What is a DIAGNOdent Laser? Am I a candidate?

Finding and correcting dental problems at their earliest stages benefits teeth and gums for a lifetime. At Southshore Dental in Trenton, MI, Drs. Mihul C. Patel and Heba Abuhussein provide high-quality dental services but believe that prevention is key to healthy, attractive smiles.

Finding Decay Early

Your Trenton, MI dentists like seeing their patients--from children through senior adults--every 6 months for examinations, x-rays when appropriate and hygienic cleanings. They carefully inspect for:

• decay
• gum disease through periodontal probing
• oral cancer
• bite and alignment issues
• the condition of restorations such as fillings and crowns

A thorough cleaning removes plaque from tooth surfaces and underneath the gum line, restoring a polished appearance to enamel and preventing gingivitis and more advanced forms of gum disease.

For individuals who have a limited number of restorations such as fillings, crowns, and veneers, Drs. Patel and Abuhussein use the non-invasive DIAGNOdent laser to detect tooth decay which may be forming below the surface of enamel in the softer layer known as dentin.

DIAGNOdent is Fast and Accurate

This Class 1 laser is fully approved by the FDA and the American Dental Association. Via a pen-like probe, the apparatus sends a focused beam of light into the tooth, creating an image of the interior tooth structure. Areas of decay reflect something called fluorescence which the laser light produces when aimed at tooth structure.

The resulting images allow the dentists to observe what is termed "drop surface" decay--cavities that start from inside the tooth and move to the outer surface. Drop surface decay is more hidden and more destructive than cavities which can be detected by visual inspection and probing with a conventional dental instrument.

Performed right in the dental chair as a great addition to a routine dental exam, the DIAGNOdent laser is painless and very quick, making it an outstanding tool for pediatric dental exams. It does not replace conventional visual inspection and probing for decay or periodontal disease, but it is a wonderful tool which assists Southshore Dental professionals in providing the very best in modern preventive dental care.

Your Routine Exam

Don't neglect your regular check-ups and cleanings. Contact the staff at Southshore Dental to schedule your 6-month appointment. When you see Dr. Abuhussein or Dr. Patel, ask about the DIAGNOdent laser and how it could help detect any dental problems at their earliest stages. Phone (734) 219-6754.