Preventive Dentistry – Covington, GA
Stopping Problems Before They Even Start
You’re a busy person. Between work, family, and enjoying a few hobbies, the absolute last thing you have time for is an unexpected toothache or cavity. That’s why at Dean Dental Care, Dr. Stephen Dean and our team place most of our attention on preventive dentistry in Covington, GA. By coming to see us regularly, we can prevent small problems from becoming big ones and help you avoid many completely, giving you more time to do just about anything else other than visit the dentist.
Why Choose Dean Dental Care for Preventive Dentistry?
- Dentist with More than 25 Years of Experience
- Superb Staff That Has Been Here for Decades
- Beautiful Dental Office Packed with State-of-the-Art Technology
Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings
Dr. Dean recommends that patients should attend at least two checkups and cleanings each year even if they aren’t experiencing any problems with their teeth. These appointments enable him and his team to keep a patient’s teeth healthy, and if any decay or damage is present, he can take care of it right away. Professional cleanings are also able to remove plaque and tartar from those harder to reach places in the mouth, protecting patients from developing the most common dental problem in the world—gum disease.
Learn More About Routine Checkups and Cleanings
Nightguards for Bruxism
Do you usually have a sore jaw or headache to greet you in the morning? Do your teeth look worn down like you’ve been munching on nothing but ice? These are all signs of a common condition called bruxism. It refers to unconscious teeth grinding while asleep, which left untreated, can lead to severe oral health problems and even broken teeth. To help a patient rest easy, Dr. Dean can provide them with a custom-made appliance called a nightguard that will prevent any harmful grinding or clenching during the night.
Oral Cancer Screening
It can be very easy to miss oral cancer early on, which is why many patients only notice symptoms and seek out care after the disease has become advanced and difficult to treat. To keep our patient’s safe, Dr. Dean performs oral cancer screenings as part of every routine checkup. He’ll be able to spot the signs of precancerous and cancerous tissues way before you, and this is thanks to his trained eyes and the VELscope light. This device actually causes abnormal tissues within the mouth to illuminate, making potential problem areas stand out that would normally be hidden to the naked eye.
Fluoride Treatment
There’s a reason you’ll find fluoride added to most oral healthcare products and tap water—it’s been shown to dramatically reduce a person’s risk for cavities for decades. As part of your routine dental care with Dr. Dean, he can coat your teeth with a highly-concentrated fluoride gel that will quickly strengthen your enamel as well as repair any areas of minor damage. In less than a minute, he can ensure your teeth will stay protected from decay between appointments.
Silver Diamine Fluoride Treatments
For patients with an active cavity, rather than “drilling and filling” it right away, Dr. Dean can offer a much gentler and less invasive solution: silver diamine fluoride. Applied directly to tooth decay, the silver kills the harmful bacteria while the fluoride strengthens the enamel. This halts a cavity from spreading, preserving a tooth while also protecting those around it. This approach is especially helpful with young children, and it can also be used to decrease dental sensitivity.
Dental Sealants
The chewing surfaces of the back teeth are by far the most likely place a person will develop a cavity. Why? Between their location and grooved surfaces, plaque easily becomes trapped on them that is also frequently missed during brushing. But, by applying a dental sealant to them, we can literally seal off the enamel from anything that would do it harm. A thin layer of composite resin creates a virtually invisible barrier that plaque, food particles, and bacteria cannot cross.
Children’s Dentistry
As a father of three himself, Dr. Dean understands the importance of gentle and effective early-age dental care as well as anyone! Any growing smiles you have at home are always welcome to our dental office, and that’s true whether they are just learning to walk or are already sending off college applications. He and the rest of our team will go out of their way to ensure your child’s comfort as we protect them from cavities, fix any problems that develop, and provide useful patient education.
Athletic Mouthguards
Did you know that up to 40% of ALL dental injuries are sports related? That’s a lot of broken and knocked out teeth (as well as dental bills to fix them). If you have any athletes in your house, make sure they wear a mouthguard every time they play, regardless of age or skill level. Dr. Dean can provide custom-made guards that fit much better and provide higher-quality protection than anything you’ll find at the store, ensuring athletes (and parents!) have one less thing to worry about during a game.
Sleep Apnea Therapy
If you feel tired all the time, snore constantly, and can never seem to get enough rest, then you may be one of the 20+ million Americans suffering from sleep apnea. This condition is characterized by brief stoppages in breathing during sleep which constantly interrupt the sleep cycle. Dr. Dean, our sleep apnea dentist, cannot only screen a patient for this disorder but provide treatment as well in the form of custom-made oral appliances. Specially-designed to comfortably fit over the teeth, these appliances keep the airway open during the night, ensuring a patient gets the quality rest they deserve. Learn more about sleep apnea treatment and the sleep services offered by our sleep dentist at Covinton Sleep Center.
TruDenta®
TruDenta® is an FDA-cleared life-changing therapy system resolving chronic disorders such as sleep apnea, chronic headaches, migraines, tinnitus, vertigo, jaw pain, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) imbalances. With the TruDenta process, you will get a proper diagnosis from a dental professional along with medication-free therapies that have been proven to completely relieve bothersome pain. No doubt TruDenta® is real, live-changing dentistry!
Learn More About Our TruDenta® Program
TMJ Therapy
Does your jaw pop, click, and ache all the time? If so, then there might be a problem with your TMJ or temporomandibular joint. This is the set of hinges located right beneath your ears that enable your jaw to move in all directions. For patients in pain, Dr. Dean can provide quick relief with targeted BOTOX injections and long-term solutions with therapeutic oral appliances called occlusal splints. In addition to jaw problems, TMJ therapy has also been shown to treat and even eliminate chronic migraines for many people!
Emergency Dentistry
Did you wake up this morning with an awful toothache? Has your child just been in an accident where one of their teeth was cracked or knocked out? If so, you’re encouraged to reach out to Dean Dental Care for immediate attention. Our team will walk you through what to do over the phone, and if needed, we can even schedule a same day appointment so Dr. Dean can address the problem without delay.