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Prevention

As an highly experienced dentist in Encino I put great emphasis on prevention. Today a person can have their teeth for their lifetime. We have many patients well into their 90's with healthy teeth and gums. Encino dentist Dr. Melnick is known as a leading preventive dentist. His emphasis is on a complete preventive care program. We schedule 1 hour for visits with our hygienist routinely.

With the help of our Los Angeles trained, gentle and experienced dental hygienist you will receive state of the art preventive care in our office. Adults, Seniors and children/teens are all treated regularly by our popular, caring hygienist.

We often find people have bleeding gums. There should be no bleeding in healthy gums. If you are suffering from gingivitis or more severe gum disease, we always recommend a thorough cleaning or in-office non-surgical treatment.

We include many breakthroughs to improve your care. These include such high tech as the unique dental antibiotic Arestin, antibiotic irrigations, sophisticated ultrasonics and high magnification fiber-optic video examination are used on a daily basis.

Starting with a thorough examination of your mouth, we take the time necessary to help our patients develop proper oral hygiene habits. We will evaluate your hygiene and make adjustments to your routine if needed.

Prevention for Cosmetics

We are also concerned when we see cosmetic restorations. Cosmetic restorations require special care. There are a number of essential special steps you should be using to take care for cosmetics. You want them looking their best for the longest possible period of time. As a leading cosmetic dentist in Encino, Sherman Oaks, Woodlands Hills and Tarzana we are happy to go over that information with you when you come in for your next preventive dentistry visit to our office.

Prevention for Implants

Implants are now done frequently these days. Many situations are clearly a best option in many situations. Like all dental restorations implants require a lot of care for best results and long life. With implants the techniques are different and need to be designed for the specific situation. We have developed a special section for implant care which should be very helpful. Click here for a description of implant hygiene for healthy gums.

Preventive Services

Our State of the Art Preventive Services;'

• leaning and gum care (Hygiene with our R.D.H.)
• Bite Guards Appliances to stop grinding damage
• Patient Education and hygiene instruction
• Mouth Guards for sports damage protection
• Fluoride Treatments to prevent decay from starting
• Regular check up timing as needed to prevent disease
• New NTI bite correcting appliance for joint problem correction
• Helping to select the optimum brush for each person
• Sealants for chewing surfaces to prevent decay
• Topically applied Fluoride Varnish that harden roots.
• Enamel restoring compounds to repair damaged enamel

Professional Teeth Cleanings

Regular teeth cleanings are an important part of preventive dental care program. Not only will it help you to promote good oral health but it can help us to catch any problems early on. Keep in mind that dental problems do not get better on their own. Click here for more details.

Regular teeth cleanings, also called prophylaxis, is done in our office by a California trained, experienced Registered Dental Hygienist. You can expect a cleaning to take about 45 minutes to one hour.

It is necessary to remove all of the bacteria filled hard material called calculus(tarter) and the soft material called plaque. Even with the most thorough brushing and flossing tartar and plaque build up can not be removed by brushing and flossing.

Professional cleanings include tooth polishing and tooth scaling. Scaling is the removal of hardened tartar with small instruments and a smoothing of the top of the root surfaces

The picture above shows the removal of hard bacteria filled tartar that is so harmful to the gums and body.

Finally, polishing uses a fine pumice or diamond paste material on a soft rotating instrument to remove surface discolorations such as coffee and tea stains. Ultrasonics are often used in addition

Additional Services

When the gums are inflamed, the dental hygienist will consult with the Dr. Melnick about irrigating under the gums with an anti-microbial agent or placement of a time released antibiotic to treat or prevent gum infections. An antibiotic product called Arestin has been shown to control swelling and bleeding in inflamed gum pockets.

We generally recommend professional cleaning at least once every six months. Some people need either a longer or shorter interval depending on how well they clean their teeth and how fast they develop plaque.

In addition to all the above services our Hygienist will develop with you a program to keep you keep your mouth healthy. She will discuss the best tooth brushes, dental floss, electronic brushes and other devices for your personal oral situation.

Fluoride

We also frequently recommend a fluoride treatment for decay prevention in both children and especially adults. Adults often have terrible problems with root surface decay that can be prevented. Many crowns are lost this way and we actively try to prevent this problem. Root surface exposure is a normal part of aging. We have in office and take home materials that are quite effective in reducing this problem.

Mouth and Oral Cancer Screenings

• During a dental examination, Encino dentist Dr. Allan Melnick and our hygienist will check your neck and oral tissues for lumps, red or white patches or recurring sore areas. Dr.Melnick believes strongly in this and gives the most complete oral cancer exam of any dentist in Encino, Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills, Van Nuys or Tarzana.
• There are 37,000 deaths in the U.S. annually from this disease. Please follow the link below to learn more about this vital topic. Click here for more about Mouth and Oral Cancer Screenings.

Sports and Tooth Injury Prevention / Mouth Guards

A mouth guard can feel uncomfortable and annoying until you see someone without a night guard severely injured. Sports related injuries are inevitable. Each year 15 million dental injuries will occur during sporting events. Fortunately there is one simple device you should never leave at home when at sports or active recreation - Your Mouth Guard!

It has been estimated (2007) that the total dental costs involved can reach $15,000 when a tooth is knocked out. This includes all the dental care that will be required over the persons lifetime. This is approximately 30 times the cost of the mouth guard.

Besides the expenses, a mouth guard can save your teeth, lips, jaws, tongue, and cheeks from serious injury, even when you strap on a helmet or face guard. A mouth guard provides protection for everyone, children and adults, men and women, young and old.

You can Read more details about Sports and Tooth Injury Prevention follow this link.

"I wouldn't even think of going to another dentist. I have never had a bad experience in Dr. Melnick's office. I never put off an appointment. Never. I hope he stays in practice forever! I don't know what I would do if I had to find someone new. He is one of a kind." Hillary M., Teacher - Van Nuys