Preventative Dentistry
What Is Preventative Dentistry?
Our preventive program is a cooperative effort by the patient, Dr. Glenn McKay, and our dental staff to preserve your natural dentition and supporting bone structures by preventing the onset, progress, and recurrence of dental diseases. Gum disease and tooth decay and trauma are the primary reasons why adult patients lose their teeth. Prevention helps avoid serious and costly dental problems and emergencies.
Preventing dental disease starts at home with good oral hygiene and a balanced diet. It is continued in the dental office by the efforts of your family dentist and dental hygienist to promote, restore, and maintain your oral health.
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Check-ups and Cleanings
A comprehensive dental exam will be performed by Dr. Glenn McKay at your initial dental visit to evaluate the state of your oral health and develop a personalized treatment plan for you. We will:
1. Take any necessary x-rays
Dental x-rays are essential, preventative, diagnostic aids that provide valuable information not visible during a regular dental exam.
2. Complete a gum disease evaluation
Check the gums and bone around the teeth for any signs of periodontal disease.
3. Examine for tooth decay
All tooth surfaces will be checked for decay with special dental instruments. Early cavity detection is key to keeping your pearly whites in good health.
4. Examine for existing restorations
Check current fillings, crowns to make sure their stability function and aesthetics are not compromised by time and wear.
5. Complete a professional dental cleaning
At Rockwood Dental Associates, Dr. Glenn McKay and your Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) will ensure you cleaning appointment will include:
- Removal of plaque
Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. The bacteria produce toxins that inflame the gum tissues signalling the start of periodontal disease! - Removal of calculus (tartar)
Calculus is hardened plaque that has been left on the tooth for some time and is now firmly attached to the tooth surface. Calculus forms above and below the gum line and can only be removed with special dental instruments. - Teeth polishing
Remove stain and plaque that is not otherwise removed during tooth brushing and scaling. - Fresh breath
A dental cleaning is a great way to keep your breath fresh. The feeling of clean teeth and fresh breath is a confidence builder for teens and adults.
- Removal of plaque
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Digital X-Rays
At regular check-ups or dental cleaning visits, we will take any necessary diagnostic x-rays. X-rays also help us determine tooth and root positions prior to any cosmetic or restorative dental treatment. Dr. Glenn McKay uses this information to safely and accurately detect hidden dental abnormalities and complete an accurate treatment plan. Without x-rays, problem areas may go undetected and compromise the longevity of your healthy smile.
Dental x-rays may reveal:
- Abscesses or cysts
- Bone loss
- Cancerous and non-cancerous tumours
- Decay between the teeth
- Developmental abnormalities
- Poor tooth and root positions
- Problems inside a tooth or below the gum line
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Gum Treatments
Gum disease is preventable and reversible in most cases! Periodontal treatment methods depend upon the type and severity of the disease. Dr. Glenn McKay and your dental hygienist will evaluate for periodontal disease and recommend the appropriate treatment for you.
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How is Periodontal Disease Treated?
In the early to moderate stages of periodontal disease, deep cleanings can be used to remove the hardened plaque and infected tissue. Combined with root planing to smooth the damaged root surfaces of the teeth, this is an effective treatment to restore the health of your gums.
Reasons why you may need gum treatment might be sore, bleeding or receding gums and loose teeth. Accumulation of plaque causes inflammation of the gums and an ensuing breakdown of the periodontal attachment (the fibrous connection of the teeth to the supporting structures). Pockets between the teeth and soft tissue become deeper, and the underlying bone recedes. Increased pocket depth encourages the formation of more calculus, plaque, and further tissue breakdown.
In many cases, Laser Periodontal Therapy may be used to enhance the results of traditional scaling and root planing treatments. Surgical gum treatment may be recommended if the tissue surrounding your teeth can’t be repaired with non-surgical scaling and root planing.
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Root Canals
Most people have preconceived notions that root canal treatments are filled with pain and discomfort. In fact, root canal therapy doesn’t cause pain. It actually relieves it! Advances in dental technology have made root canal therapy, virtually a pain-free experience.
When the inside or pulp of a tooth becomes infected, you feel pain. Removing the pulp (blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue) inside your tooth will only affect your perception of hot and cold; the tooth can survive without the pulp.
Common symptoms of a root canal infection:
- Sharp, acute, and intense pain
- Sharp pain when biting down
- Lingering pain after eating hot or cold foods
- Dull ache and pressure
- Tenderness and swelling in the nearby gums
The treated tooth is usually restored with a crown to prevent fractures, especially if it’s a molar or a premolar tooth.
