Preventive & Periodontal Care
Preventive dental care is vital to keeping your teeth and gums healthy for a happy smile. Preventive visits allow your dentist to see you regularly and catch small issues before they become big problems. Without them, patients risk going through more intensive treatment later on.
Western Dental Care P.C. provides bi-annual cleanings, oral cancer screenings, root planing, wisdom tooth extractions, and more to patients in Albany, Schenectady, Grafton, Guilderland, Latham, NY, and beyond. All of these procedures are important to maintaining your oral health. In addition, our cosmetic dentist also specializes in various procedures including teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, Invisalign braces, and dental implants to help transform your smile. To learn more about all the oral care services we provide or to schedule an appointment, please feel free to contact us today!
Biannual Cleanings
Dental cleanings are crucial to your preventive dentistry plan. Preventing dental disease starts at home with good oral hygiene habits. It’s continued in the dental office by the efforts of your dentist and dental hygienist to promote, restore, and maintain your oral health.
Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly get rid of the majority of plaque on your teeth and gums, but not all of it. When you come into our dental office for professional cleanings, your dental hygienist will use specialized tools to reach hidden and unreachable spots to remove harmful bacteria and debris. Prevention also includes regular dental exams and X-rays. Sealants and fluoride are also great preventive treatments that help protect the teeth.
Cancer Screenings
Oral cancer screenings are a very important part of the dental visit for the patient. With the advances in modern technology, we are now able to pinpoint the start of a potential problem much earlier in its evolution. The ability to do so is extremely important in being able to treat any issues before they become major irreversible problems.
Oral cancer screening is often completed with an ultraviolet light or similar device that allows us to view issues that can’t always be detected by the human eye under normal conditions.
Certain lifestyle choices can greatly impact the health of tissues and your overall health in the mouth. If you are a smoker or heavy drinker, make sure to get regular screenings when you visit the dentist.
Root Planing
Often there is plaque and tartar that accumulate below the gum line. If left untreated, the chances of developing periodontal (gum) disease are much higher. This is where root planing comes in handy. In this scenario, we will clean and smooth this area with special instruments to ensure that the area is completely spotless. If this area is not kept clean the entire area can become irritated with the bacteria that reside in the tartar and plaque. It’s very important to have your dentist check this area if you have bleeding during brushing.
Dental Implant Procedures for Albany, NY & the Entire Capital District Area
It’s never too early or too late to start guarding your oral health. Don’t wait to keep your teeth and gums healthy, as putting off necessary preventative care can lead to more serious and costly health issues. Contact our general dentist, Dr. Santhosh today at (518) 456-8040 to schedule an appointment. At Western Dental Care P.C., we’re proud to care for patients throughout Albany, Guilderland, Latham, NY, and the surrounding Capital District area.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few risks associated with getting oral cancer screenings, but they are minimal. You may end up receiving a false positive, in which case more testing is needed to determine the presence of cancer. Cancer screening also cannot detect every form of cancer, so it is possible a screening may miss a small lesion or some cells.
Children should begin seeing their dentist regularly as soon as their first baby tooth comes in or by their first birthday. Plaque and tartar buildup can happen at any age, and it’s important to develop healthy habits early.
In nearly all cases, Dr. Thomas recommends coming in for cleanings and checkups twice a year. However, we may recommend visiting your dentist more frequently depending on your individual oral health needs. Plaque and tartar can hide in crevices in the mouth that at-home brushing and flossing cannot reach.
If you haven’t seen a dentist in a while, please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with our friendly team. We’ll be happy to help get you back on track and treat any potential issues that arise.