Preventive dental care is important throughout your life, no matter your age! We proudly serve patients from Montclair, Dumfries, Woodbridge, Manassas, Dale City, and Lake Ridge. By practicing good oral hygiene at home and scheduling regular checkups with Dr. Kassan, you can help keep your smile bright and healthy for many years to come.
Here are a few simple ways that you can prevent the build-up of plaque and cavities:
Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gum.
Brush gently in a circular motion.
Brush the outer, inner, and chewing surfaces of each tooth.
Use the tip of your brush for the inner surface of your front teeth.
Wind about 18 inches of floss around your fingers as shown. Most of it should be wrapped around one finger, and the other finger takes it up as the floss is used.
Use your thumbs and forefingers to guide about one inch of floss between your teeth.
Holding the floss tightly, gently saw it between your teeth. Then curve the floss into a C-shape against one tooth and gently slide it beneath your gums.
Slide the floss up and down, repeating for each tooth.
Crowns are a restoration used to strengthen a tooth or improve its shape. Crowns are most often used for teeth that are broken, worn or partially destroyed by tooth decay.
Crowns are “cemented” onto an existing tooth and fully cover the portion of your tooth above the gum line. In effect, the crown becomes your tooth’s new outer surface. Crowns can be made of porcelain, metal, or both. Porcelain crowns are most often preferred because they mimic the translucency of natural teeth and are very strong.
Crowns or onlays (partial crowns) are needed when there is insufficient tooth strength remaining to hold a filling. Unlike fillings, which apply the restorative material directly into your mouth, a crown is fabricated away from your mouth. Your crown is created in a lab from your unique tooth impression which allows a dental laboratory technician to examine all aspects of your bite and jaw movements. Your crown is then sculpted just for you so that your bite and jaw movements function normally once the crown is placed.
The health of your teeth and mouth is very important to the well-being of your entire body. While routine brushing and flossing at home is necessary to keep your smile looking its best, visiting Dr. Kassan for a comprehensive exam and cleaning is essential. The American Dental Association recommends that you visit your dentist every six months when you have good dental health to ensure your teeth stay healthy and your smile stays beautiful. Some patients require they be seen every 3 or 4 times per year if they have more serious dental conditions that require they be monitored more closely.
By routinely seeing Dr. Kassan for exams and cleanings, you can:
Your dental hygienist will begin your cleaning by exploring the surface of your teeth to determine if you have any cavities and to examine the quality of existing fillings. The dental hygienist will then perform a periodontal exam to make sure your gums adhere tightly to your teeth, and no periodontal disease or bone loss may be occurring. She will also perform a thorough oral cancer screeing known as a head and neck exam.
Next, your hygienist will carefully clean your teeth with a variety of specialy designed instruments to remove any hard mineral buildup (tartar) from your teeth. Then your hygienist will floss your teeth, use a polishing compound, and apply fluoride. Cleanings usually aren’t painful, but if you have any anxiety about your dental exam, be sure to let your hygienist know. The hygienist will asses your oral hygiene and will talk to you about changing your brushing or flossing habits if there is a need. In severe cases, they may recommend a “deep cleanig” known as scaling and root planing or other dental treatments. If your teeth and gums appear to be healthy, Dr. Kassan will probably recommend that you continue your brushing and flossing routine as usual.
