Preventative Dental Services

At Stowe Family Dentistry, we have been creating and maintaining beautiful smiles in Vermont for over 40 years. Our dentists and hygienists offer quality dental care in warm surroundings using state-of-the-art dental equipment. We also place a great deal of emphasis on patient education. The more we can teach our patients how to maintain their optimum dental health, the better! A preventive dental regimen, including regular dental cleanings, helps to preserve the teeth, gums, and bone, avoiding breakdown in oral health.

We have always recommended fluoride varnish for anyone who is prone to decay. Not only does this help to prevent cavities, it helps strengthen tooth structure. Fluoride varnish treatment has long been known to help reduce hypersensitivity along the gum line, improve enamel resistance against acid, and reduce the incidence of cavities among high-risk patients. In fact, the American Dental Association recommends fluoride applications up to every three months for high-risk patients.

Sealants are a thin, protective coating that adheres to the chewing surface of your molars. They are designed to fill in the cracks and crevices in your back teeth that may be hard to clean with regular brushing. Once applied they can keep cavities from forming and may even stop early stages of decay from becoming a full-blown cavity. Sealants have been shown to reduce the risk of decay by nearly 80% in molars!

Often times patients develop areas where a deeper type of cleaning is needed. Scaling and root planning is a technique used to reach deeper under the gums to remove stubborn plaque, tarter, and calculus build-up. “Pocketing” is a term used when the area between the tooth and gum breaks down forming deeper areas where floss cannot reach; additionally known as periodontitis. When this happens bacteria and food particles stay beneath the gumline and start to deteriorate the bone. This can eventually cause the tooth to become loose or possibly lead to extraction in very late stages. Patients who are prone to periodontal disease or haven’t been seen for regular dental cleaning may need to have this procedure performed to clean up or maintain any areas that have worsened.

Bruxism is a term used when a person grinds or clenches their teeth together. Grinding and clenching can lead to damage on your teeth as well as cause sensitivity and even jaw pain. There are several different types of dental bite guards we can make to help our patients with these issues. All are custom-fit! Most of our guards are smaller and unobtrusive, and usually worn at night while you sleep. Sports guards are very similar but generally thicker and made with a rubber like material to help absorb any shock while playing any impact sports.