth and project the video feed onto a monitor for you to see. When we are able to show you what’s going on in your mouth in real time, it can make a big difference. This allows us to show you things like:
- Broken fillings
- Chipped or cracked teeth
- Visible decay
- Bleeding around the gums
- Abscesses or cysts
Digital X-Rays
At Macadam Dental, we use digital X-rays. These are different than the traditional X-ray film you may remember from your youth. We are able to view images on a large screen and zoom in on points of interest, a huge advancement from the small two-inch slides of traditional X-rays. We can also quickly forward images to specialists for a second opinion. Most importantly, because our digital system is more sensitive, it reduces radiation by up to 90% when compared to traditional speed film.
Dental Sealants
At Macadam Dental, we can also protect your molar and premolar teeth from decay by applying sealants. Dental sealants will help protect your teeth from cavities and have been noted as one of the most proactive preventative treatments in dental care.
Dental sealants are a plastic material that is carefully bonded into the small grooves of your teeth as a liquid, then a special light is applied to harden the sealant as a protective “shell.” There is no discomfort in the application process and is completely painless.
