Cleanings & Prevention

At Joseph Lichter D.D.S., we understand that the daily lives of our clients are very busy, so we strive to provide thorough oral examinations that allow our patients to leave their appointment feeling confident in their doctor.

During an oral examination, the dentist will visually inspect your mouth, head, and neck area and provide a professional evaluation of your dental wellness. This preventative technique allows both you and your dentist to remain aware of your dental health status. Our dentists take the extra time to let the patient know their status because the key to staying healthy is awareness and early detection.

Dental cleaning is a vital part of your body’s health. The Joseph Lichter D.D.S. hygienists are professionally trained in Oral Prophylaxis, or cleaning teeth. Our experienced hygienists use the most sterile and advanced technology and instruments to gently remove deposits of plaque and tartar to prevent and sometimes reverse the development of gum disease. If you develop gum disease, your body’s response will be to fight back, causing inflammation in your gums and sensitivity in your teeth. This is destructive to your bones and tissues, and can lead to future problems. Once gum disease is in its late stages, the damage can be irreversible. The best way to avoid this is to perform regular dental “check-ups” that consist of a cleaning and an oral examination. 

Our Hygienists perform dental cleanings Monday through Friday, a schedule that provides a flexible timetable to fit our patients’ needs. Our patients and their families benefit from our dedication to great oral hygiene, and you will too.

Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure used to treat gum disease. During the scaling process, specialized dental instruments are used to remove dental plaque and calculus from beneath the gums. Planing is the procedure used to smooth the tooth roots after the scaling process. Root planing helps the gums heal and reattach themselves to a cleaner and smoother root surface.

Dental X-rays are a valuable diagnostic tool used to identify decay, extra teeth, bone defects, tumors, cysts and check the progress of previous procedures. Advances in technology now allow for digital X-rays, which reduce radiation exposure more than 50 percent, and produce instant, high-quality images that can be viewed immediately by the dentist and the patient.

During your examination, we may use dental radiographs to reveal hidden concerns such as early cavities, problems in existing dental restorations, gum and bone recession or other abnormal conditions within the mouth, head and neck area. If any of these abnormalities are found, our dentists will work with you to create a treatment plan that works for you. Dr. Lichter’s office continuously strives to offer the best and most reliable patient care available.

We are also dedicated to making our adult patients aware of the silent symptoms of gingivitis and periodontal disease. With nearly 80 percent of Americans unaware that they have periodontal and/or gum disease, we are dedicated to raising awareness of the silent symptoms of gingivitis and periodontal disease. Increasing evidence has shown a link between gum disease and heart disease, which makes oral examinations very important.