Invisalign clear aligners can be a great option for improving the look of your smile. Dr. Jarvie and his team have lots of experience using this technology to give our patients the straight, beautiful smile they’ve always wanted. Plus, because it’s so convenient, Invisalign won’t interfere with your daily life.

• Invisalign aligners are clear, discrete and effective at moving your teeth into their ideal positions.
• You don’t need to change your eating habits, because your aligners can be easily removed.
• Invisalign aligners are made of comfortable, smooth plastic, so you don’t have to worry about taking care of metal brackets.
• Invisalign aligners make daily oral hygiene easier, reducing the risk of possible problems.
• Invisalign treatment is covered by most insurance providers, just like traditional braces.

A straight smile makes you look great, but it also can help you keep the rest of your mouth healthy. Correctly aligned teeth can decrease health issues that can be caused by an improper bite, speech or chewing difficulties, jaw problems, and increased wear on the tooth enamel.

Invisalign can be used by teens and adults, so whether you want to improve your own smile or need more information about your teen’s orthodontic options, contact our office to learn more.

Cavities occur as a result of the destruction of tooth structure, called tooth decay. Tooth decay can affect both the enamel (the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin (the inner layer of the tooth). While it is very important to brush and floss every day to remove food particles and plaque, regular cleanings and checkups is the best way to help avoid cavities.

Dr. Jarvie can discover cavities during your regular dental checkup. The tooth surface feels soft when probed with a dental instrument. X-rays can also show cavities before they become visible to the eye. In advanced stages of tooth decay, you might experience a toothache, especially after consuming sweet, hot, or cold foods or drinks. Other signs of tooth decay are visible pits or holes in the teeth.

Don’t wait for a toothache!

Remember, the longer you wait to treat a cavity, the more extensive your treatment will be. A small cavity can be treated with a filling, while a large cavity that weakens the structure of your tooth may require a crown. If the decay is so bad that it causes the nerve or pulp of the tooth to die, a root canal or tooth removal may be your only options. If you think you may have a cavity, contact our office and schedule an appointment. We’ll make sure you leave with a healthy, pain-free smile!

Dental X-rays are an essential and invaluable tool to help assist us in evaluating your oral health. With X-rays, we can see what’s happening beneath the surface of your teeth and gums and identify oral health issues otherwise hidden during a visual exam, including:

• · small areas of decay between the teeth or below existing restorations (fillings)
• · infections in the bone
• · periodontal (gum) disease
• · abscesses or cysts
• · developmental abnormalities
• · types of tumors

If left untreated, these problems can lead to expensive, time-consuming, and painful conditions, so it’s important to find and treat them early.

Dental X-rays are extremely safe, and our team is certified in the proper use of our digital X-ray equipment. The amount of radiation that you are exposed to from dental X-rays is very small compared to your daily exposure from things like atmospheric radiation and naturally-occurring radioactive elements, as well as medical X-rays you may have gotten at your doctor’s office or hospital. In fact our digital system dramatically decreases the already minimal amount of exposure even further.  We try to be as conservative as possible when prescribing x-rays but do need them to see what is going on where our eyes can't see.

Cities have been adjusting the fluoride levels in water since 1964. Since that time, fluoridation has dramatically improved the oral health of tens of millions of Americans. Community water fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay, but you may not be drinking as much fluoridated water as you may think. If bottled or home-purified water is your main source for drinking water, you may be missing out on this extremely safe and effective mineral that prevents tooth decay.

Of course, using toothpaste with the ADA Seal of Approval is a good source of fluoride, but optimal levels of absorption can only be achieved if you use it as directed: brushing twice a day for two to three minutes each time.

At our office, you can receive professionally applied topical fluoride during your next dental checkup. This is extremely important for people who are at high risk for tooth decay, including children, people with less than perfect oral hygiene, people undergoing orthodontic treatment, and people with weakened enamel due to lifestyle choices or genetic factors. If you have any questions regarding fluoride, please feel free to ask Dr. Stephen Jarvie or your hygienist. We want you to have the healthiest smile possible.