PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY IN AUSTIN
Preventive Dentistry is the routine care of your teeth and gums. Problems with your teeth or gums can lead to other health problems, so your oral care is very important to us.
With thorough regular examinations of your teeth and gums at our Austin dentist office, Dr. Winters and your Dental Hygiene Specialist will recommend a hygiene routine and schedule that best fits your overall dental health needs.
We can help you to understand your current dental conditions and recommend the best routine for your home care and regular dental visits. Remember that our recommendations are intended to help you achieve a healthy smile and regular visits are vital for early quick detection of problems such as decay or gum disease. You will be given instructions for home care, which will play a large part in keeping your smile healthy. Your Dental Hygienist can advise you as to the best toothbrush, toothpaste and mouth rinse for your individual needs.
Many of our clients, especially children and teenagers, benefit from a preventive dental sealant to seal the deep grooves in the back teeth to prevent cavities. Sealants provide a physical barrier so that cavity-causing bacteria cannot invade the pits and fissures on the chewing surfaces of teeth.
Oral cancer is one of the most curable diseases when it’s caught early. That’s why every dental checkup exam includes a visual oral cancer screening to look for suspicious lesions in the soft tissue of the mouth. Unfortunately, this visual scan can’t detect all oral lesions. Modern technology now provides us with the ViziLite Plus oral lesion identification and marking system to help save lives. This technology has been proven successful in identifying precancerous and cancerous abnormalities in the tongue, cheek and gums. ViziLite Plus helps your dental hygienist identify oral lesions at their earliest stages of development. When premalignant lesions or early stage oral cancer is found, treatment is simpler, less invasive and more than 90% successful.
While virtually everyone is at risk for oral cancer, some patients have a greater risk due to their lifestyle or genetics. A higher risk for oral cancer is present if you are or have been a tobacco user of any age, or if you are over the age of 40, even if you are not a tobacco user because 25% of oral cancers occur in people who don’t smoke. The highest risk for oral cancer is present if you have a family history of oral cancer, or any other type of cancer. If you are over the age of 40, and a tobacco user, you are in the highest risk group. This screening is inexpensive and takes less than 5 minutes, so if you are concerned about oral cancer, be sure to inquire about the service during your next checkup.
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
Utilizing technology, we can offer digital x-rays, digital photography, and a virtually paperless office. For you, this means 85% lower radiation during diagnostic x-rays than traditional film x-rays. This technology also allows a greater ability to diagnose dental disease. Photography allows you to see what is possible with modern dentistry to help you to be comfortable with choosing what is right for you.
See before and after picture of cases similar to your own, or even visualize what you would look like with changes to your smile. And computerized patient records allows us access to all of your dental history at the click of a mouse.
To get started on your preventive dentistry, give us a call today! The Hills Dental Spa works with patients all over the Austin area, including Westlake Hills and more!
