Kids and adults need routine care to help lower the risk of tooth decay and even serious threats like gum disease. To help protect teeth and gums, people of all ages need a routine exam every six months. In today’s blog, your Ankeny, IA, dentist talks about protecting your family’s smiles with a dental exam.
Starting with a Dental Checkup
We want to see you and your whole family for a routine checkup visit every six months. During these appointments, we will carefully examine your teeth and gums, as well as the roots and key oral structures, with digital x-rays and intraoral cameras. This technology uses 90% less radiation and provides detailed images, so we can make a diagnosis with precision and catch possible problems in their earliest stages. We look for common threats like tooth decay and infection, gingivitis and gum disease, and even concerns like TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). Our team can conduct an oral cancer screening, and make sure kids have baby teeth erupting and falling out on time, so permanent teeth can arrive without complication.
Cleaning Your Smile
Alone with the detailed examination and diagnosis, our team can also safeguard your smile by conducting a dental cleaning. The procedure enables our team to remove all plaque and tartar from the teeth with an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual tool. This helps protect the smile from issues ranging from bad breath and stained teeth to cavities and gum disease. We then polish the teeth to brighten the smile and make it more difficult for plaque and tartar to accumulate before you see our team again.
Protecting Kids from Tooth Decay
For kids, we can also discuss unique preventive treatments to help lower the risk of tooth decay. During their exam, we can apply fluoride to the teeth to strengthen the outer enamel and make cavities less likely to form. We can also place dental sealants on the rear teeth. This thin acrylic layer prevents food and drink particles from being trapped between the rear teeth, which kids have difficulty reaching when they brush and floss. Sealants then lower the risk of cavities, and can even stay in place for up to ten years!
If you have any questions about the importance of a checkup and cleaning, or if you would like to schedule an exam for your family, then reach out to our team today to get started!
Dental Impressions Talks About Dental Exams
Our team wants to help safeguard smiles of all ages from common issues like tooth decay and gum disease. To schedule an appointment and protect oral health, then call Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA today at (515) 965-0230.
