Preventative Care

Our Hygiene Team

 In addition to regular checkups and cleanings, we offer the following preventive services:   

• Oral Cancer Screening ---Our lesion detection system will let us know if oral cancer is present. When cancer is discovered late, survivor rates are as low as 28%, when it's discovered early, survivor rates as high as 82%.  

• Dental sealants ---an excellent and necessary adjunct to preventive care, by filling in the grooves on teeth you can lock out bacteria and prevent decay for an extended period of time 

• Patient education ---you can take home information on a variety of topics

• Nightguards ---are necessary to protect and extend the longevity of work performed as well as reducing headaches and sleeplessness

• Mouthguards & Sleep Apnea Devices

Periodontal disease is often called a "silent disease" because there may not be any symptoms you are aware of. Some symptoms you may experience include:

1. Bleeding gums when brushing
2. Persistent bad breath
3. Red, swollen or tender gums
4. Loose or separating teeth
5. Pus between the teeth and gums
6. Gums pulling away from the teeth causing your teeth to appear longer
7. A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite

How is it treated?
There are many different methods of treating gum disease, including both nonsurgical and surgical methods. The methods used are dependent on the severity of your disease. Non-surgical methods include, but are not limited to, scaling and root planing (or deep cleanings), better hygiene, frequent maintenance intervals, and antibiotic therapy. If you are in the advanced stages of gum disease, you may benefit from having surgery. You may also benefit from periodontal laser treatment. There are many items in the marketplace at this time that state there is a "cure" for periodontal disease, or there are items that are used commonly by some practitioners that create great revenue for their offices but do little in terms of actually stabilizing the disease. 

If you experience severe tooth, jaw, or facial muscle pain, it may be from the effects of grinding or clenching your teeth, an involuntary habit called bruxism. The good news is that Dr. Gage may be able to prescribe a custom-made Comfort H/S Bite Splint, which offsets the pain caused by grinding your teeth. A night guard is a device used to protect your existing healthy teeth and temporomandibular joint. This custom-made bite splint is a clear, thin removable device that is worn over your lower or upper teeth as you sleep. Studies suggest those who grind and clench their teeth may experience up to 80 times the normal tooth wear per day compared to those who do not. The good news is that a simple bite splint can offset the effects of this subconscious habit while protecting your teeth from daily wear and tear. 

Have you been formerly diagnosed with sleep apnea?

Do you have a C-Pap that you cannot use?

Do you or your partner snore keeping each other from sleeping?

Dr. Gage also specializes in sleep apnea appliances. The DreamTap appliance is a proven device to treat sleep apnea. It is very tolerable compared to other methods used to treat sleep apnea/snoring.