Even if it’s been many years since your last dental check-up or if you’re a regular attender its always good to refresh what’s done as part of a full dental check-up. Most people are just worried if they need fillings but there’s much more to it than that.
To get a gauge on how often you should see the dentist check out our blog on this – how often should I see the dentist.
So, what do we examine?
Your Concerns:
Your concerns are dealt with before all else. Whatever your concerns may be, they will be investigated first. Whether it be pain/sensitivity, discoloured teeth etc they will be investigated first.
The teeth:
A full examination is completed of the teeth looking for any signs of decay, fractures, cracked/broken teeth, discolouration or looseness to the teeth. Also, any missing or rotated/overlapping teeth will be noted. Sometimes, radiographs are required to diagnose decay in between the teeth or to assess the extent of any issues.
The gums:
As part of every check-up a basic periodontal exam is undertaken. This involves mild probing around the teeth to test the gums and look for any pocketing, bleeding or other signs of gum disease around the teeth. Again, radiographs are used to diagnose bone loss around the teeth which is an indicator of advanced gum disease.
Oral Cancer screen:
This is arguably the most important part of any check-up. The dentist will examine the oral and neck areas for any sign of oral cancer. This will include and lumps, bumps or white/red areas which may be new or look different to normal anatomy. This is the main reason we recommend patients to attend no less than every year for a dental check-up.
Jaw and bite:
How the teeth meet is called one’s occlusion and we look at this in detail. Discrepancies in the occlusion can lead to issues like jaw ache, pain on biting, feeling that the bite “isn’t right” and receding gums and its always better to treat this sooner rather than later. The muscles of the face and jaw are also examined for evidence of TMJ. To learn more about this check out our blog on jaw ache
Orthodontic:
Any orthodontic considerations will be examined also. This may include overlapping teeth, crowding unusual bite or increases in the overbite. While we don’t do any orthodontic treatment at Shandon Dental, we can advise you on the best way to correct it.
Aesthetics:
Any aesthetic issues you may have will be examined and options given. This may be a straight forward discoloured or dark filling or a more complex orthodontic issue. No issue is too small or too big if it bothers you then it can be rectified.
Time to book a check-up give us a call on 0214305569 email info@shandondental.ie or via https://www.shandondental.ie/contact-us/