Taking care of your mouth is essential for maintaining its health, and for preventing serious issues such as cavities and gum disease. A major part of oral care takes place in your home, with daily brushing and flossing. Another important component of your oral health is professional dental care. At Aesthetic Dentistry of Bend – Thomas E. Wold, DMD, we provide you with the routine cleanings and exams you need to maintain optimal oral health. Here is what to expect during your first visit to our office.
Part of your first visit is a thorough cleaning of your teeth. Cleanings are essential for removing buildup from the surfaces of your teeth to prevent the development of serious oral health issues, including gum disease and cavities. During cleanings, we scrape the surfaces of your teeth, including the areas that you may not be able to clean completely at home. After scraping your teeth of all plaque, tartar, bacteria, and other debris, we polish and floss them.
After cleaning your teeth, we examine your mouth. We take a close look at the visible structures in your mouth. Your teeth are checked for signs of decay, cavities, and damage such as chips and cracks. Your gums are checked for redness, swelling, and signs of recession. We also perform an oral cancer screening. We examine the soft tissues in your mouth, checking for growths, lesions, and other abnormalities.
While there are many components of your mouth that we can see, there are also many that we cannot. Digital X-rays allow us to see the areas between your teeth as well as below your gum line. We can spot cavities between your teeth, root damage, bone loss, cysts, abscesses, impacted teeth, and more. We can spot issues in their earliest stages before symptoms ever occur. With these images, we can get a complete picture of your mouth so that we can help you to maintain the health of your mouth.
If we see something that raises concern, we may also use a intraoral camera to take a closer look. It is a handheld tool that is about the size of a large pen. It has a small camera on one end and is attached to a computer on the other.
An important part of your first visit is discussing your medical history. There are certain medical conditions that can affect your dental health. At the same time, the condition of your mouth can lead to, or exacerbate, certain medical conditions. We go over conditions you have had in the past as well as conditions you currently have, as they can affect your dental care. We also go over your family history, which will allow us to assess your risk of developing certain conditions.
At the end of your appointment, we take the time to go over any issues that we find in your mouth. This includes going over your treatment options. We go over your oral hygiene habits at home and provide you with tips to improve your brushing and flossing routine at home. Your lifestyle habits, including smoking and drinking, are discussed. We also take the time to answer any questions and address any concerns that you may have.
Helping you maintain the health of your mouth is a top priority. For more information on what to expect during your first visit, or to schedule your first appointment, give Aesthetic Dentistry of Bend – Thomas E. Wold, DMD a call today at 541-389-1301.
