Professional Cleaning
Brushing and flossing is extremely important to your oral health, but you can only do so much on your own. There are certain areas of your teeth that you cannot reach effectively on your own. That is why we recommend everyone receive a professional cleaning at least every 6 months. Even if you take excellent care of your teeth and gums at home you still need to see a dentist regularly.
In a professional cleaning your dentist or hygienist will:
- Remove plaque from teeth – Plaque is a sticky substance that forms in the mouth from food, saliva and bacteria. Plaque sticks to teeth and causes tooth decay and gum disease.
- Remove calculus (tartar) from the gum line – Calculus is plaque that has hardened on the tooth surface and is difficult to remove. (Calculus below the gum line is an indicator of gum disease and requires a different procedure to remove it.)
- Polish and remove minor stains on the enamel.
Call our office to schedule a professional dental cleaning so you can get those “pearly whites” sparkling again.
Exams and X-Rays
The best way to avoid painful and expensive dental procedures in the future is to have a thorough exam and x-ray of your teeth. Many problems are invisible to the naked eye, so without exams and x-rays, you would never even realize they are there until they become a serious dental problem. However, with exams and x-rays we can detect any potential problems as they develop, giving us time to deal with them before they become serious issues.
X-rays Help Identify These Issues:
- Cysts (sacks of fluid that form on the roots of teeth)
- Cancerous and non-cancerous tumors
- Invisible decay that appears between the teeth
- Location of teeth that haven’t grown all the way in
At Bend Family Dentistry – West we provide our patients with the latest in advanced, digital radiography.
The many benefits of digital x-rays compared to old-fashioned film-based machines include:
- Reduced radiation exposure
- Enhanced ability to refine image quality
- Instant viewing (no waiting for films to develop)
- Environmentally friendly (no harsh chemicals)
Best of all, it is easy for you to see what the dentist sees. Your digital x-ray can be seen on a computer screen while sitting in your dental chair. This allows you to better understand your needs and make an informed decision about your treatment.