Dental Cleaning
What is a Professional Dental Cleaning or Dental Prophylaxis?
A dental cleaning, also know as a teeth cleaning is a routine, preventative procedure done in a healthy mouth. Our dental hygienist will update your medical history to see if there have been any changes in your medical health and evaluate if you may need to have x-rays taken. Bite-wing x-rays are taken every 12-18 months of your anterior, premolar, and molar teeth to determine if you have cavities in these areas of your mouth. A full series of x-rays which shows us all your teeth and surrounding bone will be done at your initial visit, or every 3-5 years depending on your needs.
After the medical history update and determination if x-rays are needed at your dental hygiene visit, our dental hygienist will examine your gum tissue and conduct a periodontal probing. She will measure the depth of your gum tissue with a periodontal probe. She will also check your teeth to determine if there are any areas of decay to bring to Dr. Alvarez's attention, and only then will she conduct a thorough cleaning. Our dental hygienist will use special instruments (ultrasonic and hand) to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and slightly below your gumline. The hygienist will also polish your teeth to remove extrinsic (exterior) tooth stains.
Our dental hygienist will then make recommendations for taking better care of your teeth and gums at home.
Dr. Alvarez will then perform a full examination of your mouth. This includes examining your teeth, gums, and the rest of your mouth for signs of disease. Dr. Alvarez will also do a head and neck/oral soft tissue cancer screening. If any decay or conditions warranting treatment are found, Dr. Alvarez will explain your treatment options, and our staff will help you schedule your treatment in our modern and comfortable Midtown Manhattan office.
How often is a Dental Cleaning needed?
It is recommended for most people to schedule a dental hygiene visit, or "teeth cleaning" twice a year. However, some people need to follow a different schedule. If you have a high risk of dental disease, suffer from conditions such as diabetes or other things that compromise your immune system, or have suffered from periodontal disease, Dr. Alvarez may recommend more frequent visits. People in high-risk groups may need to see our hygienist for a dental cleaning every three or four months.
High-risk groups include people who smoke, people with extensive dental work or dental implants, people with gum disease, and people who tend to get a lot of cavities. Pregnant women, diabetics, or people with weakened immune systems may also need more appointments. Make sure Dr. Alvarez knows about your health conditions so he can recommend an appropriate dental cleaning schedule.
Come see us in our Midtown Manhattan, New York City office today.
Our Dental Hygienist
Mrs. Maritza Lopez
Our Hygienist, Mrs. Maritza Lopez is a highly skilled, highly experienced New York State Registered Dental Hygienist. With over 30 years of experience in delivering exceptional patient care as an oral health educator and advocator, she provides patients in our Midtown Manhattan office with the excellent care they seek and deserve. She is certified in Dental Hygiene Anesthesia, Nitrous Oxide, CPR, and Emergency Cardiac Care. Mrs. Lopez is fluent in both English and Spanish. Schedule your dental cleaning visit with Maritza today.
