Routine dental checkups are key to maintaining your oral health! At Dentist of Long Beach, you’ll receive thorough, personalized care that’ll keep your teeth in tip-top shape and ensure that any potential problems with them are caught and promptly treated.
Dental checkups, also known as dental examinations, are appointments in which a dentist performs a thorough examination of your mouth and identifies any potential issues. During a checkup, a dental hygienist will also photograph the insides of your mouth and use an X-ray to determine the state of your teeth beyond what’s normally visible.
Everyone should receive a dental checkup at least once a year, but twice is ideal – roughly about every six months. This timeframe is optimal for detecting any potential dental health issues, and in the case that a problem does arise it grants us more time to determine a course of treatment before it becomes serious. Depending on your risk factors and/or any ongoing oral health conditions, we may also recommend more frequent checkups.
During a checkup, your dentist will closely examine your teeth and gums and check for any potential abnormalities. They can also recommend any additional habits that you might incorporate into your own home care routine in order to better maintain your oral health. If ordered by the dentist, a hygienist might also photograph the insides of your mouth using X-ray technology in order to get a fuller picture of what’s going on inside your mouth beyond what’s normally visible.
Don’t worry! It’s completely normal for dentists to identify potential issues during these visits – after all, that’s what they’re for. Cavities and gum disease, two of the most common dental health problems, are treated with simple restorative care procedures, and we’ll be able to tell you exactly what needs to happen in order to fix them.
Your dentist will also let you know if they identify any abnormalities related to teeth growth, such as impacting, erupting wisdom teeth, and even orthodontic concerns such as crooked and/or overcrowded teeth. Again, there’s no need to panic – if you’ve been regularly attending your checkups, we should have plenty of time to diagnose and discuss your treatment options for potential issues long before they become serious.
Yes! Children should also be receiving regular dental checkups at six-month intervals, though your dentist might recommend more frequent visits if they’re at risk for other oral health conditions. Both the American Academy of Children's Dentistry and the American Dental Association recommend scheduling a child’s first dental exam once their first tooth erupts and no later than the first birthday, generally between the age of six months to a year old.
Yes! Even if you regularly brush and floss and your teeth seem normal, a lot of oral health problems aren’t easily detected by our eyes alone. Plaque accumulation below the gumline and cavities can begin to form before you even begin to feel pain, and issues like impacted teeth might only be visible on an X-ray. During a checkup, we can also screen for signs of oral cancer and other diseases of the mouth that should be found and treated as early as possible.
Your routine dental cleanings and checkups should be covered at least in part, if not entirely, by most dental insurance plans. If not, the price of a checkup is generally within the range of $75 to $150, and still remains one of the most affordable and cost-effective tools you have to maintain your dental health. By allowing us to diagnose potentially costly and painful conditions like periodontitis or oral cancer before they progress, you’ll be making an invaluable investment in your future quality of life.
Stay on Top of Your Dental Health by Scheduling a Dental Checkup Today!
Regular checkups are the foundation of a sturdy dental health regimen, and at Dentist of Long Beach we’re dedicated to making sure you always know exactly what’s happening with your teeth. Call us at (562) 373-0026 to schedule an appointment.
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