Preventive Dentistry in Jonesboro

The most important aspect of dental care for any patient is regular preventive dental checkups and teeth cleanings. When patients visit Woodsprings Family Dentistry twice a year for checkups, we are able to evaluate them for signs of common oral health problems, answer questions, address areas for concern as necessary, and offer treatment options tailored specifically for you! In many cases, we’re able to prevent common oral health issues, and we diagnose and treat those we’re unable to prevent in their earliest stages. Contact us to schedule an appointment or find out more today.

Dental Checkups & Cleanings

Visiting our office every six months is essential to keeping your smile healthy, whole, and radiant for life. These appointments are fairly straightforward; they involve our team thoroughly inspecting your teeth, gums, and other oral structures for signs of concern, followed up with a detailed cleaning of your smile that leaves it looking and feeling its best. There’s no better peace of mind than knowing your teeth and gums are in tip-top shape, and we’re ready to help you achieve this!

Learn More About Dental Checkups & Cleanings

Diagnostics

We use digital X-rays, intraoral cameras, and CT scans to get a comprehensive view of patients’ teeth, gums, jaw, and how all of these structures are working together. These high definition images allow our team to diagnose and treat oral health concerns in early stages allowing for the most conservative treatments.

Dental Examination

Dr. Yarnell then carefully examines patients’ teeth, gums, and oral structures in order to discover any areas for concern screening for common issues including tooth decay, missing teeth, gum disease, bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching), temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, and oral cancer. Then, Dr. Yarnell sits down face to face with patients in order to answer questions, make treatment recommendations, and develop a personalized plan for ongoing oral health care.

Teeth Cleaning

Our skilled hygienist Ashlee carefully removes plaque and tartar from even the most difficult to access parts of patients’ smiles. They can offer patients recommendations to improve at-home hygiene and answer questions.

Nightguards to Treat Bruxism

While the unconscious grinding and clenching of teeth at night may seem like a relatively harmless bad habit, patients who suffer with bruxism may actually do untold damage to their smiles, teeth, and gums without ever knowing. Bruxism can cause chips, cracks, and wear to tooth enamel that exposes patients’ smiles to more severe damage. Custom-crafted nightguards from our Jonesboro team protect patients’ teeth from unconscious damage at night. They place a physical barrier between teeth to protect smiles from damage, and they position the jaw comfortably which reduces the likelihood that patients will grind and clench their teeth. Better yet, we eliminate the messy impression system and utilize digital scan technology instead to construct the ideal oral appliance.

Sportsguards

Most people know better than to run out on the football field without a helmet, but when it comes to protecting their teeth, people are often less consistent. There are a variety of athletic mouthguards available at local sporting goods stores, but these guards are often uncomfortable, making patients less likely to wear them. Our Jonesboro dentist offers custom crafted sportsguards created with digital scanning technology that fit comfortably and protect teeth effectively. We recommend patients wear mouthguards during any athletic event where their smiles may come in contact with other players, hard surfaces, or sports equipment.

Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer claims one life every hour on average in the US alone, and of those patients who are diagnosed this year, less than 50% will live five years longer. While many patients believe that not smoking or drinking alcohol to excess means they are not at risk for oral cancer, more than 30% of patients diagnosed with oral cancer do not engage in any of these high risk behaviors. This is why we make visual screenings for oral cancer an integral part of every dental checkup.

Recommended Oral Hygiene Products

One way we help patients keep their naturally healthy smiles for life is by helping them make the most of their at-home hygiene routine. In some cases, we’re able to offer recommendations to improve the way patients brush or floss, but for some patients, using prescription mouth rinses or toothpaste with higher levels of fluoride and other fortifying ingredients is the best way to keep smiles healthy between dental checkups. We frequently recommend Peridex oral rinse, Crest Pro Health with CPC mouth rinse, and ClinPro toothpaste to help improve our patients’ at-home oral hygiene routines.