General Dentist Burlington NC

During a routine cleaning, plaque, and tartar above the gumline only will be removed. However, if periodontal disease exists, patients will undergo specialized care to prevent the return of gum disease. Patients diagnosed with periodontal disease will begin with a procedure called, scaling, and root planing to remove harmful toxins. Following, patients diagnosed with periodontal disease will continue with periodontal maintenance therapy every three to four months.

The removal of tartar and plaque above the gum line is essential to preventing periodontal disease. If not, the plaque turns into hard calculus buildup, which releases harmful toxins. If left untreated, the harmful bacteria will expand below the gum line. The harmful bacteria that cause gum disease may return within three to four months after the initial scaling and root planing treatment.

Comprehensive dental exams may be recommended if it has been a substantial amount of time since your last visit to the dentist. Also, any major changes in your health history may trigger a comprehensive exam. After the initial comprehensive exam, often patients may continue with routine prophylaxis or prophy, also known as cleaning.

The porous nature of our teeth subjects them to decay. No matter how attentive a patient is to their oral health, oral diseases can develop. For that reason, a routine dental cleaning is only part of the visit to our Burlington, NC dental office.

OralID® is an adjunctive screening device that uses a proven, optically based technology called, “fluorescence technology.” OralID® fluorescence technology uses a blue light (435–460 nm) that provides the clinician an aid in the visualization of oral mucosal abnormalities, such as oral cancer and pre-cancer. It is easy to use and non-threatening to patients. Dentists and hygienists can use OralID® to increase the efficacy of oral exams while keeping patient costs affordable.

TMJ Disorder, a disorder of the jaw joint and surrounding muscles. Areas affected include the facial muscles that help you perform basic functions, such as chewing. In fact, symptoms of TMJ disorder may include migraines, earaches, or jaw pain. Our doctors utilize a variety of methods of TMJ disorder treatment, that may include an oral appliance or botox treatment.

The goal of TMJ disorder treatment is to stabilize the jaw. The stabilization of the jaw joint serves two purposes. The first is pain relief: when tense and overworked jaw muscles can finally relax, TMJ pain subsides. The second purpose is to help “reprogram” jaw muscles to hold the joint in proper alignment. It is important to seek treatment from skilled practitioners who have experience in successfully treating TMJ disorder.

The tooth extraction procedure varies slightly depending on whether the tooth is fully erupted or is partially or fully impacted. An impacted tooth is one that never erupts through the surface of the gums. Damaged, decayed, and infected teeth are generally not impacted. Typically, extracting a severely damaged tooth is less invasive.

Some reasons why tooth extraction is necessary may include, severe tooth decay, jaw deterioration, or dental trauma. Also, a wisdom tooth may need to be extracted that is not decayed. If your extracted tooth needs to be replaced, our dentists can provide high-quality dental restorations in Burlington, NC.