Preventive dental care is all about stopping problems before they start. It’s a team effort between you, our dentist, and the dental staff to help keep your natural teeth and gums healthy for life. Taking care of your teeth at home by brushing, flossing, and eating a healthy diet is the first step. Dr. Chris Hardin and his team continue that care with regular dental exams and cleanings in Indianapolis, IN as part of our general dental services.
When you stay on top of your dental health, you can avoid pain, save money, and enjoy a clean, confident smile. Our friendly dental hygienists in Indianapolis provide gentle, professional cleanings to help you stay healthy and smiling.
Dental Exams in Indianapolis, IN
Dr. Hardin will perform a comprehensive dental exam at your initial dental visit. At regular check-up exams, Dr. Hardin and the hygienist will perform the following:
- Examination of diagnostic X-rays (radiographs)
- Oral cancer screening
- Gum disease evaluation
- Examination of tooth decay
- Examination of existing restorations
A professional teeth cleaning, also called a dental prophylaxis, is usually done by a Registered Dental Hygienist. This cleaning helps keep your teeth and gums healthy and includes a full dental exam along with the following steps:
- Tartar Removal: Tartar (called calculus) is hardened plaque that sticks to your teeth. It forms above and below the gum line and can’t be removed by brushing or flossing at home. Our hygienist uses special tools to gently remove it.
- Plaque Removal: Plaque is a soft, sticky film made of bacteria, food, and saliva. If not cleaned off, the bacteria in plaque release toxins that irritate the gums. This is one of the first signs of gum disease (also called gingivitis).
- Teeth Polishing: After removing plaque and tartar, our hygienist will polish your teeth. Tooth polishing removes stains and any leftover buildup. It also helps your smile look and feel clean and bright.
Advanced Dental Cleaning
If you have gum disease, we’ll recommend a deep gum cleaning. First, we perform a supragingival cleaning. We thoroughly clean the area above the gum line with scaling tools to remove plaque and calculus.
Then, during a subgingival cleaning, we remove calculus from the gum pockets and beneath the gum line. Root planing is the smoothing of the tooth root by our dentist to eliminate any remaining bacteria. These bacteria are extremely dangerous to periodontitis sufferers, so eliminating them is one of our top priorities.
Following scaling and root planing, an antibiotic or antimicrobial cream is often placed in the gum pockets. These creams promote fast and healthy healing in the pockets and help ease discomfort.
We’ll recommend a deep gum cleaning for gum disease patients every 3 to 4 months. A regular gum cleaning keeps harmful bacteria in check and keeps gum disease from progressing.
Why Is Teeth Cleaning Important?
Getting regular cleanings helps stop gum disease from getting worse. Gum disease starts when plaque bacteria collect around your gums. This causes inflammation that can damage your gums and bone over time. As the infection gets worse, your teeth may loosen or fall out.
The spaces between your gums and teeth (called pockets) can get deeper and hold more bacteria. These bacteria can even travel through your bloodstream and affect other parts of your body. That’s why cleanings are so important for your dental and overall health. We provide periodontal disease treatment if needed, but we want to prevent this problem from happening in the first place.
Some of the main benefits of dental cleanings in our Indianapolis, IN, office include:
Tartar Removal
Even if you brush and floss every day, it’s hard to clean deep below the gum line. Over time, plaque hardens into tartar (also called calculus), which can lead to gum disease. A dental hygienist uses special tools to remove plaque and tartar that you can’t get rid of at home.
Cleaner, Whiter Teeth
Stains from food, drinks, or tobacco can make your teeth look yellow or dull. A professional cleaning helps remove these surface stains. Cleanings every six months can keep your teeth bright.
Fresher Breath
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a common dental problem. Bad breath is often caused by food particles and bacteria hiding below the gum line. Regular cleanings remove these odors and leave your mouth feeling fresh.
