You probably know that most standard dental checkups are done twice a year. However, dentistry is as individual as your personal health. Because your dentistry needs are distinct to you, the oral health schedule that Dr. Andersen suggests you follow may be different from your standard biannual checkup.
The Standard Dental Schedule, Explained
There are several reasons why a person with a healthy set of teeth and gums should visit the dentist every six months. Studies show that individuals who see their dentist every six months will have fewer cavities and may even have a better chance fighting oral cancer.
Your standard dental checkup includes:
- Examination of x-rays. We look for tooth decay, tumors, cysts, and bone loss, etc.
- Oral cancer screening.
- Gum disease evaluation. This is when we measure the pockets around your teeth to evaluate gum and bone health.
- Examination for tooth decay.
- Examination of existing oral restorations like fillings, dental implants, etc.
- TMJ (temporomandibular joint) evaluation
Once the examination is complete, you are given a professional dental cleaning from our Registered Dental Hygienists. Not only does this cleaning remove tartar and plaque from your teeth, it can also help remove stains from your teeth that don’t come off with regular brushing.
This is the standard checkup and cleaning given to many patients that don’t have a severe periodontal disease and who come to see us here at Andersen Dental Center consistently. However, sometimes you need a little extra help.
Quarterly Dental Checkups
Perhaps it has been a long time since your last dental checkup and cleaning, and you need additional work done. It could be that you are suffering from gum disease or require a “deeper” cleaning for calculus below the gumline. In these cases, we will often recommend a quarterly periodontal maintenance schedule.
Gum disease or periodontitis is treatable with regular cleaning and maintenance. The first step is diagnosis, which can be done during a regular checkup.
Once we know you have periodontitis, we will most likely recommend that you come in for scaling and root planing, which is basically a deep cleaning action that goes underneath the gumline to root out bacteria which has grown there. It also removes tartar and debris that have collected beneath your gumline.
This action may be done on different visits, or you may be able to accomplish it all at one time. It depends on your comfort level and upon our recommendation.
Once we have completed your scaling and root planing procedure, we will often recommend that you visit Andersen Dental Center four times a year for maintenance. During these dental visits, we take a look at how your teeth, gums, and bone health is progressing. The goal is to make sure your gums have healed and that the destructive process does not return.
Depending on your individual healing process, you may have to continue to come in for regular periodontal checkups. However, in many cases, you will be able to eventually return to your normal 6-month dental check-up and cleaning cycle.
Find out the best maintenance and cleaning schedule for your oral health. Contact Andersen Dental Center today to make an appointment.