What Should You Expect at a Regular Dental Visit
When going to the dentist for a regular cleaning, there are a few things that should be kept in mind when going into the procedure. It is the job of the dentist and their team to improve your dental hygiene and check and prevent any signs of disease and illness caused by your mouth health. Unlike what is shown in movies or on TV, the regular dental exam is not painful and very informative.
When you first arrive:
- Upon entering the dental office, you should be greeted by the patient coordinator, who helps check you in and gets all your information down, including your insurance plan, to make sure that the procedure can proceed.
- After all is cleared and a spot is free, a member of the team will then bring you to your own room, where the check-up will take place. This is where they will ask you questions based on your dental history, medical history, or any health issues or concerns.
- It is also their job to take a digital X-ray of your teeth for the main dentist to review.
The Comprehensive exam:
This exam is where your health history is taken into account, as well as a possible recording of your blood pressure to help ensure that you are in good health. This is also where they will make sure that you are comfortable with progressing into the procedure.
- This is where the review of the X-ray will be done with the dentist, along with an oral cancer screening of your jaw, neck, and tongue. This is something that is done once a year and is a very important step in understanding your dental health.
- This usually takes an hour and is used to help build up a personalized treatment plan and options for you. If further care is needed, then the dentist can also refer you to a specialist in their network.
- Not every first visit warrants a teeth cleaning, only if the dentist sees that it is appropriate for your oral health, specifically. This is dependent on your oral health.
Your Hygiene Visit:
Along with the questions based on your oral health history and cleaning habits, there is an overview of your mouth and gums, along with the oral cancer screening. The cleaning can be done manually, but some dentist prefer using their special electric tools to help clean the teeth. A dentist may even use a fluoride treatment as recommended by the FDA for both adults and children. In the last parts of your visit with the dentist, they will go over tips and steps for caring for your teeth and ways to prevent gum disease. Most dentists will dismiss you after they are done with a bag of goodies, like a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss, to keep track of your oral hygiene at home.
After your visit, you will need to schedule a follow-up appointment and go over payment options at the front where you checked in. It is important that you keep up with when you need to go back and how much your insurance is willing to cover for the visit.
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