At Granville Dental, our top priority is to work with you to keep on top of your dental needs. Before any treatment program can be planned, we must conduct a thorough examination to learn the current condition of your teeth and gums. Just as important is the professional care given by our hygienists. The foundation of your dental care program is your twice-a-year exam and professional cleaning.
Advanced Tools for Healthy Teeth and Gums
To ensure we do everything we can to help you achieve your goals – the best possible dental health – we employ these state-of-the-art tools:
Intra-Oral Camera
This tiny camera, which fits inside your mouth and is easily moved around, provides digital images that can be shown immediately on a monitor, so you can also see what we see. We use the miniature camera for more accurate observation and diagnosis, educating you about your own case and condition, and storing the digital files in your patient history. The images can also be provided to other specialists, to insurance companies, or to you.
Digital X-Ray
Emitting as much as 80-90% less radiation than old-fashioned film x-rays, digital x-rays have a clear health advantage. In addition, they are quickly available to view on a monitor, both by you and your dentist. Like images from the intra-oral camera, digital x-ray files can be sent on to other specialists (such as a medical doctor in the case of a tumor image), or to your insurance company.
Ultrasonic Scaler
When the dental hygienist removes plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) from your teeth, he pays special attention to the gumline, where a build-up can lead to gum disease. Hand tools are still an important part of the hygiene tool kit, but the ultrasonic scaler can quickly break down the cell walls of plaque and tartar, which can then be washed away. There is less chance of accidental damage to gums or roots.
Periodontal Screening and Recording Probe
During your regular dental examination, we will sometimes take a survey of the depth of your gum pockets. A gum pocket is the space between your gum and your tooth. Each tooth has gum pockets all around. When you brush your teeth, it is ideal if you hold your brush diagonally, so the bristles can reach into these pockets.
If tartar (calculus) builds up at the base of your tooth, it can force your gum away from the tooth, making the pocket deeper and deeper. In deep pockets, bacteria can become lodged and grow, causing infection with accompanying redness, inflammation, and bleeding.
We use our periodontal screening and recording probe to measure the depth of each pocket and automatically record it, for later comparison. This is an easy, painless procedure that helps your hygienist identify which parts of your gums need more attention.
CariFree
At Granville Dental, we use the CariFree system of decay prevention and enamel strengthening. We are Cambra certified, which means we are certified to evaluate your risk of cavities and make treatment recommendations based on that. The CariFree product line is available to purchase through our office.
To aid us in evaluating your risk, we use the CariScreen Caries Susceptibility Testing Meter, which helps us look for excess decay-causing bacteria and find out if your dental care routine has been working or not.
ViziLite® Plus Cancer Screening Aid
During your dental examination, the dentist will check for oral cancer. First, he will make a visual check and then double-check, using the ViziLite® Plus system, which consists of a mouth rinse, followed by examination of your mouth with a special light. If any areas look suspicious under the light, they may be marked with a special dye and photographed for later comparison.
Make an appointment for a checkup and professional cleaning at Granville Dental in Granville, Ohio. Call (740) 587-4891 or fill out our online contact form.