Preventive Dentistry – Millersville, MD | Greenbelt, MD
I Just Need A Dental Checkup & Cleaning
As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Nowhere is this truer than with dental care. In fact, both of our practices are founded on this belief. Starting with our comprehensive initial exams, our #1 priority is to help you keep healthy beautiful teeth for a lifetime. Our dental team will help you develop a proper system to care for your teeth at home, and we work hard to detect small issues before they become big problems.
Whether you are looking for a way to protect your daughter’s smile during soccer, or you are suffering from red and swollen gums, please take a few minutes to read the information below and do not hesitate to give us a call. Our team is ready to help
Why Choose McCarl Dental Group for Preventive Dentistry?
- Designed to stop cavities before they even start
- Latest technology helps us find issues in much less time
- Winners of multiple Top Dentist & Best Dentist Awards locally & nationally
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Dental Exams in Millersville & Greenbelt
The American Dental Association and the team at McCarl Dental Group recommend a professional checkup & cleaning once every six months. During these periodic hygiene visits, a member of our dedicated team will make sure that you are comfortable and relaxed before performing a thorough cleaning & assessment of your teeth and gums. These routine checkups are the perfect opportunity to ask any questions you may have about treatment and your oral health.
Dental Hygiene
Every detail of the McCarl Dental Group is oriented toward your dental health and comfort. Nowhere is that more important than your routine visits for general dental hygiene. Our accomplished doctors are complimented by our highly trained team of dental hygienists who are skilled at making you feel comfortable and relaxed throughout your visit.
All of our registered dental hygienists keep up with the latest procedures and innovations in dentistry through routine continuing education classes. These include the latest periodontal therapies as well as current dental products and materials. We are all trained in nutritional counseling and oral cancer screening. Our dental hygienists were named best hygienists in What’s Up Annapolis and West County.
We recommend a professional dental hygiene visit at least twice a year. Your visit will include professional cleaning, tartar removal, plaque removal, x-rays (if needed) and fluoride treatment. Your healthy, beautiful smile is our mission.
Learn More About Dental Hygiene
Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride is a naturally occurring element that fortifies the strength of tooth enamel. With fluoride treatments at McCarl Dental Group, we can ensure that your teeth are better protected against the acid-causing bacteria responsible for tooth decay. This type of treatment is particularly helpful for children and adults who are at a high risk for dental caries.
Oral Cancer Screening
You may not think 'dentist' when you hear the words `cancer screening,' but part of every dental check up involves looking for early signs of oral cancer. During your dental hygiene exam, our doctors and hygienists perform routine oral cancer screenings by inspecting a patient's tongue, floor and roof of the mouth. If these preliminary screenings warrant additional investigation, our doctors or hygienists may suggest additional steps.
Nightguards to Reduce Problems from Bruxism or Teeth Grinding & Jaw Clenching
Bruxism is described as the unintentional grinding of the teeth, most commonly at night while the patient is asleep. The immense amount of pressure placed on the chewing surfaces of teeth can cause severe damage if left untreated, including cracked and worn enamel. A nightguard is a comfortable, custom oral appliance that effectively prevents the damage caused by bruxism, saving your teeth and your smile from repeated grinding motions at night.
Mouthguards/Sportsguards
According to the American Dental Association, properly fitted athletic mouthguards effectively prevent approximately 200,000 injuries in collegiate and high school football every year. Custom-fitted to your unique dentition, our athletic mouthguards have been shown to reduce the risk of serious injury to the lips, tongue, teeth, gums, and jaw. In fact, athletic mouthguards can even diminish the severity of concussions sustained during gameplay. Ask about custom sportsguards for yourself or your children today.
Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are ultra-thin layers of coating that are applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth to protect them from harmful bacteria. Because the molars and premolars feature deep grooves along their chewing surfaces, they are more susceptible to dental caries. Once applied, sealants provide several years of increased protection from cavities. The sealant application process takes only a few minutes per tooth and is completely painless.
Digital Scanners
With digital scanning technology, our team is able to capture crisp, accurate images of the teeth and gums for use in the creation of custom restorations and oral appliances. Digital scanning virtually eliminates the need for messy impression materials, improving patient comfort and precision of measurements. Sit back and relax as our scanner creates clear digital images of your teeth, no sticky impression putty required. We utilize only the latest in dental scanning technology available for our patients.
Digital X-Rays
Unlike traditional X-rays, digital radiography exposes patients to significantly less radiation and is substantially more accurate than film X-rays. In addition, digital X-rays require no caustic chemicals or developing time, so they are faster, more efficient, and better for the environment. Because we care about the health and safety of our patients, our office uses only digital X-rays for radiographic evaluation and assessment.
Intraoral Cameras
Even with the brightest of lights and a good mirror, it’s impossible to see the entire inside of your own mouth. Crevices behind rear molars and the lingual surfaces of your teeth are nearly impossible to view from any angle. With an intraoral camera, you can finally see exactly what the dentist sees in stunning clarity on a nearby chairside monitor. Intraoral cameras afford us a closer and more accurate look into the oral cavity, improving diagnosis and treatment.
EMLA Cream
While the administration of local anesthesia is an important part of most dental procedures, we understand that patients (young and old alike) may be fearful of injections or needles. That’s why our dentists use EMLA cream, which can be applied directly to the oral tissue before the actual treatment begins. This cream will numb the area, allowing for an injection that’s comfortable and pain-free. Most patients won’t even feel anything at all.