Tooth Extractions
Dr. Glenn McKay at Rockwood Dental performs simple tooth extractions on teeth that are visible in the mouth, usually under local anesthesia and require only the use of instruments to elevate and/or grasp the visible portion of the tooth.
Surgical extractions involve the removal of teeth that cannot be easily accessed, either because they have broken under the gum line or they have not erupted fully (such as impacted wisdom teeth). Our office would refer you to an oral surgeon in these cases for specialty dental care and would follow-up with you at a future appointment.
Sportsguards and Nightguards
- The Custom-fitted Nightguard
Wearable day or night, a custom-fitted nightguard acts as a bumper guard, absorbing the force of the clenching or grinding. While horseshoe-shaped, over-the-counter night guards are also available, they tend to be uncomfortable and are so soft that they may get chewed away. In addition, over-the-counter night guards do not account for occlusal discrepancies that may be the source of your bruxism problems, thus making your grinding and clenching problem worse. Custom-fitted nightguards, made of hard acrylic, can help bruxers avoid such problems.
- Custom-fitted Mouthguards Protect Your Teeth from Trauma!
A single blow to the mouth or jaw can cause serious dental damage that is very painful and expensive to treat. You can minimize the risk of this type of injury by using a mouthguard when you take part in sports and other recreational activities. Mouthguards are resilient appliances that fit over your teeth. When worn during sports activities, mouthguards help protect against injuries to the teeth and other areas in and around your mouth.
The risk of this kind of injury is commonly associated with contact sports, such as football, rugby, hockey, and boxing and even basketball, soccer, squash, gymnastics, skateboarding, and taekwondo. Depending on the type and extent of dental injury, a single blow to the mouth may result in months or even years of treatment, with costs ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
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Full/Partial Dentures
A denture is a removable dental appliance replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissue. They are made to closely resemble your natural teeth and may even enhance your smile.
There are two types of dentures – complete and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all of the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain. A Partial denture fills in the spaces created by missing teeth; it prevents other teeth from shifting, but it does not prevent bone loss.
A complete denture may be either “conventional” or “immediate.” A conventional type is made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed, usually taking 4 to 6 weeks. During this time you will have to go without teeth. Immediate dentures are made in advance and immediately placed after the teeth are removed, thus preventing the patient from having to be without teeth during the healing process. Once the tissues shrink and heal, adjustments will have to be made.
Dentures are very durable appliances and will last many years, but may have to be remade, repaired, or readjusted due to normal wear and tear.
Reasons for dentures:
- Complete Denture – loss of all teeth in an arch
- Partial Denture – loss of several teeth in an arch
- Enhancing smile and facial tissues
- Improving chewing, speech, and digestion
You will be given care instructions for your new dentures. Proper cleaning of your new dental appliance, good oral hygiene, and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your new dentures.
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Dental Emergencies
Some dental problems are emergencies that require immediate attention others are less urgent. Please call our Rockwood Dental Associates clinic, and one of our caring staff members will assist you with your dental emergency. We will make every attempt to respond to your emergency as quickly as possible at our Mississauga dental office.
If an emergency arises while the office is open, please call us early in the day so that we can schedule sufficient time to treat you. If an emergency arises while the office is closed, call the office number and leave a message along with your phone number on the answering machine. We will return your call promptly.
Here is what you can do in the meantime for the top 3 dental emergencies:
- Knocked-out Tooth
If a tooth is completely knocked out, it should be quickly rinsed off with water, but never scrubbed. The tooth should be held by the crown (top), not the root, so you do not damage the ligaments. In a cooperative adult, the tooth should be put back in the socket. Many people may be uncomfortable re-implanting the tooth on their own. If this is the case, be sure to transport the tooth to the doctor or dentist in saline, milk, or saliva.
- Chipped or Broken Tooth
If a tooth is chipped or broken, the first thing to worry about is the bleeding. Apply direct, gentle pressure to the affected gum area, not the tooth itself to stop the bleeding. Rinse your mouth gently with warm water and then apply a cold compress to the area. If you find a piece of the tooth, bring it with you when you go to the dentist. Use a pain killer in small doses to relieve any pain.
- Toothache
Over-the-counter pain medications may be used while you arrange a dental appointment. Avoid cold or hot foods because this may worsen the pain. Relief may be obtained by biting on a cotton ball soaked in oil of cloves.
