Dental Hygiene Services Westerville, Ohio

Dr. Shankland and his staff are dedicated to providing dental care that will not only help their patients have as few dental problems as possible, but minimizing oral diseases also helps patients maintain healthy bodies as well. By providing extensive oral cancer examinations, thorough cleanings and sealants of posterior or back teeth to prevent dental decay, you can be assured that your oral health is of the utmost concern for Dr. Shankland and his staff.

Dental Hygiene procedures

Dr. Shankland and his team are committed to providing the most up to date dental hygiene services and information to their patients. Taking a conservative, preventative approach to dental care is the ideal. In providing dental hygiene services and care, Dr. Shankland’s staff offers:

• Prophy or a dental prophylaxis is the technical term for cleanings.

  Routine dental cleanings are the very best way to monitor your dental health and to ensure that you stay healthy and hopefully, require little dental treatment. Dr. Shankland also offers Whitening for Life. For patients who agree to return for regular dental cleanings, Dr. Shankland will provide all the necessary items to whiten your teeth free of charge.

• Oral cancer examinations for every patient.

  Oral cancer is a horrible disease, which kills approximately one person every hour in the United States. Early detection is key, there Dr. Shankland’s and staff perform a visual and manual oral cancer screen on EVERY patient, EVERY time. In addition, we have invested in the advanced technology Oral ID and ORArisk saliva test. Oral ID is an advanced test utilizes fluorescence, which highlights suspicious-looking tissue in the mouth, which alerts the staff long before the naked eye could see histological tissue changes, thus saving lives. In addition, ORArisk tests for the presence of oral HPV viral strains, which is currently the most increasingly common cause of oral cancer.

• Non-Surgical Scaling and Root Planing (Deep Cleaning)

  Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, eventually effects more than 70% of adults at some point in their life. This type of infection has been linked to an increased risk in heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and diabetic and pregnancy complications. In addition, it is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Early detection of this infection is important and because in it's earliest stages it is often asymptomatic for the patient Dr. Shankland's team is diligent about evaluating gum health at every dental hygiene visit. If active gum disease is detected, they are especially capable of treating it comfortably and effectively.

• Saliva testing

  In complex gum disease patients we offer the OralDNA PerioPath and Perio ID saliva testing. These tests determine which of the multiple periodontal pathongens (bacteria) are contributing to the disease process so treatment and medications can be tailored to each patient's needs. In addition, the PerioID can determine if an individual is a carrier of a specific genetic marker that makes their body's more easily effected by the disease process. This information is valuable in the long term success and maintenance of more complex periodontitis cases.

• Sealants

  The best way to fight tooth decay is to prevent the decay. Using sealants in any tooth surface with deep grooves. Deep grooves in teeth are often difficult, or impossible to keep clean and are most at risk to develop cavities. Historically sealants were most often done on children and devoping teeth. However, the newest research shows they are just as beneficial in protecting adult teeth as well! Dr. Shankland believes so strongly in sealants that he will replaced los t sealants or place a dental filling in teeth that have had sealants free of charge for the first year after placement.

• Teeth whitening

  A beautiful, white smile can be a huge confidence booster. Dr. Shankland’s office provides effective, comfortable whitening options. Both custom at home options, and one day in office whitening options are available. While whitening strips can be purchased at any store that has a dental section, those products often whiten teeth too quickly, causing teeth to become very sensitive or don't fit well and cause damage to the gums. Dr. Shankland is pleased to provide both Opalescene home whitening and BOOST in office whitening systems to help give you the smile you've always wanted!

• Biopsy services

  If you notice a change in color or shape of any tissues in your mouth, make an appointment to see Dr. Shankland as soon as possible to ensure that you are not developing a cancerous or pre-cancerous growth. Over 5%, or 1 in 20, of cancers are oral cancers. Due to the great amount of blood vessels in the mouth, oral cancer spreads very rapidly. Dr. Shankland has had additional and extensive training in biopsy techniques, so if you have any question or concern, make an appointment as soon as possible.