Proper preventive care is a crucial component of a sound oral healthcare regimen. By stopping problems before they start, you’ll save time, money, and potential discomfort in the future and pave the way for a lifetime of healthy smiles. Leading Edge Dentistryis a general and family dental practice in Marietta that cares about your oral health. We offer comprehensive services to strengthen and protect teeth and gums.
At your six-month checkup, will thoroughly examine all aspects of your smile, and one of our hygienists will clean your teeth. Plus, we’ll give you tips to maintain your healthy smile at home. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who has some form of gum disease, may use laser treatment to combat your symptoms and renew periodontal health. We eliminate the dental wear and tear caused by bruxism (teeth grinding) with oral appliance therapy that restores comfortable function. We also offer custom crafted sportsguards so athletes of any age can protect their smiles comfortably. Your smile is important, and we’ll care for it as if it were our own.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Many patients believe they only need oral cancer screenings if they use tobacco products, but actually, 25 to 30% of patients diagnosed with oral cancer do not engage in any of these risky behaviors. The Oral Cancer Foundation advises that early diagnosis is the best way to decrease the number of annual deaths associated with oral cancer (one per hour on average). That’s why we perform oral cancer screenings as part of every six-month dental checkup.
Fluoride Treatments
Topical fluoride treatments attract minerals that fortify tooth enamel, keeping smiles healthy and strong. Often recommended for children whose teeth and oral hygiene routines are still developing, fluoride treatments are an excellent preventive dentistry service to keep patients’ smiles whole and healthy at any age. Adults who frequently experience tooth decay should also consider fluoride treatments. The treatment is quickly and painlessly applied as part of any six-month checkup. Ask about our topical fluoride treatments at your next visit.
DIAGNOdent
We rely on state-of-the-art digital x-ray technology to diagnose cavities in their earliest stages, but DIAGNOdent allows our team to find areas where cavities are just forming and prevent damage from ever occurring. DIAGNOdent is a laser cavity detection tool. By measuring the reflection of the laser on different areas of teeth, our team detects softening areas of the enamel where cavities may form. We may recommend fluoride treatment to help prevent cavity formation, and we are able to repair decay conservatively.
Checkups and Cleanings
Dental Sealants
The teeth towards the back of your mouth, also known as your molars and premolars, have grooves and ridges where bits of food can easily get trapped and attract cavity-causing bacteria. This is especially true in small children, where their arms might not be quite able to reach those back teeth with their toothbrush. Dental sealants provide the perfect solution. We’ll paint this plastic-like coating onto the crevices of your molars to seal out bacteria. The great thing about sealants is that they can be applied as part of your regular six-month checkup.
Nightguards for Bruxism
If your partner has ever reported a grinding sound coming from your side of the bed at night, you might have bruxism. This condition is characterized by unconscious grinding or clenching of the teeth, usually during sleep. It can result in enamel erosion and even chipped or broken teeth! That’s why Leading Edge Dentistry offers nightguards to correct the problem. These trays are custom-made to fit your unique bite. Simply place them over your teeth before you go to bed, and they should prevent harmful contact between your top and bottom teeth while you sleep.
Your Smile Rests in Good Hands
You’ve probably heard the phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That sentence is never truer than when it comes to dental care. Unlike a lot of medical problems that seem to fade away if you leave them alone, like a cold, oral health issues actually get worse if you don’t seek treatment for them. That’s why preventive dentistry is crucial. It’s important to visit us every six months for a checkup and cleaning. We can diagnose small problems like cavities before they turn into larger issues like root canals or teeth that need to be extracted.