Everyone is familiar with the expression that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The person who said this first could have been describing the importance of good oral hygiene and routine dental checkups. Brushing at least twice a day and flossing daily is essential to keeping your teeth and gums healthy between dental visits.
Most of our patients come to Eastland Dental Center every six months for their routine preventive care, but depending on their individual needs, Dr. Milligan may recommend a different schedule. These appointments are as important as your daily oral hygiene.
While brushing and flossing remove plaque from the surface of your teeth, calculus deposits (tartar) still form on the teeth. The more thorough you are with your daily hygiene, the less build up there will be. Once calculus forms, it can only be removed with special instruments in our office. Your toothbrush and floss cannot remove these deposits.
There is much more to a normal cleaning appointment than removing calculus deposits from your teeth. One of the most important parts of your appointment could be the oral cancer screening. We use the VELscope Vx to help detect oral cancer early. There are about 30,000 cases diagnosed each year, and about 8,000 of those are fatal. As is the case with any cancer, early detection is important to successful treatment.
Dr. Milligan will also examine your teeth and gums looking for cavities or signs of periodontal disease. With the DIAGNOdent laser, we are able to detect and treat cavities earlier, and that means less damage to the tooth and smaller fillings. It is important to detect and treat cavities before you have a toothache, because once the nerve is damaged, the tooth will likely need a root canal or need to be extracted.
Your regularly scheduled appointments are a very important part of maintaining your oral health. It gives the team at Eastland Dental Center the opportunity to detect problems early when they are easier to treat. If it is time for your checkup, call our office at and schedule your appointment.
Eastland Dental Center is owned and operated by the father-daughter duo, Dr. Mike Milligan and Dr. Marisa Milligan.
Dr. Mike completed his doctor of dental medicine degree from Southern Illinois University in 1978. Dr. Marisa completed her doctor of dental medicine degree from Midwestern University in 2015. Both doctors have logged hundreds of hours of continuing education to stay on top of the latest technologies in dentistry as well as the most current research on the oral-systemic, mouth-body connection to benefit their patients. Dr. Mike and Dr. Marisa are active members and in excellent standing with the American Dental Association, Illinois State Dental Association, Chicago Dental Society, McLean County Dental Association, American Academy of Oral Systemic Health, and numerous other societies.
Both doctors are avid golfers and have won several national golf tournaments over the years. They are the only father-daughter team in the state to have won the Illinois State Amateur Golf Championship. Dr. Mike in 1974 and Dr. Marisa in 2005.
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