Early Detection of Health Problems
Dentists can spot early signs of serious health issues during your cleaning. Dr. Hardin will check for things like gum disease, oral cancer, and even signs of health problems like diabetes or kidney disease. He can also give you advice on how to take better care of your teeth at home.
Dental Radiography (X-rays)
Dental X-rays are an important part of your check-up because they show problems that can’t be seen during a regular exam. Dentists use X-rays to look for cavities, infections, bone loss, tumors, and issues below the gumline. Catching these problems early can save you time, money, and pain and help protect your teeth.
Are Dental X-Rays Safe?
Yes! Dental X-rays use a low level of radiation and are considered very safe. Digital X-rays use even less radiation than traditional film X-rays. Our office takes extra steps to protect you by using lead aprons and taking only the X-rays you need.
How Often Do I Need X-Rays?
It depends on your age, health history, and dental needs. New patients usually get a full set of X-rays, which is good for 3 to 5 years. After that, most people get bitewing X-rays (which show your top and bottom teeth biting together) once or twice a year during check-ups.
Why Use Digital X-Rays?
Digital X-rays make dental care faster and safer. They use up to 90% less radiation, show clearer images on a large computer screen, and help Dr. Hardin spot problems earlier.
They don’t need film or chemicals, so they’re better for the environment. Dr. Hardin can also share X-rays with other dental specialists if needed.
Digital X-rays can help our dentist see:
- Cavities between teeth
- Infections or abscesses
- Bone loss or gum disease
- Tumors (both cancerous and non-cancerous)
- Broken teeth or jaw injuries
- Tooth position and development problems
With clear images and quick results, digital X-rays are a safe, smart way to keep your smile healthy.
Intraoral Cameras
Intraoral cameras are changing the way dental checkups work. These small, high-tech cameras let you see detailed pictures of your own teeth, so you can better understand what’s going on in your mouth and why you may need treatment.
The camera is about the size of a pen and connects to a computer next to the dental chair. When our dentist places the camera in your mouth, it shows a live video of your teeth and gums. The images can be zoomed in more than 30 times and are shown in full color on a screen.
This makes it easier for you to see things like cavities, cracks, or gum problems. Intraoral cameras are a great tool that help you feel more involved in your dental care and make smart choices about your treatment.
How can the intraoral camera help?
Utilizing intraoral cameras is a completely comfortable process for patients, and provides an honest assessment of the teeth. An intraoral camera can provide:
- Dental education: Education and preventive care are highly important in dentistry. The intraoral camera can expose areas where home hygiene may be deficient. Any problems can then be resolved before complicated treatments are required.
- Exposing hidden problems: Conditions like gum disease and oral cancer may display easy-to-miss symptoms in their earliest stages. The intraoral camera can more clearly highlight these issues to the dentist and the patient.
- Treatment planning: No matter how well a dentist might describe a condition, it’s easier to understand the issue if it can be seen. Seeing tooth decay and problem teeth helps patients understand why certain treatments are recommended for maximum health benefit and aesthetics.
- Assessing progress: Some treatments impact the teeth slowly. If necessary, the intraoral camera helps us modify treatment along the way for the best results.
- Eliminating uncertainty: One of the most common patient fears is that a dentist is performing unnecessary treatments. The intraoral camera highlights problem areas, so patients are less likely to refuse necessary treatment.
- Referrals to specialists: On occasion, we may refer a patient to a specialist for complex treatment. If this specialist can see clear images of the teeth in advance, it can reduce consultation times and costs.
How will the intraoral camera be used?
The intraoral camera is the size and shape of a pen. The camera is covered with a disposable sheath, to ensure that no germs are transmitted from patient-to-patient. We insert the slim wand is inserted into the mouth and rotate it until it records clear pictures of every tooth.
The images are transmitted onto a television screen in movie format. The movie can be paused, and images of individual teeth can be magnified to allow our dentist to explain and explore any noticeable problems. One of the biggest advantages of the intraoral camera is it doesn’t expose patients to radiation. The intraoral camera is one of the most useful and versatile diagnostic tools available.
