Dental Checkups & Cleanings – Buffalo, NY | Williamsville, NY

How are our hygiene visits different?

We don’t just clean your teeth. Our hygienists start by meeting with you to go over extensive medical history, history of how you’ve been getting your teeth cleaned, and any necessary x-rays that need to be taken. You will then have a full periodontal evaluation. Your hygienist will measure around your teeth and gums checking the bone height around each tooth. They literally take each tooth at a time. They will check for gum infection, bleeding gums, calculus, tartar, and bone loss. Every tooth is measured 6 readings per tooth. Your hygienist will measuring around each tooth and under the gums, checking the bone height that holds teeth in place. 1-3 mm is normal, anything higher than 4 mm in depth around the tooth can be a concern. Between that collected information, how long it’s been since your last hygiene visit, and what your hygienist is visually seeing, our hygienist is able to consult with your doctor to help with your diagnosis and treatment plan. Our hygienist will spend an entire hour focused entirely on you to make sure that no important information is missed. Your health and life could depend on it.

We have the latest information and technology to make your hygiene visits as painless and pleasant as we can.

Why do I need current x-rays?

It’s important that you have current x-rays because things can change or progress quickly. Things can also progress slowly, so it’s helpful to see past x-rays because we have something to compare to. It’s crucial that your hygienist knows what is happening during the time of your visit in order to stop any progression of gum disease. Sometimes you may need more extensive treatment - scaling, root cleaning, medication. Your hygienist and doctor will consult to decide what treatment plan is needed for you.

Our treatments are customized to the patients needs as far as customizing treatment and recommending products (electric toothbrush, waterpik, what fits the patients needs instead of one size fits all cleaning).

What is a deep cleaning?

A deeper cleaning means your hygienist is cleaning deeper below the gum line. This will make sure that any build up, that sometimes isn’t visible, is removed. If left too long, this buildup of bacteria and tartar can lead to periodontal disease or worse bone loss.

All the tissues below the teeth are now involved instead of just visible plaque above the gumline. We like to use the analogy of your tooth being like a glacier in the water.

Why are regular hygiene visits crucial?

During your visit your hygienist will take measurements through periodontal charting. This tells them if tooth is secure and disease free. We do this for your whole health. It’s not just a cleaning for your teeth, it’s for your entire body. Your body is like a car. If one part is not working, the rest of the car will not work properly.

Our Hygienists Can Save Your Life

Our hygienists are passionate about this. This is why we educate our patients and spend so much time doing so. The condition of your teeth and gums can say an awful lot about the health of your body overall. There is a good reason why many underlying health conditions have strong links with decay and dental degeneration; it’s because the mouth and the body are one. If you look after your teeth, your general health will improve.