YOUR INITIAL VISIT / CHECK UP APPOINTMENT
We pride ourselves on being caring and gentle. Our mission is to make our patients feel comfortable with us and at ease, so that we can work together to achieve the best results for your Oral Health and aesthetics. It is our priority to ensure that your dental visit is not about fear of the dentist and how quick is it going to be over. It’s about getting your concerns addressed and questions answered to your satisfaction.
During this appointment, we want to make sure that we have all the information to thoroughly understand your dental needs.
You will be asked to complete a medical history questionnaire that provides us with a great deal of information relevant to your treatment and to us. You can choose to print this form and fill it out prior to your arrival.
Your current dental condition – please tell your concerns, and what you may like to change. Your aim for your dental health is an essential starting point for us.
Your previous dental history – We need to have a history of any dental treatment or condition that may affect how we treat you now and which options you might like to consider.
A general medical history - often your overall health can affect your dental health and vice versa. We need to know of any conditions you may be currently suffering from and any medication you are or have been taking.
This information allows us to take into account any contributing factors that could influence your dental health and treatment options, therefore enabling us to provide you with a solution that will best suit your individual needs.
Nervous? We have PENTHROX! This is an inhaler with a substance similar to happy gas yet much more effective at a small additional cost but well worth it. You will need to inform the staff when you call for your appointment in order to allow extra time, and will also need to arrive a little early to sign the consent form. You must not leave the surgery unaccompanied. You will be unable to drive or sign official documents for 12 hours after receiving Penthrox.
X-rays - We may also need to take some x-rays of your teeth. This helps a great deal in getting a sound understanding of any problems that cannot be seen with the naked eye and increases the accuracy of the diagnosis. A checkup is not complete without Bitewing x-rays. Extractions of teeth cannot be performed without a Periapical x-ray which would enable us to check the shape and number of roots for that particular tooth inside the jaw bone, and any major nerves around the tooth in question.
Dentists don’t have x-ray vision and are only able to examine the 3 sides of the teeth visible with the naked eye (the chewing/biting surface; the surface facing the cheek; and the surface facing the tongue). The front and back of each tooth is usually hidden by the neighbouring teeth. These are the same sides your toothbrush doesn't reach therefore necessitating flossing. If your toothbrush can’t reach these surfaces, the dentist can’t see them.
Your x-rays are kept in your computer file and referred to when assessing progress or deterioration of your dental health. This is especially important if we have your previous x-rays to refer to and compare with.
Scale and polish/clean – if you are having a check-up, usually this is not complete without a clean which would enable us to check the tooth surfaces under the build-up of tartar and calculus as well as checking your gums at the same time.
Sometimes the dentist will decide to do your clean under local anaesthetic if they anticipate you will have above average sensitivity, or if you have a lot of work needed, then the side that is numbed up for treatment can be cleaned while you are numb. This is because some teeth requiring treatment may be extremely sensitive prior to filling them. The dentist in this case will inform you of any new cavities found during the clean as they may not have been visible prior to cleaning the tooth surfaces.