Dental Exams
Dental Exams in Creve Coeur, IL
Everyone should take their oral health seriously. Preventing cavities and tooth decay are two things easily done at home and in a dentists’ office. While at-home dental hygiene can make an enormous difference in a patient’s health, they should also visit Creve Coeur Family Dental for dental exams. Creve Coeur, IL patients need to ensure their teeth and gums remain healthy, and bi-annual dental checkups accomplish that task through a rigorous testing and cleaning process. Dental exams are a catch-all phrase for all the processes and procedures we perform during routine visits to our dental practice.
What Is a Dental Exam?
Dental exams are one of the most critical – but simple – parts of outstanding preventative oral health care. They allow our dental team to clean your teeth and check for cavities. During the exam, we can evaluate your risk factor for oral cancer and screen your face, neck, and mouth for any problems. While many Creve Coeur, IL residents might dread visiting us for an examination, we can’t emphasize how vital these bi-annual exams are. Keeping regular six-month appointments is one of the best ways to address potential problems regular at-home upkeep can’t reach. During one of our exams, you can expect our team to:
- Investigate for signs of decay or gum and bone disease
- Evaluate whether you require tooth restoration or replacement
- Check your jaw and bite for any issues
- Remove stains and deposits
- Demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques for teeth and dentures
- Apply fluoride, if needed
- Take X-rays, if needed
Why Patients Shouldn’t Skip Six-Month Cleanings and Exams
Creve Coeur Family Dental understands visiting the dentist is nobody’s favorite preventative health task. Many patients have a fear of the dentist and find it difficult to withstand certain portions of the examination. Patients with a strong gag reflect can struggle to make it through a dental exam. Our dental team considers these issues when treating our patients. Regardless of your hesitation, it is critical to make an appointment to see us every six months. The costs of not doing so can be severe and permanent:
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay occurs when bacteria forms in your mouth and creates plaque, which transforms into tartar. While plaque and tartar are natural byproducts of some of the foods we eat, a dentist needs to remove them because they can eat away at your teeth’s enamel.
Gum Disease
Gingivitis and more severe periodontal diseases impact not only your gums but the teeth around them. Your gums provide a stabilizing force for your teeth, and it’s up to you to keep them strong and healthy. Six-month checkups allow us to correct issues early.
Lost Teeth
Individuals who skip dental checkups run the risk of losing teeth down the road, especially if they cease visiting the dentist for years at a time. We can correct early-stage problems and prevent tooth loss, but only if we perform regular tooth exams.
Oral Cancer
One thing our dentists do when you visit our office is to screen you for oral cancer. Skipping dental exams robs you of the opportunity to address oral cancer early. If we find evidence of oral cancer, we can send you to an oncologist soon enough to start an effective treatment plan.
Invasive Treatments
Routine tooth cleanings are painless and don’t take long at all. Neglecting them can create serious problems, and the treatment methods to correct those issues take much longer and feature more invasive techniques.
How Creve Coeur Family Dental Uses Dental X-Rays
Dental x-rays are a powerful tool for our dental professionals. These radiographs take images of your teeth from various angles, providing our dentists an up-close and accurate picture of your teeth. They help us catch everything from cavities to impacted teeth. We carefully weigh multiple factors when considering ordering x-rays, including your age, current oral health status, any symptoms, or whether you have gum disease, among others. We have four options available to us at our Creve Coeur, IL office, and we might use one or all of them:
You’ll bite on special paper, so we can see how your crowns line up. This radiograph helps diagnose cavities.
We use occlusal radiographs to gain an accurate picture of all your teeth at once and detect palate abnormalities.
We use an x-ray machine that rotates around your head to check wisdom teeth or plan for dental implants.
We use this technique to focus on two complete teeth from root to crown.
Contact Us Today to Schedule an Appointment
Creve Coeur Family Dental provides a wealth of dental services to our patients. In addition to comprehensive general dentistry services, our dentists also offer a full offering of cosmetic services designed to improve smiles in measurable ways. When it’s time for treatment by a dental professional, give us a call and schedule an appointment. Reach out to our office by calling 309-698-0220 at your earliest convenience!