General and preventive care

An examination is not limited to the teeth. We check the condition of the gums, tongue, palate and mucous membranes, the jaw joint, and the way your teeth meet. We also examine the soft tissues for suspicious lesions — a quiet but important screening.

We review your medical history and your medications, which affect oral health more often than people expect. You leave with a clear picture of where things stand and, where relevant, the treatment options and their costs.

The recommended interval varies. Many people are well served by an annual examination; others benefit from coming every six months depending on their risk of decay, the state of their gums or their history. We will suggest an interval that fits your situation.

Dental plaque hardens into tartar within days, and tartar no longer comes off with a brush. Scaling removes those deposits above and below the gum line, which is where inflammation starts.

The cleaning finishes with polishing, and with a fluoride application where it is indicated. If your gums bleed when you brush, that is precisely the sign not to wait: gingivitis can be reversed, advanced periodontitis cannot.

Some things stay invisible to the naked eye: decay between two teeth, an infection at the tip of a root, bone loss around a tooth, a wisdom tooth still buried. An X-ray reveals them.

We use digital radiography: the radiation dose is markedly lower than with traditional film, the image appears on screen immediately, and we can show it to you and enlarge it while we explain what we are seeing.

X-rays are taken when they are clinically indicated, not routinely at every visit. Tell us about any pregnancy, current or possible.