Preventive
A cleaning is four steps, done the same way every time
Exam, plaque removal, cleaning and polish, then floss, backed by digital x-rays and fluoride treatment when needed. Copperstone Dental's hygienists handle every visit in Meridian.
Chapter 01
The four-step cleaning
A cleaning at Copperstone Dental follows the same four steps for every patient. First, an exam of the teeth and gums, checking for anything that needs attention beyond the cleaning itself. Second, removing the plaque and tartar that's built up since the last visit, including the buildup along and just under the gumline that a toothbrush at home can't reach.
Third, the teeth are cleaned and polished, clearing off surface stains and leaving a smooth finish that's harder for new plaque to stick to. Fourth, flossing between every tooth, the same spaces where cavities most often start unnoticed.
The Copperstone Dental reception area where patients check in for cleanings and exams
Digital radiography, and why the dose matters
X-rays taken at Copperstone Dental are digital, which means a lower radiation dose than older film x-rays for the same information about what's happening under the gumline and between teeth. That matters for anyone who needs x-rays taken regularly, not just once.
The office also uses subtraction radiography, comparing a new x-ray against an older one of the same tooth to spot change that would be easy to miss looking at either image alone. Combined with periodontal care and the fluoride treatments below, it's how small shifts get caught while they're still small.
Chapter 03
Fluoride, and who actually still needs it
Fluoride gel treatment isn't only for children. It's offered as part of periodontal care and routine cleanings for patients at higher risk of decay, strengthening enamel against the acid that plaque produces. Dr. Tuft or Dr. Brittain decides who needs it based on what the exam and x-rays actually show, not as a default add-on to every visit.
The same exam and x-rays that support a cleaning are also what catch problems that need more than cleaning to fix. See /services/deep-cleanings-srp for what happens once plaque and tartar have reached below the gumline further than a routine cleaning can manage, and /services/general-dentistry for how the exam side of a visit fits together with everything else.
Karen Darrington on the hygienists
“His hygienists do a great job too! I have been in a lot of dental offices, and this is one of the best!” That's Karen Darrington, a Copperstone Dental patient, on the team that handles cleanings day to day.
To schedule a cleaning, call (208) 218-0329 or use /contact. New patients can start with the $79 adult new patient special, covered on /new-patients.
Copperstone Dental: Most major dental insurance billed directly. In-office discount plan for patients without insurance. Call (208) 218-0329.