ARTICLE - Dental Exam
DENTAL
C
ENTRO
Email:  ChapalaDental@yahoo.com       Website:  www.ChapalaDental.com
Carretera Poniente 368 (Rancho Del Oro Ajijic)
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Phone -  Local:  (376) 766 2911    International:  011 52 376 766 2911










THE DENTAL EXAM

One should have a thorough dental exam every six months not to exceed one
year.

First, Let me caution you when calling different offices and asking about
cleaning and 6-month exam costs.  

**Lower cost is not indicative of better service and basing
your choice on price alone may be a tragic mistake.**

Let me describe what I consider to be a thorough checkup and cleaning.

Dentistry is an art and a science and all dentists do things a little differently.  
This does not make one more correct than another … just a different way of
doing things and reaching the same goal.
  •        When examining the mouth, the Dentist first checks the entire mouth for any problems to need
    for overall restoration.   If your mouth contains high acidity, it can be an indication of poor bone
    health, not only in your mouth, but in your body.  Usually a change of diet can correct this.

  •        Afterwards comes the prophylaxis or cleaning with a rubber cup or similar polishing device.  
    The Dentist may choose to use more than one type of paste such as stain removing, whitening
    and/or polishing..  Rarely will a single paste do all that is required.  If you have a full denture or
    partial denture, it should be cleaned as well.

  •        The Ultrasonic or high speed scaler comes next cleaning the teeth below the gum line and
    removing a buildup of solid deposits.  It smoothens out the root surface and removes dead tissue
    under the gum line that lies against the root of the tooth.  This is what leads to periodontal disease
    and the loss of teeth.  This procedure, perhaps, is the most important phase of having your teeth
    cleaned.  Hand scalers do far too much harm to the root surface.

  •        The dentist will take x-rays he feels are necessary for proper care.  Without x-rays, the dentist is
    blindfolded.  We will talk about this in future articles.  A newer digital x-ray is now available … this
    offers 95 % less radiation…yes, 95% less.  Here at our altitude with the minerals in rock formations
    and with the exposure to the sun we have, the radiation from natural sources is equal to 16 times
    higher than the old style x-rays.  The new digital system is truly a modern miracle.

  •        A thorough cleaning and exam should take 45 minutes to one hour.  It should include patient
    education -- a discussion of what type toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, diet and  any special home care
    instructions if required.
Remember, Cheapest doesn't mean the Best ... you may be
cheating yourself.  I hope this helped you understand the
exam and cleaning procedure.

Yours Truly,
Dr Geo
Centro Dental