Family Dentistry in Watertown, Jefferson, and Hartford

Committed Preventative Care For a Lifelong Healthy Smile

Oral health is closely tied to your overall health and no two smiles are the same. At Area Dental Clinic, we will provide you with the quality preventative care you need to keep your teeth and gums at their healthiest. No matter what your current state of dental health, our compassionate and knowledgeable team will treat you with kindness, respect, and a warm welcome.

Our doctors are skilled in treating and managing a wide range of oral conditions. Expert dentistry is about more than just your teeth – we’re passionate about your overall wellbeing and providing you reasons to smile.

Benefits of Preventative Care for the Whole Family:

A healthy mouth positively impacts your overall health.
Our dentists are experienced in providing expert care to all ages and smiles.
At Area Dental Clinic, our loyal and dedicated team allows you the opportunity to develop a relationship with your dentist and hygienist through continuity of care.
Regular cleanings and exams can help catch potential problems early, saving you time, money, and discomfort.

Checkups and Cleanings

Maintaining the health of your teeth and gums, and catching any problems early, are the reasons why regular dental checkups and cleanings are so important.

Our team strives to take the stress out of dental visits. We will review your medical history, current medication list, check your blood pressure, and provide an oral cancer screening. Applying a full range of technologically advanced dental services, your experienced and compassionate dental hygienists will make sure you are comfortable as they carefully clean away plaque, tartar, and surface stains, polish and floss your teeth. After your cleaning, one of our expert doctors will examine your mouth, review x-rays and any intra-oral pictures that were taken, and provide recommendations to keep your mouth as healthy as possible.

Brush for two minutes twice per day, ensuring to gently brush all sides of your teeth, along the gumline, and also brush your tongue.
Floss nightly before bed. The toothbrush cannot reach between your teeth, so flossing helps get rid of the plaque between teeth that can harden into tarter and cause gum disease.
Rinse with mouthwash. Doing this before bedtime, after brushing and flossing, is an added boost to your fight against plaque.
Rinse with water. After eating or drinking, if unable to brush and floss, rinse your mouth with water and spit it out. This helps remove some of the plaque and bacteria that would have otherwise stayed on your teeth until your next brushing.
Visit your dentist regularly. At Area Dental Clinic, we have the tools, techniques, and expertise in removing all the hard to reach and stubborn plaque and tarter that may remain, even with good brushing and flossing.

X-rays are the only way to identify concerns that may not be visible to the naked eye. Based on the recommendations per the American Dental Association, cavity x-rays are completed annually and panoramic x-rays are taken every 3-5 years. Sometimes these guidelines are adjusted based on the condition of your oral health. We are always open to tailor these frequencies to fit your needs.

Oral Cancer Screening

At Area Dental Clinic, we believe in the importance of providing our patients an oral cancer screening at every cleaning appointment.

Oral cancer screenings save lives. The sad truth is oral cancer is on the rise in the United States. In fact, one American loses their battle against oral cancer every hour. Therefore, we believe providing all adult patients with regular oral cancer screenings is one of the most important roles of an oral healthcare professional. Regular screenings allow for early detection, which is the best chance for survival recovery.

The following signs and symptoms can occur anywhere inside the mouth, including the lips, cheeks, tongue, gums, and throat:

Sores, swelling, lumps or thick patches
Red or white lesions
Feeling of something stuck in the throat
Numbness, pain or tenderness
Pain in the ear without the loss of hearing
Trouble moving your jaw or tongue, swallowing or speaking
Loose teeth with no apparent dental problem
Lingering sore throat or hoarseness

Risk factors for oral cancer include:

Men are 2 times more likely to develop oral cancer then women
Smoking or chewing tobacco
Alcohol use
HPV
Age
Poor diet
Sun exposure

If the screening is positive and there is an area that looks suspicious, Dr. Bruce Thomas, the oral surgeon on our team, will perform a biopsy. A biopsy involves the removal of a piece of suspicious tissue. It is then sent to a pathology laboratory to diagnose the problem. The pathology report is sent back for review to help determine a specific plan for treatment.

Peridontal Therapy

Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection of the gums, which are the tissues that hold your teeth in place. It is a very common dental health issue that we, at Area Dental, are well trained to treat.

Bacteria naturally live in the mouth. There is bad bacteria, called plaque, that needs to be cleaned from the teeth regularly or it will build up and harden on the teeth, near the gum line, causing periodontal disease. Though poor brushing and flossing are the typical cause, genetics and smoking can also play a role in the likelihood of developing gum disease.

If you notice your gums bleed easily during regular brushing and flossing, if you have chronic bad breath despite brushing often, or if your gums have started to recede, you may have periodontal disease.

We know if you have periodontal disease by reviewing your x-rays and completing a gum screening of your mouth.

At Area Dental, we have a successful periodontal program, in which we recommend cleanings and exams every three to four months. At your periodontal maintenance appointment, our highly skilled hygienists will remove bacteria, toxins, tarter, and diseased deposits from your teeth roots and gums to help reduce uncomfortable inflammation. This is called scaling and root planing, which will help restore the health of your gums and prevent bone loss. We’ll carefully monitor the status of your periodontal disease and talk you through any other additional treatment options, if needed. We know that inflamed gums can be sensitive. At each appointment, our team will make sure you’re comfortable and informed.

Sealants

Sealants are made of a resin material which, when applied, acts as a shield for your teeth. The application process is simple and quick, “painting” it onto the grooves and pits of each tooth. Once the sealant sets, it will provide protection against bacteria that will last for years.

Sealants are a great way to protect your teeth from bacteria and provide an extra step in the prevention of tooth decay. This treatment is only recommended for patients who do not have current cavities or show any signs of decay. Sealants do a great job of keeping bacteria out, but if there is current decay, it could lock that bacteria in. Patients with cavities or signs of decay would benefit more from conservative restorative care.

Fluoride Treatments

Fluoride is a natural mineral that can help restore your smile by strengthening teeth and fighting off cavity-causing bacteria which harm teeth and gums. A treatment includes your dental professional applying a fluoride-rich substance onto your teeth, which will help protect teeth for up to six months.

Though treatments are more frequently recommended for children, as research has shown children are less likely to develop cavities the earlier they are exposed to fluoride, it can also benefit adults by re-mineralizing and strengthening teeth.

Mouthguards

The Area Dental Clinic team is proud to help protect the mouths and smiles of our local athletes by making custom athletic mouthguards for many area sports teams. For our patients that suffer from clenching or bruxing (grinding) their teeth, we can quickly make custom-fit nightguards. This appliance can help prevent tooth wear, reduce pain in the jaw joint, and improve tooth sensitivity. We have the technology to make these appliances in our office which means we can fit you with a very effective nightguard in a short period of time.

Very friendly atmosphere and dental work was exceptional

Tara Brennan 4/13/2020

I love this Dentist!!! Always professional, and have plenty of time slots to get me in when I need to get in. Relaxing atmosphere and a friendly front desk personnel. Thank you Area Dental!!

Cindy HM 4/13/2020

My mom recommended me to this dentist and for my appointment Dr. Thomas Pausma and the assistant Joyce were absolutely wonderful! They both made sure I was comfortable and in as little pain as possible. The staff was very kind! Definitely coming back!

Lo Schultz 3/16/2020

Love Area Dental Clinic! Definitely recommend for family dental care. Dr. Thomas is great with little kiddos = )

Monika Rieger 3/13/2020

Thank u for the attention of getting my tooth pulled in a fast but efficient manner treatment from the stafff to DR Thomas was incredible thanks again

Mike Daniel 3/13/2020