At a routine dental check-up, the dentist will form a diagnosis of your oral health.

Our comprehensive examination includes an assessment of:

• Oral cancer screening – Cancer can occur in any part of the mouth, on the tongue, lips, or throat. Sadly, mouth cancer has a very high mortality rate due to late detection. The positive news is that a ‘pre-cancer’ will sometimes form a long time before cancer develops, and if detected early, it can be treated rapidly with an excellent chance of prevention or cure.
   
• We check your temporomandibular joint, facial, and chewing muscles.
   
• Assessment of the health of your tooth structure: looking for decay, tooth wear and erosion, worn or leaking restorations.
   
• The health of your gums and your level of oral hygiene

Will I need to have X-rays taken?

The need for X-rays will depend on when you last had your dental radiographs taken and the dentist’s assessment of your mouth and teeth.

The introduction of digital radiographs and photographs reduces the patient’s exposure to radiation that traditional dental film requires. It enables dentists to enlarge and view images on LCD screens, increasing their diagnostic capabilities. Intra-oral cameras work in much the same way, transmitting an image directly to the computer, which allows the dentist to show patients any areas of concern in their mouth.

The approach to dentistry today is conservative, and saving teeth is a primary concern.