Preventive Dentistry – Colchester, VT
Keeping Your Smile Safe from Cavities
Let us help you enjoy a full, healthy smile for a lifetime to come. Our philosophy is centered on your overall wellbeing — and a big part of that is keeping your smile safe from cavities, gum disease, and unbalanced biting forces. Preventive dentistry includes routine dental checkups, teeth cleanings, dental sealants, and fluoride treatments. We welcome patients to visit us for superior preventive dentistry in Colchester, VT. Schedule an appointment today!
Why Choose Elevate Dental
for Preventive Dentistry?
- Husband and Wife Dental Team
- Colchester Families Welcome
- Conveniently Located Close to Burlington
Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings
We believe that optimal dental health is achieved not only through routine checkups and cleanings but by educating and motivating our patients to take care of their teeth when they aren’t in the dental office. We believe the reward lies in seeing the people we serve achieve a higher quality of life, and a greater sense of well-being through their own actions and choices. Together, we can keep your smile sparkling clean and healthy for a lifetime. Regular visits to our dental office help detect potential problems at the earliest stage, often enabling us to provide the most conservative treatment.
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Guided Biofilm Therapy
Professional cleanings are essential routine visits, they don't always have to involve scary dental tools or discomfort. With Guided Biofilm Therapy, our team can utilize a state-of-the-art system that thoroughly cleans your pearly whites while providing a spa-like experience for your mouth. The heated water sprayer gently washes away the biofilm or bacterial plaque on your teeth more efficiently! Not only will this advanced equipment significantly minimize discomfort during your visit, but your teeth will never feel cleaner! Furthermore, this method is incredibly effective at removing harmful bacteria from both your teeth and gums, greatly reducing your risk of developing oral and systemic diseases. It first came out in Europe in 2011 and has a lot of science and data to back up its effectiveness. We believe this technique is the future of dental hygiene!
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Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are thin coverings that are painted onto the surface of the premolars or molars. Here, deep grooves can trap food particles and allow plaque and bacteria to weaken the tooth enamel and cause cavities. A toothbrush is not able to get into these tiny grooves! Children, who are especially at-risk of decay, can benefit from dental sealants as soon as the teeth erupt into the mouth. A first permanent molar erupts as early as age 6! Dental sealants are applied within minutes and can provide significant protection against tooth decay. Some studies show children with sealants decrease their risk of developing fissure decay by 60% or greater!
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Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride is a natural occurring mineral that can help prevent tooth decay. The element fluorine is abundant in the earth’s crust found in rocks and soil. Fluoride is present at varied concentrations in all water sources including rainwater and the oceans.
Fluoridation of Public Water
We are a huge advocate for fluoride and follow the national American Dental Association recommendations for children and adults. Fluoridation of community water is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay. Throughout 70+ years of research, practical experience, the overwhelming weight of credible scientific evidence has constantly indicated that fluoridation of water is safe and effective. Studies prove that it’s effective in decreasing cavities by more than 25%! It benefits everyone, including those without access to regular dental care. Fluroidation has been thoroughly tested in the United States’ court system and found to be a proper means of furthering public health and welfare; No court has ever determined fluoridation to be unlawful. With hundreds of studies published in peer-reviewed, scientific journals, fluoridation is one of the most studied public health measures in history and it continues to be studied today.
How does Fluoride help prevent tooth decay?
The outer layer of the tooth called enamel contains minerals. Overtime these minerals are lost due to acid produced by bacteria in dental plaque breaking down the sugars and carbohydrates we eat. Fluoride protects teeth by helping prevent the loss of these minerals and by restoring them with fluoride-containing mineral that is more resistant to acid attacks. Therefore, fluoride reduces “demineralization” and enhances “remineralization” – terms you may have heard your dentist use. In some cases, when a cavity is less than halfway through enamel (the outer surface) fluoride has been found to reverse tooth decay, in children, adolescents and adults.
Fluoride Supplements for Children
Dietary fluoride supplements are available by prescription and are intended for use by children who are at high risk for developing tooth decay, especially where their primary source of water is deficient. Your dentist will determine if you are on well water or public water, the age/weight of your child and their level of risk at our routine visits. We have researched the fluoride ion level in drinking water (ppm) in the local towns and cities in Vermont to help aid us in our recommendations.
Children’s Dentistry
Your child has special needs when it comes to dentistry, and you want to choose a dental team that welcomes young patients with open arms. That’s us! We love our little patients, and we feel honored to put children on the track to a lifetime of happy, healthy smiles. Bring your child in for their first visit around age one, then every six months after age three. Dental sealants and fluoride treatments provide preventive help for older children.
Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease takes a toll on your health. Your mouth is the entry point to the rest of your body, and infections in the gum are likely to spread. The majority of Americans are suffering from gum disease. If you are, too, it’s time to seek gum disease treatment from your dentist in Colchester.