Your first appointment will take about an hour and a half.
During that time we give your mouth and jaw a full physical
examination including:
A full-mouth set of x-rays. The best way for us to
determine whether you have any decay between your teeth is with
a complete set of x-rays, including bitewings. X-rays can also
show us the status of your tooth roots, bone, and jaws. A full-mouth
set of x-rays help us get a baseline for the health of your
teeth, gums, and bones.
A comprehensive exam. We talk about any problems you
may have experienced and if you have any specific concerns.
We review the full mouth x-rays with you on our digital monitors.
This makes it easy for all of us to see what is going on in
your mouth. We note the existing condition of your teeth, record
areas of concern, measure your gum tissue and evaluate for gum
disease, screen for oral cancer, evaluate your smile, assess
TMJ (your jaw joint) health and chart occlusion (the way your
teeth meet up with one another).
Depending on what we see, we will clean your teeth –
also known as a prophylaxis. Your own toothbrush cannot remove
the hardened build-up of plaque and calculus. This through cleaning
takes care of that. We utilize an ultrasonic scaler that uses
water and vibration to remove plaque, stain, and calculus from
the teeth and flush it away from below the gumline.
If we find any decay or other matters that cannot be taken
care of during this allotted time, we will make appropriate
appointments for further treatment.
Our staff want you to understand what we
are recommending for your oral health. We go over treatment
plans, insurance coverage, and payment options with you. If
you need more time to talk we are glad to schedule a time with
the doctor or office manager for you to better understand your
oral health needs. We can also help you strategize what may
need to be done first and what might be able to wait a little
longer. Just ask. We also encourage you to visit the links
on this site to learn more about various treatments and the
equipment we use.
Prior to completing any major dental work,
we can provide you with a written treatment plan to outline
what needs to be done, the amount of time for each appointment
and the costs of each phase. If you are interested, we review
a variety of financing options including payment plans, MasterCard/Visa/Discover,
and cash or senior discounts.
At Maple Grove Family Dental we try to
carefully set up appointments to accommodate your schedule.
If your needs change, we appreciate as much advance notice as
possible. Please give us at least 24 hours notice if you need
to change your appointment. Your time is reserved for you and
cancellations with less notice may be charged a missed appointment
fee.
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