Preventive Dentistry Protecting Palm Beach Gardens & Beyond Smiles

Preventive dentistry is one of the most important aspects of any dental practice. With regular checkups and professional cleanings, more patients every year are able to keep their healthy, natural smiles for life. We recommend that our patients in Palm Beach Gardens, The Acreage Community Park, and beyond visit Smile Solutions Dentistry two times each year. During these annual visits, our team has the opportunity to diagnose and treat oral health concerns in their earliest stages, allowing patients to maintain their healthiest smiles, preserve natural dental structure, and avoid lengthy and complicated procedures in the future. Contact us to schedule your check-up today!

Oral Hygiene & Professional Teeth Cleanings

We love seeing patients with healthy, beautiful smiles. That starts with professional cleanings in our office every six months, but the other 363 days of the year, patients’ oral health is dependent upon thorough at-home brushing and flossing. The average person has thousands of bacteria living in their mouth. These bacteria are useful in the digestive process, but like any living organism, they excrete a waste byproduct as they absorb and breakdown nutrients in foods and beverages. This byproduct, plaque, is a sticky, acidic biofilm that leads to harmful health concerns like tooth decay and gum disease. Regular brushing and flossing at home remove the majority of plaque, but there are some dental crevices and surfaces that are difficult for even the most thorough at-home cleanings to remove. Over time, plaque forms a hardened bond with tooth enamel, making it impossible to remove during regular hygiene. This substance, tartar, can only be removed by our professionals during routine teeth cleanings.

Nightguards to Treat Bruxism

Teeth grinding or clenching is a condition known as bruxism. Many patients experience bruxism that’s caused by stress or anxiety at some point, but for others, teeth grinding is an unconscious condition that affects them throughout their lives. Even worse, most people grind and clench their teeth during sleep, adding an additional layer of difficulty to the treatment of bruxism. Our team typically recommends a custom-crafted nightguard to protect teeth from damage. There are several types of nightguards available depending on patient preference and need. These guards create a barrier between the teeth that allows them to safely glide over each other, relieving the pressure and potential damage associated with bruxism.

Athletic Mouthguards

Patients who participate in sports with high risks of contact like football or hockey are likely to see the need for athletic mouthguards right away, but what about lower-impact sports like cycling or swimming? Many patients are surprised to discover that the American Dental Association recommends they wear sportsguards to protect teeth during any athletic activity where they may experience impact with another person, a piece of sporting equipment, or a hard surface. That includes swimming and biking. For those patients interested in the most comfortable, effective mouthguard for any athletic event, a custom-made model from our dentist may be the ideal solution. Contact us today or find out more during your next checkup!

Gum Disease Treatment

According to some estimates, more than 50% of US adults over 30 suffer from some form of periodontal (gum) disease, and advanced gum disease (also known as periodontitis) is the leading cause of tooth loss within this demographic. Regular preventive checkups typically allow us to diagnose and treat periodontal disease in its earliest stages (also known as gingivitis), restoring patients’ oral health with more frequent visits. For those patients with more severe cases, we can provide several advanced treatments, including scaling and root planing. Scaling is the careful removal of plaque, tartar, and damaged tissue from below the gum line. Root planing smooths the surfaces of roots to prevent future buildup of plaque and the recurrence of gum disease.

Oral Cancer Screening

During every six-month dental checkup, we take time to examine each patient’s mouth, cheeks, throat, and neck for signs of oral cancer. This disease claims one life per hour on average, and most patients with some form of oral cancer live no more than five years following their diagnosis. Studies conducted by leading medical and dental researchers indicate that the best way to decrease the number of lives lost to oral cancer annually is to diagnosis the condition earlier. Dr. Patel is dedicated to helping his patients do just that with routine screenings and patient education on warning signs and symptoms of the disease.