Every day, Dr. Hutchison provides smile solutions, but the best way to ensure lasting oral health is to prevent problems from ever happening. Most of the conditions that negatively affect your smile can be avoided with regular care. By providing the most advanced preventative dentistry and by answering your questions about proper hygiene, Dr. Hutchison and her team are committed to helping you enjoy a healthy, happy smile.

Hygiene

Preventative dentistry begins with great dental hygiene. Dr. Hutchison and her team will provide expert advice on the best homecare products and practices, but it’s also very important to receive regular cleanings from an experienced dental hygienist.

At our practice, you will visit one of our two certified hygienists at each visit so that you can develop a relationship. Either Dario or Purvi will skillfully remove plaque, tartar, calculus, and stain from your teeth. In addition, your gum tissue will be carefully evaluated, including probing pockets and recording depths for future reference. Finally, your hygienist will finish by polishing your teeth to a gorgeous shine.

Your hygiene appointments are also an excellent time to have any homecare questions answered, including advice on choosing the right toothbrush and on effectively flossing. In the event that you develop gum disease, Dario or Purvi will provide counsel and treatment to control the condition.

PerioTherapy

Periodontal disease is a serious condition, affecting 50 percent of all dental patients, and is chiefly responsible for adult tooth loss, bleeding gums, bad breath, and receding gums. However, despite the troubling statistics, this condition is easily prevented with proper hygiene, home care, and professional treatment from a trusted dentist like Dr. Hutchison.

Common symptoms include bleeding gums, bad breath, loose teeth, and pus around teeth. Because there is very little pain associated with this disease until its later stages, many patients don’t even realize they are suffering from it.

Like so many medical conditions, early detection is key. Every visit with Dr. Hutchison includes a complete evaluation of both your gums and your supportive tissues. If you are found to suffer from periodontal disease, you will have access to advanced PerioTherapy to heal and restore your smile.

Wisdom Tooth Removal

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars you get as a child…the last teeth to grow into the mouth. While wisdom teeth would be like any other teeth if they grew in properly, often this is not the case. As a result, undue stress is put on your existing teeth when the wisdom teeth attempt to push their way into the mouth.

While wisdom teeth and their removal are often associated with younger patients, many adults still have their wisdom teeth, and complications can arise later in life. A dental exam, including digital X-rays, will reveal whether you or your child’s wisdom teeth are impacted and should be removed. If this is determined to be the case, Dr. Hutchison and her team will make sure to answer any of your questions and concerns about the process. It is our priority to keep you and your child anxiety-free during all of the safe, routine procedures associated with wisdom tooth removal.

One-year-old Evaluations

Many parents don’t realize when their child’s dental care should begin. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, you should keep an eye out for your baby’s first tooth and see the dentist soon after. While most babies receive their first tooth between the ages of six months and one year, it’s good practice to bring your child for their first dental appointment on or before their first birthday.

It’s never too early to focus on dental health. Throughout your child’s one year-old evaluation appointment, Dr. Hutchison will encourage you to ask questions about your child’s dental needs. While the appointment will be short and inexpensive, it’s a vital first step towards your child’s enjoying a lifetime of optimal oral health.

Root Canals

Despite their poor reputation, a root canal is a routine procedure with little-to-no discomfort. When damage has occurred to the nerve tissue inside of a tooth, the doctor gently removes the soft tissue that has become infected and fills the void with inert material. If you are experiencing intense tooth pain, talk to Dr. Hutchison and her team immediately. A root canal procedure could relieve your pain so you can return to your regular activities.

Tooth Extractions

While Dr. Hutchison makes every effort to repair damage to your teeth, there are some cases where an extraction of the troublesome tooth is the best option. After making you comfortable and removing the tooth, the doctor will discuss the various treatment options available to you for replacing the tooth in order to complete your beautiful smile and to return you to the path of lasting oral health.

Fillings

Say goodbye to embarrassing flaws in your smile. Decay can leave teeth with unappealing discoloration or disfigurement, but Dr. Hutchison offers an easy solution with fillings. This procedure involves removing the decayed portion of your tooth and filling it with composite resin, matched to the color of your surrounding teeth.

Nightguards

Grinding or clenching your teeth will cause your teeth to chip, crack, and even break. If you’re experiencing early morning headaches, pain in your jaw, or broken teeth, but aren’t knowingly in the habit of grinding or clenching your teeth, you may have actually done the damage while sleeping. In the case of this very common problem, Dr. Hutchison recommends a dental appliance called a nightguard, which protects your teeth from grinding and clenching in your sleep. Custom created by the dentist for a perfect fit, your nightguard can help alleviate the pain-inducing pressure and the tooth damage associated with nighttime grinding. Ask Dr. Bourque-Hutchison about having a nightguard customized exclusively for you.

Oral Cancer Screenings

There will be 41,000 Americans diagnosed with oral cancer this year, resulting in 12,500 deaths. Like all forms of cancer, early detection is key to a positive prognosis, and oral cancer has up to a 90 percent success rate when discovered early. No one is in a better position to make this important discovery than your trusted dentist. A patient who does not seek regular care from a dental professional is putting their health at risk by delaying a diagnosis in the early stage of oral cancer. Dr. Hutchison is dedicated to providing this potentially life-saving procedure for you using the VELscope® Oral Cancer Screening system. See our TECHNOLOGY page for more information on this helpful tool.