General Dentistry
Check-ups & Cleanings
The appointment everything else depends on — thorough, unhurried and explained as we go.
What it is
A check-up is not a glance and a booking. It is the appointment where problems are found while they are still cheap, small and painless to deal with.
We chart every tooth, measure the gums properly and record the numbers so this visit can be compared with the last one. Photographs go on the screen beside you, and anything we intend to watch rather than treat is written down with the reason why.
The clean itself is matched to the mouth in front of us — ultrasonic and airflow stain removal where that is what is needed, careful work below the gumline where it is not. If the gums are tender we numb the area; you should never have to endure a hygiene appointment.
Included
What this
involves
Everything below is carried out here, by the clinician who planned it. Anything not on this list is either not needed or will be discussed with you before it is booked.
- Full charting of teeth and gums
- Digital X-rays where they change the plan
- Scale, polish and airflow stain removal
- Oral cancer screening every visit
- Written findings and costs
- A recall interval set from your risk
The whole family on one set of records, with the same clinician watching how each mouth changes over time.
Common questions
Good To Know
- How often should I actually come in?
- It depends on your gum readings, decay risk and how your bite is wearing. We set an interval after the first examination and revise it as things change, rather than defaulting everyone to six months.
- Will I need X-rays at the first visit?
- Usually a small set, because a lot of decay and bone loss simply is not visible to the eye. If you have recent images from another practice we are happy to request them instead.
- Does a scale and polish hurt?
- It should not. Where the gums are inflamed or the work goes below the gumline we numb the area — ask, and it happens without a debate.
More in this area
General Dentistry
Considering check-ups & cleanings?
Come in for a consultation. We will examine, explain and give you a written plan with a price against every item — then you decide, in your own time.