PREVENTATIVE DENTISTRY

Proactive Care

One of the most exciting parts of dentistry today is our ability to perform early detection of dental disease and initiate preventative therapy that can limit or prevent the scope of disease before it starts. Thanks to routine procedures such as yearly exams and dental cleanings we are now able to provide more proactive dental care versus the reactive treatment models that prevailed for much of the last century.

Preventative Measures

Simple procedures such as the placement of dental sealants and preventative resin restorations have dramatically decreased the rate of childhood and adult caries (cavities) over the past 30 years. Similarly, a better understanding of the relationship between diet, personal hygiene and systemic health have allowed dental professionals to provide patients with a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of what their personal risk factors are for oral disease. Oral cancer screenings are also now a standard part of any dental exam and cleaning and help in early detection of oral cancer, which it is estimated there were nearly 50,000 cases of in 2017.

Our Approach to Care

In our practice we make a concerted effort to always provide ample time to perform patient education regarding each individual patient’s specific risks for oral disease. Armed with this knowledge our patients are empowered to overcome dental pitfalls that might otherwise exist. Other examples of preventative dentistry include the use of protective occlusal splints (“night guards”), sports guards, saliva testing and the use of topical fluoride.

Dental Occlusal Guard and Sports Guard