When it comes to achieving your healthiest smile, the most important thing you can do is commit to visiting a dentist every six months. During these twice a year preventive exams, we can screen for common concerns, answer your questions, make recommendations for in-office and at-home oral health care, and ensure your teeth are completely clean and healthy. Contact the Scott Dooley, DDS& Implant Dentistry team today to find out more or schedule an appointment with our team.
At Scott Dooley, DDS we are committed to helping patients maintain optimal oral health. Since it is best to stop dental health problems before they start, we provide a range of preventive dentistry options, including routine dental cleanings gum disease prevention and tooth sealants. These treatments help prevent cavities, tooth decay and other problems so that you can avoid extensive dental work and enjoy having a healthy smile for life.
The first step to ensuring optimal oral health is visiting our Midlothian, TX dental practice for six month checkups and teeth cleanings. During these appointments, we provide three essential general dentistry services:
Sealants are clear coatings of protective materials that prevent bacteria, plaque, and tartar from accessing teeth. This is important in the quest to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, especially for young patients who are still learning to care for their teeth, adults who are prone to decay, and those who have very deep grooves in the biting surfaces of teeth. Dental sealants can be quickly applied as part of any six month checkup. We simply paint a layer of sealant onto the tooth and harden it into position using a curing light. Once in place, your sealants provide an invisible shield for your smile for years to come.
If you grind or clench your teeth while sleeping or awake, you may be experiencing a common oral health concern known as bruxism. While this may seem like a harmless habit, it can actually cause significant damage to your teeth, especially during the night when you’re unaware of the excessive amount of pressure you’re placing on your teeth as they grind together. We can custom craft nightguards create a physical barrier between your rows of teeth, protecting your smile from unconscious damage during sleep.
Any athlete who participates in sports where their mouth may come in contact with other players, hard surfaces, or equipment should wear a mouthguard during every practice or match. Many patients are shocked to find out that the leading causes of tooth loss for patients under the age of 25 are sports injuries, so it’s especially important that our young patients have the right mouthguards when they start engaging in athletics. Our custom mouthguards offer superior comfort compared with those store bought varieties available, so please don’t hesitate to ask about our custom sportsguards during your next appointment.
During every six month dental checkup, we provide an oral cancer screening to protect patients’ oral and overall health. Even if you don’t smoke or use other tobacco products, you’re still at risk for this type of cancer. In fact, as much as 30% of patients diagnosed with oral cancer annually do not engage in any high risk behaviors associated with oral cancer. Regular screenings in our office ensure patients receive diagnosis in the earliest stages when they have the optimal chance for a full recovery.