Preventive Dentistry
The dental hygiene appointment has a key role in the prevention of oral disease and maintenance of oral health.
Dental Hygienists are specially trained to perform preventive treatment and maintenance of the mouth, teeth and gums.
In addition to the traditional cleaning, the hygiene appointment has an educational factor, adjusting daily habits and specific techniques for each patient to achieve optimal oral health.
Maintaining a healthy mouth is fundamental for a healthy life and dental disease can be prevented. Studies confirm that there is a strong link between periodontal disease and heart disease.
Our Active Maintenance Program is designed to focus on the patient's individual needs in order to prevent oral disease and maintain oral health.
Bacteria under the gum line is sometimes impossible to remove with daily home care alone. Within a few months maturing bacteria can increasingly cause problems to the teeth, the structures that support them and even the rest of the body.
Maintenance appointments vary from every 3 to 6 months depending on the individual patient's needs.
Screening for Oral Cancer
Our practice has purchased a state-of-the-art device called the VELscope Screening System. Along with our conventional oral screening exam, which includes looking inside your mouth for any lesions that might be visible to the naked eye and feeling your neck for any suspicious bumps, we can use the VELscope to literally see beneath the surface to detect potentially dangerous growths we might have otherwise missed.
Oral Cancer is too often discovered in the late stages. If it is detected in the early stages there is a 70% survival rate in the first five years, compared to 30% if the cancer has spread.
The VELscope exam takes about two minutes as part of a regular hygiene check-up, involves no pain or inconvenience and is completely safe. There is no additional charge for this service. We think you'll appreciate the peace-of-mind this screening can provide.
Victor Lee is our Dental Hygienist and has a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Washington. He was trained in Portugal and the USA. Since he graduated in 2002, Vitor has been continuously providing the best, up-to-date care in oral health.
Working together with Dentist Sydney to provide fully integrated dental care, Vitor can assist you to maintain your oral health for the rest of your life.
Dental Sealants
A dental sealant is a material that is effectively used to 'seal' the fissures and grooves in back teeth, in order to seal out bacteria and prevent decay.
Dental sealants are most effective when used on children's teeth, when the back teeth or first permanent teeth have first erupted.
Dental sealants can last for many years, and are probably the most effective measure to prevent decay in these areas. This is because even a single tooth brush bristle is too large to get right down into the fissures to extract the bacteria that reside there. Over 80% of decay begins in these areas of the tooth, so prevention of this happening is of prime importance to your overall oral health.
Having dental sealants applied to your teeth is a quick and painless procedure which only takes a few minutes. The sealant material is applied to the teeth and then hardened, using a special ultra-violet light. Sealants have been proven to prevent tooth decay, so please come in and see us to discuss how they can help you.