Your Roswell Family Dentists
Our great grandparents expected to lose all of their teeth during their golden years. Today, keeping all of your natural teeth for life is not only normal, it is essential to your overall physical health.
Our dental needs change as we mature. During the childhood and adolescent years, dental care is mainly focused on prevention of tooth decay and monitoring tooth development. With adult patients, dentists shift their concerns to periodontal (gum) disease, oral cancer screenings and maintaining bite function.
At Macke Dental Care, we want you and your family to enjoy a lifetime of healthy smiles. Our dentists and team are ready to support your family's changing dental needs with preventive care and comprehensive services in our Roswell family dental practice.
Preventive Dentistry
Children's Check-Ups & Cleanings
We recommend that your child receive a dental check-up and cleaning every few months to keep their smile healthy. During these visits, the dentist will examine your child's teeth to look for signs of decay and the dental hygienist will polish their teeth and coach them on proper brushing and flossing.
Dr. Macke and Dr. Waronker will recommend dental x-rays for your child as needed to check between the teeth and to monitor tooth eruption, jaw growth and orthodontic alignment.
We encourage you to ask questions about your child's dental health. We are always glad to share information about good nutrition habits and suggestions for oral hygiene care at home.
Dental Sealants & Fluoride Treatments
A child's permanent molar has natural deep grooves and pits in the chewing surface that are difficult to clean with regular brushing alone. Decay-causing bacteria can accumulate in these areas and place the tooth at risk of developing a cavity.
A dental sealant is a plastic coating that is painted on the chewing surface of a tooth to seal the pitted areas and protect the tooth enamel from harmful bacteria. The plastic sealant material is hardened using a special light, leaving a smooth surface that is easier to clean with a toothbrush.
A sealant does not require a drill or anesthetic, and, it costs much less than a dental filling. Our dentists generally recommend dental sealants for your child's permanent molars as soon as they erupt. We will check sealants during regular cleaning visits to make sure they are still intact and can re-apply the sealant material if needed.
Our dentist and hygienist may also recommend fluoride treatments or supplements to strengthen the tooth enamel and make your child's teeth more resistant to decay.
We generally recommend using a fluoridated toothpaste. For very young children, just a tiny amount of toothpaste is best to avoid swallowing too much fluoride, which can cause staining in permanent teeth that are in the developmental stages.
Your Child's First Visit to the Dentist
We welcome the opportunity to introduce your child to the dentist. We generally see children beginning at age 3, or when they are able to sit up in the dental chair. For your child's first dental appointment, our team will create a fun, entertaining experience so they will want to return.
To prepare your child, we suggest brushing their teeth and letting them know the dentist will ‘count’ their teeth and brush them with a special toothbrush. When you arrive, we will pace our approach to your child's reaction to the dental environment.
Sometimes the first dental visit for a child is just a ride in the dental chair; we may ask the parent to count the child's teeth first, then the dentist. Our goal is to develop trust with your child as they become familiar with the dental office.
We always want to make sure your child is comfortable with dental care. Our dentists may refer your child to a pediatric dentist, a dentist that specializes in children's dentistry, if they have complex needs or would benefit from pediatric management until they are older. Your child's pediatrician or a pediatric dentist can also help with infant and toddler dental concerns.
Adult Dental Care
Preventive Dentistry
Roswell dentists Dr. Wendy Macke and Dr. Susannah Waronker see teenagers and adult patients 2-4 times per year for preventive cleanings and full mouth dental examinations. During these visits, your MDC dentist will carefully inspect your mouth, tongue, soft tissue, jaw joints and teeth to make sure your smile is healthy. They will review dental x-rays as needed to look for signs of tooth decay, abscesses or bone loss. Learn more about Why do I need dental x-rays?
Periodontal Health
An adult dental examination also includes a periodontal health assessment; the dentist and hygienist will examine the gums and record ‘pocket’ measurements, the depth of the space between the tooth structure and the attached gums. A deep pocket is a sign of gum infection, or periodontal disease. Other signs and symptoms of periodontal disease include bleeding gums, bad breath or bad taste in the mouth, gum recession or teeth that feel ‘loose’.
Periodontal disease or periodontitis is the primary cause of adult tooth loss. This destructive process begins when harmful bacteria (found normally in the mouth) organize and interact with sugars and starches in the mouth to form soft, sticky dental plaque. If the plaque is not removed, the bacteria will form hardened tartar deposits (calculus) on the tooth and tooth root surfaces below the gum line.
As periodontal disease progresses, the gum tissue becomes inflamed and unhealthy. Eventually, the gums will recede and the infection will damage the underlying jaw bone.
Teeth rely on the gum tissue and jaw bone for attachment and support; periodontal disease will undermine this support and cause the teeth to become loose and require extraction.
The key to fighting periodontal disease is early diagnosis. If it is detected in the initial stage, our dentists and hygienists can treat periodontal disease non-surgically in our Roswell dental office. Advanced cases of periodontal disease may require referral to a periodontist, a specialist in the surgical treatment of periodontal disease.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Oral cancer has been in the news in recent years due to an increase in cases related to HPV (human papilloma virus). Dentists are on the front line of defense against this deadly cancer.
Our dentists perform an adult oral cancer screening during regular dental examination visits. They inspect the soft tissue, tongue, inside of the cheek, lips and palate to look for discolorations, lumps or rough patches of soft tissue that may be a sign of oral cancer. If a suspicious area is noted, they will coordinate further testing with a dental specialist or medical professional.
Oral cancer usually does not hurt, so most patients do not even realize they have a problem until the condition is very advanced. If you experience symptoms that last for more than a week, such as a sore or bump in the oral soft tissues or a chronic sore throat, please contact Macke Dental Care or your physician to schedule an oral cancer screening.
Restorative Dental Services
Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, however, it is possible for tooth structure to become damaged by decay, stress wear from teeth grinding or clenching, or mouth injury. And, when a tooth's bone and tissue attachment is undermined by periodontal disease, it will loosen and fall out or require extraction.
Our Macke Dental Team dentists Dr. Macke and Dr. Waronker provide restorative dentistry services such as fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures, cosmetic dentistry and implant restorations to rebuild and replace broken or missing teeth. They will consult with you to recommend treatment options and develop a plan that works best with your timeline and budget.
Emergency Dental Care
If you or a family member is experiencing dental pain or discomfort, contact Macke Dental Care to schedule an appointment or to obtain contact information for after-hours emergencies. In cases of head injury or extensive facial swelling, please go to the nearest hospital emergency room for urgent medical care.
Sometimes a quick response can save a tooth; read about tips for handling common dental emergencies.
Prevention of Dental Emergencies
Unlike some illnesses or injuries, teeth do not repair themselves on their own. A twinge of pain or extreme sensitivity to hot, cold or air are often a sign of something more serious ahead.
- With regularly scheduled dental visits, our dentists can examine your teeth and advise you of conditions that require treatment before they develop into an emergency.
- Remember to prevent mouth injuries by wearing seatbelts, and mouthguards with appropriate head protection during sports activities.
We want you to stay in control of your dental health.
Please Contact our Roswell family dental practice to schedule a complete dental examination appointment.
“Dr. Macke has been an excellent Dr. to our whole family. She is compassionate and is very interested in her patients. We have been with her about 6 years. She even calls sometimes, to make sure her patient is OK after a difficult procedure. We would recommend her to our friends.”
— Cheryl