2024 & 2025
Procedures · Cleanings & Prevention
Cleanings & Prevention
Preventing dental disease starts at home with good oral hygiene and a balanced diet, and is continued in the office through the work of your dentist and hygienist to promote, restore, and maintain your oral health.
Prevention also means regular exams, cleanings, and X-rays — alongside fluoride and sealants where helpful. Done well, prevention helps you avoid serious and costly dental problems and is the surest path to a healthy, confident, beautiful smile.
6 cleanings & prevention proceduresi. — Procedures
Treatments under cleanings & prevention.
6 procedures, all performed in-house. Click any to read what's involved, common reasons, and what to expect at your visit.
- 01
Dental Exams & Cleanings
Comprehensive exam, oral cancer screening, gum disease check, and professional cleaning by a registered hygienist — the foundation of preventive care.
- 02
Dental X-Rays
Diagnostic radiographs that reveal hidden decay, abscesses, bone loss, and developmental issues invisible during a regular exam — safe and low radiation.
- 03
Panoramic X-Rays
Wraparound photograph of the face and teeth — extraoral, simple to perform, and ideal for evaluating wisdom teeth, TMJ, jawbone fractures, and implant planning.
- 04
Fluoride Treatment
The most effective agent for preventing tooth decay — strengthens enamel and protects against cavities. Topical and systemic options for adults and children.
- 05
Home Care
Daily routine that protects your investment in dental health — proper brushing technique, flossing, rinsing, and the right tools for your needs.
- 06
How to Brush & Floss
Detailed technique for the two most important habits in oral health — preventing decay, gum disease, halitosis, and staining when done correctly.
What a hygiene appointment covers
One appointment, four jobs. Between them they catch the two diseases that cost teeth — decay and gum disease — while both are still small.
| Step | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Exam | A full examination including decay detection, a gum-disease evaluation and an oral cancer screening. |
| Cleaning | Tartar and plaque removed by a registered dental hygienist, then a polish to lift surface stain. |
| Fluoride | A topical application that strengthens enamel against decay — applied twice a year for children, and for adults at higher risk. |
| Home care plan | What to change between visits: brushing twice daily, flossing daily, and the technique and tools that suit your mouth. |
Prevention is the cheapest dentistry there is
Decay and gum disease are painless early on. Every step you delay moves the same tooth into a more expensive column — these are the ranges published on our own treatment pages.
Caught early
An exam and a cleaning
- Every six monthsDecay found small is a filling at $200–$400. Gum disease found early is reversed with cleaning and better home care.
- Usually your best-covered benefitMost dental plans include two cleanings and exams a year.
Left too long
Restoration, not prevention
- Crown — $1,200–$1,800Once decay or a fracture leaves too little sound tooth for a filling.
- Implant — $4,000–$6,000Once the tooth is lost altogether, plus months of healing before the final tooth goes on.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I come in for a cleaning?
Every six months for most people. That cadence is what lets us catch decay and gum disease while they are still small and inexpensive to treat. If you have active gum disease you will be on a different, more frequent schedule — that is periodontal maintenance rather than a routine cleaning, and we will tell you which one you are on and why.
What actually happens at a hygiene visit?
Four things. A registered dental hygienist removes the tartar and plaque that brushing cannot reach, then polishes to lift surface stain. The dentist examines the teeth for decay, evaluates the gums, and carries out an oral cancer screening. Where it is useful we apply fluoride. Then we talk through what to change at home before the next visit.
My teeth feel fine. Do I still need to come?
Yes — and that is rather the point of prevention. Decay and gum disease are both painless in their early stages; by the time a tooth hurts, the cheap fix has usually passed. A filling costs $200–$400. Once a tooth needs a crown that becomes $1,200–$1,800, and a tooth lost entirely becomes an implant at $4,000–$6,000. The exam is what keeps you at the first number.
Does insurance cover cleanings?
Most dental plans cover two cleanings and exams a year, and preventive care is usually the best-covered part of any plan. We accept most dental insurance as an out-of-network provider and will submit a pre-treatment estimate so you know your share before the appointment.
Is a professional cleaning different from brushing well at home?
They do different jobs and you need both. Brushing and flossing control plaque daily, which is the part only you can do. But once plaque hardens into tartar it bonds to the tooth and no toothbrush will shift it — that requires instruments and a hygienist. Good home care means less tartar to remove; it does not replace the removal.
— Trusted in the East Bay —
2025
Best Dental Practice
4.9 / 5
Google Reviews
30 years
Serving the East Bay
iii. — Visit
Take a tour, or schedule your visit.
Experience the practice first-hand. Send us a message, or call us during open hours — most weeks we have same-week availability.
