Dental Checkups & Maintenance San Antonio
Maintain & Protect Your Precious Smile
For many years, the standard recommendation has been for everyone to visit their dentist twice a year for a checkup and maintenance (also known as “cleaning”). That is not empty advice! Regularly visiting our San Antonio team for basic preventive care can do much to protect your smile from harm. Why are these appointments so important, and what can you expect when you visit us for routine dental maintenance? Continue reading below to find out, or contact us directly to ask questions.
Why Choose Orbis Dental Group for Dental Checkups & Maintenance?
- Highly Skilled Holistic Dental Team
- Minimize Your Risk of Cavities & Gum Disease
- Advanced Technology for Accurate & Thorough Diagnoses
Why Are Regular Dental Checkups & Maintenance Important?
If you have good habits and your mouth feels fine, it can be easy to minimize the importance of regular checkups and maintenance. However, the truth is that everyone can benefit from these appointments, even people who are committed to excellent oral care on a daily basis!
Here are some reasons not to skip your biannual appointment:
- Dental problems start out subtly. You may have a small cavity or the start of a gum infection. We can identify these issues, often before they start to cause obvious symptoms.
- We provide tailored advice. If you want to optimize your at-home oral care routine, we can recommend products and techniques to help you.
- At-home oral hygiene cannot get rid of tartar. Tartar is the hardened form of plaque, and your toothbrush cannot remove it. Our instruments, however, can.
What to Expect During a Dental Checkup
During a dental checkup, our team will:
- Perform a visual examination of your teeth and gums.
- Use a dental probe, intraoral camera, or other tools to get a better understanding of the state of your oral tissues.
- Learn about your medical history and any lifestyle factors that might influence your oral health.
- Take X-rays. (This is not done at every routine appointment. Rather, it may happen once a year or as needed.)
- Talk to you about any concerns we notice, such as cavities, gum disease, worn enamel, etc.
- Recommend a treatment plan for any issues that we diagnose.
- Check your restorations, such as crowns and dental implants, for signs of damage or wear.
- Perform a non-invasive oral cancer screening.
What to Expect During Dental Maintenance
During the maintenance phase of your appointment, your hygienist will:
- Use special instruments to remove plaque and tartar from all the exposed surfaces of your teeth. This is usually an easy and comfortable process for patients, especially if you have good at-home oral hygiene.
- Floss between your teeth.
- Polish your teeth to remove surface stains and make it more difficult for bacteria to cling to them.
- Share tips and answer any questions you have about brushing and flossing your teeth at home.
- Thoroughly clean around any dental prosthetics, such as dental implants or bridges.