To help protect your smile, we want to prevent the onset of issues such as tooth decay and even gum disease. These treatments can safeguard smiles of all ages, from kids to adults. In today’s blog, your Grand Prairie, TX, dentist talks about how we can help protect smiles from poor oral health with preventive dentistry.
Dental Checkups and Cleanings
The key component of our preventive dentistry approach is the checkup and cleaning. We want to see you and your family for one every six months. This can begin for kids as young as age two! The checkup portion involves our team carefully examining the smile with digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, so we can conduct a diagnosis with precision and accuracy, catching issues like tooth decay and even gum disease in the early stages, so we can offer treatment to manage your oral health. We also watch for oral cancer, TMJ disorder, and even bruxism (teeth grinding).
In the same visit, we also clean your teeth, which removes all plaque and tartar from the smile. The dental cleaning takes only a few minutes and uses an ultrasonic scaling device to remove plaque and tartar with gentle vibrations. We then use a manual pick to remove stubborn portions of tartar. Finally, we polish the teeth for a brighter smile and to limit the ability for plaque and tartar buildup to occur, protecting smiles in between visits!
Children’s Dental Care
Our team is proud to offer children’s dentistry to help kids of all ages enjoy good oral health. In addition to checkups and cleanings for kids, we can also provide lifelike and metal-free filling to treat tooth decay. To help prevent cavities, we can apply fluoride to the teeth during checkup visits, which helps keep outer enamel strong and lower the risk of tooth decay. We can also apply dental sealants to the rear teeth, as the molars are often difficult for kids to reach when they brush and floss. The sealants prevent food and drink particles from being caught between these teeth, and this can help fight the onset of cavities for years to come.
Stopping TMD and Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
When you have strain on your jaw joints, this can lead to TMJ disorder and with it, painful symptoms and issues opening and closing your mouth. You could also develop bruxism, in which you grind and clench your teeth at night, damaging them and increasing the risk of cavities and infection. With an oral appliance, we can provide a comfortable and noninvasive way to help correct bite balance and prevent further damage to the teeth. This device will gently reposition the bite and also place a soft barrier between the upper and lower teeth. The appliance is easy to use and clean, and it can travel with you too!
Treating Sleep Disorders
Do you have trouble sleeping due to sleep apnea? Do you snore nightly, feel irritable and sleepy during the day, and struggle to concentrate on tasks or have issues with memory? Sleep apnea can lead to major issues with your overall health, even straining your cardiovascular system. With a custom oral appliance, we can provide a comfortable alternative to the CPAP machine, which helps shift the jaw and tongue forward to prevent the collapse of soft tissues, so you breathe without interruption and avoid the symptoms of sleep apnea, feeling more rested and refreshed during the day.
Periodontal Cleanings
If you begin to experience sore, red, and bleeding gums, then you may need a periodontal cleaning to remove harmful buildup from the teeth and roots, which helps control inflammation and manage the issue to prevent the stages linked to tooth loss. The cleaning can take one visit or possibly several, depending on the extent of your buildup., We can then better manage your inflammation and oral health with traditional cleaning every three to four months.
Dental Sedation
We want to ensure that your visit is a positive experience and that you feel relaxed and comfortable during your treatment. With dental sedation, we can choose from one of three options to help you enter a deep state of calm, with little to no memory of the procedure. This is helpful if you are undergoing preventive treatments, or if you have dental anxiety or special needs that could complicate treatment! If you have any questions about preventive dentistry, then contact our team today to learn more.
Learn More About Preventive Dentistry
We want to help you avoid serious oral health problems with a preventive approach to dental care. When you are ready to schedule your appointment with our office for preventive dentistry, contact Pecan Tree Dental in Grand Prairie, TX at 972-262-5111.
