A dental exam is an examination of your teeth and gums, the hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity. We recommend children and adults should get a dental exam at least every six months. These exams are important for preserving and improving your oral health. Oral health problems can become serious and painful if not treated promptly.

Dental exams are performed by both Dr. Mike and your dental hygienist, Cory or Marissa. The hygienist will begin the appointment by going over the medical and dental history. Then they will evaluate your periodontal health, by assessing the conditions of your gum tissue. After the assessment, they will clean your teeth carefully and painlessly, with hand instruments and sometimes, the use of a cavitron, which is an vibrating instrument that has a water tip that helps loosen and remove plaque and tartar. After removing the plaque and tartar, the teeth are polished. Last the patient is given tips and recommendations on how the patient could maintain and improve their oral health. At this point, typically, Dr. Mike will come and complete his examination. He will converse with the hygienist to get an update on the patient’s periodontal (gum) health, and make any other treatment recommendations based on findings intraorally and through examination of any new and existing x-ray images available. He will also check the way the teeth come together (occlusion) and do an Oral Cancer screening.

Dental x-rays are images that can show cavities, gum disease, bone loss, and other problems that can't be seen by just looking at the mouth.

During an x-ray, the dentist or hygienist will:

• Place a thick covering, called a lead apron, over your chest. You may get an additional covering for your neck to protect your thyroid gland. These coverings protect the rest of your body from radiation.

• Have you bite down on a small piece of plastic.

• Place a scanner outside your mouth. He or she will take a picture, while standing behind a protective shield or other area.

• For certain types of x-rays, you will repeat this process, biting down in different areas of your mouth, as instructed by the dentist or hygienist.

There are different types of dental x-rays. A type called a full-mouth series may be taken once every few years to check your overall oral health. Another type, called bitewing x-rays, may be used more often to check for cavities or other tooth problems.

During the dentist's checkup, the dentist will:

• Check your x-rays, if you've had them, for cavities or other problems.

• Look at your teeth and gums to see if they are healthy.

• Check the bite (the way the top and bottom teeth fit together). If there is a bite problem, you may be referred to an orthodontist.

• Check for oral cancer. This includes feeling under your jaw, checking the insides of your lips, the sides of your tongue, and on the roof and floor of your mouth.

In addition to the above checks, Dr. Mike may check to see if your child's teeth are developing normally.

Commonly, done on children and adolescents, but when necessary can be used on adults. Fluoride varnish is a dental treatment that can help prevent tooth decay, slow it down, or stop it from getting worse. Fluoride varnish is made with fluoride, a mineral that can strengthen tooth enamel (outer coating on teeth).

Keep in mind that fluoride varnish treatments cannot completely prevent cavities. Fluoride varnish treatments can best help prevent decay when the patient is also brushing using the right amount of toothpaste with fluoride, flossing regularly, getting regular dental care, and eating a healthy diet.

SEALANTS: Again, this treatment is more commonly done on children right after their 6 year and 12 year molars erupt(break through the gum tissue in the mouth), but can be done on adults as well. Sealants are a thin, protective coating (made from plastic or other dental materials) that adheres to the chewing surface of your back teeth. They’re no substitute for brushing and flossing, but they can keep cavities from forming and may even stop early stages of decay from becoming a full-blown cavity.

CUSTOM NIGHTGUARDS FOR BRUXISM (TEETH CLENCHING AND GRINDING): Often people will have a condition called bruxism, which means involuntary clenching or grinding of the teeth. The condition can be caused by a number of factors including but not limited to misaligned teeth, missing teeth, stress, anxiety and sleep apnea. Bruxism can lead to flattened and worn teeth, increased tooth sensitivity, damage to cheek tissue, head and neck pain, headaches and other symptoms. To combat these signs and symptoms, we can make a customized guard to prevent and protect the teeth.