Preventive Dentistry in Fayetteville, AR
Preventive dental care in Fayetteville, AR is the cornerstone of our practice. It allows us to catch problems early on and treat them easily and inexpensively so you can get on with your life.
Preventing Dental Health Issues with Conservative Therapies
We believe there are three main areas that we need to control to prevent you from needing future dental work.
If you are breaking your teeth or they are wearing down, we need to control what is causing the breakdown. This could be done with a bite equilibration or even braces (orthodontics). Sometimes, you may need a nightguard to help prevent you from wearing your teeth down at night via bruxism (grinding and clenching).
Sometimes, patients break their teeth because they have large cavities. We control these breaks by fixing the cavities and preventing new cavities with fluoride treatments, fluoride trays, and CariFree.
CariFree is a rinse we use that actually controls the bacteria that cause cavities. Most people don't realize that an infection causes cavities. You can even pass this infection along to your kids! We have the ability to treat the infection like you would at your general doctor's office.
We can also place sealants in your teeth. These conservative coverings can be done without shots or anesthetic. They allow us to cover the little grooves in your teeth. This stops the bacteria from getting into the grooves and causing cavities.
Another method of preventative dentistry that we use includes XDR digital radiography. We use digital x-rays to diagnose initial lesions in your teeth before they become too large. Digital x-rays allow us to do this more safely than we could with traditional x-rays.
Diagnosing and Treating Periodontal Disease in Fayetteville, AR
Preventive dentistry also lowers your risks for gum disease (periodontal disease). Risk factors for periodontal disease include:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Smoking or tobacco use
- Lack of quality dental care
We control periodontal risk factors by staying on the front edge of treatment and diagnosis. We do a thorough periodontal evaluation that includes digital x-rays and a six-point probing of every tooth in your mouth.
Our periodontist in Fayetteville needs to treat periodontal disease early because, despite the name, it is actually more of a bone disease than it is a gum disease. If you are susceptible to gum disease, then you can lose the bone that holds your teeth in place. Since it is challenging, if not impossible, to gain that bone back, we believe that early and thorough treatment is necessary.
Periodontal treatment may include a specialized teeth cleaning schedule in our dental office and a new routine for at-home hygiene.
For advanced gum disease cases in Fayetteville, AR, we may recommend a specific type of deep cleaning that involves deep cleaning below the gumline to promote healing—also called planing and scaling. Topical antibiotics may also play a role.
Your Fayetteville periodontist will discuss all treatment options with you based on your level of gum disease.
Is It Time for a Dental Check-Up?
Even if you’re overdue, give us a call to schedule your next preventive dentistry check-up. These dental appointments are the key to keeping your teeth and gums in great shape for a lifetime.
Frequently Asked Questions
We really care about children and want to make sure they get off to a good start. We like to see the child at an early age, usually around one year old. We recommend that you bring your child to an appointment with you.
The really important part of this first visit is for us to make sure that everything is going ok developmentally. We also want to spend some time with you, the parent, educating you on the proper way to take care of your kid's mouth.
A child's mouth that is not cared for in a proper way can lead to an entire life of dental problems. If we can spend ten minutes with you on the proper way to care for your children, it could save you and them a lifetime of dental misfortune.
The short answer is yes, it does, and you should go twice each year for examinations and cleanings. The longer answer is that preventive care is essential when it comes to dental care, so visiting your dentist regularly along with good home care are the only ways to stay on top of potential problems.
Preventive care you can do
Preventive dental care means taking small steps regularly to avoid big problems that can potentially develop. Preventive care in Fayetteville includes the following:
- Daily brushing and flossing, and replacing your toothbrush regularly
- Avoiding foods and beverages that contribute to tooth decay
- Visiting your dentist twice each year
Spending just an hour in the dental chair twice each year will not only save you time in the long run but money as well. Most dental problems get worse the longer they are left alone—and they also get more expensive to treat.
Book your dental appointment at Northwest Arkansas Family Dental
Life gets busy and hectic, and skipping your regular dental appointments might seem more convenient at the time, but when you eventually get to the dentist, you might discover that you now need expensive, time-consuming treatments to restore your oral health. In the long run, it’s just not worth it to skip going to the dentist twice each year.
When we welcome a new patient to Northwest Arkansas Family Dental, we want to ensure that you receive precisely the type of care that will promote a lifetime of healthy and comfortable smiles. In order to achieve this, we welcome each patient with a comprehensive exam that includes plenty of time for you to speak directly with Dr. Wade Kifer, giving you the opportunity to share any goals or concerns you may have with your smile.
