Examining the teeth in detail

At your first visit to Watson Dental Care, your teeth will be checked in a thorough way. It will have these things:

✔Check to see if you have tooth decay. Tooth decay isn’t just a problem for kids. As people live longer and keep their teeth longer, decay is still a big problem for their teeth.

✔Evaluation of gum (periodontal) disease. People lose bone around their teeth when they have periodontal disease, which is thought to affect up to 80% of adults in some way.

✔Checking to see what x-rays are needed (radiographs). We use the latest in digital radiography, which improves our ability to diagnose while cutting the amount of x-ray exposure by 70–80% compared to film-based methods. X-rays are important for finding cavities, abscesses, cysts, and bone loss. They can also help us figure out if you are a good candidate for dental implants.

✔Check the fillings, crowns, bridges, partial plates, and full dentures that are already in place. Although well done dentistry can last for years, there comes a time when replacement becomes necessary. Using special cameras, we can show you what we see and why we may recommend something new.

✔Examining how much teeth have worn down and cracked. The mouth is a harsh environment and the teeth take abuse. Options exist to fix what is worn and broken and protect what you now have.
Evaluation of how something looks. Modern dentistry gives you a lot of ways to get the teeth and smile you’ve always wanted.

Professional Dental Cleanings

Registered Dental Hygienists clean your teeth professionally at Watson Dental Care in Orlando, Florida. Dental cleanings actually include a range of services provided by our Dental Hygienists:

Dental Prophylaxis: This is what is commonly called a dental cleaning. It involves getting rid of plaque, stains, and calculus (tarter) on the enamel surface and just below the gumline. This type of cleaning is for people who don’t have gum disease. Most of the time, this is done every 6 to 12 months.
Dental Scaling: If it’s been a while since the teeth were last cleaned, calculus or tartar may have built up and need to be removed before a Dental Prophylaxis can be done. This may take more time and/or require a separate visit. This is sometimes needed before a correct evaluation for gum disease can be done.
Scaling and planning the roots of the teeth: Once pockets form between the tooth and gum and bone is lost, periodontal disease has set in. The person with periodontal disease needs more time to take care of their cleaning needs. Periodontal disease sometimes only affects a few teeth, but other times it affects most of the teeth. Each patient’s needs are evaluated, and a plan is made to meet those needs.
Maintenance of the gums: Once gum disease is under control, it’s important to keep the improvements. Periodontal disease makes it so that you need to clean your teeth more often. Most of the time, maintenance visits every three months are suggested.

Dental X-Rays

Dental x-rays are important diagnostic tools that can show important things that can’t be seen during a regular dental exam. We use this information to find hidden dental problems safely and accurately and to make a good treatment plan. Without x-rays, problem areas can go undetected resulting in more serious issues at a later time.

Dental x-rays could show:

✔Abscesses or cysts in and around the teeth and jawbone.
✔Loss of bone around the teeth.
✔Tumors can be cancerous or not.
✔Decay between the teeth and under dental work that has already been done.
✔Developmental problems, like missing teeth or teeth that haven’t come in yet.Problems with the joint between the jaw and the skull (TMJ)
✔Problems inside a tooth or below the gum line.
✔Early detection and treatment of dental problems can save you time, money, extra pain, and even your teeth.

Are dental x-rays safe?

The amount of radiation that comes from dental x-rays is very low. When we take dental x-rays at Watson Dental Care, we make sure the patient doesn’t get too much radiation. As part of these safety measures, lead apron shields are used to protect the body, and modern digital techniques are used to reduce the exposure time of each x-ray by 70–80% compared to film-based techniques.

How often should x-rays of the teeth be done?

The need for dental x-rays depends on the dental health needs of each person. We will tell you what x-rays you need after looking at your medical and dental history, dental exam, signs and symptoms, your age, and how likely you are to get sick.

The American Dental Association (ADA) has published guidelines on the type and frequency of dental x-rays for specific patients’ age groups and risk categories. Creative Dental Solutions follows the rules set out by the ADA. The most recent set of rules came out in 2012. You can always ask for a copy of these rules.

New patients should have dental x-rays taken of their whole mouths. This could be done with a set of separate x-rays, a panoramic x-ray, or a mix of the two. Most of the time, a full mouth survey is good for two to five years. After a full mouth survey, bite-wing x-rays (x-rays of the top and bottom teeth biting together) are taken at different times based on each patient’s needs. For kids, the time between visits can be anywhere from 6 to 12 months. Adults may need to go every 6 months, but more often they go every 12 to 36 months, depending on their past dental health.

Help at home

When we treat patients, our main goal is to give them a beautiful, healthy smile that will last a lifetime. Your personal home care plays an important role in achieving that goal. Start taking care of yourself at home by eating well-balanced meals, cutting down on the number of snacks you eat, and using the right dental aids to control the plaque and bacteria that cause dental disease.

Toothbrushing – Use a soft bristle brush and toothpaste to brush your teeth at least twice a day, especially before bed.

Place the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and gently brush using a small, circular motion, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
– Brush each tooth’s outside, inside, and biting surface.
– Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside of the front teeth– To get rid of bacteria and make your breath smell better, brush your tongue.
– Electric toothbrushes can be helpful in many ways. They are simple to use and get rid of plaque well. Just put the bristles of the electric toothbrush on your gums and teeth and let the brush do its job, one tooth at a time. There are a lot of electric brushes on the market right now. We can help you figure out which one is right for you. We have a variety of what we think are the best choices at prices that are usually lower than retail. Ask us to explain!

Flossing – One of the best ways to clean between the teeth and under the gumline is to floss every day. Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it disrupts plaque colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and bone.

Wrap 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) of dental floss around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) of floss between the hands.

Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, use a sawing motion to gently put the floss between your teeth. Curve the floss into a C shape around each tooth and under the gumline. Move the floss gently up and down to clean each tooth’s side.
If you have trouble using regular floss, you should get a floss holder.

There are other methods for cleaning between the teeth that include special brushes, wooden and plastic picks, rubber tips, and water piks. We will help you figure out how to clean between your teeth in the best way.

Toothpastes – Are you unsure about which one is best for you? With so many options in Bangor stores today, it is hard to decide what to buy. There are many good products on the market, as well as some you should avoid because they can hurt your teeth or make them sensitive. There are toothpastes that you can buy without a prescription, professional toothpastes that you can only get at a dentist’s office, and toothpastes that you need a prescription for. Let us help you choose the best product for you.

Rinses and mouthwashes – There are many rinses and mouthwashes on the market today. They can help keep gum disease, bad breath, and tooth decay in check. Let us help you decide what could benefit you.

Interproximal Brushes – The tooth has five sides. Your toothbrush can only get to 60% of them, so no matter how well you brush, you’ll never be able to get them all clean. Flossing can help get food and plaque out from between your teeth, but an interproximal brush may also be helpful, depending on how big the spaces are between your teeth. TePe Interdental Brushes are a great way to clean the sides of your teeth between your teeth.