Services at Creekside Dental
Preventative Dentistry
The best way to avoid invasive and costly dental procedures is to take great care of the teeth you have. Preventative appointments and services can help you do just that. By regularly visiting our office (every 3-6 months) we are able to actively monitor any changes in your oral health.
Routine Cleanings
A dental cleaning is the process of removing plaque, irritating deposits (known as calculus/tartar), and stains from your teeth. Your cleaning is performed by one or our five experienced dental hygienists and will last approximately one hour. Cleanings should be performed regularly (usually 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 any necessary scaling or root planing and polishing.
Scaling: This is the process of removing plaque and calculus/tartar from all tooth surfaces using a variety of methods, depending on the amount of plaque and tartar.
Dental hygienists traditionally perform scaling by hand. New and advanced technology has led 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.
Gum Disease Control
The gums, ligaments, and bone around the teeth form the foundation for one’s teeth. Collectively they are referred to as the periodontium. When the periodontium is not healthy, it jeopardizes the teeth—just as a bad foundation would threaten the stability of a house. Signs of unhealthy periodontium include: gums that are red and bleed easily, persistent bad breath, gums that are pulled away from the tooth, loose teeth, and changes in the position or bite of the teeth. Early diagnosis and proper gum treatments can return gum tissue to a healthy state. The treatment usually involves a deep cleaning or root planing done under a local anesthetic, along with local antibiotic agents. If the gum disease is severe enough, surgery or tooth extraction may be necessary.
Oral Appliance Therapy (for Sleep Apnea/Snoring)
Sleep Apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition in which an individual repeatedly stops breathing while he or she sleeps. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea, caused by a blockage of the airway. This blockage could be excess tissue in the nasal passages or behind the tongue in the oral pharynx and hypopharynx of the airway. Sleep Apnea can be helped by using a custom oral appliance, which should be fitted by qualified dental personnel who are trained and experienced in the overall care of oral health like the doctors at Creekside Dental.
Sealants
Sealants are liquid plastic bonded to the tooth surface to prevent cavities. Sealants are commonly used to fill in narrow grooves in a tooth that cannot be adequately cleaned by brushing.