Preventive Care

Hygiene Appointments

Our Hygiene Services Include:

Cleanings – Routine cleanings from ages 3 and up.
X-Rays
Full Periodontal Disease Treatment
Fluoride treatment
Oral Cancer screening

We also offer:

Bruxism (TMJ & Teeth Grinding)
Athletic Mouth Guards

Dental Cleaning

A dental cleaning is a professional cleaning you receive from a dentist or a dental hygienist. Most dental cleanings take only between 25 and 30 minutes. Cleanings should be performed at least every six months to prevent excessive plaque buildup. Plaque left untreated can lead to unhealthy gums and tooth decay. A routine dental cleaning should include scaling, root planning and polishing.

Scaling

This is the process of removing plaque and tartar from all tooth surfaces in a variety of methods, depending on the amount of plaque and tartar. Dental hygienists traditionally perform scaling by hand. However, new and advanced technology has lead to more modern methods such as electric scalers. This sophisticated tool allows dental cleanings to be performed more efficiently and in less time. To achieve best results, both electric and manual scaling methods are combined for dental cleanings.

Root Planning

This is the process of cleaning pockets in the gums to treat and prevent gum problems. Root planning is used to treat moderate to advanced gum diseases. When the gum is inflamed, gum pockets become deeper and they may lose connections to the bone inside. The deeper the pockets, the easier it is for plaque deposits to become trapped and worsen gum problems. Root planning involves inserting a pointed dental tool called scaler into the gum pockets to clean plaque buildup. Depending on the degree of difficulty, root planning may take several appointments and a local anesthesia may be used to prevent pain.

Polishing

This is the last step in tooth cleaning and involves finishing the surface of the teeth to make them shiny and clean. Rubber cup polishing uses a low-speed and gentle hand piece that contains a polishing paste made of abrasive ingredients ideal for removing stains.

Very friendly employees. Great job cleaning my teeth. Very clean office

J.G.

Dental Care

Intra Oral Cameras Help You Get A Clear View

Patients don’t often have a clear idea of the actual status of their dental health. With the use of intra oral cameras, when at the dentist, you sit comfortably back in the chair and can watch as things progress. The dentist or hygienist inserts a pen-sized, camera-tipped wand into your mouth that is covered with a disposable plastic sheath for contamination prevention. The wand takes a video of the inside of your mouth and transmits the images to a computer screen. The full-color images is one that you can view from the dental chair. And there is your mouth on the screen. The dentist points out any problem areas and explain his recommendations for treatment, so you will become an informed partner in your dental care.

Intraoral X-Rays

There are several types of intra oral X-rays, each of which shows different aspects of teeth.

Regular Dental Exams to check for problems with teeth and/or gums
Prophylaxis or Simple Cleanings
After a Deep Cleaning our hygienists perform Periodontal Maintenance, usually every 3-4 months
Fluoride Treatments (if necessary)
Sealants
Eating a balanced diet to protect teeth by providing them with the nutrients they need.Preventive dentistry helps keep people from developing dental problems. Cavities, gingivitis, enamel loss, and periodontitis can all be avoided or alleviated with proper dental care. Oral health is related to total body health. This is because the mouth is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Maintaining a clean mouth benefits overall health. With good dental hygiene, we hope to help you greatly reduce your risk of getting cavities, gingivitis, periodontitis, and other dental problems. This, in turn, can reduce the risk of secondary problems caused by poor oral health.

Intra oral X-rays are the most common type of dental X-ray taken. These X-rays provide a lot of detail and allow your dentist to find cavities, check the health of the tooth root and bone surrounding the tooth, check the status of developing teeth, and monitor the general health of your teeth and jawbone.
Extra oral X-rays show teeth, but their main focus is the jaw and skull. These X-rays do not provide the detail found with intra oral X-rays and therefore are not used for detecting cavities or for identifying problems with individual teeth. Instead, extra oral X-rays are used to look for impacted teeth, monitor growth and development of the jaws in relation to the teeth, and to identify potential problems between teeth and jaws and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ, see temporomandibular disorders for more information) or other bones of the face.

Bite-wing X-rays show details of the upper and lower teeth in one area of the mouth. Each bite-wing shows a tooth from its crown to about the level of the supporting bone. Bite-wing X-rays are used to detect decay between teeth and changes in bone density caused by gum disease. They are also useful in determining the proper fit of a crown (or cast restoration) and the marginal integrity of fillings.
Periapical X-rays show the whole tooth — from the crown to beyond the end of the root to where the tooth is anchored in the jaw. Each periapical X-ray shows this full tooth dimension and includes all the teeth in one portion of either the upper or lower jaw. Periapical X-rays are used to detect any abnormalities of the root structure and surrounding bone structure.

Extraoral X-Rays

Panoramic X-rays show the entire mouth area — all the teeth in both the upper and lower jaws — on a single X-ray. This type of X-ray is useful for detecting the position of fully emerged as well as emerging teeth, can identify impacted teeth, and aid in the diagnosis of tumors.

We Invest In You

Our Technology

There’s a newer dental X-ray technique that your dentist already may be using or may soon be using. It’s called digital imaging. Instead of developing X-ray film in a dark room, the X-rays are sent directly to a computer and can be viewed on screen, stored, or printed out. There are several benefits of using this new technology:

The technique uses less radiation than the typical X-ray and there is no wait time for the X-rays to develop — the images are available on screen a few seconds after being taken.
The image taken, of a tooth for example, can be enhanced and enlarged many times its actual size on the computer screen, making it easier for your dentist to show you where and what the problem is.
If necessary, images can be electronically sent to another dentist or specialist — for instance, for a second opinion on a dental problem — to determine if a specialist is needed, or to a new dentist (if you move).
Software added to the computer can help dentists digitally compare current images to previous ones in a process called subtraction radiography. Using this technique, everything that is the same between two images is “subtracted out” from the image, leaving a clear image of only the portion that is different. This helps dentists easily see the tiniest changes that may not have been noticed by the naked eye.

Home Oral Care

Preventive

Brush Daily with Fluoride Toothpaste

Replace Toothbrushes 3-4 Times Per Year

Daily Flossing

Brush Teeth Twice Daily

Schedule Dental Checkups Every 6 Months

Water Pick Usage Recommended

Have Questions? Get in Touch!

Most Insurances Accepted

Delta Dental – Ameritas – United Concordia – MetLife

(928) 855-5041

1939 McCulloch Blvd N, Lake Havasu City, AZ