Preventive dental care is extremely important in maintaining a healthy mouth and beautiful teeth. Having regular preventive care is the best way to make sure your teeth last your entire lifetime. Preventive dental saves money by helping you avoid having to undergo major dental procedures because problems will be caught early. Preventative actions keep your teeth, gums and mouth healthier. On your own you can regularly brush and floss your teeth as well as clean your tongue to keep your smile bright and healthy between visits to the dentist.

Scheduling regular dental check ups with River Rock Dental % in Casper is vital so that problems can be found early and tooth decay can be prevented if possible. Parents should teach their children at an early age how to take care of their teeth and get them used to visiting the dentist on a regular basis. This will allow River Rock Dental to find any potential problems and take care of them early so that children and teens can develop a beautiful smile and have healthy teeth and gums as they grow into adulthood.

Preventive Prophylaxis

Prophylaxis consists of a thorough examination of your teeth and gums and is done by the Dentist or Hygienist on staff. This is a preventive measure to maintain the health of your teeth and gums. The procedure involves a thorough professional teeth cleaning removing tartar build up in hard to reach areas of your mouth as well as diagnosis of potential gum disease. The latest equipment is used to provide scaling, polishing and debridement when needed. Our dentist recommends very strongly that patients have their teeth professionally cleaned every three to six months depending on the current oral health of the patient.

Dental Sealants

A dental sealant is a very thin invisible plastic coating applied in the grooves on the surface of the back teeth where chewing occurs. This sealant protects them from decay. Some teeth have very deep crevices and grooves, which tend to collect germs and food particles. The sealant acts like a band-aid by blocking the harmful debris from collecting in those areas and potentially causing decay. Most kids and teenagers who get cavities at an early age are advised to get sealants in order to prevent decay in baby teeth or newly erupted permanent molars.

When our dentist in Casper applies the dental sealant it takes very little time, is easy and pain free. First the tooth is thoroughly cleaned  with a flavorless polish then a gel which gets the tooth ready to bond with the sealant material is applied on the chewing surface of the tooth for just a few seconds. The tooth is washed of the gel then the sealant is simply painted on the surface of the tooth. To help the sealant to harden a light is shined on it. This is a very simple and pain free procedure that requires no injections and the result is a shield that will protect the tooth for many years to come.

Fluoride Treatments

Fluoride is a natural mineral existing in food and water. Fluoride treatments help in the prevention of tooth decay as well as protecting the surface enamel of the teeth. River Rock Dental offers fluoride treatments as part of providing excellent dental care for our patients. The fluoride treatments carried out in our dental office in Casper contain enough fluoride to make it effective in fighting decay and in strengthening the enamel but not too much to harm the tooth or body in any way. ( Fluoride is controversial and patients hear a lot of bad false press about it, I would avoid using words such as "a high concentration  of..")

Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy or endodontic treatment can often be performed in one or two visits. River Rock Dental examines and radiographs the infected tooth. A local anesthetic is administered and after the tooth is profoundly numb a protective sheet is put over the area to isolate saliva from the tooth during the procedure. An opening in the crown or top of the tooth is made in order to clean out the infection found in the pulp chamber and root canals of the lower half of the tooth.

After the space is cleaned the root canals are filled with biocompatible material. A gutta percha is placed with an adhesive cement to ensure complete sealing of the root canal. In most cases, a temporary filling is placed to close the opening.

The patient will eventually have a crown or other restoration placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function. If the tooth lacks sufficient structure a post may be put inside for restoration.

TMJ

TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint which is the jaw joint. It is located just anterior to the ear and connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull. Problems with the joint, referred to as TMD or temporomandibular disorder, affect many people in the United States. TMD affects more women than men. TMD is most commonly caused by stress. Stress promotes the patient to unconsciously clench the teeth together usually at night. The pressure the clenching causes breaks down the cartilage surrounding the joint and over stimulates the facial muscles associated with opening and closing the mouth. Symptoms that this is occurring are pain followed by cracking sound when one opens his/her mouth, headaches, and receding gums.  TMD is treated with a device called a nightguard that prevents patients from putting an exorbitant amount of pressure on their TMJ. This device is worn at night when the patient sleeps.

Oral Cancer Screening

Early detection is the best way to combat any form of cancer and oral cancer is no different. Diagnosing oral cancer through regular screenings is key to preventing and effectively treating the condition. Our goal is to find oral, neck and head cancers as soon as possible when patients come in with symptoms of bleeding, pain, dysphagia or otalgia. Our dentist can carefully examine the mouth and neck, which usually only takes a few minutes. This short exam is critical to the prevention, treatment and cure of early stage oral cancer.