Joseph Diacovo
DMD, MAGD
Local General Dentistry Office
Dental Exam
The secret to a bright, healthy smile is actually no secret at all: brush, floss and get a professional dental exam at least once every six months. Professional dental exams are all about prevention – preventing existing problems from getting worse and preventing dental problems from developing in the future. Regular dental exams make it possible to identify and treat a problem in its earliest stage – which is not only good for your oral health but also good for your budget!
There's nothing to fear with a dental exam. Your teeth will be visually examined for signs of plaque, tartar and tooth decay. Your gums will also be examined for puffiness or discoloration, which are signs of gum disease. A full set of dental X-rays may also be taken during your dental exam, to enable your dentist to see below the surfaces of your teeth. Dental exams typically end with a dental cleaning, to remove surface stains and buildup.
Dental X-Ray
Dental X-rays have come a long way. Today’s dental X-rays are safer, faster, more comfortable and more informative than the X-rays of years past. Digital X-rays, one of the latest and most advanced dental technologies, produce high-quality images of your teeth that can be viewed instantly by you and your dentist on a LCD monitor. Digital X-rays reduce radiation by up to 90% and provide exceptional diagnostic information to ensure that potential problems are caught in their earliest stages. Intraoral photography is another tool to detect problems such as cavities, fractures and discolorations in the teeth. These are captured through clear and sharp photographic images that are taken with a 35mm or digital camera.
Teeth Cleaning
No matter how often you brush and floss, plaque and tartar deposits can still build up on your teeth. A professional teeth cleaning is the single most effective way to remove these deposits and prevent them from causing more serious problems in the future. While a traditional teeth cleaning involves manually scraping away these deposits with special dental tools, advances in dental technologies now give you more options for teeth cleanings.
Ultrasonic cleaning is a popular adjunct to traditional teeth cleanings. An ultrasonic scaler (rather than a manual probe) is used to remove deposits, kill harmful microbes and eliminate bacteria around the teeth and gums through high-frequency sound waves.
A deep cleaning may be recommended if excessive plaque and tartar deposits have developed below the gum line. Deep cleanings, also known as scaling and root planning, involve a two-part process: first, the stubborn deposits are removed, and then the root surfaces are smoothened. A deep cleaning helps prevent periodontal disease and restores gum tissues to a healthy state.
Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer affects nearly 35,000 Americans every year. The keys to surviving oral cancer are early detection and early treatment. This starts with a regular oral cancer screening – at least once every six months. An oral cancer screening takes just minutes, is pain-free and can be performed during regular dental exams. If you are male, a regular oral cancer screening is especially critical: Oral cancer is more than twice as common in men as it is in women. Other people at high risk of oral cancer include people over the age of 60, tobacco smokers and heavy drinkers.
Intraoral Camera
An intraoral camera is a small video camera that takes a digital photograph of the outside of the tooth or gum to help in diagnosis. The intraoral camera resembles an oversized pen and is outfitted with a disposable protective sheath for each patient.
Laser Cavity Detection
Through the use of a Diagnodent unit which uses a painless beam of laser light, we can detect cavities that might not show up on an x-ray or by visual exam and might otherwise be missed.
Computerized Anesthetic Delivery
Nothing can produce more anxiety than the thought of a dental injection. That’s why we introduced a computerized delivery system more than ten years ago. This utilizes a small wand powered by a computer to deliver anesthetic virtually painlessly.
TMJ Treatment
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders can be uncomfortable. And worse, they can affect your ability to hear and chew. If you have been diagnosed with such a disorder, contact our office right away to see what we can do for you!
Sleep Apnea Appliances
Obstructive sleep apnea can not only cause fatigue and severe daytime drowsiness, but many other problems such as poor memory, clouded intellect, personality changes, irritability, decreased sex drive, impotence, morning headaches and many health problems. Obstructive sleep apnea contributes to cardiovascular disease, as well as conditions such as hypertension, stroke, heart attacks and heart disease.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, we would be happy to discuss treatment options!