Dental Exams

How Often Should I Schedule a Dental Exam?

Our dentists recommend that our Calgary patients come in for dental exams and professional cleanings at least twice a year.

Some of the benefits of routine dental exams include:

• Prevents plaque buildup.
• Lowers your risk of gum disease.
• Helps you maintain good oral health.
• Keeps your smile healthy, bright and white.
• Prevents halitosis (bad breath).
• Prevents tooth loss.
• Helps you keep your dental costs down in the long run.
• Screens for oral cancer.

Keeping regular dental exam appointments allows our dentists to stop, slow or treat any dental issues before they become more complex, painful or require costly dental work.

What Happens During a Dental Exam?

When you come in for a dental exam, one of our highly-qualified and gentle dentists will assess your mouth to diagnose any oral conditions.

He/she may:

• Examine your jaw, neck and/or head: The dentist may do this to detect any signs of oral cancer or temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
• Visually exam each of your teeth: To check for plaque or tartar buildup, decay, fracture or any other damage.
• Examine your gums: Your gums can be a big indicator of your overall health and gum disease.
• Examine your bite: The dentist will evaluate how your top and bottom teeth align to check for an improper bite.
• Check for changes: The dentist will compare your current dental information with the results of previous dental exams to check for any changes.
• Digital X-rays: The dentist will use our accurate digital x-ray system to take accurate x-rays of your teeth while exposing you to minimal radiation.

Digital X-Rays & Dental Exams

At Dr. Korol Dental, we use digital x-rays during dental exams to help diagnose and screen for dental disease.

Digital x-rays statistically use 80-90% less radiation than traditional film x-rays and produce high-quality images in less than 5 seconds. They also eliminate the need for harsh developing chemicals that pollute the environment.

The use of digital x-rays can also help to maintain and improve your dental health by:

• Showing areas of decay that are not visible during a dental exam, especially decay that occurs between the teeth.
• Exposing signs of tooth infection such as an abscess developing around a necrotic tooth
• Revealing structures surrounding the teeth such as nerves and sinuses to help plan for dental implants, extractions or orthodontic treatment.
• Showing signs of pathology including cancer, cysts or other diseases.