During every dental checkup, we will visually check and feel around for any signs of oral cancer. We check for signs of visible lesions inside the mouth and gently feel around the jaw for any lumps or swelling that may be present. Many early signs of oral cancer can go unnoticed by people as they go about their daily lives but we want to make sure that your overall oral health is in as best condition as possible when you see us for a dental checkup.

One person dies from oral cancer every hour of every day in the United States. Unfortunately, this rate has not decreased significantly during the past 30 years, and the 5-year survival rate is only 50%. Fortunately, when oral cancer is detected at early stages, the 5-year survival rate is 80% or higher. In April, 2006, FDA clearance was given for the Velscope system www.velscope.com which is a device used for intraoral screening and early detection of oral mucosal abnormalities.

We recommend a Velscope exam annually, just as one would do a PAP smear or a mammogram annually. It is completely non-invasive and generates no radiation. It simply uses a special light bulb to fluoresce the tissues to allow visualization of abnormalities.

Forget about conventional dental impressions with that viscous oozing dental putty. TRIOS replaces the goop with a digital scanning wand ensuring optimal comfort and reduced chair time and no gagging. It's virtually unanimous our patients love digital scanning over conventional dental impressions. The digital impressions have lifelike colors to evaluate treatment and improve the communication between patient and doctor. TRIOS delivers a superior dental visit experience.

It is recommended to have a full set of dental x-rays taken once a year during a regular dental checkup. Most dental insurance plans will cover the cost of x-rays taken once a year and should not be skipped out on. Dental x-rays will expose any problems that might be currently present and can be used to prevent problems that may occur in the near future. Tooth roots, jaw bone and sinuses are all visible with a quick x-ray which allows us to detect problems with the bone surrounding teeth and even allow us to see teeth that have not erupted such as permanent teeth in children or wisdom teeth in adults.

Safe, Digital X-rays
We use modern digital x-rays that use an extremely low level of radiation to create an x-ray. Digital x-rays also eliminate x-ray films from having to be developed which also minimizes the time you spend in our dental chair.

Your gum tissue is measured with a fine instrument ruler to calibrate in millimeters pocket depth between the tooth and the connective gum tissue around the tooth. Pockets measuring 4, 5, 6 millimeters and up is cause for concern and requires immediate attention. The deeper the pocket, the greater the extent plaque bacteria collects and infection in gum disease develop.

A time goes by, plaque that is allowed to sit on your teeth eventually hardens into bacteria harboring tartar. Tartar reacts with the foods you eat and leads to tooth decay. Not only that, the bacteria in tartar can start to smell and is a common cause of bad breath.

During your dental checkup, we use a special tooth scaling tool that is used to effectively remove the hard build-up of tartar. This process is most commonly known as tooth scaling. Scaling will remove tartar build-up on the front and back surfaces of your teeth, just above the gum-line. Sometimes, we may detect tartar working its way blow the gum line. In these cases, root planing, also known as a deep cleaning is necessary to remove this tartar from the tooth's root.

Your Comfort Is Most Important!
Dr. knows how important it is for you to be comfortable during your oral exam. Tooth scaling is often thought of as an unpleasant experience because it is associated with a very sharp "poky-thing" that hurts when it is used. Our office uses a special high-tech ultra-sonic tooth scaling tool that vibrates at very high speeds which quickly breaks up the tartar without having to keep scraping away at your tooth. Using the ultra-sonic scaling tool not only means a more comfortable experience but it also means the scaling process is done in much less time!

Rough tooth surfaces are exactly what plaque loves to grab hold of and start hardening into harmful tartar. After your teeth have been thoroughly cleaned, we will use a special tooth polishing tool and a flavored polishing compound to polish your pearly whites. Tooth polishing effectively smooths tooth surfaces making it difficult for plaque to grab on to. After tooth polishing, you will be able to tell a difference with how smooth your teeth feel, as well as visibly see that they're looking their best.