Dental checkups are an important part of good dental health. If it has been awhile since your last visit and you don’t know what to expect, read on to find out will happen at your next appointment.
Discuss Your Concerns and Health History
Before we start any treatment, we want to learn more about your dental history and concerns. If you are a returning patient, we will talk about what has changed since your last visit. For new patients, we will want to take a complete health and dental history to learn more about you. Please use this time to tell us about anything that might be bothering you with your mouth.
Teeth Cleaning
Once we’ve had a chance to talk about your concerns, your hygienist will start your dental cleaning. This involves scraping off tartar and plaque, especially that which collects below the gum line. We will floss between each tooth to remove food particles and plaque. Finally, we use a tooth polisher to give your teeth a shiny, smooth finish.
Exams and X-Rays
After your teeth have been cleaned, we’ll want to take a look at your mouth. We use a metal tool along with a small mirror to check out the hard-to-see spaces of your mouth. We will look for cavities, decay, and swelling of the gums. We will also examine the periodontal pockets to look for signs of gum disease, and if necessary, we will order x-rays in order to better understand what is going on with your teeth. Dental x-rays can help us to understand if there are any fractures, bone loss, or other problems located below the gum line.
Regardless of how long it has been since your last dental exam, we are here to help. Give us a call today to schedule your next dental checkup.
