Preventive Care and Periodontal Therapy

Preventive Care

We’ve all heard the old dogma, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” And like many old sayings, it has a lot of truth to it. Preventive care is the best way to keep your teeth happy and healthy.  By coming to our dental office on six month intervals, many dental problems can be avoided or at least stopped before they become major issues. At your cleaning appointment, not only do you get the plaque and tarter removed from your teeth and away from your gums, but the dentist will also check for signs of decay, gum disease, and even screen for signs of oral cancer.  If any of these issues are caught in their early stages, the chances for successful treatment go up, and costs go down.

X-rays

Many times at your dental visits, x-rays are taken. This is done in order to see things that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Cavities between the teeth, below the gums, and under old restorations can only be seen on x-rays. These pictures also allow your dentist to see if you have any loss of bone around your teeth caused by periodontal disease. While x-rays aren’t always necessary, having them taken once a year is a good idea. This way, we can be sure no little problems slip through the cracks. At One Mile Smile, we use the latest in digital processing to ensure maximum accuracy with MINIMUM exposure.

Periodontal Therapy

Periodontal disease is a serious problem. It is the loss of bone, caused by bacterial plaque, around the teeth. It is the number one reason for tooth loss worldwide. There is good news though! We can treat it! If you are diagnosed with periodontal disease, the best treatment is aptly named periodontal therapy. It is a process mostly consisting of several deeper cleanings that flush out the problematic bacteria from the deep pockets around the teeth and smoothing the surfaces of the teeth to prevent relapses.