Adult Preventive Dentistry

Today, it is possible to change a mouth from one that gets cavities and gum disease to one that does not. All that is required is a slightly different approach and more knowledge and understanding on your part as to how and why dental disease occurs.

Proper homecare and diet is aimed to control bacterial plaque which is the primary cause of tooth loss. The better job you do to remove it daily, the less chance for dental decay and gum disease. Please read through our informative list of preventive dentistry practices created for overall improved health.

Preventive dentistry means less extensive, and less expensive treatment needed over your lifetime.

Individuals with healthy mouths chew more easily and gain more nutrients from the foods they eat. They have a better chance of general health because disease in the mouth can endanger the rest of the body. A healthy mouth is also more attractive, giving you more confidence in your appearance.

Microdentistry is a philosophy in dentistry that takes advantage of the latest tools and techniques to help us keep your teeth healthy and beautiful.

As a first step in microdentistry, we'll talk with you about you diet, homecare routine, and health history to help you lower your risk for tooth decay. If you're at high risk, we may recommend special toothpastes, mouthrinses, fluoride, varnishes, sealants, or other treatments to help prevent decay.

The principles of microdentistry are to:

  Prevent tooth decay
  Detect and treat decay as early as possible
  Preserve the maximum amount of tooth structure
  Restore your teeth comfortably with natural-looking materials

There is only one person who can save your teeth. Your ability to prevent bacteria from accumulating on your teeth and in the pockets beside them, wil determine more than anything else, whether you keep your teeth for life or not. If you wish to prevent the destruction of your teeth (through decay), and their supporting structures, you must be at least 92 percent effective in your control pf plaque and bleeding.

The first part of preventive health is giving you an understanding of how dental disease occurs. The diagnosis of periodontal disease, cavities, and an evaluation of your bite, are important parts of a dental examination. We want you to understand how we diagnose oral health conditions so we can work together to maintain and improve your health.

How do we diagnose periodontal disease?

Since you may have no symptoms with periodontal disease, we perform a thorough examination with a periodontal probe and x-rays.

With periodontal disease, the bone level falls, and the gums pull away from the tooth, forming a pocket. We use a probe to take measurements from the bottom of the pocket where it's attached to the tooth, to the top of the gums. A probe reading of more than three millimeters is a sign of periodontal disease. In general, the deeper the pockets, the greater the spread of periodontal disease. Bleeding, which sometimes happens when we measure your gums, is also a sign of infection.

How do we diagnose cavities?

Like periodontal disease, cavities are caused by plaque. The bacteria in plaque produce acid, which destroys the enamal of your teeth and causes cavities.

Finding cavities is sometimes easy, but sometimes it's not. For hard-to-find cavities, we use a dental explorer and x-rays. It's far better to catch and restore cavities while they're still small and in the enamel layer of the tooth. Once they're in the softer dentin layer, they can grow quickly. If decay makes it to the pulp chamber, infection can grow inside the tooth and may lead to the need for root canal treatment.

How do we diagnose bite problems?

ring your checkup, we'll also inspect your bite. A healthy bite allows all of yout teeth to hit simultaneously and evenly when your jaw joint is seated into its proper position at the base of your skull. In this position, your chewing muscles are also contracting evenly.

Bite problems can cause difficulties with your jaw joint, the TMJ. Click on the link provided for more information on Temporomandibular Disorder.

Dental infection results from an overgrowth of specific organisms that are part of normally occurring human flora. Human dental organisms need tooth structure to be present to survive.

Today, it is possible to change a mouth from one that gets Cavities and Gum Disease to one that does not. All that is required is a preventive approach which consists of making individuals more knowledgeable as to HOW and WHY dental disease occurs. This approach also includes individual analysis and easy to understand communication tools. We compose this infomation for you to have a better understanding of your own oral health. It is up to you what you do with this infomation. We want to help you achieve any personal oral health goals you may have.

Home Care Recommendations:

  Brush with soft manual toothbrush at a 45 degree angle in light circular motions for 3 minutes or with an electric toothbrush for 2 minutes.
  Floss nightly, wrapping the floss around each tooth scrubbing the root surface below the gum line.
  Limit frequency of sugar exposures to the teeth, including soda.
  Chew xylitol gum 4 times a day.
  Use Fluoride/Xylitol rinse right before bedtime.
  Follow special instructions unique to your diagnosis.

A sealant is a plastic material (resin) aplied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth --- the premolars and molors. The resin bonds to the depressions and grooves (called pits and fissures) in the back teeth. A sealant is a barrier that protects tooth enamel from plaque and acids.

Sealants are necessary because the back teeth have uneven pits and fissures that are difficult to keep clean because toothbrush bristles cannot reach into to them. The pits and fissures hold plaque and food debris. Most tooth decay occurs in these hard-to-clean grooves. Sealants form a thin covering to keep out plaque and debris and decrease the risk of decay.

At DeCo Dental, we use only the highest quality materials, most advanced techniques and technological advances, and the highest quality dental labs in our procedures to ensure that the restorations last as long as possible.

The most important aspect of the longevity of dental restoration is our oral fitness program and education to enable patients to understand how dental disease occurs.