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Maintain Your Smile
Preventive Dentist in Sunbury
At Shine Dental, we take pride in keeping Sunbury smiling. During preventive visits, we offer everything you’ll need to maintain optimal dental health. Our preventive services include cleanings, oral exams, x-rays, and oral cancer screenings. Dr. Miller makes it her goal to keep your smile healthy and she genuinely cares about our patients’ well-being and happiness. If you’re looking for a dentist in Sunbury to care for your smile, call us today to book an appointment!
Preventive Care is Paramount
Why Are Dental Visits So Important?
Preventive care is the best way to keep your smile healthy. By combining positive oral hygiene habits with regular six-month dental appointments, your mouth will be a healthy environment for your teeth and gums. After each visit, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your teeth are in great shape and if there is something wrong, we’ll address the issue right away before it becomes a bigger, more costly problem. The earlier we catch a potential oral health issue, the better your outcome will be.
Strengthen Teeth, Reverse Tooth Decay
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride treatments are the best way to keep your teeth healthy if you are cavity-prone. Fluoride has the unique ability to “remineralize” teeth and reverse the early stages of tooth decay. This simple, non-invasive procedure only takes a few minutes. During treatment, Dr. Miller will paint a fluoride-rich varnish on your teeth. This can be done as part of your routine cleaning to help keep your tooth enamel strong and cavity-free. You can resume your daily activities immediately after treatment!
Prevent Cavities
Dental Sealants
Dental sealants consist of a clear liquid dental resin that is “painted” onto your back teeth after a cleaning. After the resin is applied to your teeth, it is then hardened with a UV light. Once it hardens, it becomes a strong, protective barrier that prevents food debris, oral bacteria, and acid from sticking in the pits and grooves of your teeth. This protects the area of a tooth most vulnerable to cavities.
more thorough than brushing & flossing
professional cleanings
Proper oral hygiene at home is your first line of defense against common dental health issues. However, brushing and flossing alone cannot remove the bacteria from every surface of your tooth. At Shine Dental, we use specialized tools to keep every nook and cranny of your teeth free of harmful substances that lead to cavities and gum disease. You'll feel refreshed and healthy every time you leave our office after a cleaning!
What to Expect
During Your Oral Exam
During your oral exam, we will examine the condition of your teeth and gums, looking for signs of tooth decay, gum disease, or oral cancer. X-rays may be taken if we have reason to look closer inside the teeth or gums, if we don’t have your records on file, or if you haven’t had one taken in 3 years.
X-rays can reveal infections, decay, or other oral health problems that could be overlooked from a purely physical exam. We may also look for signs of problems with your jaw such as misalignment. We’ll then move on to the cleaning portion of your exam.
This involves scraping away plaque and tartar from above the gum line with a scaler. We’ll then brush your teeth with a high-powered toothbrush and gritty toothpaste to thoroughly remove food particles and debris.
Then we’ll floss between your teeth and rinse away any leftover toothpaste. We’ll finish the cleaning with the application of fluoride varnish. This protects your teeth from cavities.
Are Preventive Treatments
Covered By Insurance?
Yes, most dental insurance will cover preventive dentistry up to 80-100%. It is the most widely and universally covered area of dentistry by insurance plans and often comes with the least restrictions such as waiting periods or minimums to be met beforehand.
Insurance companies are more inclined to cover preventive treatments which will save time and money in the long run rather than complex and invasive restorative or cosmetic treatments. Commonly covered preventive treatments include:
- X-rays
- Dental cleanings
- Fluoride treatments
- Dental sealants
- Educational info for how to care for deciduous teeth
- Space maintainers
The best way to know what your insurance plan covers is to contact them directly. At Shine Dental, we accept most insurance policies as well as financing options through CareCredit and GreenSky.
How Often Should I Be
Brushing and Flossing My Teeth?
The ADA recommends brushing your teeth with a soft-bristle toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste twice a day. You should brush your teeth for at least two minutes. Many people neglect to brush their tongues, which is a mistake.
The tongue harbors a lot of bacteria and can lead to cavities if you forget to brush it. Choosing between a manual or electric toothbrush is up to personal preference, but rotating-oscillating electric toothbrushes have proven to be more effective at removing plaque buildup than traditional toothbrushes.
This is because it requires less effort to scrub hard-to-reach places. Brush in circular motions and spend extra time on the rear molars which have more pits and grooves that can trap food particles and bacteria.
You should floss at least once a day between all of the teeth. Many people neglect this step, not realizing that by doing this, you are neglecting to clean ⅓ of the surfaces of your teeth. This can lead to cavities that develop in between the teeth. You can choose between a floss threader, interdental brush, or water flosser.
Schedule Your Oral Exam & Cleaning Today!
The ADA advises that everyone should attend regular cleanings and checkups every 6 months to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Contact us at Shine Dental to schedule an appointment with Dr. Katelyn Miller today!