At Implant & Comprehensive Dentistry in Champions Gate, FL, we offer comprehensive dental services to meet the needs of men and women who want to invest in their oral health, treat certain dental conditions, and improve the appearance of their smile. Whether it’s been a while since you’ve scheduled a dental exam or you’re searching for a new dentist, we can design a comprehensive dental treatment plan that makes you feel more confident about your oral health.
What Should You Expect During Your First Visit to a New Dentist?
Aside from scheduling the appointment, the first step in visiting a new dentist is filling out the new patient registration. You can complete this process online before your appointment to save time and avoid sitting in the office filling out paperwork.
The new patient registration information includes questions about your medical history, current health, medications you’re taking, any allergies you may have, and any dental concerns you’re dealing with that you want to discuss or address during your visit.
X-Rays
Once you’re called in from the waiting room, we’ll begin the appointment by taking digital dental X-rays. X-rays are quick and painless but provide the dental staff with invaluable information about your oral health, the current state of your teeth, bones, and gums, and can identify common dental conditions, including:
- Bone loss
- Cysts or abscesses
- Internal tooth issues
- Issues below the gum line
- Developmental abnormalities
- Cancerous and benign mouth tumors
- Poor tooth and root positioning
- Gum disease
- Tooth decay
- Tooth loss
During the x-ray process, one of the dental staff members will provide you with a lead apron to wear to protect you from radiation exposure. The X-ray technology will create images of your mouth from different angles so the dental team can evaluate them and discuss any issues with you later during your appointment.
How Often Will I Need X-Rays?
The frequency at which you’ll undergo dental X-rays depends on your individual health needs. For new patients, it’s recommended that a full mouth series of X-rays be completed at the first appointment. This full series will be relevant for three to five years. Afterward, bitewing X-rays, which create images of the top and bottom teeth biting together, will be performed at follow-up visits and are typically recommended once or twice a year to identify any new dental issues.
A Thorough Dental Examination
Once your X-rays are complete, you’ll undergo a complete dental examination. The dentist will meet with you, learn more about your oral health and the reason for your visit, and then take time to evaluate your teeth and gums and any conditions that may negatively affect your oral health.
You’ll also be asked specific questions about your teeth, gums, and health and if you’re experiencing any pain or discomfort so that specific teeth or areas of the mouth can be further evaluated for further treatment if necessary.
Checking for Cavities, Dental Conditions, and Oral Cancer
During this process, the dentist will check for cavities and other conditions requiring additional dental treatments to restore optimal oral health. At Implant & Comprehensive Dentistry, we offer oral cancer exams for patients during routine examinations. Oral cancer can be effectively treated when caught at the earliest stages.
The oral cancer exam is completely painless and includes a visual examination and a physical examination of the face, glands, and neck. This exam can be performed biannually at the same time as your regular dental exams.
Detecting Gum Disease
At Implant & Comprehensive Dentistry, we perform gum disease evaluations during all of our dental exams and cleanings. This process is simple and painless, and it involves examining your gums to check for any signs of periodontal disease so that we can take the best steps to reverse this condition.
Evaluating Existing Dental Fixtures
Not only will we evaluate your overall oral health, but we will also check existing crowns, fillings, or dental bridges to ensure they’re functioning exactly as they should, and if not, we can make repair or replacement recommendations.
A Professional Dental Cleaning
After the dental exam, your teeth will be thoroughly cleaned and flossed. Professional cleanings are designed to remove excess plaque from the teeth and germs and bacteria from the mouth. During the teeth polishing aspect of the cleaning process, we’ll eliminate plaque and stains that are hard to remove at home with regular brushing.
The tartar removal process is just as important because this hardened form of plaque can only be removed with special dental instruments from the areas where it forms above and below the gum line. When you schedule dental cleanings at least twice yearly, you’ll feel confident that you’re investing in your oral health, and by doing so, you’ll also be supporting and promoting your overall health.
Further Treatment and Oral Care Recommendations
A dental examination is both preventative and prescriptive. During this appointment, we’ll clean and examine your teeth and recommend further treatments, if necessary, to prevent future dental issues. It’s a prescriptive treatment because it allows for the early detection of specific conditions that may worsen over time without proper treatment.
Preventative and Prescriptive Treatments
During your examination, the dentist will discuss any issues found during the examination and then provide you with the best course of action to take to address those conditions. He will also discuss the importance of good oral hygiene and a balanced diet and how both work together to promote optimal oral health long-term.
Sealants and fluoride treatments may be recommended as both are preventative in nature and will protect the teeth long-term. Investing in preventative treatments will also help you avoid more serious and costly dental issues down the road.
Invest in Your Oral Health
Scheduling routine dental exams and cleanings is key to keeping your teeth as healthy as possible. Whether you have a certain dental condition requiring treatment or want to invest in your oral health by scheduling a routine examination, we can design the right treatment plan to help you reach your goals. Contact Implant & Comprehensive Dentistry in ChampionsGate, FL, to schedule your first appointment.