Dental Cleaning and Exam
Healthy teeth and gums do so much more than give you a beautiful smile. Countless studies conducted over the past several years have shown that good oral health is a vital and integral part of a person’s overall health. In fact, gum disease has been linked to much more serious conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. When it comes to ensuring the oral health of you and your family, a consistent oral hygiene routine at home is only half of the equation – the other half involves regular dental cleanings and exams. That’s why we encourage our patients from throughout the Monroe, LA, area to visit our office regularly for professional cleanings and exams
What’s Included in a Dental Cleaning and Exam?
Although the specific procedures performed during a dental cleaning and exam will depend to a certain extent on each patient’s oral health and dental history, your dentist and hygienist will most likely perform some or all of the following during your routine visit:
- Thorough examination of teeth for any signs of decay
- Thorough examination of gum tissue to check for signs of gum disease or bone loss
- Thorough examination of existing restorations, including fillings, implants, crowns, etc.
- Examination for signs of oral cancer
- A full set of X-rays, when necessary
- Professional cleaning and polishing by a trained hygienist
- Measuring of gum tissue surrounding teeth to check for signs of gum disease
Dental Fillings
Most of us are familiar with dental fillings. In fact, getting a filling is one of the most common procedures performed in most dental offices. For many years, the most common material used in fillings was silver amalgam. Although that material is still available in many dental offices, and is in fact quite durable, there are other options available to modern-day dental patients. At Apple Dental, we are pleased to offer our Monroe, LA, patients two types of materials for their dental fillings.
Types of Dental Fillings
We offer the following two different types of material that can be used for dental fillings:
- Composite resins: One of the most popular filling materials used over the past several years is composite resin. There’s a good reason for this – composite fillings can be made to very closely match the shade of your natural teeth, so your fillings will be barely noticeable. Composite resin is also quite strong and durable, which means your fillings should last for many years.
- Gold fillings: Gold has been used as a dental material for many years. The strength and durability of gold makes it an excellent choice for many dental applications. In fact, gold inlays and crowns often last for 20 years or even longer. But, as you might have guessed, gold is more expensive than composite resin and often requires multiple trips to our Monroe, LA, office.
The Procedure Involved in Dental Fillings
No matter what material you choose for your dental filling, the procedure involved in preparing your affected tooth is the same. Your dentist will begin by numbing the area around the tooth, then he will remove any decay present before thoroughly cleaning the tooth surface to prepare it for the filling. Typically, composite fillings can be completed in a single trip to our office, although gold inlays may require more than one visit.
Endodontic Treatment
When the pulp of a tooth becomes infected, special care and treatment is required to remove the pulp and protect the tooth from becoming infected in the future. This is referred to as endodontic treatment, and is a specialty area of dentistry that not all dental practices provide. This is why we are so pleased to offer these services to our Monroe, LA, area patients.
Root Canals: A Common Form of Endodontic Treatment
The first step in a root canal procedure is to remove existing decay from the tooth, followed by removing the pulp and nerve of the tooth as well. Onсе that step is complete, wе fіll the tооth wіth a ѕресіаl mаtеrіаl that bоth protects thе tооth and ѕеаlѕ thе opening. Finally, we place a crown over the tooth to prevent furthеr dаmаgе.
Oral Surgery and Other Forms of Endodontic Treatment
In addition to root canals, Drs. Sanderson and Haynes also perform a variety of other types of oral surgery as needed. This includes removal of diseased tissues; removal of half a tooth (“hemisection”); removal of the roots of a tooth (“apicoectomy”); and removal and replacement of a tooth. Although the exact course of endodontic treatment varies from one patient to the next, it often involves anywhere from 1 to 3 visits to our Monroe, LA, office.
Do You Need a Root Canal or Other Endodontic Treatment?
There are certain symptoms that might indicate the need for a root canal or endodontic treatment, including:
- A severe toothache that gets worse under pressure
- A discolored tooth
- Swollen or tender gums surrounding a tooth
- Sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks
Extractions
In most circumstances, the vast majority of dentists would agree that it’s always preferable to save a natural tooth whenever possible. But sometimes, extractions are necessary – such as in patients who have impacted wisdom teeth, for instance. At Apple Dental, Drs. Sanderson and Haynes have years of experience in performing these procedures and will recommend tooth extractions to our Monroe, LA area patients only when it is absolutely necessary.
Types of Extractions
Generally speaking, our dentists perform either one of two types of extractions:
- Simple Extraction – This type of procedure is performed on teeth that have already erupted through the gum tissue. The dentist applies a local anesthetic, which numbs the affected area, after which the tooth is lifted using an elevator and removed with forceps.
- Surgical Extraction – In more complicated cases — such as teeth with large or curved roots – or to remove teeth that have not yet erupted through the gum tissue, a surgical extraction is required. For this type of procedure, the dentist administers a form of anesthesia that allows the patient to feel completely relaxed and at ease, yet still be awake. In surgical extractions, the dentist will need to make an incision in the gum tissue in order to extract the tooth.
An Important Note about Recovery
Although the extraction process may sound intimidating, these procedures are actually quite routine. It’s essential that the patient allow a sufficient amount of time to recover at home after the procedure. Your dentist will provide a full set of instructions to ensure that you take the necessary precautions that will allow for a speedy recovery. A simple extraction will require a shorter recovery time than a surgical procedure, but patients typically bounce back from either type of extraction in a relatively short time.
Dental Emergency
Open from Monday to Thursday from 7AM-7PM and Friday from 8AM-3PM, Saturday & Sunday closed
Call Us Now: (318) 325-3254
If I have a dental emergency over the weekend, is Apple Dental open?
No, please refer to our office schedule for emergencies. We are currently closed on both Saturday and Sunday.
Do I need to make an appointment if I have a dental emergency?
No appointment is necessary. We accept walk-in patients with emergency conditions.
If I have a dental emergency over the weekend, can I call and talk to someone in your office?
We’ll be glad to take your call while our office is open. If you experience a dental emergency during the weekend, you can fill out the contact form on our website or call to leave us a message and someone from our office will return your call to coordinate a time for you to be seen by the dentist as soon as possible. If you are experiencing a true life-threatening emergency during a weekend, you may visit an emergency room or urgent care clinic for immediate medical attention.
What constitutes a dental emergency?
Dental emergencies are any type of trauma or accident that has occurred to your teeth or your jaw, including knocked out teeth, broken or chipped teeth, loose teeth and pain or swelling in the jaw. Any type of infection in gum tissue or any area of the mouth is also considered to be an emergency situation.
Why choose Apple Dental for dental emergencies?
- Our staff is comprised of a group of skilled dental professionals, each of whom has treated patients with dental emergencies on many occasions.
- If you are suffering from some type of an emergency situation, it’s important to have it treated right away, which is why we offer emergency appointments as quickly as possible.
- At Apple Dental, our focus is on treating your entire family, so we are accustomed to working with patients of all ages – from the youngest to the most elderly.
What to know about dental emergencies
Dental problems don’t go away on their own. This is particularly true of emergency situations. If you don’t receive treatment right away, things will only get worse. This is why we are pleased to serve our patients with dental emergencies appointments as soon as possible.
