Preventive Services
In terms of prevention: We offer sealants, preventive restorative resins, custom mouth guards, and several appliances such as space maintainers, thumb-sucking appliances, snoring & sleep apnea appliances.
Sealants
Sealants, plastic in nature, act as a barrier to prevent cavities and are generally applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth (premolars and molars) where decay occurs most often due to natural depressions &/or grooves in these areas.
Sealants withstand normal chewing and may last several years before replacement is required.
Sealants are primarily recommended for children, however adult patients are prime candidates as well in some cases. Good oral hygiene is still a must following sealant application regardless of age.
Mouth Guards
Mouth guards, commonly called sports guards, protect the face from trauma by minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to your lips, tongue, face or jaw upon contact.
A mouth guard should be considered standard sports PPE. Studies show athletes are 60 times more likely to sustain damage to their teeth if they do not wearing a mouth / sports guard. We highly recommend sports guards because tooth repairs &/or replacement costs can be significant.
A custom mouth guard (i.e. one that has been custom made for your mouth by your dentist) provides the best protection due to its' custom fit especially if braces &/or bridgework is involved. Custom mouth guards are available in many colors and designs. If a custom guard is not feasible: wearing a stock or a boil-and-bite mouth guard is better than no mouth guard.
Tips for caring for your mouth guard:
- rinse before and after each use or brush with a toothbrush and toothpaste
- transport the mouth guard in a sturdy container that has vents
- never leave the mouth guard in the sun or in hot water
- check for wear and tear to see if it needs replacing
Space Maintainers
Space maintainers are usually recommended for children who lose baby teeth prematurely. Essentially, space maintainers “maintain or hold a space” until the applicable permanent teeth erupt.
Adult teeth can erupt in the wrong place if space maintainers are not placed in such cases and that can lead to further problems for each tooth that erupts thereafter in terms of spacing and alignment.
Thumb-sucking Appliances
Thumb-sucking is a natural reflex for some children. It often soothes them giving them a sense of security and happiness. It can lead to problems when permanent teeth come in terms of proper growth and alignment. Pacifiers can affect growth in similar ways but it is often an easier habit to break.
Habit breaking appliances are sometimes recommended for aggressive &/or persistent thumb suckers.
Tips for helping your child stop thumb-sucking:
- Praise your child for not sucking their thumb.
- Try to find alternatives if your child is anxious &/or uncomfortable. Involve your child in the process of choosing an alternative if he or she is a bit older.
- Enlist our help if necessary. We would be happy to encourage your child by explaining what could happen to their teeth if they do not stop sucking their thumb.
Sleep Apnea & Snoring Appliances
Sleep apnea is a common / serious sleeping disorder that occurs when regular breathing is interrupted during sleep. Snoring is common for those with sleep apnea but sleep apnea is not a problem for everyone that snores.
Sleep apnea can affect any one at any age however men are more likely to develop the disorder. The risk is also associated with health, weight, age, large tonsils, a large tongue, a small jaw, a family history of sleep apnea, or a nasal obstruction of some sort due to a deviated septum, allergies or sinus problems.
There are 2 main types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea is the more common form, is the result of blocked airflow during sleep, which occurs when soft tissue at the back of the throat collapses during sleep.
- Central sleep apnea is a result of a miscommunication between the brain and breathing muscles. The airway is not actually blocked in this instance - the brain fails to signal the muscles to breath. Conditions such as: heart failure, brain tumors, brain infections, and stroke often contribute to this type of sleep apnea.
There are several treatment options to treat these disorders such as sleeping adjustments, habit appliances &/or surgery. Talk to us about your symptoms and options today.
Digital Radiography
Digital radiography is superior to the film based x-rays we utilized in the past and there are several advantages with respect to this technology (in addition to providing us with the diagnostics required to recommend various services incl. preventive services) such as: 90% less radiation exposure, image enhancement, better viewing capabilities & ease of transmission to name a few.
The exceptional image quality has also increased our capability to accurately diagnose conditions in the mouth.