Preventative Dental Care

Preventative Care is key to long term oral health. Regular dental visits, x-rays, sealants, cleanings, fluoride, diet, protecting teeth from injury, and home oral hygiene are all integral in preventing more costly dental problems. The following services are offered to help you maintain your optimum oral health:

• Dental Checkups and Cleanings for the Whole Family
• High Definition Digital X-Rays
• Intra-Oral Imaging
• Vizilite Advanced Oral Cancer Screening
• Enamel Remineralizing Flouride
• Sealants
• Myerson Snore / Sleep Guard
• Comfort Hard and Soft Night Guard

Dental Checkups and Cleanings for the Whole Family

It is our pleasure to accommodate everyone from the youngest to the oldest member of your family. At your check up appointment the dentist will complete a thorough comprehensive examination while one of our registered dental hygienists will provide a gentle, professional teeth cleaning.

High Definition Digital X-rays

Dental X-rays are an essential diagnostic and preventative tool. Our state of the art digital x-ray imaging sensors save time and provide the most detailed, instant, high definition images available today. Your time is important to us and because this technology allows us to bypass chemical processing, we can complete your exam in more timely fashion. Digital images also give us the ability to transfer and enhance the radio graphs. This makes early detection of hidden decay or abnormalities much easier. Without these images, problem areas may go undetected. Of course early detection and treatment of dental issues may save you time, money, and unnecessary discomfort. Most importantly, less radiation is needed to produce digital x-rays which is paramount to our patients overall health. We also take all necessary and standard precautions to further limit the patient’s exposure. We do this by only taking the x-rays that are necessary, and using a lead apron and thyroid collar to shield the patient’s body.

Intra-Oral Imaging

Intra oral imaging is an exclusive new technology that helps the dentist identify and clearly communicate potential problem areas during your dental exam. With our high-performance intra oral camera we can take images with the highest resolution in the industry. These images can reveal even the smallest details such as cracks, cavities and other anomalies. We will display these images for you onto a screen for your own personal viewing. Because your comfort and satisfaction are of the utmost importance, co -discovering of a dental problem between patient and doctor is an integral part of our practice. We feel it is imperative the patient see for themselves any issues we may have discovered before starting the restorative process.

Vizilite Advanced Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer is an issue we take very seriously here at Gwynedd Dental. Recent research shows that more than 40,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer every single year. Contrary to popular belief, 25 percent of those diagnosed are not tobacco users and have never been tobacco users. There are many other factors that may contribute to each patient’s own personal risk. Genetics and undiagnosed viral conditions are often some of the top contributors.

Fortunately there are some oral cancer statistics that are encouraging. When caught early, oral cancer is one of the most treatable cancers - in fact, with early treatment there is a 90 percent full recovery rate! This is why we make early detection and screening a priority for all of our patients. While we always conduct a thorough oral cancer screening at each visit, we now have the technology to reveal precancerous or abnormal tissues that may not be visible to the naked eye.

It's understandable that the thought of an oral cancer exam can make you nervous. But before you let fear talk you out of getting checked for oral cancer, keep in mind that a Vizilite Plus exam is painless and fast! Your Vizilite Plus oral cancer screening is combined with your regular dental exam, and takes just minutes to complete.

Here's what to expect:

• You'll rinse your mouth with a solution
• We will dim the overhead lighting.
• We will then use the Vizilite Plus specialized light to look for abnormal tissue inside your mouth. As the Vizilite Plus light passes over your mouth, healthy tissues appear dark and problem areas glow white under this specialized light technology.
• Areas that may appear to have abnormalities will be rubbed with a blue dye that adheres only to tissue that has abnormalities.

It is recommended that everyone over the age of 18 receive this exam once per year. If you use or have used alcohol or tobacco in the past 10 years you risk increase by 40% and we strongly suggest these patients participate in the exam yearly.

