General Dentistry
in Raleigh, NC

Exams & Cleanings

Cleanings & Prevention

Our experienced and dedicated team in Raleigh, NC collaborates with each patient to maintain the naturally healthy aspects of your teeth and mouth while creating a dental plan to deter the new, continuing, and repeating issues or conditions.

Preventing dental problems is as easy as creating a good oral hygiene and diet plan at home. Wells Family Dental Group puts in the effort to complement and strengthen your own oral health and maintenance.

Preventative measures that our office provides include regular teeth cleaning, dental exams, x-rays, sealants and fluoride treatments.

By using preventative measures before any problems arise, you can have a healthy and beautiful smile for life.

Dental Exams

During your initial visit, the dentist and his team will perform a comprehensive dental exam. Your regular check-ups will include the following procedures:

• Diagnostic X-Rays – determine tooth and root position as well as detect tumors, decay, bone loss, and cysts
• Oral Cancer Screening – check the face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, tissues, and gums for possible signs of oral cancer
• Gum Disease Evaluation – examining the gums and bone around the teeth for possible signs of periodontal disease
• Tooth Decay Examination – examining all tooth surfaces for signs of decay
• Existing Restorations Examination – check current dental restorations including fillings, crowns, root canals, etc…

Dental Cleaning

Our Registered Dental Hygienists expertly perform the following procedures during your professional dental cleanings:

• Calculus (Tartar) Removal – calculus, hardened plaque left on the tooth over time that has attached itself to the tooth surface, is removed from above and below the gum line
• Plaque Removal – plaque, a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on teeth, is ripe with living bacteria, which in turn produce poisons that inflame the gum and cause the beginnings of gum disease
• Teeth Polishing – removing the stains and plaque that are not removed during regular tooth brushing and scaling, giving you a sparkling and healthy smile!

Digital X-Rays

At Wells Family Dental Group, we use the latest technology available to get dental x-rays. Using an electronic sensor instead of traditional x-ray film, we can capture and store the digital image in our computer system so our team can instantly view the x-ray.

Are Dental X-Rays Safe?

Digital x-rays are faster and more comfortable for the patient. Digital x-rays avoid the environmentally hazardous process of disposing of the harmful waste and chemicals used when developing traditional x-rays. Although digital x-rays produce a very safe low level of radiation, our team still takes all the necessary measures to limit any radiation exposure.

How Often Should Dental X-Rays Be Taken?

Based on the situation of each patient, our team will recommend when x-rays are necessary based on your dental history, dental exams, and your current dental health including your age and risk of oral disease.

We usually recommend a full mouth series of x-rays for all new patients which can be used for three to five years. Bite-wing x-rays, x-rays of only the top and bottom teeth biting together, are recommended at each check-up twice a year so we can detect any new problems.

Dental Sealants 

A sealant protects molars, premolar, or any deep grooves (called pits fissures) of the teeth by covering them with a thin, plastic coating. Over three-fourths of dental decay starts in these deep grooves because they are highly susceptible to decay and extremely hard to clean. The sealant makes the surface smooth so that these areas are easily cleaned. Sealants can prevent tooth decay for many years, but patients should regularly visit the dentist to check for sealant wear and chipping.

Why Would Someone Need Sealants?

• Children and Teenagers – provides protection from the onset of six-year molars (the first permanent back teeth) through 16 years of age, when the likeliness of cavities decreases
• Adults – used on tooth surfaces with no current decay but that have deep grooves or depressions
• Babies – occasionally used if teeth have deep grooves or depressions and the baby is prone to cavities

In order to ensure that the sealants function properly, each patient must use proper home dental care, eat a balanced diet, and visit our offices regularly.

Fluoride Treatment 

Topical Fluoride

Strengthens the teeth that have erupted on the surface of the gums by seeping into the outer surface of tooth enamel making all teeth immediately more resistant to decay.  Topical fluoride is available in daily dental routine through toothpaste, gels, and mouth rinses. Professional application is also recommended biannually for children whose teeth are in the early stages of development to guarantee proper health and development.

Systemic Fluoride

• Works on both erupted as well as developing teeth developing under the gums
• Available in most foods, the community water supply, and as a prescription supplement in drop or gel form
• Recommended for infants to teenagers
• Too much ingested during teeth development can lead to fluorosis (white spots on the teeth)

Do not depend on fluoride alone to prevent tooth decay! Use other preventative measures to keep your smile at its best, including brushing teeth at least twice a day, flossing regularly, eating balanced meals, reducing the amount of sugary snacks you eat, and visiting our office for cleanings on a regular basis.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction 

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Wisdom teeth are the last adult teeth to erupt into the mouth. Most people have four wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth — two on the top, two on the bottom.

Impacted wisdom teeth are third molars that do not have enough room to emerge or develop normally.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Impacted wisdom teeth can result in pain, damage to other teeth, and other dental problems.

In some cases, impacted wisdom teeth may cause no apparent or immediate problems. But because they are hard to clean, they may be more vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease. When wisdom teeth are still developing, their removal is recommended if they will not have enough space to fully erupt.

We offer the removal of wisdom teeth in a safe, comfortable environment with I.V. sedation. To learn more about wisdom teeth removal, call today to schedule an evaluation.