Dental Cleaning
Your dental cleaning will be handled by our dental hygienist. Here is what you can expect from a cleaning:
- Clean plaque and tartar off the teeth and below the gum line.
- Removal or reduction of coffee, tea and tobacco stains.
- Measurement of the health of your gums and appropriate recommendations to improve gum health — perhaps more extensive cleanings or more regular or frequent cleaning appointments.
- Education in the use of oral hygiene aids and mouthwashes.
- Evaluation for the possibility of oral cancer and general health of the teeth.
- Discussion of health habits and the connection between oral and general health.
Dental cleanings are a routine service, but at Pike Place Dental your overall health is a consideration in our recommendations. We treat the whole person. Make an appointment today to get started.
Dental Health Education
At Pike Place Dental, we believe that education is the most important service we offer. We provide information on how patients can manage their own care for optimum dental health, including the latest and best techniques for brushing, flossing and other oral health aids. The advances in dentistry over the past few years have been profound. Our forebears could only dream of the procedures, materials and technologies now available to us.
Poor oral health can affect the health of the entire body. See our Practice Philosophy for more information.
Sealants
Sometimes, when teeth grow, the tooth enamel doesn’t fully fuse on the tooth, leaving a gap in the defensive enamel layer.Bacteria can grow in the grooves, which makes the softer, underlying tooth structure vulnerable to decay. In order to prevent decay, we flow a composite material called a sealant into these deep grooves. This sealant hardens under a fiber-optic light. Our sealants also have time-released fluoride that increases the tooth’s resistance to decay.
We place sealants in teeth that are vulnerable to decay, in both children and adults. Sealants can often prevent restorative dental procedures like fillings, crowns and root canals. Contact our office if you would like to learn more about sealants or to schedule an appointment.
