Dental Exams and Teeth Cleanings in Bonita Springs

While a large part of general dentistry is high-technology procedures, cutting-edge tools, and precision-crafted restorations, the true foundation of optimal oral health is routine dental exams and maintenance. Professional cleanings can prevent most dental problems in both your teeth and gums. And for those issues unresponsive to prevention, we are more likely to diagnose them early when your dentist in Bonita Springs, FL, can perform regular reviews of your teeth.

How We Perform a Dental Cleaning

Even with an excellent at-home care regimen of flossing and brushing, your teeth may still suffer from everyday plaque build-up that brushing cannot altogether remove. Over time, this plaque accumulates, especially in hard-to-reach places, to become a hard crust called tartar. This build-up is the primary cause of gum disease and tooth decay.

A professional cleaning goes after this tartar build-up with various tools and methods, all intended to remove tartar build-up from teeth. Your hygienist will start with a small dental mirror to help view all parts of your teeth. We may also use a rotary cleaner and professional-grade paste for initial cleaning.

The following tool is called a dental scaler, used for scraping more stubborn tartar deposits off tooth surfaces. This implement has a curved pick on one or both ends. We also will use a polishing tool to finish your cleaning and remove stains, along with professional floss for thorough cleaning between your teeth.

How Long Will It Take?

At Bonita Grande Dental, your comfort is among our top priorities. So we will diligently work to finish each cleaning phase quickly while still doing a thorough job. In general, an exam and cleaning can be completed in about an hour.

When you're proactive about your oral health, we may solve many of your future dental issues before they even begin. Routine exams are the key to this leg of the prevention model. At each exam, Dr. Michael Gostigian, DMD can detect the precursors of tooth decay, gum disease, bacterial infections, and misalignments like spacing and overlapping.

The benefits of detecting a dental problem early are numerous:

• Less complicated – If you have tooth decay, a dental filling is considerably simpler than root canal therapy, which is necessary when a cavity is too large to fill.
• Less expensive – When we treat a problem while it's still small, the solution will inevitably take less time, which means less out of your wallet.
• Less painful – Almost all of the conditions that lead to toothaches and other dental pain can be treated when they are small and cause no pain. When problems progress, pain is nearly always an accompanying symptom.

Oral Cancer Screening

During your exam, we may also check for signs of oral cancer that could become life-threatening. This includes a review of your oral cavity, your lips, cheek lining, gums, your tongue, and the roof and floor of your mouth. Your dentist will also examine your throat and your tonsils for any lumps or abnormalities.

Digital X-Rays

To get a closer look at your teeth, Dr. Gostigian's team uses digital x-rays, which allow us to view your X-rays on a computer monitor and share those images with you. We can then share the idea with you, enlarge or enhance the image to show why you need specific treatments. We also can share your X-rays without physically sending the data. Finally, digital x-rays are safer for you and the environment, with less radiation and no film x-rays, which are hazardous to dispose of.

Improving Our Patient's Experience

Throughout your exam and cleaning, we want to demonstrate our efforts to go the extra mile. So, from the moment you arrive, you'll notice several items to increase your comfort. 

• Warm, relaxing beverage options
• A dental chair featuring massage and heating
• TVs in every room

Schedule an Appointment with Our Dentist in Bonita Springs!

Let us show you how easy and stress-free a dental exam and cleaning can be. So give Bonita Grande Dental a call at (239) 301-2713 to schedule a routine visit with Dr. Michael Gostigian.