It varies, for most people 6 monthly visits are recommended. However, for those people with ‘low maintenance’ mouths i.e. they have very few fillings and are brushing well, then 12 months may be appropriate; we will advise you. Even for people with dentures, a check every 2-3 years is appropriate to examine the mouth for any signs of disease (including pre-cancerous changes).
Regular visits however, are essential for a preventative program to work. The objective is to detect problems early before they become more extensive, costly, and harder to remedy. Just because there is no pain or apparent gum disease, it does not mean there are no problems.
Constant pressure from chewing, grinding or clenching can cause dental fillings, or restorations, to wear away, chip or crack. Although you may not be able to tell that your filling is wearing down or feel any discomfort, we can identify weaknesses in your restorations during a regular check-up.
If the seal between the tooth enamel and the restoration breaks down, food particles and decay-causing bacteria can work their way under the restoration. You then run the risk of developing additional decay in that tooth. Decay that is left untreated can progress to infect the dental pulp causing an abscess and the need for root canal treatment or extraction.
Bleeding gums are a sign of inflammation in the gums (gum disease) and a dental examination is a must.
Often a change in oral hygiene habits can eliminate the problem. However, a more serious problem may be present and left untreated, this may lead to tooth loss.
Sensitivity can be caused by a number of things. Most often the enamel (the outside part of the tooth) – which covers the living part in the tooth – is either worn down, cracked, or exposed, which can lead to sensitivity.
However, it can also be caused by tooth decay, fractured teeth, abscesses, missing fillings, receding gums, and lack of regular periodontal care (professional cleaning). Although this list may seem scary, the good news is that often we find that there is a single cause of the sensitivity, and a simple solution with it.
Good oral hygiene habits will help to remove surface stains, but the only way to whiten teeth successfully (without complex crowns or veneers) is a professional tooth whitening system.
We recommend take-home systems, as they allow you to control how much you whiten, how often you refresh your white smile, and to regulate any acute tooth sensitivity that may result from one-time in-office whitening. Click over to our Whitening page to read more about the whitening process.
Gum disease is not painful, that’s why most people are shocked to discover they have gum disease but have had absolutely no pain. The element of concern is that decay can progress quite deeply into a tooth without any of the usual warning signs i.e. pain and sensitivity.
Even if you have had no gum disease or hardly any fillings in the past and were a regular dental visitor, things can still change. Most people after 18 leave home, either go flatting, travelling, go to university, start working full time, get a mortgage, have kids, and their diets and lifestyle changes.
Even if you still brush your teeth twice a day and occasionally floss, these changes can still lead to decay and gum disease. And you won’t necessarily feel any pain. That’s why we really recommend having a check-up as soon as possible so we can catch things early, when the problems are small.
This will not only spare you discomfort and pain in the future – but money as well. A simple filling is far less costly than a root canal, implant, crown, or extraction.
Mangorei Dental Care accepts Cash, Eftpos, Visa, MasterCard, Q Card(3 to 12 Months interest free), and Farmers Card. Payment is required at each dental visit for the work done that day. We always provide a comprehensive estimate on work before we begin.
We are always willing to talk about the timing of work such that it matches your financial plans.