Dental FAQ

Your teeth should last a lifetime! Regular preventive care can help you enjoy a lifetime of good health – one that is free of toothache pain or other dental discomforts.

Your dental health affects your general health. A healthy mouth, with well cared for teeth, enables you to chew properly, speak clearly, and to smile confidently. By caring for your natural teeth you can contribute to your general well being and enjoyment of life. Remember, dental care is not expensive, but dental neglect is!

Your Dentist recommends that you return regularly for preventive care. This periodic “recall” visit is important for many reasons.

Once a tooth begins to decay, professional treatment is required to stop the destruction and to restore it to normal function. Early detection is possible with a thorough examination and the use of x-rays as necessary. This and prompt treatment enables you dentist to prevent further destruction of the tooth.

A regular examination enables your dentist to find and treat periodontal problems (diseases of the gum and bone that surround the teeth) before the condition becomes serious enough to cause irreversible damage.

Your home care program is a key to preventing dental disease! Your dentist, or hygienist, will help you evaluate how successful you have been in your home care. They will help you learn better ways to overcome any problem areas.

Regular dental care is particularly important for children. The dentist will evaluate the conditions in the child’s mouth as the primary teeth are lost and permanent teeth move into position. Often minor orthodontic treatment at the right age can prevent the development of a severe malocclusion which will require major, and very expensive treatment later on.

Even if you no longer have your natural teeth, it is still important that you see your dentist regularly. It is normal for the tissues in you mouth to change and it is important that dentures fir properly. An ill-fitting denture is a major irritant to the system. Also, it does not permit proper chewing or speaking.

Your dentist will want to see you regularly to evaluate the fit and conditions of your denture, and to examine the tissue of your mouth to be certain that there are no abnormalities developing.

Oral Cancer is usually painless and often the patient is unaware that it has developed. Yet most oral cancers, if detected early, can be cured. Your dentist is trained to evaluate the tissues of your mouth, tongue and neck to detect cancer in its earliest stages.

What is included?

What is included in your “recall visit” will depend upon your needs. Usually this visit includes a complete examination, prophylaxis and x-rays as needed.

If plaque is not removed regularly it becomes hardened and forms calculus. This irritant is a major cause of periodontal disease and encourages tooth decay.

Once the plaque hardens into calculus it is impossible for you to remove it. Your dentist, or hygienist, will perform a professional prophylaxis to remove the calculus and to polish you teeth.

X-rays are a diagnostic tool used to detect tooth decay and abnormalities or development problems that are not visible in the mouth. Many conditions, such as tooth decay and bone loss, can become very serious before they are visible in the mouth.

A thorough dental examination every six months is recommended for most people. However, your dentist will suggest a recall time based on conditions in your mouth.

Many dental insurance companies recognize the importance of preventive care and authorize a recall visit, and prophylaxis, usually twice a year.