Overview of Dental Checkup and Professional Cleaning

Overview of Dental Checkup and Professional Cleaning

Your dental checkup starts with a comprehensive exam of your systemic health, mouth, face, jaw, neck, and teeth along with digital diagnostics, as determined by Wanlass Dental. You will receive comprehensive digital x-rays, necessary photographs, and a comprehensive gingival examination will be provided by your Dental Hygienist, along with a professional cleaning of your teeth.

The Visual Exam

During a comprehensive exam, the dentist will use an intraoral camera with sophisticated magnification and lighting to see all surface areas inside your mouth. Your dentist looks not only for cracked and decayed teeth, but also for abnormal developments, growths, and sores on the roof and floor of your mouth, tongue, lips, gums, and the mucous membranes that line your cheeks and gums. Then your dentist will check the lymph nodes of your head, jaw, and neck for pain, tenderness, and flexibility.

Digital X-rays

Digital X-rays detect dental problems that cannot be found during a visual exam. Wanlass Dental uses digital X-rays that provide instant results and emit 90 percent less radiation. Your dentist will determine how often you need to have digital X-rays based on risk and individual need, although standard of care typically falls within every 3-5 years for a full mouth series and annually for check-up x-rays.

3D Imaging

Three-dimensional imaging technology determines the precise position and shape of each tooth, as well as identifies the airway, sinuses, and other important aspects of the head and neck. Your dentist at Wanlass Dental will determine whether the use of this technology is appropriate to aid the development of a dental treatment plan or to follow the progress of your dental treatment.

Gingival Examination

Healthy teeth require healthy gums. In order to make sure your gums are healthy, a gingival exam is given to determine the presence or risk of gum (periodontal) disease. During your exam, a hand-held instrument is gently placed between your gums and teeth (sulcus) to measure the depth of each pocket, as well as the current position of the tissue, any bleeding sites, and other factors that assess the health of the gingival tissue.

Each one of your teeth sits inside a gingival pocket of gum tissue. Food debris and plaque naturally collect inside this pocket and if not removed daily, harmful bacteria can penetrate the gingival tissue, cause the tissue to bleed, and deepen the pocket. As the depth of a gingival pocket increases, so does the risk of tooth damage, infection that leads to gum disease, and eventual tooth loss.

Daily tooth brushing and flossing is important to remove food debris and plaque from the gingival pocket. In its earliest stage, gum disease (gingivitis) may be reversible, so it's important to have this done at your checkup at least once a year. Since periodontal disease rarely has symptoms of pain, it is possible to have gum disease and not know it. This is why Wanlass Dental provides this very important part of your exam during your cleaning.

Prophylactic / Preventative cleaning

Dental prophylaxis is another name for a preventative dental cleaning. It refers to dental care done to protect your teeth and prevent gum disease. It includes all of the data collection procedures previously discussed, as well as a thorough cleaning using an ultrasonic scaler, hand scalers, and/or other tools to remove tartar (calculus), plaque, and stain in the absence of periodontal disease.
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Fluoride Varnish

Fluoride treatments are professional treatments containing a high concentration of fluoride that is applied to a person’s teeth to improve health and reduce the risk of cavities. These in-office treatments help the teeth reabsorb their essential minerals, such as calcium and phosphate to repair weak tooth enamel. Fluoride can help

• reduce the risk of cavities

• slow the growth of cavities

• prolong the life of baby teeth

• reduce tooth pain and sensitivity

• prevent the premature loss of teeth
  
  

Sealants

Dental sealants are thin coatings that when painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth can prevent cavities (tooth decay) for many years. Sealants protect the chewing surfaces from cavities by covering them with a protective shield that blocks out germs and food.

Perio Protect

The Perio Protect Method®
The Perio Protect Method® is an effective, sensible approach to treat the bacteria that causes gum disease. At the heart of the Method is the adjunctive Perio Tray® delivery of medication. The basic idea is to deliver medication under the gums and into the pockets where bacteria grow and keep the medication there long enough to kill the bad bacteria, all in a comfortable, non-invasive way. Not a simple task. That’s why the Perio Tray is such an important advancement. These customized trays end the cycle of disease by extending treatment from the dental chair to the comfort of home. They’re also the only customized periodontal medicament carriers with FDA clearance and years of research to support reliable results.

How Does It Work?
The Perio Tray is easy to use. You put the medication into the trays, wear the trays for 15 minutes at home as instructed by your dentist and/or dental hygienist and, that’s it, until you return to the dentist for a recall visit. It’s comfortable, it works well, and it’s convenient. The Perio Protect Method’s combination of Perio Tray delivery with thorough cleanings from your hygienist at Wanlass Dental is the least invasive approach available, and research shows better results than dental cleanings alone.

The Perio Tray® by Perio Protect: Non-Invasive Therapy for Gum Disease
Gum disease is caused by a bacterial infection that is hidden below your gums. Dental cleanings can effectively reduce the bacteria, but when you return home the cycle often continues. Bacterial cells can grow back in just hours after a periodontal cleaning; toothbrush, rinse, and floss can’t reach deep enough to address the infection at home.

The Perio Tray by Perio Protect gently applies medication deep under the gums to fight the infections. You use it at home for just 15 minutes each day. The Tray is comfortable, flexible, and custom-fit precisely for your mouth.
With Perio Tray therapy, you have a new chance against the infections. In addition to healthier gums, patients commonly report whiter teeth and fresher breath. If you’ve been told that you have gum disease (gingivitis or periodontitis), ask the Wanlass Dental clinical team if Perio Protect Trays are right for you.