The Boulder Dental Group - General and Cosmetic Dentistry in Boulder, Colorado - Dr. Marc Alber

Cleanings & Exams

Professional Cleanings

Professional cleanings (dental prophylaxis) performed by a dentist or hygienist form the foundation for preventing gum disease and tooth decay. In a professional cleaning, your dentist or hygienist will:

• Remove plaque from the teeth – Plaque is a sticky substance that forms in the mouth from food, saliva and bacteria. Plaque sticks to teeth and causes tooth decay and gum disease.
• Remove calculus (tarter) above the gum line – Calculus is plaque that has hardened on the tooth surface and is difficult to remove. (Calculus below the gum line indicates gum disease and requires a different procedure to remove it.)
• Polish and remove stains from teeth

Dental Examinations:

Dental examinations help to diagnose disease before it becomes hazardous to your health. In addition, regular examinations can save you money by alleviating problems while they are small and before they become expensive to repair, or in some cases, impossible to repair. Your dental examinations generally include the following:

• Oral cancer screening
• Gum disease evaluation
• Visual examination of tooth decay
• Examination of diagnostic x-rays to see cysts, tumors, invisible decay and other problems that can't be seen by the naked eye
• Evaluation of status of current restorations (fillings and others)

Diagnodent^® Laser Cavity Detection

The widespread use of fluoride has made cavities more difficult to diagnose, the Diagnodent allows the dentist to look inside the grooves of the tooth. The traditional way to check for cavities was by looking for visual signs of decay on the tooth, checking x-rays, or feeling for a soft area with a dental hook. Diagnodent is a laser technology that scans your teeth with harmless pulses of light. When a cavity is present, fluorescent light of a different wavelength bounces back to the sensor, which is translated to a digital read-out. In general, the higher the number, the greater the amount of decay in the tooth. When a cavity is present, the Diagnodent also produces an audible signal.

You'll benefit from our use of Diagnodent, because it helps us find decay that may have previously gone undetected. By diagnosing decay early in its development, we can prevent more extensive damage. Your restorations will be small and less costly, and you'll be able to retain more of your own natural, healthy tooth.

We cannot express enough how important it is to see your dentist regularly. Remember, preventing disease is always better than treating disease.