You know it is important to brush and floss and to eat the right foods — and stay away from the wrong ones — if you want healthy teeth. But do not forget that another important part to having healthy teeth is coming into our office twice a year for your dental exams.

General dentistry from Dr. Patrick Morrissey at Boones Ferry Dental is all about keeping your teeth healthy and taking care of any potential problems before they get serious!

What General Dentistry Services Does Boones Ferry Dental Provide?

When you come into Boones Ferry Dental for your regular checkup, your teeth will be cleaned and polished. Dr. Morrissey will also ask you questions about your health and current dental habits, as well as any changes to your medical history. We will evaluate your teeth and check their position relative to the tongue, the lips and your other teeth. We will check for any signs of decay, cracks or cavities, and make sure that the teeth have not changed color (which can indicate an infection). If you have any fillings, crowns, bridges or other restorations, we will check them to make sure they are still in good condition. If necessary, we will take X-rays to make sure that your teeth are healthy on the inside and that your jawbone and the area beneath your gums are healthy.

Our dentist will also use this opportunity to check for any abnormalities in your head or neck. We will check your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the joint that connects your lower jaw with your skull. If there are problems with this joint, it can cause a lot of pain, discomfort and functional issues. We will check your gums to make sure they are healthy and do not show any signs of gum disease. We will also check for any signs of oral cancer and other health conditions that can affect your oral tissues and structures.

How Can Dr. Morrissey Help If I Have Problems With My Teeth?

Dr. Morrissey can offer many solutions to keep your teeth feeling and looking great. If you have a damaged tooth, our dentist may recommend a veneer, a crown or a filling. If you are missing a tooth (or teeth), he can help you decide how best to replace this tooth — with a denture, implant or bridge, for example.

If you have a tooth that is in pain, you may need a filling, root canal treatment or extraction. The goal of Dr. Morrissey is to always preserve the natural tooth as much as possible, but sometimes, extraction is the only option depending on the extent of the damage to the tooth.

If you have gum disease, Dr. Morrissey and his team can perform a thorough cleaning of the tooth root below the gums, known as a scaling and planing. Dr. Morrissey is also skilled in many cosmetic procedures and can provide treatment options if you are unhappy with the way your teeth look. These options may include teeth whitening, crowns, veneers and other methods that can help you to get the smile you have always dreamed of. Dr. Morrissey and our team can also give you advice about how you can best take care of your teeth and gums.

It is very important to take care of your teeth at home, but it is also important to visit our dental office twice a year for preventive care. Call 503-699-6699 today to make an appointment and learn more about general dentistry in Lake Oswego, Oregon.