It’s a common affliction for both children and adults: tooth decay. In fact, more than 90 percent of adults over the age of 20 and 78 percent of children ages 17 or younger have experienced a cavity in their lifetime. At the office of Great Smiles Pediatric & Orthodontics, our team of skilled professionals focuses on prevention and early intervention to help you and your loved ones maintain optimal oral health.
Cavities are caused by a buildup of plaque, which is a sticky film that gathers continuously inside your mouth and harbors bacteria that are potentially harmful to your teeth and gums. The bacteria in plaque metabolize the sugars in your food to produce acids and irritants that cause dental disease.
While limiting your intake of sugary foods brushing and flossing daily are important for combatting the effects of plaque bacteria, it’s also important to visit our office for an exam and teeth cleaning twice a year. With a professional teeth cleaning, we can thoroughly remove any residual buildup of plaque from hard-to-reach areas between your teeth and gums. We strive to make these visits a valuable learning experience as well, especially for our pediatric patients, who are beginning to learn the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene. To further reduce a child’s risk for developing cavities, we can also provide dental sealants and periodic fluoride treatments.
For patients of all ages, we will perform a comprehensive examination, using advanced digital radiography, as needed, to diagnose any tooth decay or other conditions in their earliest stages. To treat a cavity, we gently and precisely remove the decay, then restore the tooth with a dental filling. Our office utilizes the latest generation of durable, tooth colored materials, which blend seamlessly with your smile for aesthetically pleasing results.
At Great Smiles Pediatric & Orthodontics, we keep pace with the most advanced approaches to halt the onset and progress of tooth decay. For more information on our office and the many services that we provide, give us a call today.
