Cleanings and oral exams not only keep your teeth healthy and strong, but it also keeps you feeling and looking your best. Fighting gum infections and maintaining oral health is easy. It just takes a little time each day, and some professional help from your friends at Malan Family Dentistry.

Your cleaning and exam is more than just a cleaning.  You may catch yourself thinking “I don’t need my teeth cleaned, they all feel fine” but did you know that there is so much more involved in your short visit to our office for a cleaning.  At your cleaning appointment we do the following:

• Head and neck/oral cancer screening. Our screenings are designed to check for signs of oral cancer, unusual lesions, swollen lymph nodes in your head and neck area and other abnormalities which can indicate infections and problems in other parts of the body.  Many diseases can show signs in the mouth
• Check for periodontal disease/gingivitis by measuring of the bone support around your teeth.  If we catch gingivitis before it turns to periodontal disease, it is completely reversible.  Unlike periodontal disease which is not reversible and needs to be maintained by regular scaling and root planing appointments.
• T-scan with a computer sensor that reveals the forces placed on each tooth during function. This gives us baseline information and helps the Dr. diagnose the cause of joint pain, loose and cracked teeth and abnormal wear.
• X-rays to check for cavities, bone issues, cysts and infections that we can’t see otherwise.  With routine x-rays we can fix decay with a filling instead of a root canal and a crown, saving hundreds of dollars in the long run.
• Removal of plaque and tartar that build up and act as hotels for bacteria that causes cavities and periodontal disease. Once the plaque has hardened to tartar, no amount of brushing will remove it.
• Personalized and specific instructions on how to better care for your teeth and which areas need specific attention and how to clean them better at home.
• A thorough dental exam and complete entertainment from Dr. Malan himself.

You can see that your visits to Dr. Matthew W. Malan’s office for cleanings are very beneficial for your oral health, but it’s important to remember that your everyday home care is also very critical in keeping your smile bright and beautiful between visits.