Dental Checkups & Cleanings – Los Angeles, CA
Help Your Smile Get Stronger & Healthier
Left untended, even the healthiest mouth will suffer problems. A minor oral health issue could eventually become a major challenge. You could, for example, end up dealing with decay, cavities, gum disease, or worse. Dentists thus recommend that you get dental checkups and cleanings every six months. Fortunately, we at Rancho Park Dental Group are excellent with these services. You can count on us for a healthy, gleaming smile! Keep reading or book a consultation with our office to learn more.
Why Are Regular Dental Checkups & Cleanings Important?
However tempted you are, you shouldn’t skip out on routine dental visits. You’ll face long-term challenges if you do.
For starters, you need checkups and cleanings to avoid pain. After all, they prevent severe dental conditions from occurring. Without them, your plaque could evolve into a painful cavity. Alternatively, lack of care may cause an already-present cavity to require a root canal.
Furthermore, regular dental visits save you time and money. Insurance often covers twice-yearly preventive care, so you’d get smile protection quickly and cheaply. Restoration work, meanwhile, is invasive, time-consuming, and expensive. Insurance often won’t cover it, leading to high out-of-pocket expenses.
What to Expect During a Dental Checkup
At a standard dental checkup, you can expect the following to take place:
- Medical Update(s) – We’ll review your medical history and medications, as these things can impact oral health.
- An Oral Exam – After the updates, our team will perform an oral exam – an assessment of your teeth, bite, and existing dental work. They’ll also screen your mouth for oral cancer signs.
- Dental X-Rays – We may take X-rays of your smile depending on when you last received any. That way, we can see if you have problems beneath the dental surface.
- Treatment Plan – Our office will draft a treatment plan based on our findings. We’ll take special care to lay it out for you step-by-step.
- Q&A – To conclude the appointment, the dentist will answer any questions you have about treatment or at-home oral care.
What to Expect During a Dental Cleaning
Even if you’re a regular brusher and flosser, there’ll be places in your mouth you can’t reach. For that reason, a dentist will follow a dental checkup with a professional cleaning. The latter includes:
- General Cleaning – A dental hygienist will use special tools to remove plaque and tartar from your mouth. By doing so, they’ll reduce your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and chronic bad breath.
- Polishing – Following the general cleaning, we’ll polish your pearly whites. This step tends to eliminate your minor tooth stains.
- Flossing – Our staff will also floss between your teeth to remove as much harmful bacteria as possible.
- Fluoride Treatment – If you’d like, you can receive fluoride treatment as the last cleaning step. For this option, the hygienist applies fluoride to your teeth, which protects them from cavities.
Dental Checkups & Cleanings FAQs
What should I do if I need a dental cleaning but I’m too afraid to go to the dentist?
Do the sights, sounds, and smells of the dental office put you on edge? Are you scared of needles? Do you struggle with dental anxiety due to a bad experience with another dentist? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, we have good news: we can help! At our office, we offer oral conscious sedation, which can help even patients who experience considerable nerves, stress, and fear have the calm, positive, and comfortable experience they deserve during their time in the treatment chair.
How often do I need to visit the dentist for a cleaning and exam?
The American Dental Association recommends visiting your dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning. There are several reasons for this, starting with the fact that routine exams ensure that oral health, tooth decay, gum disease, and damaged restorations are detected early on. Additionally, your toothbrush and floss can leave behind plaque and tartar. Fortunately, the special tools we have at our office allow us to gently remove buildup, helping to preserve the health of your teeth and gums in the process.
How often do I need to get dental X-rays?
That depends on the type of X-rays! Bitewing X-rays, for example, are usually taken annually. Conversely, panoramic X-rays are completed every 3-5 years.
How much does a dental cleaning cost without insurance?
A routine cleaning can cost anywhere from $75 to a few hundred dollars. With that said, there are several factors that need to be considered, including whether or not X-rays need to be taken. That’s why we always recommend giving us a call if you have any questions pertaining to the cost. In addition to providing you with a price estimate, we can discuss the different financial solutions that are available, including CareCredit. If you haven’t heard of CareCredit before, it’s a trusted third-party financier that offers convenient payment plans so you can break up the cost into smaller, more budget-friendly payments.
Important reminder: If it has been more than six months since your last dental visit, you might assume that taking the “wait and see” approach will save you money. In reality, this allows time for any existing dental problems to progress, wreaking havoc on your oral health. So, it’s important that you prioritize preventive care for the sake of your smile and your wallet.
What does my dentist screen for at routine checkups?
Although the exam is relatively short, your general dentist in Rancho Park will cover a lot of ground during that time. After reviewing your X-rays, they will carefully examine each tooth, your gums, and any existing dental work you have. They will also take a look at your throat, the floor of your mouth, and your tongue, screening for warning signs of oral cancer in the process.