General Dental Check-Ups
How does a General Dental Check-Up help?
A general dental check-up helps to avoid problems such as cavities, gum disease, enamel breakdown, and other issues that can arise with weakened teeth. A regular check-up can help to prevent these issues from getting worse and treating these conditions early can save a lot of future expense.
No pain – doesn’t always mean something doesn’t need repairing or restoration. Everyone’s teeth are different with some people experiencing sensitivity or pain from the smallest cavity to those who feel no symptoms but there may be a large cavity present that they were not aware of until it could be too late to restore with a simple filling.
A 6-month check-up is a conservative approach, recommended to catch issues before they arise with dental x-rays being taken every 2 years. These time-period recommendations are based upon the average rate at which cavities progress deeper into teeth over 6 months to a year, along with the often pain-free nature of gum disease progression and other oral conditions.
Our goal is always prevention over cure.
What is involved in routine check-ups?
- Check-up: the dentist usually checks for any oral conditions, gum problems and then for any problems with your teeth. X-rays are advisable 2 yearly to detect many problems that are not visible to the naked eye.
- Scale & polish: Plaque or tartar build-up needs to be removed so the dentist uses special instruments to loosen and remove any larger pieces of tartar and get into hard to reach places. They finish off with a polish to leave you with that amazing “I’ve just been to the dentist” feeling.
How much does it cost?
At KDC we really want to encourage people to keep their mouth in good condition. So, we don’t charge gap for the routine check-up and cleans. If you don’t have health insurance, it is $199 with 2 bitewing x-rays and a full-mouth x-ray (called an OPG) taken around 2-3 yearly, at no extra cost.
What can I do to protect my teeth and gums at home?
Flossing regularly and brushing your teeth twice a day is essential. If you want to go further, cut down on sugary foods and soft drinks which will cause tooth decay. Chewing sugar free gum is beneficial after eating.
