At DIEM Dental we recommend coming in and visiting our practice every 6 months for your general check up and clean. Our check ups involve a thorough examination of your gums, teeth and general oral health through the use of our modern technologies and extensive experienced dentists and hygienists within our practice. Being consistent with your check ups along with a good oral routine at home will help you maintain an optimal level of oral health which is a fundamental component to your general wellbeing.
Where required at our regular examinations our dentists will check your:
TMJ (jaw joint)
- Check for clicks, deviations, changes in occlusion and overdevelopment of attached muscles
- Check for range of motion
Soft tissue screening
- Overall health and oral cancer
- Lips, cheeks, tongue, palate and floor of mouth
Hydration assessment
- Quality of saliva is vital for health of teeth and soft tissues
Inspection of teeth for:
- Decay
- Cracks
- Assessment for coverage to prevent cracks extending or splitting of teeth
- Tooth wear facets and patterns to help prevent fractures of teeth
- Assessment of occlusion to minimise forces on individual teeth by spreading the bite load
- Assessment of aesthetics
Inspection of gums for:
- Inflammation
- Loss of attachment to teeth
- Identify areas for possible future problems
Inspection of routine check x-rays (usually two-yearly)
- Identify areas of decay between the teeth and sub-surface
- Assess bony support of teeth
- Compare with past x-rays to determine status stability
Assessment of current maintenance routine and possible improvements
Identify/monitor unerupted teeth and/or any abnormalities
In your examination appointment, to ensure any of your issues, difficulties or questions are addressed, our experienced dentists and team will take the time to thoroughly ask about your dental history, signs and symptoms that you are currently concerned about and your dental history. We will also spend time to monitor and update your oral or general health. This is because changes in your health and medications can affect your oral health and impact the diagnosis and treatment plans for your dental health.
Any issues that are noted during your examination will be brought to your attention and discussed further with you. If the issue needs treating your dentist will prepare a personalized treatment plan for you based on your needs. This treatment plan will be discussed with you in terms of what you need completed, what treatment options you have, an estimated cost of what the selected treatment will be and when the treatment needs to be completed.
After completing a general check up, your dentist will then scale and polish your teeth to remove plaque build up and staining. Your dentist will usually use an ultrasonic scaler followed by hand scale to clean the plaque from your teeth. Once your teeth and gums have had a thorough clean your dentist will then polish your teeth to remove any staining through the use of tooth polishing paste. Fluoride treatment is the final stage of your check up, after having your teeth scale and cleaned it is the optimal time to remineralise your teeth. Having fluoride treatment will also help to minimise any sensitivity you experience after your clean.
Your dentist may also give you further oral health care instructions depending on your requirements. These instructions can range from giving you a demonstration on how to floss for efficiently to discussing how a change in your diet can better your oral health.