COMPREHENSIVE DENTAL HYGIENE
A Seattle dentist office treating you like family.
ROUTINE HYGIENE WELLNESS
Improve your daily brushing and flossing with Ballard Dental Arts.
Comprehensive hygiene begins with daily brushing and flossing to remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth. However, it’s nearly impossible to remove all of it on your own. Your dental hygienist can partner with you to achieve good oral health.
Visiting the dentist at least twice a year for a professional cleaning can prevent tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. Your dentist may recommend more frequent visits based on your condition.
We provide a range of services and treatments to help you:
What to expect at your check-up appointment:
- Visual evaluation of teeth, face, jaw and neck
- Digital images to check for cavities and other possible problems
- Gum disease evaluation
- Professional teeth cleaning and fluoride treatment
- Screening for oral cancer
Caring For Your Smile and Oral Health
Here is what is included in your comprehensive hygiene appointment.
Visual & Gum Disease Evaluation
During the evaluation, your Ballard dentist will check for:
- Cracked, broken, or decayed teeth
- Abnormal areas on your cheeks, gums, tongue, and roof of the mouth
Since gum disease affects almost 50% of adults in the U.S. (Center for Disease Control), we thoroughly assess your oral health during your exam to check for any signs of periodontal disease.
Early detection of periodontal disease allows for easy control and possible reversal. Our team recommends conservative, early intervention as the best approach, and we’ll help you choose the most suitable treatment options for your condition.
Digital Imaging
The dentist may recommend digital x-rays and photographs to identify problem areas in your mouth. These may include:
- A full jaw x-ray (panoramic x-ray) for a comprehensive view of all structures
- Digital 3D imaging to pinpoint exact tooth positioning
- Close-up pictures of teeth or gums using a special digital camera
- Live images using intraoral cameras during examination
This will help them identify and monitor any areas of concern. We also use intraoral cameras to provide live images while we examine your smile.
Cavity Prevention
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends fluoride treatments based on your individual risk for developing cavities. Our team evaluates if your risk is low, moderate, or high, based on ADA criteria. Treatment recommendations:
- Low Risk: Typically offered fluoride treatment twice a year
- Moderate Risk: Fluoride treatment twice a year plus a take-home fluoride product
- High Risk: More frequent fluoride treatments, take-home fluoride product, and possibly an antimicrobial rinse
Professional Teeth Cleaning
All of our hygienists are well trained to perform a thorough teeth cleaning. Our team removes the plaque and tartar from your teeth and then polishes them to remove stains and smooth the tooth surface.
In addition to hand-held hygiene techniques used by our skilled hygienists, ultrasonic devices deliver targeted treatments to hard to reach areas. These devices deliver ultrasonic vibrations to crush and move calcified deposits of calculus.
Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer development is on the rise. Early detection significantly improves treatment outcomes. Risk factors include:
- Smoking (5x increased risk)
- Excessive alcohol use (2.5x increased risk)
- Persistent HPV infection (32x increased risk)
During a routine dental exam, the dentist thoroughly examines all mouth tissues, checking for abnormalities. They also feel for unusual lumps or bumps and make follow-up recommendations if necessary. We can also perform a salivary screening to check for active HPV infection.
To reduce your risk of developing oral cancer, we recommend regular screenings and possible lifestyle changes.
LASERS IN DENTISTRY
Taking Your Dental Care Into The Modern Age.
Lasers enhance the effectiveness of regular cleanings and gum disease therapy. We offers two specific procedures: Laser Bacterial Reduction, or Laser Decontamination, and Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy, both designed to improve oral health by targeting bacteria and promoting gum healing.
LASER BACTERIAL REDUCTION
Laser bacterial reduction uses light energy to fight gum disease. A small fiber optic tip emits this energy between your teeth. It targets harmful bacteria, or biofilms, around the gum-line.
Reduce the risk or severity of periodontal disease.
Why is this important? Biofilms increase your risk of gum disease, which can damage the bone supporting your teeth. Regular cleanings help, but they can’t eliminate all bacteria. That’s where the laser comes in. During your hygiene appointment, the laser:
- Destroys harmful bacteria
- Reduces gum inflammation
- Promotes healthier gums between visits
There are no known side effects to laser decontamination. Most patients do not report any sensation during or after the use of the laser. Occasionally, patients will describe a warm, tingling sensation felt during the procedure. Laser decontamination takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete, and the entire mouth is treated at one time.
The laser uses light energy that is absorbed into the pigmented cell walls of the harmful bacteria, vaporizing them. The bacteria in our mouths that do not contribute to inflammation typically lack pigment in their cell walls and thus are not affected in the same way.
Dental professionals now have access to this technology by using a laser specifically designed to treat the gums. Due to the advances in the production of these dental lasers, our office now has the availability to offer laser decontamination. We are happy to treat our patients with an elevated level of care that is not only supported by years of research but also affordable.
Laser decontamination during dental hygiene appointments effectively kills millions of harmful bacteria. However, these bacteria multiply over time, returning to original levels within months. Therefore, we recommend including laser treatment at every hygiene visit, which may be every 3 months for patients with a history of periodontal treatment. While bacteria regrowth is inevitable, the goal is to maintain optimal oral health by supporting your body’s ability to fight harmful bacteria. Although a single laser treatment cannot permanently eliminate bacteria, regular applications at each appointment help keep bacterial levels consistently lower.
LASER ASSISTED PERIODONTAL THERAPY
This therapy goes a step further in treating active gum disease. It not only kills bacteria but also removes infected tissue. Here’s how it works:
- A small laser tip targets the area between teeth and gums
- Light energy vaporizes harmful bacteria and infected tissue
- The procedure stimulates healing and reduces inflammation
Non-Surgical, Conservative Procedure
Research shows that using lasers in gum therapy leads to faster and better gum health. It boosts circulation, forms collagen fibers, and reduces bleeding.
Your dental hygienist performs this non-surgical procedure using local anesthetic. It’s a conservative approach to treating gum disease without invasive surgery.
There are no known side effects to incorporating the laser into gum therapy. Most patients report no discomfort during or after the use of the laser. Local anesthetic is utilized for most laser assisted periodontal therapies. It is also recommended to apply vitamin E oil following the therapy to provide a lubricant barrier and additionally promote healing.
Dental professionals now have access to this technology by using a laser specifically designed to treat the gums. Due to the advances in the production of these lasers, our office now has the ability to offer laser-assisted periodontal therapy as part of our standard of care. We are happy to treat our patients with an elevated level of care that is not only supported by the research but also affordable.
Although the laser kills millions of harmful bacteria during the procedure, the bacteria will multiply again over time, returning to original levels over the next several months. For this reason, we recommend laser decontamination therapy be included every time you see your hygienist. For some patients with a history of periodontal disease, this may be every 3 months. One of the most important factors in obtaining optimal oral health and controlling periodontal disease is the body’s ability to fight off these harmful bacteria. Incorporating laser bacterial reduction into appointments following initial gum therapy keeps the bacteria at a lower level, giving the immune system a chance to keep the gums healthier.
How often should I get my teeth cleaned?
The Academy of General Dentistry recommends seeing the dentist for a check-up and cleaning at least twice a year. Your Ballard dentist may recommend you visit more often depending on your specific situation and risk of disease. Some conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or pregnancy may require more frequent cleanings to keep you and your mouth healthy.
Will my insurance cover my check-up appointment?
Most insurances cover the procedures completed at a check-up and cleaning appointment. Our great team of insurance coordinators will help you navigate through your specific insurance benefits and provide you with an estimate of costs should there be a remaining balance after the insurance payment.