Preventive Dentistry – Gainesville, FL
Keeping Smiles Healthy for a Lifetime
The foundations of every treatment plan at Exceptional Dentistry
& Sedation Center is preventive dentistry in Gainesville, FL, including dental checkups and teeth cleanings
twice a year. Our friendly team is passionate about helping patients achieve their healthiest smiles and keep them
for a lifetime. If it’s been more than six months since you last visited the dentist, please contact our team to find out more about
preventive dentistry at our Gainesville dental office and start your journey down the road to a lifetime of oral
health today.
Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings
Dental checkups and teeth cleanings are an essential component
of ongoing oral health care plans for patients of all ages. In the past, patients would only seek dental care
when they experienced pain or damage. By visiting the dentist for regular checkup appointments (we recommend
every 6 months at a minimum), patients are able to prevent the majority of oral health concerns and diagnose and
begin treating others in their earliest stages. During every six month checkup at Exceptional Dentistry, we
carefully examine the interior and exterior structures of teeth, looking for signs of common oral health
conditions like tooth decay, gum disease, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), bruxism (teeth grinding and
clenching), and oral cancer. After the examination, one of our skilled hygienists will carefully remove all
plaque and tartar buildup, answer your oral hygiene questions, and make recommendations to improve your at-home
oral health care routine. Finally, one of our skilled dentists will sit down with you to discuss any current
oral health concerns and create a plan for ongoing oral health care.
Fluoride Treatment
Enamel is the hardest substance made by the human body, but it’s not completely invincible. Acid from the foods you eat or harmful bacteria in your mouth can strip away its nutrients or contribute to tooth decay.
Thankfully, topical fluoride treatments can be used to help people of all ages in Gainesville strengthen their smiles to avoid potential problems, like cavities or injuries. Continue reading to learn more about this standard preventive service, and feel free to contact us for additional information.
What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found in water sources, such as lakes, rivers, creeks, and rain. As a result, it’s also often found in soil and in the vegetation growing there.
This ingredient can potentially be fatal if you’re exposed to large quantities, but in smaller, controlled dosages, it can be incredibly beneficial to your dental health. It strengthens your enamel to help improve your resistance to common concerns, like cavities, chips, cracks, or breakages.
As a result, it’s often included in dental products, like commercial-grade toothpaste, and is sometimes also included in public sources of drinking water to help avoid widespread oral issues.
How Does Fluoride Treatment Work?
For this standard service, our team will place the fluoride, which is usually a gel or foam, onto your teeth. This can sometimes involve biting into a tray containing the product, but in other instances it can be applied directly with a small brush, swab, or other appropriate instrument. Then, we let it sit for a few minutes so that the active ingredients have time to take effect.
We might also ask that you avoid eating or drinking anything for about 30 to 60 minutes to allow the fluoride to bond with minerals in your enamel, such as calcium and phosphate, to reverse the earliest stages of tooth decay and prevent injuries.
Who Benefits from Fluoride Treatment?
Although topical fluoride can sometimes be offered as a standalone service, it is more commonly included as the final step of routine checkups and cleanings. It is considered safe for patients of all ages and can be offered to adults and children. We might recommend this topical treatment for those who have:
- Unique needs that make it challenging to maintain a twice-daily dental hygiene routine at home
- A medical condition, like diabetes or pregnancy, or take prescription medications that increase the likelihood of oral issues
- Sensitivity caused by thinning enamel
- Other early signs of cavities
Gum Disease Treatment
Periodontal (gum) disease affects millions of US adults every year and is the leading cause of tooth loss in people over the age of 35. Worse still, as much as 80% of people suffering from periodontal disease are misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. That’s why screening for signs of gum disease is such an important aspect of at least twice a year dental checkups at Exceptional Dentistry & Sedation Center. We start by completing periodontal charting at every checkup. This procedure measures the depth of the pockets between the teeth and gums. Growing gum tissue pockets are one of the most common early indicators of periodontal disease. In most cases, periodontal charting allows us to intervene to prevent gum disease. If patients do experience gum disease, we offer a variety of periodontal therapies to renew oral health including scaling (the removal of plaque, tartar, and damaged tissue), root planing (the smoothing of tooth roots to prevent buildup), and antibiotic therapies.
Learn More About Periodontal Therapy
TMJ & Bruxism Therapy
The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) connect the jaw to the skull bone and allow patients to speak, chew, yawn, and otherwise open and close their mouths comfortably. When the TMJ are strained or damaged, the result is painful or limited jaw mobility. Bruxism is the unconscious grinding and clenching of teeth that typically occurs at nighttime. The causes of TMJ dysfunction (TMD) and bruxism do not necessarily overlap, but in some cases, we’re able to offer the same treatment for both oral health conditions – custom crafted nightguards.
TMD affects millions of US adults and can develop over the course of years. The damage or strain of the TMJ is a degenerative disease that gradually causes the way the upper and lower teeth fit together to shift. The main side effects of TMD include:
- Clicking or grinding sound when opening and closing the mouth
- Jaw pain
- Limited jaw movement or complete inability to move the jaw
- Chronic headaches
- Earache or ringing in the ears
- Head, neck, shoulder, and back pain
Some people suffer from bruxism their whole lives and there’s no specific cause. Others develop the oral health issue due to stress or bite misalignment. Regardless of the cause, the result is an unconscious teeth grinding and clenching habit that may lead to dental wear, toothache, chips and cracks in teeth, and chronic morning headaches.
A custom nightguard repositions the jaw in its most comfortable resting position relieving unnecessary strain on the TMJ and allowing the jaw joints to rest. Additionally, these guards place a physical barrier between the teeth preventing damage for patients who grind and clench their teeth.
Emergency Dentistry
Are you suffering tooth pain right now? Do you have an emergency dental problem that you need fixed right away? 98% of the emergency patients that called Exceptional Dentistry & Sedation Center were seen the same day and received treatment that allowed them immediate comfort. Exceptional Dentistry & Sedation Center routinely handles emergency nerve and root canal treatments, extractions, jaw pain, chipped teeth, and broken partial or dentures. This highly trained team also offers emergency cosmetic solutions with porcelain veneers, crowns, and tooth-colored fillings. You’re only a phone call away from the compassionate high quality help you deserve. Call now.
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