Enamel Remineralizing Fluoride

Every day, minerals are lost from a tooth's enamel layer through a process called demineralization. This happens when acids from foods, drinks, and plaque bacteria attack the enamel. Too much demineralization may cause decay or sensitivity. Our prescription strength fluoride treatment actually reminerilizes the enamel, replenishes the lost minerals, strengthens the enamel and makes the tooth more resistant to decay. If the fluoride treatment is used in the early stages it can even reverse decay. This treatment also helps to combat sensitivity of the teeth or exposed root surfaces caused by gum recession. Teeth have pores just like skin, and fluoride actually clogs these pores on the tooth or exposed root creating an insulting layer to protect from hot and cold. This treatment is beneficial for all ages and is extremely important for our patients living in the suburbs where there is no fluoride in the water. In children with developing teeth we may also recommend an at home fluoride vitamin. The fluoride will incorporate into the enamel as it forms, making the tooth harder and more resistant to decay. The treatment takes a total of one minute. No more sitting for several minutes with large trays in your mouth. Our treatment is administered in a simple rinse and can be done at every visit.

Sealants

Prevention is key to maintaining optimal health of children's developing teeth. That's why we recommend applying sealants on all healthy permanent posterior molars in children's mouths. These teeth usually begin to erupt around the age of six and will continue to emerge until the child is about twelve or thirteen years old. Sealants are a thin plastic coating that is applied to the grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Most tooth decay in children and teens occurs on these surfaces because the grooves can trap germs and food particles. By covering or "sealing" these grooves the teeth are protected from tooth decay. The ideal time to have the sealants placed is as soon as the top part of the tooth is fully erupted and visible in the mouth. Protecting the teeth as soon as possible reduces the risk of decay.

Applying sealants does not require drilling or removing tooth structure. The process is short, easy and painless. After the tooth is cleaned, a special gel is placed on the chewing surface for a few seconds. The tooth is then washed off and dried. Then, the sealant is painted on the tooth. Last, a light is shined onto the tooth to harden the sealant material. The whole process takes about a one minute and the tooth now has a protective shield. There is no waiting period after the procedure and the patient may eat and drink immediately. Occasionally sealants may be recommended on primary or baby teeth and also on adults if recurrent decay is an ongoing problem for the patient.

Myerson EMA Snore / Sleep Apnea Guard

The EMA® (Elastic Mandibular Advancement) oral appliance is a customized removable appliance created for the noninvasive treatment of snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The appliance is designed to both advance the mandible and open the bite to allow for less restricted airflow during sleep.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the FDA approve and recommend this appliance as a front line treatment for snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. It is also an alternative treatment for patients who are intolerant to a CPAP devise. EMA devices help promote a deeper, more restful sleep by preventing snoring and relieving the symptoms associated with OSA. The EMA does not interfere with breathing through the mouth, even in cases of congested nasal passages. There are many adjustment options for the device so we can customize it for optimal comfort.

These conditions afflict over 80 million Americans nationwide. In some instances if left untreated other problems may arise such as stroke, excessive daytime sleepiness, heart problems, headaches and many more. Let us help you finally get the healthy and restful night sleep you deserve.

Comfort Hard and Soft Night Guard

The Comfort Hard/Soft (H/S) Bite guard is a clear guard designed to alleviate the pain and damage caused by grinding or clenching of the teeth. It is the most state of the art guard available today due to its comfort and fit. Two layers make up the appliance: a 1 mm soft polyurethane inner layer that rests comfortably against the teeth and gums; and a 3 mm hard, clear co-polyester outer layer that provides durability and bonds with acrylic for easy modification. Each guard is custom made to fit the patient for optimal comfort. The guard can also be made for the top or bottom teeth to fit the patient's specific needs. The Comfort H/S guard is fabricated from ISO-certified ERKODENT® co-polyester and polyurethane discs, which are BPA-free and non-allergenic.

Over time, bruxism or grinding of the teeth will result in the wearing down of your natural tooth enamel. In fact, studies show that those who grind and clench their teeth may experience up to 80 times the normal wear per day compared to those who do not. At least one-third of the U.S. population either bruxes or clenches their teeth, which can result in sever tooth damage, headaches , neck pain, jaw pain and even discomfort in the back and shoulder area. The Comfort H/S Guard provides many benefits. When worn it can protect your teeth during sleep and periods of high stress that often increase how much time is spent clenching and grinding.

The Comfort H/S Bite Splint provides many benefits. It is custom made and comfortable when worn in the mouth. In addition to relieving head, neck, jaw joint and shoulder pain, it protects existing teeth and dental restorations. It is highly recommended for those who have crowns, bridges, implants, veneers and dentures, to offset the effects of the often-subconscious habit of bruxing and clenching.