General Dentistry
General Dentistry
The Importance of Regular Visits
Why do we want you to schedule another appointment so soon—even if today’s oral examination was perfect? Regular dental visits are essential to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. For maximum benefit, a good home care regimen must be supplemented with a professional examination at least every six months. Depending on the status of your oral health, we may recommend more frequent visits. Checking your teeth for decay is only a small part of a thorough oral exam. During each visit, we will also: probe your gums (gingiva) for inflammation, tooth mobility and pockets; examine your mouth for indications of possible, cancer, diabetes and vitamin deficiencies; and note any irregularities in your facial structure, bite, saliva and temporomandibular joint (tk). We will clean your teeth and encourage you to maintain good oral hygiene.
The Regular Visit
At every regularly-scheduled dental appointment, we examine your teeth, gums, mouth and throat. A regular dental visit includes the following:
Head & neck examination
- the cancer exam
- facial structure exam
- palpation of chewing muscles
- palpation of lymph nodes
- temporomandibular joint (tmj)
Dental Cleaning (Prophylaxis)
- assessment of mouth cleanliness
- scaling
- polishing
- flossing
- oral hygiene instructions
Clinical dental examination
- periodontal exam—including gingiva, periodontal pockets
- mobility of teeth
- mucous membranes
- saliva
- occlusion (bite)
- decay of teeth
- broken fillings
- erosion
- removable appliances
- contact between teeth
