Preventative
Services
Protect Your Smile with Comprehensive Preventive Dental Care
Professionsal Dental Cleanings (Prophylaxis)
A dental prophylaxis—your professional teeth cleaning—is essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Even with excellent home care, plaque and tartar can build up in hard-to-reach areas that brushing and flossing can't address.
Dr. LaPointe carefully crafts each crown to match the size, shape, and color of your natural teeth, ensuring that your restoration blends seamlessly with your smile. Modern crowns are remarkably durable and, with proper care, can last many years while providing reliable function and aesthetic appeal.
Benefits of Regular Professional Cleanings
- Prevents cavities and tooth decay
- Stops gum disease before it starts
- Freshens breath and removes stains
- Detects problems early when treatment is simplest
- Saves money by preventing costly procedures
- Maintains overall oral and systemic health
What Happens During Your Cleaning?
Thorough Plaque & Tartar Removal
Our gentle dental hygienist removes buildup from teeth, especially in difficult-to-reach areas along and below the gumline.
Professional Polishing
Surface stains are removed, leaving your teeth smooth and clean.
Fluoride Treatment
We recommend fluoride application following your cleaning for added protection against tooth decay.
Comprehensive Examination
Dr. LaPointe evaluates your oral health, checking for cavities, gum disease, and other concerns.
Oral Cancer Screening
A thorough screening helps safeguard your overall oral and systemic health.
Dental X-Rays
Digital radiographs allow us to detect decay, bone loss, or infection not visible during visual examination.
Dental X-Rays: Essential Diagnostic Tools
Digital dental X-rays are a vital part of your preventive care, revealing problems that aren't visible during clinical examination.
What X-Rays Detect
- Cavities between teeth
- Bone loss from gum disease
- Infections at tooth roots
- Cysts or tumors
- Impacted teeth
- Tooth and root positioning
Safe, Modern Technology
Our digital X-ray system uses up to 90% less radiation than traditional film X-rays while providing clearer, more detailed images. X-rays are only taken when necessary for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
Oral Cancer Screening
Early detection saves lives. During every preventive visit, Dr. LaPointe performs a thorough oral cancer screening, examining your mouth, tongue, throat, and neck for signs of abnormalities or precancerous conditions.
What We Screen For
- Unusual lumps or tissue changes
- Red or white patches
- Sores that don't heal
- Difficulty swallowing or persistent hoarseness
- Unexplained bleeding or numbness
Regular screenings allow us to detect potential problems early when treatment is most successful.
Floride Treatments: Strengthens & Protects
Professional fluoride treatments provide an extra layer of protection against tooth decay by strengthening tooth enamel and helping to reverse early signs of decay.
Who Benefits from Fluoride Treatments?
- Children and teenagers
- Adults prone to cavities
- Patients with exposed root surfaces
- Those with dry mouth conditions
- Anyone wanting extra cavity protection
Fluoride treatment is quick, painless, and recommended following your professional cleaning for maximum effectiveness.
Dental Sealants: Powerful Cavity Prevention
Dental sealants are one of the most effective ways to prevent cavities, especially in back teeth where decay most commonly develops.
How Sealants Work
A thin, tooth-colored protective coating is applied to the chewing surfaces of molars, sealing deep grooves and pits where food particles and bacteria can hide. The procedure is quick, painless, and requires no drilling or anesthesia.
Benefits of Dental Sealants
- Block food and bacteria from deep tooth crevices
- Reduce cavity risk significantly
- Last several years with proper care
- Especially beneficial for children and teenagers
- Cost-effective prevention for cavity-prone adults
Sealants can prevent up to 80% of cavities in treated teeth, making them an excellent investment in long-term oral health.
The importance of preventative care
Early Detection
Cost Savings
Better Overall Health
Confidence & Comfort
Accepting new patients! Most dental insurance plans accepted.