Preventative Dentistry
We all have teeth- and we all want to keep them for life! Dr. Markowitz wants to help all patients keep their teeth and gums healthy today and every day.
The two primary causes of tooth loss, decay and gum disease are generally caused by bacteria in the mouth. However, both of these problems can be dramatically minimized, if not prevented, through proper hygiene practiced on a regular basis. Some of the elements of proper dental hygiene include brushing twice a day, flossing, eating a balanced diet, limiting between-meal snacks, and seeing Dr. Markowitz and our hygienist twice a year for a cleaning and an exam.
Why do I need regular dental cleanings?
Good oral hygiene is important, not only for looks, but for general health as well. Poor oral hygiene can lead to a variety of dental and medical problems such as gum disease, infection, bone loss, heart disease, strokes and more. Regular check ups and cleanings can prevent these problems as well as provide you with good oral hygiene.Top 10 reasons to have a dental cleaning:
To Prevent Oral Cancer According to The Oral Cancer Foundation, someone dies from oral cancer, every hour of every day in the United States alone. Oral cancer is 90% curable if found early. And now there is a pain-free way to find it earlier than ever before. Dr. Markowitz’s office is a Vizilite Certified Office. The Vizilite exam consists of a mouth rinse and a light stick.
As Vizilite passes over oral tissue that has been treated with the rinse solution, normal healthy tissue will absorb the light and appear dark, abnormal tissue will appear white. The purpose of using Vizilite is to identify tissue changes in their earliest stage; once abnormal tissue has been identified it is up to Dr. Markowitz to determine what the appropriate next steps are.
For more info on Vizilite, visit their website www.vizilite.com
Prevent Gum Disease
Dental Exams
What’s to a dental exam?
A dental exam should be done twice a year for people of all ages, as recommended by the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Markowitz does a visual exam of your mouth, looking not just for Cracked and decayed, but also for growths and sores on the tongue, palate, and mucous membrane that lines the cheeks and covers the gums. Dr. Markowitz uses an intra-oral camera (a tiny video camera placed inside the mouth to project greatly enlarged images on color monitors) to help in diagnosing treatment. Dental x-rays, however, are still necessary to detect hidden problems, particularly below the gums. Dr. Markowitz uses only the latest technology, including digital x-rays, which produce an image on the computer screen within seconds.Laser Gum Therapy
More than 75% of the population has some form of gum disease. It’s not uncommon for dentists to recommend a procedure called periodontal treatment to their patients. Gum condition such as deep pockets, especially with bone loss, require immediate attention from Dr. Markowitz. Some of his recommendations could include scaling, deep cleaning as well as gum surgery. According to The American Dental Association only about 4% of patients actually get the treatment done. Lots of people are still terrified just thinking about the gum surgery idea. Traditional gum surgery is often uncomfortable and sometimes even painful, and it can leave you with root exposure.Dr. Markowitz offers a new alternative called laser gum therapy. The laser treatment is painless. There’s some minimal post-procedure discomfort that doesn’t last long. The regeneration of bone following laser periodontal therapy is quicker and patients are said to be consistently impressed that there is considerably less pain, bleeding, post-procedural discomfort and no need for incisions and stitches.
Polishing
Polishing is often the last step of a dental cleaning, scaling (deep root cleaning), and some restorative procedures. It smoothes and polishes the tooth surface and removes most stains.How does the polishing procedure go?
The hygienist will polish your teeth after your cleaning as a finishing touch. The hygienist can do it one of two ways.Rubber cup polisher:
The rubber cup holds a small amount of polishing paste which is held against the tooth surface on a low speed, spinning handpiece.Digital X-rays
Dr. Markowitz is proud to offer the latest technology available in x-ray technology. Schick Technologies, Inc. has developed Computerized Dental Radiography (CDR) which allows us to take fantastic computerized x-rays of your mouth with 90% less radiation! This allows Dr. Markowitz to take safer, better, faster, & smarter x-rays to better diagnose and find potential problems before they turn into costly and painful dental emergencies.Safer: X-rays play a very important role in diagnosing dental issues. Many patients are nervous about exposure to x-ray radiation. Digital x-rays eliminate worries because they allow a patient to receive only 1/10 of the radiation a standard x-ray machine would provide. Better: CDR is much more accurate than a conventional x-ray machine. The digital x-rays can be magnified 300x it’s normal size to enhance diagnosis. Dr. Markowitz can also manipulate the image to correct contrast and color-adjusted to reveal hidden problems.
Faster: Digital x-ray images show up immediately on the screen. There is no time wasted on processing and mounting x-ray film. So Dr. Markowitz’s dental staff spends less time in the dark room and more time with you, discussing the health of your teeth. Smarter: The Schick digital x-ray system uses no chemicals or hazardous processing waste. That’s good news for the environment. Also, digital x-rays are covered under your insurance benefits.