Comprehensive exams in Lakewood Ranch, FL
You deserve expert care.
Comprehensive Exams
What to Expect During a Dental Exam
During an examination, your dentist will perform a visual examination as well as a more detailed dental examination using one or more X-rays to detect:
- New cavities
- Weaknesses in previously placed crowns, fillings, and bridgework
- Gum or bone recession
- Tooth wear due to abnormal bite, bruxism, or TMJ
Your dentist will also perform a visual and digital examination of lymph nodes throughout the face and neck, looking for any abnormalities, pain or flexibility within the nodes that could be markers for disease. Likewise, a similar examination of your lips, gums, tongue, and other internal mouth surfaces will be conducted.
During the examination you may expect the following:
- An evaluation of your overall health and oral hygiene
- An evaluation of your teeth, gums and jaw
- An evaluation of your bite
- The removal of any stains or deposits on your teeth
- A demonstration of proper cleaning techniques for your teeth or dentures
- An assessment on your need for fluoride treatment
- Dental X-rays or, if necessary, other diagnostic procedures
Types of Bone Grafts
The comprehensive dental exam is designed to set a baseline of your health and to catch any early signs of serious illness that may otherwise be undetected. The American Dental Association recommends getting one at least twice a year. Doing so is instrumental for avoiding pain, tooth loss, and expensive restorative dentistry procedures. Your dentist will be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of the following illnesses which can be detected during a comprehensive oral evaluation:
- Diabetes
- Leukemia
- Blood pressure
- Cardiovascular problems
- Oral cancer
- Immune abnormalities
- Sinus problems
- Advanced gum disease
With a comprehensive exam every six months, we can manage small dental problems before they grow into larger, more complicated issues. Keep up to date with thorough dental checkups at Smiles at Lakewood Ranch. Call us at 941-216-3803 to schedule an appointment.
Learn more about Oral Health at Smiles at Lakewood Ranch
Bad Breath
If you suffer from chronic bad breath, your dentist can help identify the cause and, if it's due to an oral condition, he or she will develop a treatment plan to help eliminate it. Regular checkups will allow your dentist to detect any problems such as periodontal disease, a dry mouth or other disorders.
The mouth is often considered a window to the rest of the body because many other illnesses first present themselves as changes within the mouth. As a result, a comprehensive oral exam is recommended each time you visit a new practice to serve as a benchmark of your overall health.
Fluoride
Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in many foods and especially tap water. This mineral helps prevent tooth decay by making the tooth more resistant to acid attacks from plaque and sugars in the mouth. It attracts other minerals and strengthens tooth enamel.
Gentle Professional Cleanings
People over the age of four or five should visit their dentist for a professional teeth cleaning at least twice a year. To maintain oral health, it is very important that you stay current on the condition of your teeth so that if problems are detected, they can be treated early to avoid developing more serious issues.
At Smiles at Lakewood Ranch, we provide comfortable, gentle teeth cleanings, specifically to detect, deter and prevent gum disease. If we find a cause for concern, we may recommend a deep gum cleaning to remove tartar below the gum line, smooth out surfaces where plaque builds up and eliminate bacterial infection.
Mouth Guards
Custom-fit mouth guards are prescribed and created by a dental professional from thermoplastic material and are based on a detailed mold taken of your mouth and teeth. They can be made for either sports or for nighttime teeth grinding and are created differently depending on the intended use. They're highly personalized, as your dentist can adjust the thickness of the mouth guard, and they're designed to fit perfectly in your mouth with no adjustments needed.
Night Guards
If you’re experiencing chronic headaches and migraines because of involuntary night-time teeth clenching, let Smiles at Lakewood Ranch help you with a night guard. A night guard is a thin, transparent device that is worn over the biting surface of your teeth while you sleep to prevent contact between the upper and lower teeth. Night guards have also proven to be an effective remedy for patients who are suffering from the effects of grinding and clenching their teeth while sleeping.
Oral Cancer Screening
The dental community is the first line of defense in early detection of oral cancer. The goal of oral cancer screenings is to detect mouth cancer or precancerous lesions that may lead to mouth cancer at an early stage when cancer or lesions are easiest to remove and most likely to be cured. When found at the early stages of development, oral cancers have an 80-90% survival rate. Early detection is imperative!
Sealants
Dental sealants consist of a plastic material that is placed on the chewing surface of the permanent back teeth, molars, and premolars to help protect them from bacteria and acids that contribute to tooth decay. Because of the likelihood of developing decay in the depressions and grooves of the premolars and molars, children and teenagers are candidates for sealants. However, adults without decay or fillings in their molars can also benefit from sealants.
Tooth Sensitivity
If hot, cold, sweet or very acidic foods and drinks, or breathing in cold air, makes your teeth painful, then you may have tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity can come and go over time. It occurs when the enamel that protects your teeth gets thinner, or when gum recession occurs, exposing the underlying surface, the dentin, and reducing the protection the enamel and gums provide to the tooth and root.
You deserve to smile big and laugh around friends and family.
A Beautiful Smile Restored!
In this Smiles at Lakewood Ranch case study, our patient Rosetta explains how she had an accident and broke her front tooth. Another dentist told her some bad news and, wow, is she glad she came to the experts at Smiles at Lakewood Ranch instead!
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Smiles at Lakewood Ranch
14606 E State Rd 70
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
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