There are a lot of people who are afraid of visiting the dentist because they?re just not sure what is going to happen while they?re at their visit. To help calm some of the anxiety that you have around your next dental checkup, I wanted to give you a rundown of what you can expect when heading in for your next dental checkup.
You?ll see that it?s not as complicated as you think and the process for visiting your dentist is in fact pretty smooth and easy. Alright, here we go.
Step 1: Get Ready For Paperwork
The first thing that you want to do is get ready for paperwork. I know the dreaded paperwork but it?s something that has to be done, right? The information that you complete on your paperwork helps me learn a lot about you, your medical history, and things that I need to be aware of during your exam. So, no, it can?t be skipped but just know that it?s not just a bunch of papers that we want for you to do just because.
Step 2: Dental X-Rays
The frequency in which you?ll need X-Rays depends on a lot of different factors such as your age, medical history, dental history, and any treatments that you have going on at the time. If this is your first visit with me, you?ll likely have X-Rays done so that we have something to base your history on.
The X-Rays take about an 30-minutes to complete and are painless as they are basically pictures that are taken of your mouth so that we can see what?s going on beyond the surface of what we can see. Oftentimes we can discover issues, if there are any, that wouldn?t be visible to us just by looking inside of your mouth by looking.
Step 3: Exam With The Dentist
Next, I’ll come in and review the X-rays and check each tooth, all your existing fillings, crowns, veneers, bridges, implants, or whatever work you may have. I’ll also check your tissues, your tongue, the floor and roof of your mouth for any abnormalities. This process will take us about another 30-minutes or so.
Step 4: Your Cleaning
Our hygienist will spend a full hour cleaning your teeth and going over the details of the areas you need to pay more attention to and will also show you what tools and products you should be using for your at home dental care.
Again, this process is usually painless and very similar to how you would brush your own teeth at home just with different tools, and of course we are able to get more plaque and calculus off than you can at home. So, there?s no need for you to be alarmed or scared about this part of the process.
The goal is to have you taken care of and out of the office as quickly and efficiently as possible. While you?re at the office, I want for you to feel free to ask questions when you need to as well. Your experience means a lot to everyone at our office! See you soon!
