Keep Your Smile Bright & Healthy
Regular preventive care saves you time and money, and prevents common oral health problems like gum disease and cavities. At Camellia Dentistry, we offer the preventive care you need for a healthy mouth. Get in touch today, and schedule your next six-month checkup in Temple City today.
The Importance of Routine Preventive Care in Temple City
Why should you see the dentist for a checkup every six months? Routine preventive care is important for a lot of reasons. First, it lets your dentist keep an eye on your oral health, and identify potential problems before they become serious. It’s always better to avoid dental health issues or catch them early.
In turn, this saves you time and money. Preventive care reduces your risk of common dental problems like gum disease and cavities. That means you can avoid potentially expensive and invasive treatments like fillings, root canals, or deep cleanings for gum disease.
HALT AND PREVENT TOOTH DECAY
FLUORIDE TREATMENTS
If you’re cavity-prone, fluoride treatments at Camellia Dentistry in Temple City may be just what you need. In this treatment, Dr. Ethan Park will paint a fluoride-rich liquid onto your teeth. He will leave it in place for a few minutes, then rinse it away.
The high levels of fluoride in this liquid help attract minerals to your teeth. This strengthens them and helps prevent cavities. In some cases, fluoride treatments can even help reverse “soft spots,” the first stage of tooth decay. They’re commonly used for kids, but cavity-prone patients of all ages can benefit from fluoride treatments.
request an appointmentLONG-LASTING CAVITY PROTECTION
Dental Sealants
Dental sealants provide even more protection for cavity-prone teeth. They consist of a special type of transparent dental resin. When applied to your teeth, this resin hardens and forms a clear protective barrier. This prevents food particles, bacteria, and acid from contacting your teeth directly. In turn, this prevents cavities from forming. Sealants can last up to 5-10 years with proper application, and provide excellent protection, especially for the rear teeth.
DEEP CLEANING (SCALING & ROOT PLANING)
What Is Deep Cleaning?
Deep cleaning, also called “scaling and root planing,” is the first step in treating gum disease. It involves cleaning deeply between your gums and teeth to remove bacteria, eliminate periodontal “pockets,” and restore your oral health.
The Deep Cleaning Process
It takes two appointments to have your teeth cleaned, since Dr. Park will clean one half of your mouth at a time. He will numb your mouth, then use special tools to remove bacteria-filled plaque and tartar. He will also smooth down the roots of your teeth to eliminate bacteria.
Recovery & Hygiene
If Dr. Park prescribes antibiotics, make sure to take them as directed. He will also provide you with instructions on how to care for your mouth. With proper at-home oral hygiene, most cases of gum disease can be halted or even reversed after a deep cleaning.
GUM GRAFTING
Gum grafts may be needed if you have serious gum disease that has damaged your gums. In this procedure, Dr. Park will take healthy tissue from the roof of your mouth, then attach it to your gums. This helps reduce gum recession and bone loss, and restores your appearance, too.
request an appointment
GUM FLAP SURGERY
Gum flap surgery may be needed for very severe gum disease. In this surgery, Dr. Park will fold back your gums from your teeth, allowing him to clean deeply below the teeth and repair damaged bone tissue. Then, the gums are sutured back into place to heal.
request an appointmentOral Cancer Screening
Nobody wants to hear that they may have oral cancer. Although it can be fatal, it is easier to treat the earlier it is caught. For this reason, we are proud to assist our patients with an oral cancer screening. We want to help our patients survive this often fatal disease.
Oral cancer will typically show up as white or red patches or lesions inside of your mouth. You may even notice the lesions on your tongue or on the floor of your mouth. Many people experience a hard time swallowing, bleeding in the mouth, or even swelling in your face or neck.
Since this specific cancer can look like a burn inside of your mouth, dentists will typically wait to see if it goes away. If not, we will perform a biopsy so that we can receive a proper diagnosis. In order to perform an oral cancer screening, we may use sedation or general anesthesia. This allows us to remove a sample of the lesion so that the pathologist is able to look at it under a microscope and come up with a diagnosis.
We understand that this can be a scary and stressful time. However, we promise to be there for you every step of the way. If you ever need anyone to talk to, we are here for you. If you simply have questions, we will be happy to answer them.
If your results come back positive, the best option will be surgery, if we are able to localize and remove the lesion. If not, we may recommend a combination of radiation and chemotherapy.
If you have any questions about oral cancer screening or would like to schedule an appointment, contact us today at (626) 500-4340.
