Here at Close Dental, our Preventive Care Program is well-known for exceptional patient care and the promotion of good oral health. Our Preventive Care Program is lead by our Dental Hygienists, who graduated from the University of Queensland 's Bachelor of Applied Health Science with a dual qualification in Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy.

Your preventive care appointment will consist of two parts, a professional clean, oral care instruction and an application of treatment that your dentist has recommended such as fluoride.

Our Preventive Care program is one of the most important procedures that we offer to our patients.

Why is prevention so important?
We believe that our patients are best served through a conservative approach to dentistry based on the principles of minimal intervention. Continuing preventive care is essential to this approach as it allows us to detect potential problems in a timely and minimally invasive fashion – which is certainly much more ideal then the ‘old' conventional ‘Drill, Fill & Bill' dentistry. We believe that this approach represents best value of money for our patients. Remember, prevention is better then cure!

Your mouth is a mirror of your general health and well being. Dentistry today is much more then just repairing teeth - a person's quality of life is greatly affected by the health of their mouth. Over recent years, research has shown numerous links between dental health and one's overall physical well being. A healthy smile is a true gift which can greatly impact one's self-esteem and quality of life.

Our hygienists, advance schedule patients for their subsequent Preventive Care visit when the patient has their last treatment. This way the patient can choose an appointment time and date that best suits their individual schedule. The practice then confirms this appointment by mail, email or telephone, 2 weeks prior to the appointment date.

If a preventive appointment is not made our computer system will advise us to contact you to arrange a suitable appointment. Most preventive appointments are made 6 monthly. On some occasions further hygiene appointments may be necessary.

Periodontal Disease
Periodontal Disease, or Gum Disease, is a serious condition that can lead to numerous problems within the mouth and tooth loss. At its most basic level, Periodontal Disease is an infection of the gum tissue in between teeth. The small v-shaped portion of gum in between teeth is called the sulcus, which is a breeding ground for tartar and bacteria. An infection of this tissue can cause gums to recede. As a result, the attachment of the gums to the teeth is broken and a pocket is formed. The severity of Periodontal Disease is proportional to the size of the pocket created.

Diseases of the gum are loosely classified into two categories. The first category is called Gingivitis, and it is the more prevalent of the two. Gingivitis is the initial form of Periodontal Disease, which is milder and reversible. When Gingivitis progresses beyond this, it becomes what is known as Periodontitis. This is a more serious form of Periodontal Disease that is destructive to both tissue and bone within the mouth.  

Medication
Some medications which are designed to "thin" the blood (such as heart medications) will effect dental treatment such as teeth cleaning and extraction's. Please tell your dentist and hygienist all the medications that you are taking, even if you feel that they may not be relevant.