General and Family Dentistry

Dental examination and cleaning

The professionals at Lapointe Dental Centres recommend an oral examination at least once a year. During this appointment, the dental hygienist will do an oral screening, then proceed with the scaling and polishing of your teeth; the dentist will then perform a dental and oral examination.

Procedure for a dental examination and cleaning

Each visit to your dentist includes:

Review of your overall health
X-rays (as needed)
Oral assessment and screening for oral diseases (cavities, periodontitis, etc.)
Scaling and polishing of teeth by the dental hygienist
Fluoride treatment
Individualized oral hygiene care recommendations

Preventive cavity treatments

“Prevention is better than cure”, as the saying goes. When it comes to your smile, the professionals at Lapointe Dental Centres work together to keep it as bright as possible.

Fluoride application

Fluoride makes teeth more resistant to decay, which promotes good oral health. In addition to helping to prevent tooth decay, fluoride can sometimes even remove cavities that have already appeared but that are still small.

The application of fluoride in the office is usually reserved for children, and the professionals at Lapointe Dental Centres recommend this treatment during preventive visits. Nevertheless, a treatment against cavities with a fluoride product could be strongly recommended for an adult with a high rate of cavities.

Feel free to ask your dental hygienist at Lapointe Dental Centres for advice on this matter.

Sealing of pits and fissures

If you were to look at a tooth with a magnifying glass, you would notice pits and grooves on the surface of the molars and premolars. These cavities trap food debris which, along with bacteria, cause decay.

By filling these cavities with a special varnish, pit and fissure sealing prevents bacteria and food from getting into them. Combined with good oral hygiene, pit and fissure sealing offers excellent protection against cavities.

This technique is normally recommended on permanent molars and premolars, as soon as the teeth appear, around the age of 6 for the first permanent molar. Since children of this age do not always have adequate oral hygiene, these teeth tend to decay more quickly.

Your professional at a Lapointe Dental Centre will suggest it if necessary.

Here are some instructive videos on the importance of dental exams and cleanings as well as tips for keeping your teeth healthy.