In our office we offer the Carifree cavity test as well as the Velscope oral cancer screening as a service that is included in the cost of getting your teeth cleaned (prophy) or having periodontal maintenance. The Carifree cavity test is like taking your blood pressure. It gives us a number that indicates a patient’s risk of getting cavities. Thus, we can prevent cavities before they form. The Velscope is a technology that enables us to find oral cancer before it is visible in the mouth. Finding oral cancer as soon as possible is the key to survival. In the near future we will also provide Laser Bacterial Reduction. This is a new technology allowing the hygienist to “sterilize” the gum tissue around the teeth after the cleaning with a laser. This stimulates better blood flow and promotes faster healing. Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
Posts Tagged ‘Prophylaxis’
What else do you get with your cleaning?
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010What can you do if you hate dental floss?
Monday, April 5th, 2010There is nothing that works more effectively than good old, waxed dental floss. However, not everyone enjoys using floss or can make it part of their regular routine. There are a few other options that will help keep the areas between your teeth clean including brushes (interproximal), water pics, and Carifree anticavity treatments. The interproximal brushes are shaped in such a way that allow you to easily clean between teeth after meals or before bedtime. In fact, these are also a great supplement to dental floss for those really hard to reach areas. Any type of water cleaning device is going to help with removing food particles but these are less effective on tartar. The Carifree treatment system helps keep the pH in the mouth at a level that is less conducive for the bacteria that cause cavities. There is no complete substitute for dental floss but using something that can be done consistently is more effective than irregular flossing in preventing dental cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
How do you decide what type of treatment to do first?
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009……This is a question we are asked on a daily basis. There are so many types of dental treatment, how does one decide what is most important and what things maybe aren’t so important. There are a few cases when dental treatment must be done in a specific order. For instance, when a patient is in pain, has an infection, or a soft tissue pathology (lesion). These coniditions almost always take precedence over routine dental care. However, when none of these exist, other types of treatments include dental fillings, bleaching, teeth cleaning (prophylaxis), orthodontics, crowns, and etc. Thus, it becomes important to decide what can be done first and what a reasonable time frame might be. This decision is entirely in the hands of the patient. Typically, cleanings (prophylaxis or scaling and root planing) are performed first followed by removal of decay and then filling or crowning broken teeth. This is not the same for every patient. Some patients aren’t concerned with losing teeth while others want to fill cavities long before they get close to the nerve of the tooth. Some patients have financial or time constraints while others don’t. Some patients want to simply straighten or whiten their teeth while others are only concerned about keeping their teeth without concern for cosmetics. As you can see, this is very individualized for every patient. These decisions are made by the patient with guidance from the dentist in order to insure that the patient reaches their own goals for their oral health. If you have questions about your oral health do not hessitate to ask. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com