Comprehensive Oral Exams and Prophylactic Teeth Cleaning

Wisdom Dental in Coral Springs, FL welcomes new dental patients. Do not delay to make a dental checkup and prophylactic teeth cleaning appointment if it has been six months or more since you have been to the dentist, or if you have a concern about the condition of your gums or teeth.

Our dentists, Dr. Wisdom Akpaka and Dr. Mariel Petruk, and our registered dental hygienists will work as a team to ensure you have the highest level of preventative and restorative oral health care. We are known for our compassion and gentle thoroughness. If you suffer from dental anxiety, our dentists can offer you nitrous oxide or oral conscious sedation for relaxation.

It’s important that you have regular dental check-ups and professional teeth cleanings to identify problems early and maintain a high level of oral health that prevents diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease from starting. Based on your oral health circumstances, the dentist will recommend when your next teeth cleaning and oral checkup should be. Some patients need to be seen twice a year and others more frequently due to their personal health circumstances.

Ways We Identify and Prevent Dental Problems

• The New Patient Comprehensive Oral Exam — Dr. Wisdom or Dr. Petruk will review your medical and oral health history with you. We will spend time learning about your dental concerns and the specific objectives you may have for eliminating dental pain and disease, restoring damaged teeth, replacing missing teeth, or improving a removable denture, removable bridge, or fixed dental restoration. The dentist will thoroughly examine the soft tissue of your mouth for sores, infection, oral cancer, and more. Our registered dental hygienist will probe the depth of gum pockets around the base of each tooth and evaluate the health of the periodontal tissue supporting your teeth. The dentist will examine your teeth carefully, one at a time, and examine your dental x-rays for signs of decay, tooth wear, fine cracks, fractures, and other structural damage that has weakened teeth. The dentist will check the function and health of your jaw joints and palpate jaw and neck muscles for tenderness. The dentist will explain your personal oral health situation and fully answer questions. Based on the findings, the dentist can plan and recommend care for you that is individualized to meet your immediate needs and your stated goals.
• Regular checkup exams — After the comprehensive new patient exam, most patients are scheduled for semi-annual checkups and x-rays once a year. If you are receiving treatment to restore teeth, make over your smile, or eliminate gum disease, Dr. Wisdom or Dr. Petruk will likely be seeing you more frequently and scheduling your next appointment at the appropriate time for each step of treatment.
• Digital dental x-rays — Dental x-rays are used to safely and accurately detect hidden dental abnormalities and complete an accurate treatment plan. We use the latest digital technology that exposes patients to the smallest amount of radiation. Your digital images can be instantly viewed on a monitor and enlarged to help us easily see and show you certain problems.
• Dental cleanings (prophylaxis ) — A dental prophylaxis is a cleaning procedure performed to thoroughly clean the teeth and halt the progression of periodontal disease. Children, teens and adults should have a professional prophylaxis (also called a “prophy”) at least twice a year. Based on your periodondal health, we may recommend more frequent cleaning. Some patients request cleaning every 3 to 4 months out of personal preference.
• Periodontal scaling and root planing — This is a deeper cleaning process than a regular dental prophylaxis and recommended when there is bacterial buildup causing infection deep in gum pockets around tooth roots. This is an essential treatment for resolving advanced gum disease that destroys gum and bone tissue, leaving teeth loose and vulnerable to loss. If you have need of this treatment, periodontal scaling and root planing is performed in the comfort of our own office, while your gums are numbed. Our registered dental hygienist will use special tools that clean the space between the gum tissue and the teeth down to the roots. After this treatment, a local antibiotic will be applied in the gum pockets to help restore health.
• Fluoride treatment — Topical fluoride strengthens the teeth once they have erupted by seeping into the outer surface of the tooth enamel, making the teeth more resistant to decay. Both children and adults benefit from a professional fluoride application once or twice a year during dental check-ups. We may recommend a more personalized fluoride treatment regimen for high-risk cavity patients.
• Sealants — A thin, plastic coating can be applied to the chewing surface of molars, premolars and any deep grooves in your teeth to protect them with a smooth, easy to clean surface. Sealants can protect teeth from decay for many years, but need to be checked for wear and chipping at regular dental visits.
• Home care — A healthy mouth starts by eating healthy balanced meals, limiting sugar, and reducing the number of snacks between meals. You also need to brush your teeth at least twice a day with a manual soft toothbrush or, better yet, an electric toothbrush. Daily flossing is the best way to clean between teeth and under the gum line. While you are visiting with our oral hygienist, she will show you how to brush and floss most effectively. It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and also after meals if you are unable to brush. We may recommend other cleaning aids such as an interdental brush, rubber tip stimulator, and anti-bacterial mouth rinse.

Don’t delay in making your dental appointment!

Is it time for you to make a dental appointment for yourself or a family member? We participate with many insurance plans and offer payment options. Call Wisdom Dental in Coral Springs today!