New patient checklist at Northwest Arkansas Family Dental
This is a great time to discuss any painful teeth, changes to your oral health, or any cosmetic goals you may have for your smile.
We will also take diagnostic x-rays to look for conditions such as decay, bone loss, or fractures as well as perform a periodontal exam and a tooth-by-tooth exam.
Dr. Kifer will also look for signs of premature wear that could indicate a teeth grinding habit, called bruxism, or a jaw-related condition called temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
This type of comprehensive dental exam provides a big-picture view regarding your oral health and supplies the information we need to determine the recommended frequency of your dental cleaning schedule in our Fayetteville dental office.
Our goal is to help our patients retain their natural teeth, avoid gum disease, and have a smile that makes them feel great about the way they look.
Periodontal (gum disease) is a widespread oral health problem that affects nearly half of all US adults. It is an infection of the gums that can eventually break down the bone that supports your teeth and will not go away on its own. The best ways to avoid gum disease in Fayettville is brushing and flossing conscientiously and visiting Northwest Arkansas Family Dental for teeth cleanings and dental exams.
Early Gum Disease Is Reversible
The first sign of gum disease in Fayettville is bleeding, swollen, or inflamed gums. This stage is called gingivitis.
If your dental hygienist sees signs of gingivitis, she will perform a comprehensive teeth cleaning to remove the germ-filled plaque and tartar buildup. When you follow up at home with conscientious brushing and flossing habits, gingivitis is reversible.
Periodontitis, A Long-Term Disease
If we don't treat early periodontal disease, it progresses to periodontitis, the advanced stage of gum disease. At this stage, the infection attacks the bone and ligaments that hold your teeth in place.
Periodontitis is a chronic, long-term inflammatory disease and is not reversible, but we can treat it. The first step is a deep-cleaning procedure called scaling and root planing. Your dental hygienist removes the plaque and tartar from all your tooth surfaces above and below the gum line.
The roots of your teeth will be smoothed so as your gums heal, so they can more easily reattach to the teeth. Along with improved oral hygiene and more frequent dental cleanings, we can control periodontitis.
Schedule a Dental Cleaning and Exam Today
If you think you have gum disease, call our Fayetteville dental office. The faster we address it, the better the odds that we can treat and eliminate it.
We take almost all types of insurance. We are providers for Blue Cross Blue Shield. A majority of our patients have a different insurance or no insurance at all.
Call Northwest Arkansas Family Dental for all insurance questions!
We have found that we are able to get a pretty accurate estimate of what your out-of-pocket costs will be. Even when we are not on your "list," we find that most of the out-of-pocket costs associated with treatment are minimal. We are happy to answer any additional questions you may have regarding coverage, so please give our Fayetteville, AR office a call today!
Always a Pleasant Experience- Amy B
"Always a pleasant experience! I love how personable my dental hygienist is. She helps ease the anxiety that comes along with a dental visit.'
February 4th, 2019
Meet Our Providers:
Dr. Wade Kifer DDS
I was born in Missouri and lived there until about age 13, when I moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas. I believe it was there that I first became interested in dentistry. I have always loved ...
Dr. Megan Johnson DMD
I am originally from Eastern Arkansas and grew up in Marion. I attended college at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee, where I graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in ...
Preventive Dentistry Technology
CariFree
CariFree is a product that we are very proud of in our office. Carifree is a system for CAMBRA (Caries Management By Risk Assessment.)
“Caries” is another term that dentists use for cavities. We believe that by doing a proper risk assessment on our patients and recommending the proper products and techniques, we can help you prevent getting new cavities. We pride ourselves on being able to fix your problems but also going the extra mile to make sure that you don't get new cavities. There is nothing more frustrating than going to the dentist and getting told that you have a new cavity. We want you to enjoy going to the dentist and look forward to giving you a good checkup when you come in.
Woodpecker Air Polisher System
At our practice, we are committed to providing the highest standard of preventive care by utilizing the advanced Woodpecker Air Polisher system. This innovative technology uses Erythritol powder—a natural, anti-cariogenic, and antibacterial agent—to effectively reduce gum inflammation and lower the risk of cavities. To ensure the most thorough cleaning possible, we pair this with a specialized disclosing solution. This temporary purple liquid allows us to visualize biofilm in real-time, identifying bacteria that have been present for less than 24 hours, over 24 hours, or are actively acid-producing. As one of the only offices in Northwest Arkansas to offer this level of precision, we use these insights to create a truly personalized treatment plan and education for every patient.
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