If you’d like to keep your teeth and gums as healthy and attractive as possible, it’s important to follow good hygiene practices at home and come in for regular professional checkups at Designer Smiles. We offer a full array of cleanings and periodontal (gum) care – everything you need to maintain a sparkling smile.

Checkups and Cleanings

When you first visit our practice, our dental team will dedicate an entire appointment to getting to know you and your teeth. We will take a complete set of digital x-rays during your initial appointment, as well as photographs of the inside of your mouth using an intraoral camera. Our digital x-rays and intraoral photos are quick, require no development chemicals, and can be saved in your records to help diagnose your dental health in the future. Additionally, with digital x-rays, there is 90 percent less radiation than with conventional x-ray machines. We can also provide a more detailed diagnosis with these images, which are generally more crisp and clear than x-ray machines of the past. We've also recently integrated a "digital pano" into our practice, which can create a continuous x-ray of your jaw from one side of your mouth to the other. During your initial appointment, we will also discuss your medical and dental history, including which medications you are taking, past dental or orthodontic treatments you may have had, and any current pain or concerns. We will also conduct an oral cancer screening. For your comfort, Sedation Dentistry and IV Sedation is available by appointment.

On your second visit, one of our skilled hygienists will clean and polish your teeth, inspecting them for any signs of disease. Before you go, we’ll make sure that you know how to properly brush, floss, and care for your teeth at home.

We also provide treatment for bruxism (grinding) and snore guards for minor sleep apnea and snoring.

Periodontal Treatment

Even if you have no cavities, your dental health may be compromised by poor periodontal health. Most adults in the United States experience some level of gum disease, and many of them may not be aware of it. At Designer Smiles, we are careful to assess and treat gum disease as soon as it arises.

Gingivitis is the first and most common stage of periodontal disease. Characterized by redness, tenderness, and occasional bleeding of the gums (usually during brushing), gingivitis is best treated with a thorough professional cleaning and increased attention to dental hygiene at home.

If gingivitis is left untreated, it may progress into the more severe stages of periodontal disease. At this phase, the gums become infected and allow bacteria to collect in pockets below the gumline, next to the teeth. Eventually, the bacteria can cause bone loss in the jaw and gum recession, both of which lead to tooth loss.

Dr. Haggard and Dr. Fishel can treat these advanced stages of periodontal disease with treatments called scaling and root-planing; these methods allow bacteria to be safely removed from below the gumline.

If you’ve been experiencing painful, red, or swollen gums, do not delay treatment any longer. Your symptoms probably won’t go away on their own, but with just a small amount of preventive care, we can restore your periodontal health and let you keep your natural teeth for as long as possible. Contact Designer Smiles today to schedule a consultation.

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