Panoramic X-rays
Panoramic X-rays (also known as Panorex®) are wraparound photographs of the face and teeth. They offer a view that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye. X-rays expose hidden structures like wisdom teeth, reveal preliminary signs of cavities, and also show fractures and bone loss.
Panoramic X-rays are simple to perform. It uses film hidden inside a mechanism that rotates around the outside of the head.
Unlike bitewing X-rays, which are usually taken every year or two, panoramic X-rays are only taken when needed. They don’t show a close-up of each tooth. Instead, they give a full picture of your mouth, including your sinuses, jawbones, and the nerve in your lower jaw.
Panoramic X-rays are helpful when a patient is in a lot of pain or when a sinus issue may be causing dental problems. They give our dentist a better overall view of the head and mouth to help figure out what’s going on. Panoramic X-rays can:
- Assess patients with an extreme gag reflex.
- Evaluate the progression of TMJ.
- Expose cysts and abnormalities.
- Show impacted teeth.
- Expose jawbone fractures.
- Plan treatment (full and partial dentures, braces and implants).
- Reveal gum disease and cavities.
How are panoramic X-rays taken?
A panoramic X-ray gives our dentist a two-dimensional image of your entire mouth, from one ear to the other. It shows both the upper and lower jaws in one picture.
The machine used for this X-ray has two main parts. One side holds the X-ray camera, and the other side holds the film or sensor that captures the image. Your head is placed between them, and the machine slowly moves around your head, taking pictures.
How well your head and body are positioned affects how clear the X-ray turns out. We enlarge the image up to 30% so Dr. Hardin can see even the smallest details.
Panoramic X-rays are an important diagnostic tool and are also valuable for planning future treatment. They’re safer than other types of X-rays because less radiation enters the body.
Oral Cancer Exam
According to research conducted by the American Cancer Society, more than 30,000 cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year. More than 7,000 of these cases result in the death of the patient. The good news is that we can easily diagnose oral cancer with an annual oral cancer exam, and effectively treated when caught in its earliest stages.
You can get oral cancer in these areas:
- Lips
- Mouth
- Tongue
- Salivary Glands
- Oropharyngeal Region (throat)
- Gums
- Face
Oral cancer screenings help find early signs of cancer in the mouth. Catching oral cancer early makes it easier to treat and can save lives. Many cases of oral cancer are linked to habits like smoking, using tobacco, and drinking too much alcohol. Our dentist can help you understand how to make healthier choices and may offer advice or resources to help you quit smoking.
What to Expect During an Oral Cancer Exam
An oral cancer exam is quick and painless. During your visit, Dr. Hardin will carefully check your mouth, face, neck, and jaw for anything unusual.
Some signs our dentist will look for include:
- Red or white patches in the mouth or on the tongue, especially if they don’t heal
- Sores that bleed easily or take a long time to heal
- Leukoplakia, which looks like a thick white or gray patch that may become cancerous if not treated
- Lumps or thickened areas in the throat, tongue, or anywhere in the mouth
If Dr. Hardin finds something concerning, he may recommend a follow-up visit or perform a biopsy. A biopsy means taking a small sample of tissue to check if it’s cancer. From there, he can refer you to a specialist for treatment. Treatment may include surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy depending on the type and stage of the cancer.
Our dentist checks for signs of oral cancer at your regular dental checkups. But it’s a good idea to get a full, detailed oral cancer screening at least once a year, especially if you use tobacco or alcohol. Regular screenings and attention to changes in your mouth can help catch oral cancer early and make treatment easier and more successful.
Request a Dental Consultation
Get a comfortable dental exam and cleaning in our Indianapolis, IN office today. Call Hardin Cosmetic and Family Dentistry today at 317-830-0073. You can also request an appointment online.gener