Cleanings & Exams In Encino, CA
Taking care of your mouth is essential for keeping your smile happy, healthy, and beautiful. The American Dental Association recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day and floss once daily to remove buildup from your teeth and prevent issues such as cavities and gum disease. While these habits are important, professional care is also crucial. Encino Cosmetic Dentistry can help you to maintain optimal oral health with regular cleanings and exams.
CleaningsWhile you may brush and floss your teeth every day, there are some areas of your mouth that may be more difficult to clean than others. This can lead to a buildup of plaque and bacteria, which can lead to cavities and periodontal disease, even if you think that you are thoroughly cleaning your mouth. It is recommended that you have two cleanings a year, or at least once every six months. Cleanings are designed to eliminate all buildup from every surface of your teeth, preventing serious oral health issues from developing.
Your cleaning begins with a thorough scraping of your teeth. We use a special tool to carefully and effectively eliminate plaque, bacteria, and other debris. We are even able to remove tartar buildup, or calcified plaque, which cannot be removed no matter how often you brush. We scrape all surfaces of your teeth, including along and just below the gumline.
Once we have completely removed the buildup from your teeth, we then polish them. This is done with a special dental polish, which contains abrasives. An electric handpiece outfitted with a rotating head is used. As the head spins, the polish scrubs your teeth, giving them a beautiful, smooth shine.
The last step of your cleaning is flossing. Even if you floss every day, this is still performed. We help to eliminate buildup from between your teeth, including loose debris and polish that may have accumulated during your treatment. Additionally, an extra flossing session never hurts.
ExamsExams are also recommended twice a year and are performed in the same appointment as your cleanings. With exams, we can detect the presence of oral health issues that you might not even know exist. We are experienced in detecting the earliest stages of a variety of different issues before symptoms begin to appear. The earlier issues are diagnosed, the sooner treatment can be administered. Early treatments are generally less invasive as well as less expensive.
During your exam, we look over the surfaces of your teeth, checking for signs of damage, wear, and decay. Restorations are also checked. We check your gums for redness, swelling, recession, periodontal pockets, and other issues. We also perform an oral cancer screening. This quick process involves scanning your intraoral tissues for any signs of unusual growths or other abnormalities.
Another important part of your dental exams is dental x-rays. While not taken at every appointment, these images are essential for showing us your whole mouth. X-rays show us the places of your mouth that cannot be seen with the naked eye. We can spot issues such as decay between teeth, root damage, bone loss, abscesses, cysts, impacted teeth, and more. A full picture of your oral health enables us to provide you with optimal care.
Regular cleanings and exams are integral components for maintaining the health of your mouth. For more information, and to schedule your next cleaning and exam, give Encino Cosmetic Dentistry a call today at (818) 783-0408. |
