What Is Family Dentistry?
Family dentistry refers to dental services provided to patients across all age ranges, with a focus on young children and teenagers. Family dentistry includes general and preventive dentistry measures such as routine exams and tooth cleanings. However, Dr. Aluning also provides services geared specifically toward younger patients, such as the HealthyStart System.
Our Family Dentistry Services
Dental Cleanings and Exams
Attending routine dental cleanings and exams at least once every six months is one of the best ways to maintain your oral health. During a standard dental exam, Dr. Aluning will examine the entirety of the mouth and throat using sight, touch, and advanced dental technology.
If a problem looks like it’s about to develop, or has already developed, regular exams help ensure your family dentist can intervene as soon as possible for the best treatment results. As your child is growing, we’ll keep a close eye on them to help ensure their adult teeth grow properly and stay healthy.
Professional cleanings, a standard part of every exam, involve our hygienist removing plaque and tartar from areas where it’s hard for a standard toothbrush and floss to reach. They’ll use special tools that help dig the bacteria-laden substances out of these nooks and crannies. They’ll also polish and floss every individual tooth, then have you rinse with a simple fluoride treatment. Removing bacterial build-up and having a professional polish of your teeth can help prevent serious issues like periodontal disease while improving your smile.
Patient Education
Dental hygiene education is a commonly overlooked aspect of oral health. When your children see us, we’ll make sure to instruct them on the proper ways to care for their teeth and gums when they’re at home. We’ll also instruct you on how to help them maintain their smiles, providing tips for making at-home dental care fun to encourage engagement.
Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are a simple, affordable, painless way to protect any smile. These plastic-like barriers are simply painted onto the molars which are the most vulnerable to cavities. This vulnerability is due to the unique grooves in the teeth, which encourage the accumulation of food particles and make cleaning them effectively much harder. Sealants are especially useful for children, who often have a harder time taking good care of their teeth and have a fondness for sugary sweets.
HealthyStart System
HealthyStart is an alternative orthodontic system for younger patients, which helps straighten their developing adult teeth and open their airways. The HealthyStart System utilizes pre-planned appliances without metal brackets or wires to solve issues with misalignment and sleep-disordered breathing.
Treating these issues early in life helps prevent them from progressing to more serious stages. HealthyStart appliances only need to be worn for a few hours a day, are painless, and are much more affordable than traditional braces.