Your family deserves smiles that are happy and healthy for life! That’s why they deserve care from Double Diamond Dental – your hometown dental office. We are part of your community and believe in offering you the skilled and compassionate dentistry you deserve. As Dr. Morgan likes to say, “We wouldn’t offer anything to you that we wouldn’t offer our own mothers!”
Do you keep up with your yearly physicals and check-ups? Well include your dental check-ups on that “must-do” list! Our comprehensive exams look at every part of your oral health – right down to your gums. These dental examinations allow us to really get to know your mouth so that if any changes occur, we can nip the problem in the bud, saving you time, money, and, of course, your smile!
If you haven’t seen a dentist in a while and are wondering about the state of your oral health, please give us a call. We not only offer comprehensive dental care for the whole family, we offer compassion, understanding, and a gentle touch. It’s just what the doctor ordered!
Have you had an oral cancer screening lately? Oral cancer accounts for about 2% of cancers in women and 3% of cancers in men, and, according to the American Cancer Society, it is one of the few cancers for which the death rate has actually increased. It is particularly dangerous because patients may not notice it in its earliest stages and the cancer thrives without producing any discomfort. The signs can also be such small spots or minor discoloration that only someone with a trained and experienced eye will notice them.
The good news is that when it is caught in its early stages, oral cancer can be treated in up to 90% of cases. Why risk the health of your mouth or body? Let the professionals at Double Diamond Dental perform an in-depth visual screening.
They are performed both during your regularly scheduled comprehensive exams and during your hygiene visits. We monitor every patient closely for even the slightest sign of change such as patches of discoloration, tiny sores, or spots, comparing your records visit to visit. Don’t let this often-painless cancer creep up on you. Ask us about our oral cancer screenings today.
Digital x-rays allow us to get clearer, full-color images of your teeth that allow you to see for yourself exactly what is going on in your mouth right along with the doctor. These images can be kept in your computer files for future reference and easily compared year to year.
Digital x-rays also have the advantage of exposing you to far less radiation than traditional x-rays and, since they require no developing equipment or chemicals, they are better for the environment.
One of our most exciting diagnostic tools is the panographic or panoramic x-ray. The panographic x-ray is not taken with any film or device placed in your mouth. The machine stays outside of your mouth and moves around your head. This is especially helpful to those who have trouble with gagging or soreness during other types of x-rays.
While panographic x-rays will not give us as clear a diagnostic image as our digital x-rays, it does give us a clear overview of your entire mouth since the machine makes a half-circle motion to capture an image of the entire oral cavity. This image allows us to assess TMJ patients, evaluate for dentures and implants, check the position of your wisdom teeth, and look for other problems such as abscesses, signs of sinus problems, and receding bone levels caused by periodontal disease.
Keeping your teeth clean is one of the best ways to prevent periodontal disease or gum infection… and protect your whole body health. It’s true! Of course, everyone knows that your gums hold your teeth in place, but did you know that gum disease affects your whole body? Periodontal disease and infection can lead to all kinds of health problems including some cancers, heart disease, strokes, low birth weight babies, and adversely affect people with diabetes. That’s why the staff at Double Diamond Dental emphasizes the importance of your regularly scheduled hygiene visits. Without these visits, sticky plaque can turn into calculus or tartar, a hard mineralized layer that holds dangerous bacteria close to your gums and is a major contributor to gum disease.
To keep you extra comfortable and get your teeth their cleanest, we use the Cavitron, an amazing little device that removes tartar buildup from above and below the gum line with gentle and effective ultrasound waves.
Why not protect your health while protecting your smile? Schedule a hygiene visit today!
Even if you are careful with home hygiene and maintain your cleanings, you may be at risk for gum – or periodontal – disease.
Periodontal disease is an infection in your gums caused by a buildup of plaque on your teeth and under your gums. When this plaque remains in contact with your gums it causes inflammation that can show up as irritation, redness, and swelling. In its earliest stages this is called gingivitis.
If gingivitis is not caught and treated immediately, it will turn into a full-blown infection. Unfortunately, the majority of gum disease cases are currently undiagnosed. The biggest mistake adults make is thinking that just because they received a clean bill of health at their last appointment or that their teeth are pain free, they can skip a check-up or cleaning with no negative results.
If you notice any of these symptoms, your gum disease needs immediate treatment:
● Bleeding when brushing or flossing
● Puffiness or tenderness of the gums
● Halitosis (bad breath)
● Loose-feeling teeth
Please do not wait to call Double Diamond Dental for treatment of your gum infection: Gum disease in its more severe stages can cause tooth loss, gum recession, bone loss, and contribute to a wide range of overall health issues.
Fluoride treatments are one of our most important preventive measures when it comes to protecting your tooth enamel. Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by making your teeth more resistant to acid attacks from bacteria and sugars. It “remineralizes” or rebuilds your teeth’s protective layer. Fluoride can also reverse early decay and disrupt acid production. And while this mineral is naturally occurring in many foods and water, your children may not be getting enough to fully remineralize or protect their teeth. That’s why we offer fluoride treatments for all kids at every visit. Of course, we offer adult fluoride treatments as well for people at greater risk for decay, who take certain medications, or who suffer from gum disease and other health issues.
We talk a lot about safeguarding your smile – and here is a no-brainer way to do it– protective mouthguards! We offer both sports mouthguards and guards you wear at night to prevent teeth grinding (or bruxism).
You love seeing your little ones laughing and enjoying sports. But sports’ injuries are no laughing matter. Every year, more than 3.5 million children 14 and under are injured while playing sports. In fact, these children account for nearly 40 percent of all hospital-treated, sports-related injuries! That is why the American Dental Association recommends that all kids participating in sports wear a protective mouthguard. Mouthguards protect against broken teeth, injuries to the lips, tongue, face, and jaw, and even help reduce the chance of concussions. Don’t take chances with that precious smile!
Double Diamond Dental’s custom-designed mouthguards fit better and feel better so your children will be more willing to wear them. Plus, since they are custom fitted right in the dental office, they offer far better protection than boil-and-bite guards commonly sold in sporting goods stores.
You may never know you are doing it, but your teeth will eventually tell the truth about your mouth’s nighttime activities! That’s right – you could be clenching or grinding your teeth all night long, and sometimes even during the day, and not realize it. But that clenching and grinding, otherwise known as bruxism, will eventually wear down your teeth, cause them to chip and break, ruin costly restorations, and lead to headaches and other discomfort. Our nightguards are designed to protect and preserve your pearly whites so your smile stays whole and healthy day in and day out.
No one likes a dental emergency, but when they happen, it sure is nice to know that you can count on your local dental office to help you through it. If you have a dental emergency like a sudden toothache, broken crown, or knocked out tooth (clearly we can’t list all the possible emergencies here) please give us a call right away. We will listen carefully to your situation and assess the urgency. We always try to get you in for care the day you call. We’ll hold your hand, get you comfortable, and make sure everything is in great shape in no time.