Preventative Dentistry
Preventative Dentistry is Better Dentistry
West Hill Family Dental is the best dental practice when you’re looking to work with a preventative dentist in Rocky Hill CT. Our number one mission is to have the most educated dental patients possible. We love seeing our patients, but we’d rather see you for your check-ups and cleanings than restorative work. We want to empower our patients with the knowledge of best practices when it comes to dental hygiene. It might seem odd for a dental office to say this, but we feel like we can best serve the community at large and our business by building a strong foundation of informed patients that rely on us for maintenance rather than invasive procedures. With that said we can and will serve our patients in every aspect of dentistry, but want to make it clear that our goal is to keep you out of our chair as long as possible.
Dental Cleanings and Checkups
The cornerstone of our preventive program starts with regular cleanings and checkups. You can do them both at the same visit. Even if you’re following a diligent home care routine, regular checkups and cleanings are a must for optimal dental health. Regular checkups can detect early signs of decay, gum disease, oral cancer, and many other dental problems. Just as important, Dr. Hemphill can spot clues to whether oral problems are actually symptoms of other diseases in the body. To learn more about our dental cleanings and checkups click here.
Night Guards for Bruxism
Bruxism is defined as the involuntary or habitual grinding of teeth, typically during sleep. This is often a difficult problem to address because a lot of people aren’t aware that they’re doing it. During your checkup signs of bruxism can be easily identified and a plan can be implemented to save your teeth from the grinding. To learn more about bruxism and night guards to protect your teeth go here.
Periodontal Disease Treatment
Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) found that half of Americans over age 30 had bleeding gums. Swollen and bleeding gums are early signs that your gums are infected with bacteria. If left untreated the infection can spread. It can destroy the structures that support your teeth in your jawbone. When you come to the office for your checkup we thoroughly examine your gums and make sure you’re not showing any signs of periodontal disease, and if you are, we help you eliminate it before it gets out of hand. To learn more about periodontal disease treatment, click here.
Halitosis Treatment
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is an embarrassing condition that can threaten both your self-esteem and personal relationships. However, bad breath can also be a warning sign that your oral health needs attention, especially if you struggle to remedy or control your foul breath odor. To learn more about halitosis treatment, click here.
Receding/Bleeding/Swollen Gums
Your gums are the foundation of your smile. When they are damaged, diseased or receding, it is important to seek treatment sooner rather than later. Receding gums occur when the gums shrink down and expose the tooth root. This problem can make your teeth look longer and lead to disruptive sensitivity within your smile. To learn more about receding gums treatment, click here.
Sedation Dentistry
It is common to have anxiety surrounding dental care. In fact, a large number of Americans suffer from dental phobia. If your fear of the dentist has kept you from getting the dental care your smile needs and deserves, we invite you to consider sedation dentistry. West Hill Family Dental proudly offers safe and effective sedation dentistry for all ages. We believe that every patient deserves a comfortable and rewarding experience with us. To learn more about sedation dentistry, click here.
TMJ/TMD Treatment
Your jaw joint and its surrounding muscle and tissue are called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This joint allows you to chew, speak and smile. When the TMJ gets overstrained or damaged, it can cause painful symptoms as well as dysfunction within the joint. To learn more about TMJ treatment, click here.
Importance of Preventative Dental Care
Preventative dental care is the same as any other kind of preventative medicine. It involves taking small regular steps to avoid problems with your teeth and gums instead of taking major steps later to correct larger problems.
The Basics of Preventative Dental Care
Things you do to maintain your teeth and gums are considered preventative dental care. If you take each step seriously, you can avoid many of the most common issues that hurt your teeth. It only takes a few minutes each day to practice preventative dental care that will ensure your smile is bright and healthy throughout your entire life. It’s especially important for children to practice preventative dental care while their adult teeth are still developing. The basics of preventative dental care include:
- Brushing daily with an electric toothbrush
- Flossing daily
- Replacing your toothbrush head regularly
- Minimizing foods that cause tooth decay
- Seeing your dentist regularly for check-ups (2-4 times per year)
- Periodic X-Rays
- Annual oral cancer screening with Valscope™
- Topical fluoride application
4 Major Benefits of Preventative Dental Care
Save Money – Dental floss and toothpaste are cheap compared to the cost of a major dental procedure, like a root canal. Making a tiny investment in preventative dental care keeps you from having to make major investments in corrective procedures.
Save Time – This one is easy. Would you rather spend a couple of minutes each day giving gentle care and attention to your teeth, or spend hours getting work done at the dentist?
Avoid the Dental Drill – Preventative dental care allows you to visit the dentist less often, and when you do visit you can avoid drills, shots, and discomfort. Not a bad deal!
Avoid Major Problems – Most dental problems are the result of long untreated small issues. When you practice preventative dental care consistently your teeth and gums stay healthy and avoid the major problems if left untreated.
What Our Patients Say
West Hill Family Dental has been serving my entire family for 10 years. They have always been great and treat us like family. I will continue to use them because of the high level of care and comfortable atmosphere.
Today was my first visit with West Hill Family dental. The staff was awesome! So warm and welcoming! I felt at home the moment I walked in the door. Melissa (hygienist) was awesome and very sweet. Dr. Hemphill was very personable. I am a nervous Nelly with the dentist but they really helped me feel comfortable.
"Going to the Dentist," isn't something most folks look forward to. Fortunately, the Team at West Hill Family Dental makes that experience an enjoyable event with a friendly, thoughtful and genuinely concerned approach to both routine care and one-off emergencies. The atmosphere is relaxed and positive; everything from scheduling to changes is accommodated with little fuss and a genuine enthusiasm to see you at the next opportunity. And the overall quality of care, execution and attention to customer needs are unmatched by most practices, and certainly by the cookie-cutter pop-ups that abound elsewhere. Highly recommended, family-oriented and very professional in every aspect of care and delivery - they're definitely on the list of recommendations to new residents and neighbors!
In the past I have had bad experiences with dentist and I have switch many times and I think I have finally found my forever home. Kim and Monica at the front desk are amazing they make sure that if you have any concerns, they will accommodate you in any way they can. They also socialize with you which makes visiting the dentist feel like visiting family. This is by far the best dentist I've ever been to and would recommend them to anyone.
Dr.Robert Hemphill and his staff are so friendly.I was very nervous to get my treatment done,doctor made me understand and kept me calm.I always walk out happy, feeling I have seen the BEST doctor who took care of my dental treatment.Kinga the dental assistant is so kind and helpful,Kim such a lovely person always smiling and happy,Monica is superb too, she calls and double confirms the appointment so that I don’t forget. Thank you once again.
