Dental Exams & Cleaning
At your initial visit you dentist will perform a full dental exam.
It’s important to have regular dental exams and cleanings to maintain healthy teeth and gums.
On these visits your dentist or dental hygienist will clean your teeth and check them for tartar and cavities and other issues that might come up in the near future.
A proper dental check-up should include:
- Diagnostic x-rays, or radiographs, to look for any decay, cysts, tumors or bone loss, as well as to check on root positions
- Screening for oral cancer by checking the face, neck, throat, tongue and gums for signs.
- Checking for gum disease. The gums and bones around the teeth might show signs of periodontal disease
- Checking for tooth decay along the surfaces of all teeth
- Examining all previous known restorations, including crowns, fillings, implants, etc.
You should get a checkup and cleaning about twice a year, but if you have a history of certain problems, your dentist might recommend more frequent visits.
Dental Cleaning
Also known as dental prophylaxis, or “prevention,” cleanings are used to catch problems in their early stages and prevent others from occurring later. They include:
- Removing dental calculus. Calculus, or tartar, is hardened plaque on the surface of teeth. It can form above the gum or below it, and takes specific dental tools to remove.
- Removing plaque. Plaque is a film of bacteria, saliva, and food debris that collect on teeth. The bacteria inflame the gums with toxins they produce, potentially leading to periodontal disease. Plaque can also turn into tartar
- Teeth polishing, which removes stains and plaque that aren’t already removed by the scaling and tooth brushing.
