Most dental issues start small. From a buildup of dental plaque, gum disease can develop and lead to eventual tooth loss, while a small cavity can develop into a serious abscess if left untreated. Rather than wait for these issues to grow, preventative dental care is here to help you keep your oral health in check.
Here at Bridge Creek Dental, we specialize in providing preventive care for your entire family, from children’s first dental exam to seniors. Your family’s preventive care is our top priority because prevention is the key to good oral health.
What Is Preventative Dental Care
Preventive care is all about visiting your dentist regularly. The standards set by dental organizations say you should get a dental exam twice each year, which includes a dental cleaning. Preventive dental care also consists of practicing effective oral care at home, which we can recommend best practices for you.
Bridge Creek Dental’s team of dental experts are more than just technicians and doctors. We also educate our patients about caring for and identifying dental issues, regular hygiene, and preventive resources during your preventative dental care appointments. Also, the professional hygienists at Bridge Creek Dental are experts at cleaning, caring for, and maintaining the health of your teeth.
Preventative Dental Care Services We Offer
There is a range of preventative dental care services that we offer here at Bridge Creek Dental. Some of them are bundled together, like our x-rays and dental cleanings, while others can be chosen separately to further protect your dental health.
Full Mouth X-rays And Check-Ups
With a full mouth x-ray, our dentists and dental hygienists can look for any hidden issues that may not show any visible signs. Some hidden issues can be as simple as cavities in hard to reach areas or more complex issues such as jawbone density loss. Depending on how recent your last set of x-rays were, we may need to do several different types of x-rays to ensure we get the full picture when it comes to your dental health.
Oral Cancer Examinations
Along with x-raying your teeth to look for issues, our staff will look for signs of oral cancer. As this area is not often checked by other professionals, it is often dentists who will find the early signs of oral cancer, which can make a significant difference in treatment.
Routine Dental Cleanings
Coming in every six months helps prevent an excessive buildup of dental plaque on your teeth, both in the easier to reach areas as well as between the teeth. It also allows our dental hygienists and dentists to look for signs of gum disease, which should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent tooth loss.
Fluoride Treatments
If you live in an area where the water is not treated with added fluoride, you may benefit from having a fluoride treatment at our dental clinic. We can apply the treatment in-office to help boost your teeth’s ability to fight off cavities, as well as providing you with high-concentration fluoride toothpaste that you can use at home for extra protection.
Dental Sealants
Another preventative dental treatment you can request is dental sealants. If you have healthy teeth, our dentists can apply dental sealants, which gives your teeth an extra protective layer of plastic coating. That way, if you have deep grooves in your teeth—particularly in your molars—the sealants can help prevent bacteria from hiding in these grooves.
Nightguard Fittings
If you struggle with bruxism—clenching your teeth at night or grinding them—you can benefit from having a professionally-fitted nightguard. Teeth that are often clenched at night or ground can lead to worn-down teeth with thin enamel and deep grooves. Both of these things can lead to cavities, and sometimes, stressed teeth can crack and break.
Our dentists will make an impression of your teeth to ensure a good fit, and with a nightguard, your teeth can be better protected as you sleep.
Periodontal Treatments
Sometimes, during a dental cleaning, signs of periodontal disease—gum disease—will be found. There are preventative treatments that can be done to address these early signs, which will help keep the gum disease from getting out of control and causing serious oral health issues.
Why You Should Focus On Preventative Dental Care
The main reason why we highly emphasize preventative dental care is that it is far better for your oral health if we can help you maintain your natural teeth with as little intervention as possible. Other benefits include:
- Early oral cancer detection
- Prevent tooth decay spread
- Catch cavities early before they become worse
- Periodontal disease detection and prevention
- Uncover hidden dental issues
Find Preventative Dental Care In Billings, MT At Bridge Creek Dental
Our dentists and staff here at Bridge Creek Dental are dedicated to helping you keep your teeth clean and healthy. This oral health dedication can only be accomplished with regular dental exams.
So, if it’s time—or past time—for your next dental cleaning, please contact us to schedule appointments for your family’s preventive care today.