Why preventive care matters

Enamel doesn't grow back. Once decay breaks through it, the tooth needs a filling, and that filling will need replacing at some point, usually with something slightly larger. Every restoration has a lifespan, and each replacement tends to remove a little more tooth structure than the one before. Over enough of these cycles a tooth can eventually need a crown, then root canal treatment, and finally extraction.

The aim of preventive care is to interrupt that sequence as early as possible. Very early decay, where enamel has softened but hasn't yet broken through, can often be stopped and remineralized. Gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease, can usually be reversed. Neither stage tends to cause pain, which is why we'd rather see you while nothing feels wrong. Once a tooth begins to hurt, the remaining options move toward restorative work.

The four parts of preventive care

Preventive care has four parts. Two happen here in the office and two happen at home, and each one has its own page with more detail.

Dental exams and cleanings
The routine visit combines a cleaning that removes deposits a toothbrush can't reach with an examination that covers considerably more than cavities. What happens at an exam and cleaning.
Dental x-rays
Decay between teeth, bone levels, infection at a root tip, and problems beneath an older filling don't show in a visual examination. How dental x-rays work and how often you need them.
Home care and products
Guidance on toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, water flossers, and the effect a drying medication may have on your decay risk. Choosing home care that works.
Brushing and flossing technique
Time and effort matter, and so do the angle of the brush and the order in which you work. Brushing and flossing, step by step.

What a routine exam covers

A checkup covers more than a search for cavities. We work through the same sequence at every visit so nothing gets overlooked.

  • Decay, including the surfaces between the back teeth that appear only on an x-ray, and decay developing beneath older fillings and crowns.
  • Gum health, which we measure rather than judge by eye. A probe records the depth around each tooth along with any bleeding points, because bleeding is often the earliest sign of gum disease.
  • Bone level, read from the x-rays. Bone lost to periodontal disease doesn't usually return on its own, so the trend across several years tells us more than any single reading.
  • Soft tissues, meaning an oral cancer screening of the tongue, floor of the mouth, cheeks, palate and throat, along with the lymph nodes in the neck.
  • Bite, wear and existing dental work. Flattened cusps and notched gumlines can point to grinding. Fillings, crowns and bridges all wear out eventually, often at the margins and often without warning.

Early treatment compared with delayed treatment

Here is the practical difference between finding a problem at a checkup and finding it once it hurts.

Consideration Found at a checkup Treated after pain begins
Time required About an hour, once or twice a year, at a scheduled time. Usually several appointments, and rarely at a convenient time.
Cost The least expensive category of dental treatment. Restorative work, and more of it. See insurance and payment options.
Tooth structure Nothing has to be removed, and the tooth stays intact. Every repair removes some healthy tooth structure, and that structure doesn't return.
Predictability Small problems behave in familiar ways, often without anesthetic. A deep cavity can turn into root canal treatment once the work begins, and that isn't always clear beforehand.
If nothing is done Early decay can stall, and gingivitis can reverse. Decay in dentin rarely stops on its own, and bone lost to gum disease is difficult to regain.

Children, teenagers, and adults returning after a gap in care

We like to see children early, no later than the first birthday, mainly so habits and diet can be talked through before there's anything to repair. Sealants over the deep grooves of the adult molars, and fluoride varnish, can give meaningful protection through the cavity-prone years. We'll talk with you at the visit about whether either one suits your child. Teenagers benefit from regular monitoring too, between sports drinks, braces, and newly erupted molars with deep grooves.

If it's been several years since your last visit, we'd be glad to see you. The first appointment finds out where things stand, and we'll put together a treatment plan in a sensible order, with anything urgent handled first. You can read about Dr. Brosi, look over the new patient information, and then request an appointment.

Common questions about preventive dentistry

My teeth feel fine. Do I really need a checkup?

Decay and gum disease often produce no symptoms until they're well advanced, and how things feel says little about what's happening between the teeth or below the gumline. An examination now is usually easier than treatment later, when there's more to be done.

Do I need x-rays every time?

No. Bitewings, which show decay between the back teeth, are taken at an interval matched to your decay risk. A full set covering the roots and the bone is taken much less often. More on dental x-rays.

Is a cleaning going to hurt?

For many people it's more uncomfortable than painful, mainly cold water and a few sensitive spots at the gumline. Inflamed gums are tender, and where deposits sit deeper under the gum, numbing gel or a local anesthetic can be used. Let your hygienist know if you're uncomfortable, and we'll adjust as we go.

What if I need more than a cleaning?

If the pocket depths and the x-rays show active gum disease, a routine cleaning is the wrong treatment, because it reaches only what sits above and slightly below the gumline. The right treatment works deeper, one section of the mouth at a time with the area numbed. See periodontal care.

Do you see the whole family?

Yes, and we'd love to. We're a general dental practice serving Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Bass Lake, Ahwahnee, North Fork and the surrounding foothill communities into Mariposa County. Current office hours are on the contact page, and there's more information on the patient FAQ page.

In this area of treatment

Each of these has its own page with the detail that does not fit here.

  • Dental Exams and Cleanings

    A thorough examination and professional cleaning, usually every six months, including an oral cancer screening.

  • Dental X-Rays

    X-rays that can show decay, bone level and infection long before any of it is visible or painful.

  • Dental Home Care

    The daily routine, tools and products that affect the condition of your teeth between visits.

  • How to Brush and Floss Properly

    How to brush and floss properly, step by step, and how often to do each one.