General & Preventive Dentistry

The Choice for Dental Care in Glen Allen

Taking good care of your teeth can lead to a lifetime of beautiful smiles. Healthy habits start at home, and we’ll show you the best way to keep your teeth clean and protect your smile. We offer general dentistry services for your entire family.

By taking a proactive approach to your dental care, you can protect your teeth from complicated problems later. Once we assess your current dental health, we’ll be able to detect areas that may present an issue in the future, and we can prevent problems before they start. We’ll keep your mouth healthy and happy. With correct brushing and flossing techniques, along with regular dental exams and professional hygiene appointments, your smile will look and feel it’s best.

Our general and preventive dentistry includes comprehensive exams and digital x-rays, as well as screenings for oral cancer. But that’s not all. Modern general dentistry is so much more than preventing cavities and keeping your teeth clean. It’s about using mouth guards to protect your teeth from damage during sports activity, and using advanced periodontal care to keep your gums healthy. We even offer dental services for children, as starting them off on the path to good oral health early is essential to great smiles for life.

Comprehensive Exams at our Glen Allen Dental Practice

Comprehensive ExamsOn your first visit to the dental practice of Dr. Glenn Fortner, you will undergo a comprehensive dental exam that includes:

  • Digital Dental X-Rays – Dexis digital x-ray system reduces exposure to radiation, allows portability for use in any room and lets us share your x-rays with other specialists.
  • Periodontal (Gum) Exam – The first important step to stop periodontal disease and protect your health.
  • Oral Cancer Screening – Helps us keep a careful eye out for the beginning signs of oral cancer and to catch it while it is most easily treated.
  • Thorough Teeth Cleaning – Keeps your teeth clean and your gums healthy.
  • Fluoride Treatment (Children & Adults) – Helps stop the progress of newly formed cavities, and reduces tooth sensitivity and adult root caries.

If we detect any problems, we will present you with a treatment plan to return you to health.

We recommend that you visit every six months for a checkup and cleaning.

Glen Allen Dental Hygiene & Dental Cleanings

With the advanced dental technologies we use, dental cleanings and hygiene appointments are comfortable and thorough.

testUltrasonic Scalers

Our practice uses the Cavitron and the Titan for advanced hygiene treatment.

These two hand-held tools offer safe, effective and painless alternatives to traditional gum cleaning methods. They both use high frequency ultrasonic waves and water to gently clean the above and below the gum line. So gentle, they can both be used to administer deep cleaning and gum therapy, many times without the need for anesthetic.

Gum Disease TherapyDuring your regular exam, we will examine your gums for any signs of periodontal disease. If periodontal disease is diagnosed, treatments are available to treat the disease, and even reverse it.

Risks

We have long known that the bacteria associated with periodontal disease can lead to tooth loss. But recent studies have linked this disease to even greater health risks, including an increased risk of:

  • Heart Disease
  • Stroke
  • Certain cancers, including pancreatic cancer
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Complications controlling blood sugar levels in diabetes
  • Low birth weight babies
  • Premature birth

Treatment

A variety of new technologies make the treatment of this disease more thorough and comfortable than ever before.

Ultrasonic Scalers

Our practice uses the Cavitron and the Titan ultrasonic scalers for the gentle treatment of gum disease. These hi-tech tools offer safe, effective and painless alternatives to traditional gum cleaning methods. They use high frequency ultrasonic waves and water to gently clean bacteria away from above and below the gum line.

The good news is that periodontal disease is treatable, even at an advanced stage, to help you keep your teeth and improve your health.

Oral Cancer ScreeningOral cancer strikes an estimated 34,400 Americans each year. As with most serious diseases, early detection of oral cancer is the key to a successful outcome. We provide a visual oral cancer screening at every annual dental exam.

Teeth Grinding / Bruxism TreatmentDo you grind your teeth at night? Do you wake up with a headache or sore jaw? Teeth grinding – also called bruxism – is a fairly common problem.

There are different stages of sleep that you go through every night. In one of those stages, everyone clenches or grinds their teeth for as little as 15 seconds. Or for as long as 15 minutes.

To make matters worse, grinding and clenching force is 50% greater during sleep than it is during your waking hours. And that can have an impact on your oral health.

If your teeth are visibly worn down, or if you suffer from headaches or jaw pain, you may benefit from a custom-made night guard.

Dr. Fortner will fit you with a custom-made night guard appliance that will reduce the damage to your teeth from grinding or clenching during sleep, and reduce any grinding-related symptoms. You’ll wake up feeling better than you have in a long time!

mouthguardsA protective mouth guard should be worn every time your child plays a sport. Dr. Fortner creates custom-made mouth guards that protect teeth. These mouth guards provide superior comfort and protection against injury than the “boil and bite” mouth guards available at sporting goods stores.

Children’s Dental Care In Glen Allen, VA

Children’s CareA smile that lasts a lifetime begins with early, regular dental care. Dr. Glen Fortner offers children’s dentistry so kids can get their smiles off to a strong, healthy start.

Regular Check Ups and Cleanings

Dr. Fortner recommends that your child first be seen by the dentist at age 3 to make sure teeth are developing normally. Once your child has all his or her teeth, he or she should be seen every six months for a thorough check up, cleaning and fluoride treatment.

Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride protects the smallest of children against dental decay. Not only should you use fluoride toothpaste at home, we recommend your child receive a fluoride treatment every six months at his or her checkup.

Sealants

Dental sealants are one of the most valuable innovations in modern dentistry, protecting back molars from decay and cavities. The tooth-colored sealant material is “painted” on the molar, and then dried with a hand-held light. The procedure is quick and painless and the sealant lasts for several years.

Emergency Dental CareDr. Fortner welcomes patients with an emergency dental need to call at any time during office hours. Patient will be seen as soon as possible.