Keep Up with Your Dental Exams and X-Rays at Our Renton Dental Office
The reason as to why a routine checkup is recommended by dental experts is to ensure that the teeth are healthy and to nip any problems in the bud early on. That way, the patient can avoid having larger treatments that may cost more money in the future. To check the teeth and gums, dental exams are usually done.
According to the Academy of General Dentistry, everyone must have a checkup at least twice a year no matter what age. Doing this will allow you to determine any problems in its early stages. If a problem is already detected in the first stages, it’ll be easier to address.
What Happens During a Dental Exam?
The first step of a dental exam is checking the mouth with dental equipment. Dr. Shih will make use of our state-of-the-art tools to have an overview of the mouth. We usually search for tooth decays, cracked teeth, and other types of inflammation.
At the same time, we'll also check the medical history of the patient and determine if the patient had any illnesses that may have contributed to tooth decay or inflammation.
Once we check for decay and inflammation, we'll also check for oral cancer. This is done by checking the face, lips, tongue, throat, gums, and neck. At the same time, we'll look for gum diseases by checking the gums and bones surrounding the teeth.
Lastly, Dr. Shih checks if you have any existing restorations such as crowns, fillings, and the like. We check to see if all of them are still in good condition. If not, we may plan to do some maintenance.
Along with this process, Dr. Shih may also take some dental x-rays to look for any problems hidden in the gum area. X-rays are usually administered every year. Panographic x-rays, on the other hand, are taken every 3 years. For those not familiar, a panographic x-ray will check the area surrounding the head.
If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to schedule an appointment, don't hesitate to give our Renton dental office a call at (425) 223-4318 and our front desk staff will happily assist you.