Preventive Dentistry — Friendswood, TX

Helping patients keep their smiles whole and healthy for life is always a priority for the dedicated team at Friendswood Dental Group. That’s why we base every treatment plan on a foundation in preventive dental checkups. By visiting our dental office every six months, patients ensure that our team can diagnose and treat oral health issues in the earliest stages preventing more serious health concerns and saving our patients time, money, and discomfort down the line.

Dental Checkups & Professional Teeth Cleanings

Having healthy, attractive, natural teeth for the rest of your life should not be left to chance. Many people make specific retirement plans so they won’t end up old and poor. Very few make plans not to be old and sick. We encourage our patients to consider preventive dental checkups and professional cleanings twice a year as an investment in a lifetime of whole, healthy smiles.

When we examine most new patients, we generally find a collection of old restorations, done by different dentists over a period of years. In our mobile society, moving for most is inevitable. Ending up in later years with a dental condition you are unhappy with, should not be inevitable.

Friendswood Dental Group provides a comprehensive examination for all patients. There are three important objectives of our initial examination. First, we need to identify any urgent problems such as infections or dental decay. Second, Dr. Sierra will provide a long-term prognosis in an attempt to anticipate future problems. Third, we provide our patients with a detailed treatment plan that provides for resolving present concerns, and outlines a course of action that will lead to the patient achieving and maintaining their healthiest smiles.

More About Checkups & Cleanings

Children’s Dentistry

As a family dental office, we welcome patients of all ages and that includes the littlest smiles. Some parents we treat in our dental office believe they need to take their kids to a pediatric dental office, but in many cases, this can actually make caring for your child’s smile more of a challenge. Kids who start out with a pediatric specialist will need to transition to a different dental office around the age of ten when their permanent teeth have developed, and this change can be stressful for kids. Unless your little one has a severe oral health or behavior concerns, our team is well equipped to help kids of any age start down the path towards a lifetime of healthy smiles.

Dental Sealants

Often recommended for young patients who are still developing good oral hygiene habits, dental sealants are a great option for any patient who struggles with frequent tooth decay. Sealants can be applied as part of any regular dental checkup. Our dentist or hygienist quickly paints a thin layer of sealant over teeth, and hardens it into position where it creates a clear protective coating. With proper care, dental sealants protect smiles for up to ten years sealing out decay-causing bacteria.

Nightguards for Bruxism

If you experience unconscious nighttime teeth grinding and clenching on a regular basis, you’ve likely already noticed some of the side effects like morning headaches, worn teeth, and jaw pain. Even if you haven’t, consistent nighttime teeth grinding can be detrimental when left untreated. Our team offers comfortable, custom mouthguards to protect teeth from damage caused by grinding and clenching and allow the jaw to rest in a comfortable position. Ask about nightguards during your next appointment, or give us a call.

Sportsguards

If you or a loved one participates regularly in athletic activities where your smile may come in contact with hard surfaces, other players, or sports equipment, wearing an athletic mouthguard is essential. There are a number of store bought varieties available, but these options are often not very comfortable decreasing the likelihood that patients will wear their sportsguard consistently. The custom alternatives from Friendswood Dental Group allow athletes to comfortably protect their smiles during any athletic competition.

Oral Cancer Screening

Many patients have the unfortunate belief that if they don’t use tobacco they can’t get oral cancer. While tobacco use increases the risk, oral cancer can affect any patient. That’s why we make oral cancer screenings utilizing the VELscope oral cancer screening system a regular part of every six month dental checkup. If we find warning signs of oral cancer present, we are also able to further inspect the potentially harmful area using Cone Beam CT scans.

Fluoride Treatments

Fluoride is an essential element of developing dental structures, and it’s important that infants and kids ingest adequate amounts of fluoride to fortify these developing teeth. However, once permanent teeth have erupted, only topical fluoride can help strengthen the enamel by attracting other fortifying minerals. Most patients absorb adequate amounts of fluoride from their toothpastes and other oral hygiene products, but for younger patients and those who experience frequent tooth decay, professional fluoride treatments may be beneficial. We can quickly apply topical fluoride treatments as part of any regular six month checkup.