FAQs About Dental Exams You Should Know - Bright Horizons Dental

Regular check-ups and dental exams help prevent future issues down the line. Unfortunately,  more than 150 million Americans never have had a single visit with a dentist in their life, according to the American Dental Association. This ultimately leads to future dental issues that prove costly, detrimental to health, and more difficult to treat. What is a dental exam?

A dental exam is a preventative measure to establish healthy oral hygiene. If you experience symptoms such as pain when chewing or swallowing, visit the dentist Boca Raton. You may need something as simple as a small filling but you’ll never know unless you head to your dentist because most dental problems are preventable if treated early.

During the dentist’s check-up, what will the dentist do?

Your dentist will check your x-ray reports (if you have them), scan your mouth, and check for any warning signs, like decay, jaw problems, and soft tissue: lips, sides of the tongue, and on the roof/floor of your mouth.

How long do dental exams take?

Dental exam durations vary depending on the patient’s age and overall health. But a ballpark number would be around 45-60 minutes.

If you have healthy teeth and gums, in other words overall good oral hygiene, your session will probably take less time. 

What happens during a dental exam?

A dental examination includes:

  1. A  teeth cleaning 
  2. X-rays
  3. Screening for oral health-related diseases, like. You can expect your dentist to screen for gum disease, tooth decay, or abnormal sores
  4. Your dentist may ask about your medical history and your lifestyle
  5. The dentist will also review things like brushing and flossing techniques to ensure a healthy oral regimen

During a cleaning, your dentist or hygienist uses a scaler to scrape away plaque and tartar, then he/she uses gritty toothpaste to brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush. Think of this step as scrubbing teeth. Next, you get professional flossing, and the dental professional rinse your teeth with liquid fluoride. And finally, they’ll apply a foamy gel, fluoride treatment, to protect teeth against cavities.

During an x-ray, the hygienist will:

  • Cover your body with a special apron and andy other additional necessary covering
  • Give you an autoclave plastic piece to bite down on

There are two main types of dental x-rays: 

  1. A full-mouth series: The full-mouth series x-rays may be taken once every few years to check the overall oral health condition. 
  2. Bitewing x-rays. They are used to check for cavities or other periodontal problems.

Want to learn more about dental exams? You may feel a slight discomfort while cleaning or worry about x-rays. 

Bright Horizons in Boca Raton prioritizes minimally-invasive and preventative care. If you need a routine check-up, you can contact us anytime!