Prevention is always better than treatment. Dr. Seth can help you maintain a healthy beautiful smile through routine examinations, prophylaxis, fluoride treatment, sealants, and x-rays when indicated.
Examinations: Dental examinations allow Dr. Seth to diagnosis disease and development. Your dental examinations generally include oral cancer screenings, evaluation of growth and development, orthodontic needs assessment, gum disease evaluation, visual examination of tooth decay, examination of diagnostic x-rays, and evaluation of current fillings.
Prophylaxis: (cleanings)
Professional cleanings:
- Polish and remove stains from teeth
- Remove plaque from teeth – Plaque is a sticky substance that form in the mouth from food, saliva and bacteria. Plaque sticks to teeth and causes tooth decay and gum disease.
- Remove calculus or tarter from teeth. Calculus is plaque that has hardened on the tooth surface and is more difficult to remove.
Fluoride: is a compound used to prevent tooth decay by resisting the tooth from acid attacks from sugars found in the mouth. Fluoride is often applied to teeth following a dental cleaning to help remineralize the teeth and prevent tooth decay.
Sealants: Sealants are a clear coating applied to the biting surfaces of permanent back teeth that do not have decay. They are an excellent way to protect chewing surfaces of teeth from future decay.
Dental X- Rays: Dental x-rays are used to see things that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Dr. Seth uses these to exam for decay between the teeth, exam for cysts (sacks of fluid that can form on the roots of teeth), cancerous and non-cancerous tumors, and location of teeth that are still forming below the gum surface.
Space Maintainers: Space maintainers are used to prevent shifting of teeth from the premature loss of a baby tooth. They are bands and wires designed to hold the remaining teeth in place. This will allow for permanent teeth to erupt in their proper locations.