|
Preventive Dentistry
Preventive Care
A comprehensive program of preventive care is the most
important service we provide our patients. That program
is delivered in our dental hygiene department, the largest
component of our practice, the sole purpose of which is
prevention. Prevention begins with the control of plaque
and calculus (tartar), the main cause of tooth decay and
periodontal (gum) diseases. Our goal is simply to keep
our patients’ teeth, gums and supporting structures
healthy.
At Columbus Family Dental Care, our hygienists, as well
as our entire staff, have had extensive continuing education
in the latest techniques in preventive dentistry. Along
with Dr. Dixon, they will develop an oral hygiene program
that is appropriate for you, including an ongoing cleaning
schedule, which may be every 3, 4, or 6 months. In addition,
they will provide you with home care instruction and whatever
take home materials may be necessary to maintain your healthy
mouth in between preventive care visits.
Periodontal Care
Periodontal diseases are classified according to severity – the
two types being gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis
is milder and reversible, and only affects the gums, which
are usually red, tender, and bleed easily. Periodontitis
is much more serious and destructive. It leads to receding
gums, bone-loss, infection, and loose teeth. Periodontitis
is the main cause of tooth loss in adults, and is known
as the silent killer of teeth - most patients feel no symptoms
until it's too late. It is now widely known that people
with periodontal diseases are at increased risk of developing
heart disease, respiratory disease, and of having low birth-weight
newborns.
With regular dental visits, we can usually treat these
gum diseases at an early stage, before they get out of
control. Treatment methods depend upon how far the condition
has progressed. The first step is usually a thorough cleaning
that includes scaling to remove plaque and tartar deposits.
The tooth roots also may be “planed” to smooth
the root surface to allow the gums to heal by reattaching
to the tooth. This is known as “periodontal scaling
and root planing” and is a common non-surgical treatment
for periodontitis. Dr Dixon may also recommend or prescribe
special mouth rinses and antibiotics to help maintain good
periodontal health.
You don’t have to lose your teeth to periodontal
diseases. Brush, clean between your teeth, eat a balanced
diet, and schedule regular preventive care visits for a
lifetime of healthy smiles. Regardless of your oral health
status, we are committed to making each preventive care
visit as pleasant and comfortable as possible.
Home Oral Hygiene
Instructions (PDF)
Instructions
to Follow After Scaling & Root Planing (PDF)
 Do
you need to download
Adobe Acrobat Reader?
X-rays
Radiographs or x-rays are an important part of any dental
examination and help show the condition of your teeth,
jaws, joints, sinuses, and the bones of your face. They
allow Dr. Dixon to see where a visual examination is not
possible, such as under the gums or between the teeth.
Columbus Family Dental Care is one of only a few central
Ohio dental offices that use digital radiography exclusively
- we no longer use film. The advantages of being fully
digital include being able to view x-ray images on our
computer monitors instantly with no time wasted or mess
involved as was the case with developing film. We can now
enhance and manipulate these images, send them electronically,
e-mail and print them. The best advantage for our patients,
however, is the dramatic reduction in radiation necessary
to capture the x-ray image – up to 90% less than
with film!
We typically use two types of radiographic images at our
office, periapical (or bitewing) and panoramic. The periapical
images require patients to either hold or bite on a plastic
device that holds the digital sensor (not film) in the
mouth in the correct position. These images are used to
determine the presence of decay in between the teeth, as
well as show the root structure, and surrounding bone.
These are done on an as-needed basis; and, are usually
repeated annually as part of our patients’ preventive
care visits. The panoramic image allows Dr. Dixon to see
your entire mouth at once. We typically take this image
every five years, and use it to check the jaw joints, facial
bones, sinuses, and wisdom teeth.
As a patient of our office, your radiographic needs are
based on Dr. Dixon’s judgment. We only prescribe
them when they are absolutely necessary.
Sealants
When the back teeth, the bicuspids and molars, are developing,
pits and fissures form in the chewing surfaces of the enamel.
These areas are impossible to keep clean, because the bristles
of a toothbrush cannot reach down into them. Pits and fissures
are snug places for plaque and food to hide; and, this
is where 75% of dental caries (cavities) form.
In order to prevent caries from forming in these vulnerable
pits and fissures, we routinely place sealants. A sealant
is a plastic resin material that is applied to the chewing
surfaces of the bicuspids and molars. This resin bonds
to the tooth and acts as a barrier, protecting it from
plaque and acids. It only takes a few minutes to seal each
tooth, and this is usually done by one of our hygienists.
The teeth to be sealed are first cleaned and conditioned
to help the resin adhere. Next, the resin is painted on
and allowed to harden.
As long as the sealant remains intact, the area sealed
will be protected from decay. They hold up well under the
force of normal chewing and should last many years. During
your regular preventive care visits, your hygienist will
check the condition of the sealants and repair or reapply
them at no charge for a period of five years. Remember
that prevention is better than treatment. Since they are
extremely effective in preventing pit and fissure decay,
properly applied and maintained sealants can result in
savings in both dollars and potential discomfort.
Fluoride
Found throughout nature in water, soil, air, and naturally
occurring in our own bodies, fluoride is a very important
part of dentistry. It is absorbed easily into tooth enamel,
especially in children’s growing teeth. Fluoride
contributes to the mineral structure of teeth in much the
same way calcium does, but fluoride stays a part of that
mineral structure better and is less likely to dissolve
out of it as calcium can. Therefore the more fluoride your
teeth have as a part of their mineral structure, the harder
and more resistant to decay they will be.
This is why systemic fluoride is so valuable, particularly
for young children who are just now developing teeth. Systemic
fluoride is that which has been added to public and private
drinking water. Once this low concentration of fluoride
is absorbed by the body, it is deposited in hard tissues
like bone and teeth. It is better to have teeth develop
with built-in fluoride “hardness” than to have
to try to add it later to “soft” teeth as a
topical supplement.
Topical fluoride, professionally-administered, such as
gels, rinses or varnishes, are applied by your hygienist,
usually at your preventive care visits. For patients with
a high risk of caries, we may dispense or prescribe a take-home
gel for home use.
|
|
|
