Dental exams are the foundation of excellent preventive dental health care. Even though you still need to take good care of your teeth at home, your smile will reach its potential when a team of dental professionals monitors your oral health.
A dental exam is the most essential preventive dental service our Rockville, MD dentists offer. Think of a dental exam as a regular check-up for your smile—it’s our opportunity to take a thorough look at your mouth and everything in it, and for you to gain a deeper understanding of your smile’s anatomy.
Dental Exams for Your Entire Mouth
At Gladnick Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we provide a comprehensive evaluation of your teeth, your gums, and your mouth. There is more to your teeth than just the smile that you see in the mirror. Humans have 32 teeth, and each tooth has five separate surfaces that are exposed to the oral environment. During your dental exam, we will inspect every single surface of every single tooth, checking for cavities, micro-fractures, enamel wear, discoloration, failing restorations, and more.
In addition to performing a clinical exam, we will also take the appropriate dental X-rays to help diagnose conditions that may not be visible to the naked eye. Such conditions include cavities, infections, gum disease, and bone loss. Our X-ray system uses digital technology that instantaneously captures the images of your teeth and bones. You can see the results within seconds after we take the x-ray. Digital X-rays also deliver less radiation to patients than conventional film X-rays, so in addition to being more efficient, they're even safer.
You should have a dental exam in Rockville at least every six months and more often if you have a condition such as gum disease. Your teeth cleaning and preventive dental exam should only take about 45 to 60 minutes—a minimal time commitment for treatment that could save your smile from disease and decay! If you need to schedule an upcoming dental exam, don’t hesitate to call us.
Why do I need a dental exam?
Fair question, right? If nothing is bothering you, why have someone go poking around in your mouth?
It turns out that there are several reasons for having regular dental exams. Just as vaccines and screenings are part of routine medical preventive care, dental exams significantly reduce your chances of developing oral health problems later in life.
First, when you come to the dentist for an exam, we will also clean your teeth. Even if you do a great job of brushing and flossing on your own, it’s still not enough to remove 100% of the dangerous plaque build-up in your mouth. It’s crucial to have a trained dental professional clean your teeth with high-quality instruments to ensure your smile is free of tartar and bacteria.
Second, your dental exam is so important because it gives someone else a chance to look at your smile. You see your smile in the mirror several times each day, which means you are less likely to notice small, subtle changes to your oral health that could indicate a more severe problem. Because your dentist only sees you a few times each year, they are more likely to notice changes that have slowly occurred over months or years. You can have cavities, gum disease, infections, or pre-cancerous conditions without any pain or other visible symptoms, so it’s crucial to get routine exams by someone who knows what to look for.
Professional Tools and Technology
Because we rely on sophisticated dental technology and years of specialized training, our dentists in Rockville, MD can often detect dental problems before you can. If you rely solely on your observations or on what you can see with the naked eye, you can miss crucial warning signs.
Most of our patients are not dental experts and trying to appreciate new results, findings, and diagnoses after dental exams can be challenging. We get that, and we want to help you better understand your oral health and empower you to fight and prevent disease. Our Rockville dentists are happy to take the time to talk with you and answer any questions or address any concerns you have.
One of our favorite ways to teach patients about their mouths is with our intra-oral camera. This miniature digital camera can show you precisely what it is that we see inside your mouth, from a viewpoint that you could never see with a mirror alone. Not only is the intraoral camera useful, but it's also a lot of fun!
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