Family Dentistry for Hanover, NH
Preserve your natural smile to avoid future problems.
Preventive Measures To Keep Your Smile For Life
Prevention is key to keep your smile healthy and free from extensive dental treatment. It starts with you practicing good oral habits (brushing and flossing every day) and continues with visits to our dentists and dental hygienists to clean your teeth, conduct a thorough exam, and educate you on their findings and what needs to be done for future.
At Lyme Road Dental, our Hanover family dentistry services include:
‘‘I felt that I needed to write you a note of ‘congratulations.’ She has had extremely excellent care at your hands. Thank you for your commitment to excellence and I’m honored to share her care with you.’’
- B.V., A Dentist in Virginia
Learn More About Our Preventative Services
Hygiene and exams from Lyme Road Dental are far from routine. At your first appointment with us, you’ll spend 1.5 hours with one of our dentists in Hanover, NH. During that appointment, you and your designated dentist will discuss your smile goals and perform a comprehensive exam, which will include:
- An evaluation of your oral health, teeth, gums, bite, and muscle/joint exam
- An oral cancer screening
- Examine aesthetic concerns (if any)
- A customized treatment plan to address your oral health goals
After this appointment, we’ll immediately schedule your hygiene appointment, where one of our gentle hygienists will remove plaque and tartar from your smile and polish your teeth.
For children, we provide preventative options to protect every little smile. We offer fluoride, the most effective agent to prevent tooth decay. Also, we offer sealants to stop tooth decay in its tracks, especially for those hard-to-reach places.
Sealants are thin-colored, plastic coatings painted on the molars of teeth. Tooth decay normally grows in the deep grooves in the molars (back teeth) and can be very difficult to clean. Sealants seal out the grooves, creating easy surfaces to clean.
Sealants and fluoride are available for adult patients as well.
Non-surgical periodontal therapy is a deep cleaning needed for anyone who is showing signs of early periodontal (gum) disease. Symptoms of gum disease include:
- Red, puffy gums
- Bleeding gums
- Receding gums
Your hygienist removes tartar, plaque, and toxins from above and below the gum line and smooths rough spots on root surfaces. This will help your gums heal properly and stop gum disease from worsening.
Are you experiencing the following symptoms:
- Morning headaches
- Constant snoring
- Daytime fatigue
- Insomnia
- Waking up with a sore throat and dry mouth
These could all be signs of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in your throat collapse while sleeping, causing you to snore and stop your breathing multiple times throughout the night. If not treated, sleep apnea can lead to life-threatening illnesses.
With a confirmed diagnosis from a sleep physician, Dr. Melkers and Dr. Wonsavage can help combat your sleep apnea with a custom-made oral appliance. These oral appliances are comfortable to wear, and you’ll see results almost instantly.
The TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, connects your jaw to the base of your skull. When that joint is damaged, it can cause many painful symptoms, including:
- Migraines
- Dull soreness in the jaw
- Clicking and popping sounds in the jaw
- Tingling in the fingertips
- Neck pain
- Dizziness
There are measures that can be taken to help prevent TMJ pain. At Lyme Road Dental, we’re able to craft occlusal guards, which you can wear at night to protect your bite and prevent teeth grinding.
Other measures to prevent TMJ pain include:
- Avoid chewing on hard foods
- Anti-inflammatory medication
- Heat and ice therapy
- Medications
- Corrective dentistry to correct bite alignment (orthodontics, etc.)
