Before any dental work begins, each patient receives a thorough dental examination and health assessment. This typically includes digital x-rays and a complete survey and charting of your teeth and gums , including cavities, restorations and missing teeth. We also evaluate your periodontal health, occlusion (teeth position and bite) and TMJ (jaw joint), as well as screen for oral cancer.

Healthy teeth require healthy gums. A gingival pocket exam determines the presence or risk of gum (periodontal) disease.

What to Know:

• Each tooth sits inside a gingival pocket of gum tissue. Food debris and plaque naturally collect inside this pocket.
• Daily tooth brushing and flossing remove food debris and plaque from the gingival pocket. If not removed, harmful bacteria penetrate the gum-line and deepen the pocket.
• As the depth of a gingival pocket increases, so does the risk of tooth damage and infection that leads to gum disease.
• During your exam, a hand-held instrument is gently placed between gums and teeth (sulcus) to measure the depth of each pocket.
• In its earliest stage, gum disease may be reversible. Since it rarely has symptoms of pain, it is possible to have gum disease and not know it.

Your teeth are cleaned using special instruments to remove plaque from above and below the gum-line. Afterwards, your teeth are polished. Tooth polishing makes your teeth look and feel great. It also smoothes tooth surfaces so plaque is less likely to accumulate.

Ultrasonic technology lets us perform even the most difficult cleanings thoroughly and comfortably. The device uses gentle, high-frequency sound waves to create a vibration (called cavitation) that removes heavy deposits and debris comfortably and thoroughly, with much less scraping.

Though it doesn’t get much publicity, oral cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer. Often not caught until the later stages, this disease can be disfiguring, often resulting in removal of the jaw, tongue or other facial structures. In the worst cases, oral cancer can be deadly.

Oral cancer involves abnormal cell tissue growth in the mouth, tongue, lip, palate, gums or throat. experienced dentists at Lane Ends Dental Practice routinely screen patients to determine if they have oral cancer.

A healthy smile depends on healthy gums. Unfortunately, most adults have some degree of periodontal (gum) disease, which can lead to bleeding gums, gum recession, sensitivity and — in the worst case — tooth loss. In fact, periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss among adults.

Our dental hygienists in collaboration dental specialists offer the latest gum treatments to stop gum disease from progressing, which includes soft tissue management, medications, gum grafts, and new tissue regenerative procedures.

We are pleased to offer our patients custom made protective night-guards that prevent teeth grinding and wear. The first step in fabricating these night-guards is to take an impression of your teeth. We then use that impression and fabricate the night-guards using special professional-grade materials.

The perfect fit of these  night-guards ensures that not only will your guard fit comfortably, it will also offer the most protection and will interfere the least with speech or breathing.

The grooves and depressions that form the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are extremely difficult to clean of bacteria and food. As the bacteria reacts with the food, acids form and break down the tooth enamel, causing cavities.

Tooth sealants protect these susceptible areas by sealing the grooves and depressions, preventing bacteria and food particles from residing in these areas. Sealant material is a resin typically applied to the back teeth, molars and premolars and areas prone to cavities.