The goal of Preventive Dental Maintenance is to reduce the amount of dentistry you may need to maintain normal function. Our lifestyles are high stress and fast paced. Our diets are often lacking and our habits (too little sleep, smoking, sugary drinks, etc.) all stress our ability to maintain our oral health. As your dental professionals, we partner with you to help you achieve and maintain oral health. At Brighton dental office of Zvi Broitman DDS we will  provide guidance to help you achieve excellent home care and we will make recommendations for any necessary treatments.

Identification of health issues:

Many health problems first present themselves in the oral cavity. Since prophylaxis involves a thorough examination of the entire oral cavity, the dentist or dental hygienist is able to screen for oral cancer, evaluate the risk of periodontal disease, and often spot signs of medical problems like diabetes and kidney problems. Recommendations can also be provided for altering your home care regimen to encourage disease prevention.

What does preventative maintenance involve?

At Broitman DDS,  most preventative maintenance procedures can be performed in the course of a regular dental visit. However, when active periodontal disease is present, several appointments may be required to effectively treat the infected areas and remove all tarter build-up and bacteria from below the gumline.

Supragingival cleaning:

The dentist or dental hygienist will thoroughly clean the tooth surfaces above the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and calculus.

Subgingival cleaning:

This is the most important step for patients with active periodontal disease because the dentist or dental hygienist is able to remove calculus, plaque, and bacteria from the gum pockets below the gum line where damage to the supporting structures occurs.

Root planing:

This is the removal calculus and smoothing of the tooth root by the dentist or dental hygienist to eliminate any bacteria adhering to the tooth root. These bacteria play an integral role in the breakdown of the gum tissues and bone surrounding the teeth, so eliminating them is crucial for the long-term stability of the teeth and supporting structures.

Medication:

Following scaling and root planing, an antibiotic or antimicrobial gel may be placed in the deep gum pockets. These localized antibiotics/antimicrobials promote fast healing in the deep pockets by killing bacterial over a period of several weeks.

X-ray and examination:

Routine X-rays can be extremely revealing when it comes to periodontal disease. X-rays show the extent of bone loss, and also aid the dentist/dental hygienist in identifying areas which may need future attention.