During a Dental Examination, What Happens?

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woman at a dentist taking dental checkup treatment

The need for routine dental checkups to maintain healthy teeth and gums is widely recognized. Regular dental checkups near you can uncover problems before they escalate or become more expensive to resolve. They can also stop a lot of potential issues before they even start.

Dental exams are recommended for various reasons, including that some severe medical disorders might manifest symptoms you are unaware of in the mouth. Dental problems may even be asymptomatic and painless, especially in the beginning.

These kinds of issues will be visible to our dentist in Country Hills. However, many people need to be made aware of the specifics of a dental exam. There is much more to it than simply scanning your teeth, though.

  • Monitoring Your General Health

If this is your first time visiting a particular dental office, the dentist will review your medical history with you; if not, they’ll want to know if your general health has changed.

Your dentist must be aware of any medical issues, treatments, and medications to ensure no difficulties during dental care. Your dentist will consider your medical history as they perform your checkup.

  • Cleaning Your Teeth

Now that you’ve expressed your health issues, they can perform inside your mouth. They will thoroughly clean your teeth as their initial step. By removing tartar and built-up plaque that develops around the gum line, they floss between and around each tooth to eliminate any food particles still stuck there.

Moreover, you can get your teeth polished using a tooth polisher with a rotating head and a somewhat abrasive paste. Your teeth will be smoother after the polishing, removing any previously missed remains and preventing plaque from adhering to them as quickly between dental visits.

  • Examine Your Gums, Teeth, and Jaws

Dentists look behind and between your teeth with a metal probe and an angled mirror to look for softening of the enamel and dentin, which are early cavity symptoms. The hard enamel layer of a tooth shields the dentin beneath it, protecting the pulp in the tooth’s interior.

An ordinary dental examination also looks for any signs of gum disease, such as swelling, redness, or sores. Gum disease may be indicated by periodontal pockets that are more than three millimeters deep. Your dentist will also calculate the distance between the cover of the gum line and the region where the tissue holds a tooth in place.

When you bite down, the dentist will check your jawbones to ensure that your bite is straight and that there are no clicking sounds from your joints. Also, they’ll be on the watch for tooth wear grooves and other indications of jaw clenching.

  • Dental X-rays

Modern technology has made dental X-rays safer than ever. In many dental practices, digital X-rays have replaced their outdated film counterparts. Compared to conventional film X-ray equipment, they emit 80–90% less radiation. Using X-rays, your dentist near you can find any issues beneath the exterior of your teeth and gums that are not obvious to the unaided eye.

X-rays are essential for detecting jaw and tooth root disorders and gum infections like gingivitis. Early identification of these problems is necessary for successful therapy.

Why Do You Need to Get Regular Dental Checkups in Country Hills?

Because many medical illnesses can impact your mouth, routine dental screenings not only serve to protect the fitness of your mouth but can also spot symptoms in other parts of the body.

Your dentist is the only person who can inform you how often you should get a dental exam. Some patients, like those dealing with diabetes, may require more visits to the dentist; some individuals only need to go once or twice a year.

If you are looking for dental checkups in Country Hills, you can contact NorthPointe Dental Clinic. During your routine dental exam, we’ll have the chance to go over the best at-home oral hygiene techniques and decide whether fluoride treatments would be helpful for you.