The Best Dental Tools for a Perfect Smile

Mirrors

A dental mirror is a dental instrument that we use to inspect all of your teeth’s surfaces, the roof of your mouth, down your throat, your tongue, and the tissues of your lips and cheeks. Dr. Antolin can see behind your teeth, the surfaces of teeth near to the gum, and the gums at the back of your mouth thanks to mirrors. She will shine a bright light in the mirror to search for deposits, pockets between teeth and gums, swelling, and other anomalies that need to be addressed. This also helps us to identify if you have decay between your teeth or if you have gum disease in its early stages.

Garden Valley Dentistry employ high-quality, reflective surface reflectors that provide an accurate image of each tooth. Garden Valley Dentistry can also utilize concave mirrors to enlarge regions that need closer inspection. The dentist utilize mirrors to keep your tongue, lips, or cheeks out of the way so that we can examine difficult-to-see areas.

Scalers

Soft plaque accumulates over time, even with frequent brushing and flossing. Plaque is a sticky film that forms as a result of eating and drinking. When it mixes with saliva, food, and drinks, it produces bacteria that become acidic and erode tooth enamel. Plaque eventually hardens into tartar, a mineralized calcium deposit that allows bacteria to thrive beneath it. Tartar sticks to the surface of the teeth, particularly the areas beneath the gum line. It may appear as yellow or brown stains. Plaque can be controlled by brushing and flossing, but tartar must be removed by a dental professional. Using a dental scaler, our hygienist delicately scrapes deposits from the surface of each tooth to remove tartar.

Powered and Hand-Held Scalers

There are two sorts of scalers: manual and motorized. A powered scaler is a dental instrument that cleans teeth using ultrasonic waves. It uses ultrasonic frequencies to remove tartar and plaque from teeth and areas just below the gum line. Water and air are sprayed into your mouth to cool the device, remove plaque, and clean your teeth. Typically, patients find this treatment to be comfortable.

Scalers are handheld metal devices with sharp, pointed tips. These are used to scrape plaque off the surfaces of your teeth. Various types of scalers allow us to access all parts of your teeth and gums. An essential step in preventing and treating gum disease, they are also used to remove deposits from right below the gum line.

Saliva Ejectors

Probably, you are acquainted with saliva ejectors, often known as spit suckers. During cleaning and other operations, they suction saliva, water, blood, and plaque from your mouth. Saliva ejectors prevent you from ingesting these substances.

A saliva ejector is composed of a disposable tube that resembles a bent straw and is inserted into the mouth. This is attached to a longer tube that evacuates liquids and solids. As our dental hygienist cleans your teeth, removing these substances helps keep your mouth clean and comfortable. The dentist uses saliva ejectors during other treatments, such as fillings, extractions, and orthodontic work. After each patient, the permanent tubing is flushed and sterilized to prevent cross-contamination.

Polishers

After cleaning teeth, the hygienist polishes each tooth with a polisher. Polishing is an important step in keeping your gums and teeth healthy. Polishers are stainless steel air-driven, hand-held electrical devices. They smooth the tooth surface, which makes it easier for gums to adhere to the tooth. A rubber cap on the end of the polisher is filled with a mildly abrasive paste. The cap spins to apply the paste, which removes stains and any remaining tartar.

Computer Imagery

Garden Valley Team may also use computers to help us evaluate your oral health and diagnose problems. X-rays are an important tool in evaluating the health of each tooth, jaws and surrounding bones. Traditional X-rays use a low dose of radiation to create an image on film.

Digital X-rays use a far lower dose of radiation to record an image, which is sent directly to a computer instead of recorded on film. Garden Valley Dentistry’s dentist Dr. Antolin can view the image on the computer, store it, and print it out if needed. The image can be enlarged or enhanced if we need to see specific areas of the tooth in greater detail. In addition, the image can be transmitted to another dentist or specialist if a second opinion or further evaluation is required. Digital X-rays also help the dentist in Roanoke, TX evaluate changes to your teeth and bones that occur over time.

Dental Floss

Foss is a crucial tool for both medical professionals and patients. Even after cleaning, plaque often clings to the gaps between teeth. Garden Valley Dentistry hygienists will floss your teeth after polishing them during a cleaning session to ensure that you leave our clinic with a very clean mouth and a bright smile. Garden Valley Family & Cosmetic Dentistry will instruct you on how to floss properly in order to maintain healthy teeth and gums between appointments. Effective prevention of gum disease can be achieved by flossing correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I eliminate tartar without seeing the dentist?

No. The removal of tartar requires extremely keen scalers. Using scalers to remove tartar on your own is likely to cause injury and damage to your teeth and gums. In order to become a registered dental hygienist, dental hygienists must possess a minimum of an associate’s degree.

Can I remove plaque by scraping my teeth?

No, plaque scrapers and similar tooth cleaners are not intended for do-it-yourself plaque removal. These are for use by dental hygienists during professional teeth cleanings. Flossing and brushing are the most effective methods for removing plaque from your teeth by yourself. Plaque is effectively removed and tartar formation is minimized when flossing is followed by brushing.