Preventive Dentistry – Alice, TX
Comprehensive Protection from Cavities
Fixing cavities and treating gum disease can take a lot of time and money; you’ll save yourself quite a few headaches if you have these problems taken care of while they’re still small. Our team at Advanced Dental Care of South Texas can help your entire family take a proactive approach to dental care by keeping your smiles healthy and cavity-free. Give us a call if you’d like to schedule yourself or someone in your family an appointment for preventive dentistry in Alice, TX.
Why Choose Advanced Dental Care of South Texas for Preventive Dentistry?
- Premium, Quality Dental Care
- State-of-the-Art Facility and Equipment
- Sedation Available for Anxious Patients
Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings
A dental cleaning is a professional cleaning you receive from a dentist or dental hygienist. Most dental cleanings take only between 25 and 30 minutes. Cleanings should be performed every six months to prevent excessive plaque buildup. Plaque left untreated can lead to unhealthy gums and tooth decay. A routine dental cleaning should include scaling, root planing, and polishing.
Scaling: This is the process of removing plaque and tartar from all tooth surfaces in a variety of methods, depending on the amount of plaque and tartar.
Dental hygienists traditionally perform scaling by hand. However, new and advanced technology has led to more modern methods such as electric scalers. This sophisticated tool allows dental cleanings to be performed more efficiently and in less time. To achieve the best results, both electric and manual scaling methods are combined for dental cleanings.
Nightguards for Bruxism
Custom-designed mouthguards and nightguards are made of flexible plastic and molded to fit the shape of your teeth. Mouthguards are recommended to protect the jaw and teeth during physical activity and sports such as boxing, football, basketball, or other activities where your mouth may get hit. In addition, these guards protect the soft tissues of your tongue, lips, and cheek lining. Nightguards are also recommended for patients who clench or grind their teeth at night as a way to protect their teeth and bites.
If you have decided a guard is right for you, the dentist will take an impression of your teeth which will then be sent to a lab to make a custom fit guard for you. In most cases, you can choose from a variety of colors and styles for your guard. On average, guards last between 3 and 10 years.
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride is a mineral that, when it comes in contact with the teeth, works to strengthen and remineralize the enamel. As such, it’s considered an important part of cavity prevention, which is why it’s a key ingredient in so many different kinds of toothpaste. At our dental office, we can help our patients benefit from fluoride even further with a topical treatment. We simply apply a fluoride gel to your teeth after your regular checkup; it’s a quick solution for stopping cavities from forming before your next appointment.
Oral Cancer Screenings
On your own, you could very easily miss the earliest signs of oral cancer. Fortunately, our team has been trained to look for strange lumps, discolored patches, and other symptoms that could indicate the presence of cancer in the mouth. We can perform a cancer screening as part of your routine checkup, and we can help you make the arrangements for a biopsy if you need it. The goal is to make sure you get the right kind of treatment quickly, which is vital for a successful recovery.