Preventative Services

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Dr. Kim truly believes the best way to fix a problem is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. That’s why he’s dedicated the practice to perform many procedures and offer so many tools to help our clients keep and protect their teeth.

Laser Cavity Detection using DIAGNOdent

Using laser technology with the DIAGNOdent, Dr. Kim can detect cavities at their earliest stages. When cavities are too small to detect on x-rays or with the explorer instrument during the examination, this laser can detect them. That allows the cavity to be replaced with the laser oftentimes without any anesthesia and with a small composite tooth colored resin. Once a cavity gets larger, sometimes a more costly crown or onlaywill be necessary. And if the cavity gets too large, a root canal or even an extraction of the tooth may be necessary.

Sealants

Sealants can be used for children but also adults. It’s a small special tooth colored resin that flows into the deep grooves and crevices in our teeth. By covering those areas with a fluoride containing material, it makes those teeth more resistant to decay. Since most cavities start in those grooves, the sealants can prevent quite a bit of dental work. Daily flossing is still required to clean the space between the teeth but the more we can protect our teeth, the greater chance of preventing cavities.

Tooth Decay Prevention

We use the CariFree line of products to also help reduce cavities. This is a new line of products that actually helps make the mouth a more difficult place for cavities to start. Decay starts from repeated acid attacks on our teeth which may arise from conditions such as dry mouth to sugary/acidic diets which encourages acid producing bacteria. Drilling and filling has been the traditional method of treating cavities, but it doesn’t treat the infection, just the symptoms.  Brushing and flossing has been the traditional method of prevention, but it does not change the pH(acidity) of the oral environment or treat the infection once it exists. The CariFree line of products is alkaline in nature which can help shift the pH balance in our mouths.

Nightguards

Nightguards protect our teeth from nighttime clenching or grinding (bruxism). When orthodontic treatments or reconstruction of the mouth are not treatments that are feasible for a client, a nightguardis an economical and easy way to protect the teeth during the night. They can last for many years and are precision fit to be comfortable and not to damage your existing teeth. Oftentimes, the store bought nightguardscan be uncomfortable and may actually shift the teeth from long term use necessitating orthodontics and additional dentistry. So if you want to use a store brand guard, please check with your dentist to make sure it won’t cause any harm.

Electric Toothbrushes

Electric toothbrushes are much more effective at removing plaque than manual brushing. Although they may require a slight adjustment period because of their power, once you get used to them you’ll be able to notice the difference in cleanliness between electric brushing and manual brushing. We carry the top of the line Sonicare which is Dr. Kim’s personal favorite brush but there are several other brushes worth mentioning such as the Oral-B and the Rotadent. Most research that has been done on electric toothbrushes has been done on the higher end models so make sure you get yourself a high quality toothbrush.

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