Cleanings and Exams

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Professional Cleanings

Professional cleanings are performed by a certified dental hygienist and are critical to assist in your overall dental health. Hygienists have specialized training and instruments to:

• Remove plaque build-up from tooth surfaces which has specific bacteria that could cause gum disease and/or decay.
• Remove tartar from teeth surfaces. Tartar (calculus) is plaque that has calcified to the tooth surface. Tartar acts as a site for bacteria to colonize and requires a professional cleaning to remove. Tartar below the gums contributes to gum disease.
• Remove surface stains from teeth through polishing.

Examinations

Dental examinations are designed to detect oral health concerns in their earlier stages. Treating a concern in its earlier stage prevents the problem from becoming worse and is typically easier and less expensive for the patient. Dental examinations include:

• Oral cancer screening
• Periodontal evaluation (assess gum disease)
• Caries detection (evaluate decay on teeth)
• TMJ (temporomandibular joint) assessment
• Radiographic examination (assist in detection of decay, infection, cysts/tumors, tooth impaction)

Digital X-rays (Radiographs)

Radiographs (X-rays) are an important diagnostic tool to detect problems that cannot be seen during a typical dental examination. Detection using X-rays is vital for a thorough examination and is beneficial for identifying issues early on, which will result in easier and less expensive treatment for the patient. X-rays help in identifying:

• Detection of decay between teeth
• Infections
• Tumors and cysts
• Impacted teeth and location
• Identifying abnormal developmental structures

The benefits of using a digital X-ray system provide the needed diagnostics along with further benefits:

• Images are clear, adjustable, and viewed instantly on the computer screen
• Less radiation – up to 90% less radiation than film radiographs
• Easily be sent to patient or specialist via email