Preventive Dentistry Chicago

Dental Checkups & Cleanings

When arriving at our office for a dental checkup and teeth cleaning every six months, we’ll take X-rays to generate an all-encompassing view of your mouth for Dr. Rosen to review. After conducting a thorough examination, we will determine if you can move forward with a general cleaning. If gum disease is found, Dr. Rosen will evaluate your smile before proposing a more thorough deep cleaning.

These appointments also include an oral cancer screening in an attempt to catch abnormalities before they have a chance to worsen or spread. If symptoms are present, we can refer you to a physician or oral surgeon for further testing or evaluation/imaging. We’ll also conduct an airway screening to determine if you might have a sleep-breathing issue like sleep apnea.

Children’s Dentistry

With children’s dentistry at Rosen Dental, our team will keep your child’s smile on track and in shape by offering regular dental checkups and cleanings, silver diamine fluoride for cavity-stricken teeth, dental sealants, and more. These preventive solutions can minimize the need for more involved care, ensuring your child remains pain-free and confident while learning in the classroom as opposed to feeling self-conscious and missing school.

Fluoride Treatment

If you are at high risk of developing cavities, we can apply fluoride during a regular dental checkup. This natural mineral is known to build strong teeth and reduce the possibility of future decay. Combatting cavity-causing bacteria with its protective layer, fluoride can give your smile the care and safeguarding it needs to remain healthy between your six-month appointments.

If you have a child who has a cavity that needs addressing but is not yet ready for a dental filling, we can use silver diamine fluoride. This unique solution targets bacteria and kills decay in its tracks while also creating a barrier to protect existing tooth enamel.

Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are primarily provided to children because their molars and premolars are often some of the hardest to reach while brushing. However, adults can also benefit from them. To seal off crevices and various pits located on the chewing surfaces of these teeth, Dr. Rosen will apply the clear coating over the top, establishing a shield against future bacteria and food debris that might otherwise penetrate and break down the enamel.

Nightguards for Bruxism

You may be unaware that you clinch or grind your teeth while you sleep until Dr. Rosen points out worn-down areas during your exam. Left untreated, it can result in tooth sensitivity and dental damage. However, with a custom nightguard, you can better protect your teeth each night, alleviating tension from your jaw joints and reducing the chances of further harm. Also, because Dr. Rosen can print a custom oral appliance in his office with a 3D printer, you can receive your new device in a single visit.

One aspect of bruxism that has brought recent attention to the dental world is its connection to sleep apnea. If Dr. Rosen finds signs of tooth wear, it’s often a great idea to identify the root cause. The connection to sleep apnea lies in the body’s natural survival mechanism--when we stop breathing or aren't getting enough oxygen, the body is triggered to open the airway by tensing up muscles in the jaw and next by clinching or grinding the teeth together. This pathway allows humans to survive while sleeping, but in the destructive wake of this process, teeth take a beating and the body suffers from a cascade of hormonal imbalances including cortisol, adrenaline, testosterone, and estrogen to name just a few! Long story short, if we suspect you clinch or grind your teeth while sleeping, we should check you for sleep apnea. 

Frenectomies

Frenectomies are a minor surgical procedure that removes and/or modifies in some way the frenulum, which is a small bit of tissue within the mouth that can restrict movement. A frenulum might connect the bottom of the tongue to the mouth’s floor (a “tongue-tie”), or it might bridge the upper lip to the gum tissue (a “lip-tie”). Either way, this small connection can become a big problem for patients of all ages. Children often struggle with difficulty eating and reduced speech development, while adults often experience speech impediments and gum recession thanks to lip and tongue-ties. Thankfully, Dr. Rosen can help!

We perform frenectomies most often with a soft tissue laser, and the procedure can be completed quickly and safely in our dental office. This modern technology can release the frenulum with only minor post-operative symptoms, resulting in big improvements for oral health and functionality overall.