While many patients make regular dental appointments, they may not understand why we take certain methods to clean or examine the smile. Here, we want to explain what happens at regular dental visits, from cleanings to X-rays and examinations. Discover more about what happens during a routine dental cleaning in our Fullerton, CA office and why routine cleanings are important.
Routine Care and Dental Cleanings in Fullerton, CA
Whether it’s your first visit to our office or your fiftieth, we’re here to ensure you’re comfortable during your dental treatment. We understand that some patients may feel anxious about visiting the dentist, which is why we aim to create a comfortable environment for our patients. Some routine dental treatments that we offer at regular appointments include:
Dental Cleaning
To begin your dental cleaning, one of our dental hygienists will use a small dental mirror to look for common problems like gum disease and tooth decay. Then, they will scale the teeth. Our hygienists use a small metal tool to scrape teeth and gums during scaling. Scaling removes plaque and tartar from the smile. Once plaque hardens, it becomes tartar or calculus. It is much more difficult to remove tartar at home, which is why treatments like scaling are important. Then, we perform a gritty toothpaste cleaning. The toothpaste acts as an abrasive to help smooth the surface of the teeth and remove bacteria. Finally, we rinse the mouth and can apply fluoride to protect the tooth enamel.
Dental X-rays
While we will not take dental X-rays at every appointment, we will regularly take X-rays to keep track of developments in the smile and emerging dental problems. Modern X-rays offer minimal radiation and high-quality images of the smile. With these X-rays, we not only see the teeth and gums but can see the nerves, blood vessels, and jaw bones. Digital X-rays may be saved and shared if we collaborate with local specialists for certain treatments.
Thorough Examination
After your dental cleaning, Dr. Kush Patel will examine your smile, ensuring your teeth and gums are clean and healthy. You can ask Dr. Patel any questions you have about your smile or treatment options if you have a current dental problem or if we discover an oral health issue during your visit.
Visiting the dentist twice a year or every six months is important. At these visits, we screen for problems like gum disease, cavities, and oral cancer. We can recommend a more frequent schedule for patients if they have chronic dental problems like recurring gum disease.
Has it been some time since your last dental appointment? Call Fullerton Craft Smiles Dental today at (714) 888-7008. You may also schedule your dental appointment online.