The first step toward prevention is education. Education at our office begins when you step into our waiting room. We use Henry Schein’s Guru Patient Education Software that employs images and animations to help patients better understand their treatment needs and options.
DIAGNOdent®
This is one of the many instruments we use at our Scottsbluff dentist’s office to improve your oral health. DIAGNOdent® uses light to monitor the progression of cavities and detect them early on. It is preferred over typical methods of detecting cavities because DIAGNOdent® does not require any use of probing, X-rays or excavation of suspect teeth. The DIAGNOdent® is fast, painless and proven more than 90 percent accurate. It is changing dental examinations around the world.
Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride treatments help rebuild teeth and protect them from decay that occurs as a result of plaque and sugars in the mouth. Our treatments contain higher levels of fluoride than over-the-counter products such as toothpastes and rinses. It is important that children between the ages of 6 and 16 use fluoride products in amounts appropriate for their ages. Adults can benefit from fluoride treatments as well, especially if they suffer from gum disease, dry mouth conditions, frequent cavities, and if they have bridges, crowns and braces.
Cavitron Ultrasonic Dental Cleanings
Ultrasonic dental cleanings are conducted through the use of Cavitron, an instrument that creates high frequency sound waves that cause vibration and heat. A continuous stream of water is utilized as a cleaning solvent as well as to keep the instruments cool. This process removes tartar and plaque and kills microbes. As compared to traditional means of teeth cleaning, ultrasonic dental cleanings are faster and safe for sensitive teeth since they do not require the use of pressure.
Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are plastic coatings that are painted on teeth, usually molars, to prevent food and germs from settling into tooth grooves, which causes decay. They commonly are applied to children’s teeth. Dental sealants are not visible and typically last five to 10 years. They should be used in addition to, not in replacement of, fluoride treatments and can be evaluated at regular dentist appointments. Application of dental sealants is a quick, painless process that will help protect against decay and cavities.
Gum Disease Therapy
Gum disease therapy is an alternative to surgical treatment of gum disease. We use a combination of root planing, scaling and antibiotics. Root planing focuses on teeth roots and removing rough spots from them. Scaling addresses the area below the gum line and works to remove plaque and tartar that builds there. An ultrasonic scaling instrument may be used to conduct root planing and scaling. Antibiotics are positioned between the teeth and gums to speed the healing process.
Digital X-rays
Digital X-rays use radiography equipment that produces digital images with the help of an image receptor or sensor. The employment of digital X-rays produces 50-70 percent less radiation than traditional X-rays. Digital X-rays allow dentists and hygienists to instantly show patients’ results on large monitors in the exam rooms and keep copies of the images in patients’ files for future reference.