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Preventative Care

Digital X-rays/Imaging
We use digital technology for 2 reasons. (1) It is safer for our patients, and (2) It helps us communicate with our patients. Digital x-rays reduce the amount of radiation exposure to patients. In fact, radiation with a digital x-ray is less than most people receive by using their computers, cell phones and televisions in one day. With digital cameras and x-rays, pictures can be taken and viewed in seconds on a computer screen so that education and communication with patients is easy. Patients can now understand what is going on in their mouths and can make better decisions on how to maintain their oral health.

Laser Cavity Detection
In the past, finding cavities was accomplished by “poking” your teeth with metal instruments. If a tooth had decay, the metal explorer would stick in the tooth. With laser technology, the KaVo Diagnodent scans your teeth and is able to detect decay in the earliest form. Like any disease, early detection is best and the Diadnodent Laser is one of the best methods available to find decay early. This approach maximizes your oral health, and allows you to keep as much of your own healthy tooth structure as possible.

Night Guard/Bite Splints
Does the person with whom you sleep notice loud and annoying sounds that nighttime teeth grinding can produce? Do you have frequent headaches (sometimes severe) and jaw pain when you wake up in the morning? Clenching and grinding teeth can cause chipping, fractures, excessive wear and loosening of the teeth. The pressure created by grinding can eventually wear your teeth down to nothing! Luckily, we are able to provide a custom-fitted mouth guard to ease the clenching, grinding, and physical destruction of your teeth.

Oral Cancer Screening
A North American dies of oral cancer every hour of every day. The biggest growth in oral cancer is seen among young non-smokers. The problem: Oral cancer is discovered in late stages 70% of the time, and often that is simply too late. Because of this risk to your health, Smile Grand Haven uses the Velscope Oral Cancer Screening System. It is simply a light that we shine in your mouth during your visit with our hygienist that helps us detect abnormalities in your mouth that the naked eye can’t see. It is simple, painless, completely safe, and, best of all, free to our family of patients. We feel it would be irresponsible to do anything else.

Preventative Oral Care
Your routine cleanings at Smile Grand Haven are anything but routine. Our goal, first and foremost, is to ensure your complete oral health. After getting to know you personally, the Smile team will assess your complete oral health status including a gum disease and oral cancer evaluation. We take great effort to spend all the time necessary to make your visit both enjoyable and beneficial. If you have spent time in an office where you barely saw the doctor or where the hygienist cleaned your teeth in 20 minutes, we encourage you to see what you have been missing. If further treatment is needed, our team will educate you on all of these options and ultimately help you make decisions for care that works BEST for YOU.