Healthy Teeth
SMILE FIRST
Dental Exams & Cleanings
Regular dental exams are an important part of maintaining healthy teeth and a beautiful smile.
When it’s time for their family’s dental exams, Chicago, Lincolnwood, and Sauganash residents come to Smile First Family Dentistry to make sure their teeth are as strong and healthy as possible.
During your initial visit to our office in Chicago, IL, the dentist will perform a comprehensive exam on your teeth and gums. During your regular check-ups, the dentist and hygienist will perform the following dental exams:
Oral Cancer Screening: Cancers of the mouth can have a major impact on how you eat, speak and breathe, so the dentist checks the lips, tongue, throat and skin of the face and neck for signs of cancer.
Evaluation of Gum disease: Gum disease can develop and progress, even if there are no signs or symptoms. To prevent further damage, the dentist will check the bone and gums for disease.
Evaluation of Diagnostic X-rays: Not all damage to the teeth occurs on the surface. During dental exams, the dentist will order radiographs, or x-rays, to detect decay, bone loss, and disease. X-rays also determine root and tooth position and can indicate if other procedures are needed to align them.
Evaluation of Tooth Decay: Decaying teeth left untreated can lead to pain, infection and eventual tooth loss. Out dentist will examine each tooth and its surfaces with specialized instruments to identify tooth decay and determine the proper course of treatment.
Evaluation of current restorations: Even restored teeth aren’t safe from disease and decay. The dentist will check fillings, crowns and other dental work for signs of breakdown and recurrent decay.
Dental exams play a crucial role in maintaining oral health. Don’t settle for just any Chicago dentist, trust your smile to the experts at Smile First Family Dental Studio!
Dental Cleanings
Regular dental cleaning is one of the most important steps you can take to keep your teeth healthy and beautiful. While good habits at home are important — including regular brushing and flossing, plus an anti-cavity rinse At Smile First Family Dental Studio, regular dental cleanings with exams are the foundation of our healthy philosophy. Not only are we removing all the potentially harmful bacteria from your mouth, but we will ensure that every pathologic problem is resolved. The more often you come in for routine checkups, the less problems you have.
Why teeth cleaning is so important
Even the best dental hygiene routine doesn’t guarantee your mouth and teeth are completely free of germs and tartar. Home toothbrushes, floss and dental rinse can only do so much. In fact, being too aggressive in your home regimen can do more harm than good. When it comes to a safe, pain-free dental cleaning, Chicago, Lincolnwood, Skokie, Evanston and Sauganash residents come to Smile First Family Dental Studio to keep teeth clean and healthy.
- During a typical dental cleaning, the teeth are scaled to remove any plaque on the tooth and under the gum line that regular brushing and flossing can’t reach. The process can be done using sonic and ultrasonic scales, replacing the hand scales that made teeth cleaning painful in the past.
- A dental polishing is done along the gum line to prevent future plaque buildup. After the cleaning, the patient rinses out with water or a dental rinse.
Following your visit with the dentist, you’ll receive home care instructions on how to protect your teeth and gums from gum disease and infection. Your dentist will tell you that good oral hygiene, regular dental checkups and healthy eating habits can prevent gingivitis and periodontitis, making every regular dental cleaning less painful and less invasive.
Professional Cleaning
A Registered Dental Hygienist performs professional dental cleanings. Each cleaning appointment includes:
- Oral hygiene Instruction: Instruction includes review of brushing and flossing techniques along with tips on how to reach the commonly missed areas.
- Removal of Plaque: Plaque adheres to the teeth and over time and becomes calculus (tartar). It is difficult to see, and the bacteria that reside in the plaque produce toxins that cause inflammation in the gums and other tissue. This inflammation is the beginning of periodontal disease.
- Removal of Calculus (tartar):As plaque gets old it hardens into calculus. It can form on the tooth above and below the gum line. Calculus cannot be removed by brushing or flossing. It requires special dental instruments to be removed.
- Tooth Polishing: Plaque and stains are removed by polishing in areas where brushing and flossing are not effective.
