The screening and procedures provided by the Celebrate Smiles dental staff are led by a licensed dentist from Access Community Health Centers. Procedures could include:
Dental Cleaning (Prophylaxis)
Removing cavity causing film stuck on teeth
Dental Sealants
Dental sealants function much like sealing cracks in a driveway or on the sidewalk. The grooves in the chewing surfaces of back teeth are sealed so that food particles and bacteria will not settle within the fissures, causing cavities.
Extraction
Removing a tooth. Only baby teeth are extracted in the program. Extractions are done only as a last resort in the case of severe tooth decay.
Fluoride Varnish
Coating brushed on teeth to protect them from cavities.
Fillings
Removing the portion of a tooth with a cavity and then putting another material in that area. If the cavity we remove is deep, work will be done to treat this and then a filling will be placed.
Local anesthetic
Medicine that makes the mouth numb and is used during some dental treatments to prevent discomfort or pain. The numbness can last for 1-3 hours.
Sliver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)
A topical medication used to treat and prevent cavities. Silver diamine fluoride may turn cavities black (or darker than decayed areas typically look). Tooth surfaces without cavities will not turn colors.
Space Maintainer
A space holder between teeth after baby teeth are lost early to make space for permanent teeth (referral back to our clinics for this treatment).
For more information about Celebrate Smiles, call 608-852-2781.