Preventive Dentistry - Bullard, TX

Your First Visit to Our Dental Office

A new patient exam includes a full series of X-rays and digital photographs, allowing Dr. Morgan to show you the state of your oral health in detail. During this initial exam, we check for decay, gum disease, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. We will also check your bite, and if it’s off, determine ways to protect tooth structure. As Dr. Morgan says, “knowing where you stand with your dental health is the best form of dental care.”

Using all of this information, we can develop a treatment plan that combines any of the dental care services offered at our Bullard dental office. If we detect problems with your TMJ, we can provide TMJ therapy. Do you suffer from gum disease? We offer periodontal therapy. And if you come to us unhappy with your smile, cosmetic dentistry services such as Six Month Smiles can help.

Contact the Tyler, Texas area dental office of Dr. Tad Morgan to make an appointment. We see families from all over East Texas at our Bullard, TX practice. Get started on your journey toward a great smile today with Dr. Morgan!

Additional preventive services include:

Dental Cleanings

Most adults experience some amount of tooth decay. We're trying to combat that. Regular dental cleanings are the number one way we help you fight tooth decay. We can remove deposits of plaque and bacteria that attack your teeth and cause cavities. Regular dental visits can help fight chronic bad breath as well. We can show you better home care habits to prevent bad breath from being a big problem.

You can help us help you by following these simple guidelines for maintaining oral health:

• Use toothpaste that contains fluoride when brushing your teeth. Fluoride helps strengthen tooth enamel.
• Use a soft-bristle toothbrush. Gentle brushing protects your gums from irritation and damage.
• Floss once a day. This removes decay and gum disease-causing debris from between your teeth, which brushing alone can miss.
• Follow healthy nutritional guidelines. Your diet affects your oral health, and eating a diet rich in important nutrients can help protect your teeth, gums, and jaw bone. Avoiding a lot of sugary foods will help prevent decay.

Learn More About Dental Checkups & Cleanings

Periodontal Therapy to Treat Gum Disease

At least 80% of the population has some degree of gum disease, and most don’t know it. Gum disease is responsible for up to 70% of adult tooth loss, and it does not give clear warning signs that an untrained eye would notice. Dr. Tad Morgan and his highly trained staff can perform a thorough and complete examination to detect your gum disease, especially in its early stages. Gum disease is similar to high blood pressure or heart disease; by the time the person who has it notices symptoms, it’s in its advanced stages. Once we’ve detected gum disease, we can provide periodontal therapy to restore you to good health.

Learn More About Periodontal Therapy

Oral Health Linked to Overall Health

Your gums are the gateway to the rest of your body -- and that means what goes on in your mouth can easily be affected by or affect your overall well-being. Taking care of your periodontal (gum) health is of the utmost importance for enjoying a complete smile for life. Gum disease has been linked to heart problems, respiratory issues, and other serious side effects. That’s why brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist regularly are truly as important for your overall health as it is for your smile!

What is gum disease, and how do you fight it?

Gum disease has been implicated as a causative factor in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pre-mature births, and low birth weight. It is an infection of the gums and jawbones. The bacteria and toxins created by your body’s attempt to fight the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause serious problems in other parts of the body. It is critical to have your teeth cleaned and examined for gum disease at least twice a year by Dr. Morgan at our Bullard dental office. The good news is that gum disease can be treated and prevented. Dr. Morgan can perform periodontal therapy that involves scaling and root planing, and we can recommend special toothbrushes, toothpastes, rinses, and medications to help you.

Scaling is a detoxification of the gum pockets around your teeth. We flush out infectants and irritants from below the gum line to stop the gum disease. Once the area is detoxified, the gum tissue will heal. Root planing involves modifying the tooth root, which encourages the gum tissue to reconnect with the root and discourages debris and toxins from latching on below the gum line. Together, these two procedures make periodontal therapy a very successful way to treat gum disease. Most people are able to avoid having to have surgical treatments performed if they receive periodontal therapy involving scaling and root planing early enough.

After you've been treated for gum disease, we'll recommend frequent visits to our office for exams. This will allow us to keep an eye on your gums for any more signs of infection or problems. We don’t want you to lose your teeth to gum disease! Contact our office for an exam.

Nightguards for TMJ/Bruxism Therapy

Bruxism (teeth grinding) is a common condition that can lead to dental damage, facial pain, constant headaches, and even the development of TMJ disorder over time. In order to protect your vulnerable smile and overall wellbeing, Dr. Morgan may recommend a custom oral appliance that’s better known as a “nightguard.” Nightguards provide barriers against grinding and minimize damaging effects while the patient sleeps soundly. Alternative treatment options like occlusal adjustment and TruDenta® are available as well if needed.

Learn More About Nightguards

Digital X-Rays

Instead of relying on traditional film to diagnose your dental concerns, our team is happy to offer patients state-of-the-art digital technology that makes the X-ray process faster and safer than ever before. There are no darkrooms or hazardous chemicals involved – instead, the images are captured by a special camera and instantly transferred to our computer system for easy viewing. Dr. Morgan can color-code your X-rays, magnify them, rotate them, and even transfer them to outside doctors and insurance companies with the touch of a button. Best of all, the amount of radiation patients are exposed to during the process is greatly reduced.

Oral Cancer Screenings

Oral cancer is a serious health condition, causing severe bodily damage and even the loss of life in many instances. In fact, nearly half of the people diagnosed this year won’t go on to survive five more years. This happens because oral cancer often isn’t located and identified successfully until it’s already reached advanced stages – that’s why our Bullard team has made in-depth screenings a vital part of every patient’s routine check-ups. We’ll scour the mouth for signs that point to cancerous cells, helping you take the next steps towards the valuable information and treatment you need as soon as possible.

Athletic Sportsguards

Do you participate in a sport where physical contact is possible with other people or hard surfaces? Wearing an athletic sportsguard is a must, or your smile could suffer the consequences. Instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all mouthpiece from the store, consider pursuing a custom model from Dr. Morgan and the rest of our team here in the Tyler, TX area. We’ll ensure an ideal fit, allowing you to breathe, speak, and move your jaw freely while still being well-protected.