What happens at a checkup
A checkup at our office has three parts, and none of them is a sales pitch:
- The exam. One of the doctors looks at every tooth, your existing fillings and crowns, your bite, and the soft tissue of your mouth — including an oral cancer screening. X-rays show what’s happening between teeth and under the gumline.
- A gum health check. We measure the small pockets around your teeth. Those numbers tell us whether a routine cleaning is enough or whether your gums need more help. You’ll hear the numbers and what they mean.
- The cleaning. Plaque and tartar removed, teeth polished, and honest coaching on the one or two habits that would help you most. No guilt trip about flossing — just what works.
You leave knowing three things: what’s healthy, what needs watching, and what needs fixing — with a written price for anything in that last category.
Gum health is the long game
Gum (periodontal) disease is the most common reason adults lose teeth, and it rarely hurts until it’s advanced. It’s also very manageable when caught early. If we find it, treatment usually starts with a deeper cleaning and a shorter recall interval, not surgery. Keeping your natural teeth is nearly always cheaper than replacing them — that’s the math behind coming in twice a year.
Overdue? That’s fine.
A lot of our patients hadn’t seen a dentist in years before their first visit. There’s no scolding here — we care about where your mouth goes from today, not where it’s been. Start with the $49 new-patient exam and x-rays, and we’ll build a plan from there.