Why are dental exams and cleanings essential?
Dental exams and cleanings are essential to appropriate oral health. Any issue that becomes a bigger problem could have been addressed early on. So the goal with a dental exam and cleaning schedule is to make sure that any issues are addressed before they become a much bigger problem.
What is included in a dental exam?
A dental exam is going to occur with a number of different phases. The first phase is for us to rule out any potential pathology or oral cancer present. So we'll typically screen for that. Then we're going to do a tooth by tooth assessment as well as a gum and bone assessment to make sure there's no issues going on. Of course, talking with the patient as well and making sure there's no other primary areas of concern are important as well to make sure those are addressed.
What is a dentist looking for during a dental exam?
A dentist is looking for a number of different things during a dental exam. Of course, if a patient has a primary area of concern, we'll address that immediately. Additionally, we're going to be looking throughout the mouth and under the tooth and the surrounding structures to see if there's any disease processes that need to be addressed.
What types of recommendations might come from a dental exam?
A dental exam is performed to make sure that we get an accurate diagnosis and potential treatment for additional treatments. If there's a cavity, gum or bone issue, or other issue, an appropriate treatment plan will be developed. Many of these treatments are addressed the same day or soon thereafter. A dentist may notice things like cavities, cracks in teeth, gum and bone problems, or other dental and nerve issues that could be affected and therefore would be treated.
How long does a full dental exam take?
At the initial dental exam, the process is a little bit longer because there's additional intake information that's going to occur. This visit may take around 60 to 90 minutes, but would include x-rays, a full history, including medical history, as well as a tooth-by-tooth assessment and looking at all the surrounding gums and bone structures. Once a patient is established in the office, the exams are much quicker because we already have much of this diagnostic information. Typically, these periodic exams, as they're referred to, can oftentimes be included at the same time of one of the dental cleanings being performed.
Are dental exams painful?
Fortunately, technology has improved, so dental exams should not be painful. All the procedures being performed in the mouth are going to be relatively non-invasive.
How can I schedule a dental exam?
We hope we've been able to answer many of your questions regarding dental exams. Please give us a call at (850) 909-9731 to get scheduled for an exam and appropriate treatment quickly.