Comprehensive Exams
Complete dental care means focusing on your entire mouth, including your teeth, gums, and jaw. Our comprehensive exams are the start of a great treatment plan to get your smile on track. We’ll thoroughly review your current dental and medical history, and then Dr. Archibald will perform an exam of your whole mouth. To ensure they are fully comprehensive, our exams include oral cancer screenings and a full set of digital x-rays.
Once we’ve completed an exam, we’ll work together to create a detailed treatment plan that addresses your diagnosis and concerns. Beauty and functionality of your smile is our end goal, and we’ll help you achieve the healthiest smile.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Oral cancer is serious, and the earlier the disease is detected, the better your chances of successful treatment. If you’re over 40, or use tobacco or alcohol products, your risk of oral cancer is increased, however it’s important to note that anyone can develop the disease. During our comprehensive exams, we’ll use visual and manual screening methods to check for abnormal tissue in your gums, cheeks, palate, and other soft tissue areas of your mouth.
We also utilize Velscope technology, which emits a harmless blue light and aids Dr. Archibald in identifying oral mucosal abnormalities. This additional screening is highly effective in diagnosing concerns over the naked eye, and can be completed during your routine exam in only a few minutes. Get screened today – it could save your life.
X-rays
Diagnosing and preventing future problems starts with seeing what’s happening below the surface. Our x-rays are fully digital and produce high-resolution, top quality images of your bones and teeth. Digital x-rays expose you to less radiation than traditional films and are also more convenient for sharing, as we’re able to zoom, magnify and highlight areas as we discuss them.
These x-rays allow you to better understand your diagnosis and make a more educated decision for your care. We even take digital panoramic images, which give us a full view of your entire mouth as it exists, so we can evaluate your bite and jaw function.
Hygiene
Great dental hygiene is important to a healthy mouth. Our friendly, skilled hygienists are happy to deliver a professional cleaning to our patients using Cavitron magnetostrictive scalers to remove debris from hard to reach areas.
We’ll also evaluate your current hygiene habits and methods and recommend techniques that can help you keep your smile looking and feeling magnificent between appointments. Your at-home routine is just as vital to your oral health success, and our professional dental cleanings give you the start you need to maintain a healthy smile.
Periodontal Therapy
Your gums play a big role in the health of your mouth, so you shouldn’t ignore them. If you’ve noticed your gums are bleeding, swollen, or red lately, you may be developing gingivitis, which is the start of periodontal disease. Gum disease is a leading cause of adult tooth loss, so focusing on the health of your gums directly translates to the health of your smile.
We’ll remove the bacteria that causes plaque, the sticky, colorless film that can harden into tartar, essentially the beginning stages of gum disease. Ensure your entire mouth is healthy with periodontal care and eliminate bad bacteria.
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride restores minerals to your enamel that are essential for strong, healthy teeth. Children receive fluoride treatments at every visit, as it helps their developing smile grow into strong adult smiles by warding off decay.
Adults can benefit from fluoride treatments if they are prone to decay or sensitivity, as fluoride adds a protective barrier to the enamel, saving any exposed dentin from a variety of sensitivities such as changing temperatures. If you’re experiencing pain when eating or drinking foods that are hot or cold, ask us if fluoride treatments can help!
Mouthguards
Active kids need to protect their smile with sports mouthguards, which cover their teeth and help shield them from wear and damage during activity. We also offer custom-fit mouthguards for patients who suffer from nighttime grinding, or bruxism. These comfortable guards are worn while you sleep to prevent excessive wear on your enamel.
We’ll align your bite properly with a true neuromuscular orthotic that’s created specifically for your jaw alignment and occlusion, and helps to eliminate TMJ pain and discomfort. Visit our TMJ page for more information on our specific guards for TMJ treatment.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea is more common than many patients realize, as it is often misdiagnosed. You aren’t able to get a fully restful night of sleep, as sleep apnea causes intermittent interruptions in your breathing pattern.
If your airway is collapsing when you relax and obstructing the airflow, we offer three different oral appliances – MicrO2® and SomnoDent™– which keep your airway open and free during sleep. These customized appliances are comfortable to wear and can change the way you sleep. Get the rest you need at night, so you can have a more productive day.
Emergency Care
Dental emergencies happen when you least expect it. If you’re our current patient, we’re here for you. Call us right away, and we’ll see you as soon as possible. It’s our goal to get you back to feeling your very best, and eliminate any pain or discomfort.
We offer emergency care to first-time patients referred to us by a current patient as well. Dental emergencies aren’t fun, but we’ll help eliminate the inconvenience and get you back to your routine as quick as possible.
Technology
Technology is an important part of our general dentistry, as it aids in diagnosis and prevention. Our intraoral camera allows you to see the same view that the dentist sees when he looks inside your mouth. A small, handheld camera, this technology is non-invasive, but helps you actually see what is concerning in real time, and make educated decisions concerning your care.
We use a soft-tissue laser as well, which can treat cold sores easily and comfortably, and aids in frenectomies. Soft tissue lasers reduce discomfort and speed healing time when compared to traditional scalpel techniques.
