Have you ever been tempted to skip a dental appointment, or thought that it isn’t necessary to see the dentist twice a year? If you have, take a moment to consider what your check-up really involves.

Your check-up includes important services in addition to the cleaning (scaling and/or root planning) and polishing of your teeth. During your visit, our staff will either perform:

• A comprehensive exam if you are a new patient or an existing patient, approximately every three years. This thorough examination will include screening for periodontal (gum) disease through measuring pocket depths around each tooth and bone level, oral cancer, tooth grinding, TMJ (issues related to the jaw joint), toothbrush abrasion, deterioration of old crowns, bridges, fillings, and diagnosing of new and/or recurrent cavities, along with recommendations for teeth requiring crowns, tooth replacement for functional and/or cosmetic reasons.
• A routine exam if you are an existing patient is a re-care visit or check-up. This is a condensed version of a comprehensive examination. This exam occurs on a regular basis, generally every 6,9 or 12 months. The prescribed frequency will depend on the recommendation of your hygienist based on your individual periodontal needs.

After each hygiene visit at our dental clinic your knowledgeable hygienist will be assessing the periodontal condition of your gums and bone supporting your teeth. Based on the findings your hygienist may recommend a more frequent periodontal visits which would include scaling and /or root planning (cleaning) only. The purpose of these added visits is to remove tarter on a more frequent basis to help improve an existing periodontal condition and/or prevention of one. You can remove plaque with a regular brushing and flossing routine at home, tarter removal requires the help of a dental professional.

The old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is particularly true when it comes to your teeth. Problems diagnosed at an early stage can normally be treated in a quick and easy fashion, while those that go undetected for too long often result in serious, costly and sometimes painful dental health problems.

In addition to routine check- ups and comprehensive examinations, we offer:

• Radiation – reduced digital x-rays: which help in determining bone levels, aid in diagnosing cavities between teeth, if there is infection and/or abnormalities in underlying tissue or bone
• One appointment root canals
• Custom sports guard
• Night guard (used to prevent clenching/grinding)
• Chipped, crooked, broken, and missing teeth repair (see services offered under cosmetic dentistry)
• Complete and partial dentures
• Same day denture re-line and repairs
• Zoom in office whitening and/or take- home whitening trays