Routine Dental Examination

At Dental Concepts, we are proud to provide quality dental services for your long term benefit. We believe in modern preventive dental care and in helping you keep your teeth for life.

With routine dental examinations, regular visits to your dentist and by looking after your oral health on a daily basis, you can help avoid the traditional pattern of fillings and extractions.

We offer a full range of general dental treatments to help you maintain healthy gums, fresh breath and outstanding oral health.

GINGIVITIS
Gingivitis is inflammation of gum tissue. Most common is plaque-induced gingivitis, due to bacterial plaque in close proximity to the gum margin. Plaque is an invisible , sticky film or layer primarily made up of bacteria and residual foods (starch, sugars etc). If not removed properly by effective daily toothbrushing and flossing, it can mineralize into hard calcium deposits( calculus/ tartar) and accumulate on the teeth, restorations, dentures, and gaps between the teeth and gums( gingival crevice).If untreated, it may progress to periodontitis.

PERIODONTITIS
Periodontitis is gum disease that causes inflammation of gums and loss of bone that anchors the teeth, and eventually mobility and tooth loss. Most common reason is buildup of bacterial plaque biofilms on the tooth surfaces and close to the gums, over a certain time frame. Periodontal diseases take on many different forms but primarily the cause remains dental plaque combined with a host immunoinflammatory response. This is also modified by certain risk factors like diabetes, smoking, stress, genetics, obesity, infrequent dental visits, osteoporosis, etc.)

TREATMENTS FOR GINGIVITIS & PERIODONTITIS

1.ROUTINE ORAL PROPHYLAXIS- INCLUDES SCALING AND ROOT PLANING
Scaling and Root planing is the conventional and most basic form of periodontal therapy.It is the non-surgical therapy commonly referred to as deep cleaning of the gums. It involves the removal of the causative factors like the dental plaque, the toxins produced by the bacteria, and the calculus/tartar on the root surfaces, thus establishing a clean, and smooth surface, which helps in resolving the inflammation. This can be achieved by using hand instruments called scalers or curettes, or electrically driven instruments called ultrasonic scalers. They vibrate at a frequency that breaks down bacterial cell membranes and removes both plaque and calculus.A prophylaxis refers to scaling and polishing of the teeth in order to prevent oral diseases. Polishing is done with pumice cups and polishing abrasive paste and only helps in removing some plaque and stains, yet forms an important part of the procedure.

2.CURETTAGE
Procedure used to remove the soft tissue lining of the inflamed periodontal pocket to reduce the granulation tissue, edema and promote healing. It is usually done with hand curettes, after administering local anesthesia.

3. SPLINTING OF MOBILE TEETH
A common sequel of periodontitis is mobility or loose teeth. Sometimes, it can be increased due to trauma. Splinting is the use of thin niti wires, tooth coloured restorative material, or ribbo-like fbre to strenghthen or join all the mobile teeth and redistribute the biting forces as the weakened teeth cannot bear the forces.This procedure enables the patient to eat, bite properly because of the improved stability, also helps in improving speech, and esthetics as loose teeth can affect the overall health and confidence of an individual.

4. ADJUSTMENT OF MINOR OCCLUSAL PROBLEMS (DISCREPANCY IN THE BITING SURFACES OF TEETH)

5. MANAGEMENT OF SEVERE DENTINAL HYPRSENSITIVITY
Dentinal hypersensitivity is the sensation that emanates when a cold, sweet stimulus leads to irritation of the nerve endings, which are present in the second layer of the tooth, that is the dentin. The most common cause is thinning down of enamel, open dentinal necks due to caries or gum disease, root exposure due to faulty tooth brushing or due to gum disease, following gum surgery, or eating very sour foods, which leads to erosion of enamel. Patients often complain of moderate to severe sensitivity, or even dentinal shocks. Often it can be a cause of constant worry and discomfort to the patient. Patients with hypersensitivity are asked to refrain from eating extremely cold, or sour foods, use soft tootbrushes, and use dentifrices or pastes having agents to block the dentinal tubules. Common agents are Pot. Nitrate, stannous fluoride, novamin, arginine, which are applied daily so that the agent settles into the dentine and blocks sensitivity. Of late, use of lasers along with desensitizing pastes are used as they lead to melting of dentine and blocking the impulses.

PATIENT EDUCATION
Our primary aim is to educate and motivate patients regarding the cause of dental diseases, and prevention of the same . A continuous audiovisual display of the various dental conditions, their causes, management and prevention will impart an in depth knowledge to the patients. A personal session of patient education and motivation will be given to each patient. Patients are taught the importance of oral hygiene maintenance and various measures and steps towards achieving excellent oral hygiene.
This will include:

1. Counseling for stopping habits like smoking, tobacco, alcohol etc.
2. Habit correction appliances for tongue thrusting, night grinding, etc.
3. Correction of faulty brushing habits.

Educating the patients for correct brushing habits- Bass technique (sulcus cleansing technique) for adults, Fone’s technique (circular brushing). The use of powered or electrically operated toothbrushes for medically compromised, hospitalized patients and mentally challenged individuals demonstrated. The importance of correct technique, duration, frequency, type of brush, change of brush, tongue cleaning will be emphasized.
Importance of using dental floss daily for interdental areas and especially in areas of dental restorations for approximal tooth surfaces.
Use of mouthwashes, rinses or any other agents.

KNOWLEDGE ON DENTAL MANAGEMENT OF MEDICALLY COMPROMISED PATIENT
It is mandatory that a patient informs the dentist about any medical or systemic condition that he or she is suffering from. Most commonly encountered are hypertension, diabetes, asthma, allergy, epilepsy, etc. Based on the medical condition the management protocol for every dental/surgical procedure may change or may have to be modified. A thorough understanding of the management of the underlying systemic condition for the dental procedure will be given to the patient.