Regular and Routine Check ups are important to keep your teeth and gums at their best health and looks. A thorough comprehensive exam, a full set of x-rays, along with responses to questions about habits, diet, headaches, hygiene etc will allow Dr. Bogg to come to a thorough understanding about your dental and oral conditions. A diagnosis and treatment plan can be made with the above information and explained to you.
Also at the initial visit a dental cleaning will be done.
Prophylaxis (regular cleaning by your Dentist) is a simple procedure done with hand and ultrasonic instruments to remove plaque (bacterial film sticking to teeth and gums) and tartar (hardened plaque) followed by a polishing of the teeth with a mild abrasive paste to smoothen the tooth surface.
This procedure is usually done twice a year. Some patients need it more often depending on the rate of tartar formation. If the gum condition dictates it, a deep cleaning (scaling and root planning) will be suggested at this time.
Here are some tips to maintain your Oral and Dental health by yourself:
- Brush after breakfast and after dinner – so your teeth are clean most of the time in a 24 hour period
- Floss – to clean between your teeth
- Use Mouth wash
- Drink water at the end of each meal and keep sipping water during the day
Sealants
Sealants help prevent tooth decay. Simply put, Sealant is a seal of white or tooth shaded material that is bonded to the chewing surfaces of the molars (back teeth).
There are deep grooves in molars that trap food and bacteria, which is almost impossible for a child to remove. These crevices are a breeding ground for decay, affecting the primary and secondary molars even before the rest of your child’s permanent teeth are in.
There is no need for anesthesia or drilling, so the tooth – and your child- will not be subjected to stress. The molars are first cleaned, then prepped with a solution that makes it easier for the sealant to adhere. Finally, the sealant is brushed on and a special light is used to harden the material. Children generally get their first permanent molars at about 6 years of age and their second molar at around 12 years of age, by this time you and your Dentist should have discussed sealants and scheduled an appointment.
Sports Guard
These appliances are used to prevent trauma to the teeth while playing sports. Sports injuries to teeth occur when an external injury (a fall, collision, etc.) cause teeth to bump against each other. Sports or Mouth Guards can be specially designed to protect teeth from this type of injury. Once they are custom fitted, they should fit snuggly over the upper or lower teeth to prevent trauma associated with tooth-to-tooth impact.
A general mouth guard may help, but there are greater advantages to having a custom guard. The fit and size of a custom guard can provide clearer speech, more comfortable fit, and easier breathing than a regular mouth guard.
Space Maintainer
This is another preventive measure when baby teeth are extracted prematurely. If a baby tooth is removed before it comes off by itself, the neighboring teeth might move towards the empty space and not leave enough space for the permanent tooth to come in. A simple impression can be made as soon as the tooth is removed and a small fixed appliance can be fabricated and put in to hold the space till the next tooth comes in.