We offer preventive services at our office to help maintain the health of your smile. Most people consider preventive services as “just cleanings,” but there is a lot more involved in keeping your mouth healthy. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends visiting the dentist at regular intervals, usually twice a year. There are many things to monitor in your mouth, including checking for cavities, gum disease, enamel wear, cracks in teeth, and more.

Dental cleanings and exams allow us to identify problems and take care of them right away.  It is important that you come to your preventive cleanings to help maintain the health of your mouth. This will allow us to find problems when they are smaller and less expensive. Larger problems take a lot more time and are more costly to fix. For example, a small cavity may cost $150-200 to repair with a filling. However, if the cavity gets too large, a root canal may be required, followed by a crown on that tooth. Depending on the location of the tooth, the cost to repair could become ten times as much!

What do we check when you come in for preventive dental care? We take x-rays to check for cavities in your mouth and also for periodontal disease (gum disease). Gum disease is usually characterized by destruction of the bone support around your teeth. We will also check for soft tissue problems including oral cancer and even tumors or lesions in your head and neck area.