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Services

Cleanings And Exams

Complete health may be our long-term goal, but our immediate priority is the patient comfort. We do our best to facilitate a relaxing and non-threatening office environment you’ll want to return to again and again. This includes the implementation of multiple techniques to prevent treatment discomfort and minimize anxiety.

Complete health may be our long-term goal, but our immediate priority is the patient’s comfort. We do our best to provide a relaxing and non-threatening office environment you’ll want to return to again and again. This includes the implementation of multiple techniques to prevent treatment discomfort and to minimize anxiety.

The American Dental Association recommends that you have your mouth professionally cleaned and examined twice a year, ideally once every six months. This might not seem like much, but these appointments are crucial for preventing serious oral health complications. During your cleanings, we can eliminate all buildup from all surfaces of your teeth. In addition to removing plaque, bacteria, and other debris, we are also able to effectively scrape away tartar, or hardened plaque, which cannot otherwise be removed with a toothbrush.

Exams are important for the detection of different oral health issues. During your exams, we look over your teeth and gums, checking for signs of tooth damage, decay, cavities, and gum disease. Many oral health issues do not exhibit symptoms in their earliest stages. By the time you do notice something, the issue has worsened. With early detection, we can provide you with the treatment you need to stop the progression of the issue and restore your oral health, preventing more serious complications from developing. Typically, the earlier the issue is detected, the easier, and less invasive the treatment will be.

Dental Cleanings

At Laser Dental Bakersfield, we recommend dental cleanings at least twice a year. Professional cleaning not only helps the appearance of your teeth, but it also enhances your oral health.

A dental cleaning is non-invasive and can help ward off gum disease and tooth decay down the road.

The Exam Before The Cleaning

At the start of your dental cleaning, our Hygienist will give you a dental exam by looking at your teeth and gums using a mirror to see those hard-to-see spots. We look for any potential issues, such as swollen gums or decayed teeth.

At this time, we will also ask you about any trouble spots you have noticed or pain you have experienced over the last six months. If everything looks good, we will begin the dental cleaning.

Removing Plaque And Tartar

After our initial examination, our Hygienist will remove any tartar buildup on your teeth. Using a scaler, we remove the tartar both on and in between your teeth. With regular oral hygiene, you can minimize the amount of tartar buildup that is in your mouth.

Tartar starts as plaque, or bacteria from eating, drinking, and smoking. If left to sit on your teeth, plaque can turn into tooth decay and gum disease. After a while, the plaque becomes calcified, which is the tartar. At this point, it can only be removed with our special tools.

Removal of the plaque and tartar is non-invasive, even though you may hear ‘scraping’ sounds. The length of time it takes to remove the plaque and tartar depends on the cleanliness of your teeth.

We will thoroughly remove all of the plaque to reduce the risk of gum disease and tooth decay.

Polishing Your Teeth

After removing the plaque and tartar, our Hygienist will brush your teeth with a professional-grade electric toothbrush and toothpaste. Our professional-grade toothbrush can help minimize stains on your teeth.

The slight abrasiveness of the toothpaste can help smooth the texture of your teeth as well, giving you a smooth, white appearance when completed. The removal of the plaque/tartar plus the professional tooth polishing can also help freshen your breath.

Flossing Your Teeth

The final step is to floss your teeth professionally. Even if you think you floss well every night, our Hygienist can get into deeper spaces and hard-to-reach areas of your mouth.

This ensures that all traces of any plaque or tartar buildup are removed, which can help prevent gum disease or decay in the future.

Fluoride Treatment

After your cleaning, we may use a Fluoride treatment. Fluoride can help decrease the risk of tooth decay between dental cleanings.

Fluoride treatment is simply a mouthpiece that contains fluoride that rests on your teeth for one minute. After that minute, we remove the mouthpiece and rinse your mouth.

We highly recommend adheringto a bi-annual schedule for your dental cleanings. It helps enhance the health of your teeth in addition to regular oral health habits, including brushing and flossing each day.

Our Hygienists and Dentists offer gentle but effective cleanings that enhance your oral health.

Exams

Dental exams are an integral part of your oral health care. At Laser Dental Bakersfield, we offer gentle, yet thorough dental exams to ensure the integrity of your oral health. Whether it has been a while since you have had an exam, or you want to know how to prepare for your first appointment with us, we will guide you along the way.

What To Expect During A Dental Exam

The dental exam is non-invasive and nothing to be nervous about. Our Dentists use this opportunity to evaluate your overall oral health. We start by asking you pertinent questions about your teeth and gums. We will inquire about any pain or discomfort you have experienced since your last exam. We will also ask about any health problems or medications that you take that may affect your dental health.

During the exam itself, our dentists look for signs of oral health issues including:

  • Gum disease
  • Tooth decay
  • Loose teeth
  • Broken or chipped teeth
  • Jaw misalignment
  • Biting issues
  • Stained teeth
  • Tartar buildup

The exam itself is very gentle. We use a tool called an Explorer, which we use to touch each tooth to test its integrity. Examining each tooth one by one makes it possible for us to catch tooth decay, loose tooth, chipped tooth and gum disease early. As is the case with most oral health issues, the quicker we catch them, the easier the issues are to treat.

Assessing For Oral Cancer

As a precaution, our dentists will also assess your risks for oral cancer. This involves evaluating the health of your cheeks, tongue, lips, and roof of your mouth. Our dentist will also feel the outside of your jaw, neck, and cheeks to look for any signs of oral cancer. Early detection of oral cancer is crucial for proper treatment.

Who Needs Oral Cancer Screening?

As a general precaution, each patient gets an oral cancer screening annually, but certain patients are at higher risk of oral cancer and may need more frequent exams. These patients include smokers, drinkers, and anyone with a previous or family history of oral cancer. If any of these pertain to you, make sure to mention it to us at your next exam.

X-Rays

As a part of your dental exam, we may recommend the use of x-rays. This gives us a more in-depth look at the health of your mouth. X-rays help us get a better look at decay that is hard to see with the naked eye or gum disease that has progressed, causing bone loss or loose teeth.

The dental exam helps you stay on top of your oral health. Our dentists perform thorough exams that can help alert you of current or potential issues right away. We will then discuss proper treatment or steps to take to help fix the issue.

Call Laser Dental Bakersfield at (661) 885-9054 today to schedule your dental exam. Our gentle dentists will gently examine your mouth, provide x-rays when necessary, and help you understand what you can do to enhance your overall oral health.