Dental Check-Ups

Wanting to scheduling a dental Check-Up?

Book Your Next Check-Up & Clean

You can Book an Appointment with Contemporary Smiles Dental online, or your can Request A Callback, and we’ll give you a call to organise a date and time.

How often should I book in?

To keep your teeth and mouth in top shape, you should be visiting your dentist for an exam, checkup and clean at least twice a year.

Regular brushing and flossing is important, but unfortunately is often not enough to remove the stubborn plaque and tartar that slowly accumulates on your teeth.

Despite the rapid pace of technical innovation in the techniques and materials available to dentists, whatever we do still comes a distant second to what nature gave you.

Our approach is to empower and educate our patients that dental disease and failing teeth are not inevitable and that with the correct professional and home care advice, patients can prevent or significantly reduce the amount of dental treatments required.

During your regular check-ups we’ll ask you about any issues encountered since your last appointment. Your dentist will examine your mouth for any signs of cavities, plaque, and gum disease. X-rays will be taken (if we do not hold any on file for you), and then a professional clean is performed to remove any plaque or tartar build-ups from your teeth.

 

Check-up - Dental | Contemporary Smiles

Preventing dental disease is at the core of our practice philosophy here at Contemporary Smiles.

Dr Barry Phelan welcomes a patient to Contemporary Smiles

At your first appointment we take the time to listen to what your concerns and treatment objectives are.

Prevention from an early age is key.

We believe that prevention is better than a cure when it comes to your teeth and your family’s oral health.

Children should visit their dentist from 2 years old

A completely painless process that leaves you teeth and mouth in a strong and healthy state for the next 6 months.

What’s Involved in a Check-Up?

First Visit – Comprehensive Exam

At your first appointment we take the time to listen to your concerns and to what your treatment objectives are.

Find Out More

During your exam your dentist will begin by checking for problems such as cavities. Using the latest in dental technology, we complete a detailed and thorough examination where we use digital x-rays and intra-oral photographs of your teeth to document the current state of your overall oral health.

If further radiographic examination is required we have the ability to take a cone beam CT scan or digital OPG onsite. This is especially helpful where more complex dental treatment is required.

We take the time to show and explain these images to you and discuss in detail what is causing any dental issues that may be occurring. Our belief is that our patients need to thoroughly understand the issues to know how to fix them.

Next, we check your gums. This is done with a special tool to measure the depth of space between your teeth and your gums. With healthy gums, this space is shallow. When people suffer from gum disease, this space may become deeper. The check-up also includes a careful examination of your tongue, throat, face, head, and neck. This is to look for any further warning signs – swelling, redness, or possible signs of cancer.

If treatment is necessary, we discuss in an open and honest manner the pros and cons of the various treatment options that are available. We may suggest a professional clean, and often use pictures of treatments that we have personally carried out previously to help educate patients as to what we can deliver. We also provide patient education leaflets from the Australian Dental Association (ADA).

We provide a treatment plan and give an estimate of costs of any treatment that may be required. We often print off pictures of areas of concern, for our patients perusal at home. Our helpful treatment support staff can co-ordinate with your health fund.

What you can expect from a Comprehensive Examination and any required follow-up treatments is a painless process that leaves you teeth and mouth in a strong and healthy state for the next 6 months.

Routine Dental Check-Ups & Cleans

Once you have completed an initial consultation and any immediate treatment that is required, we customise the length of time between routine Check-Ups depending on your level of risk to dental disease.

The main benefit of routine dental Check-Ups is to catch issues that may arise early. Obviously the earlier a condition is identified the easier and cheaper it is to fix, with a vastly better prognosis for the future. We will also identify if any issues are not stabilising and will seek to implement strategies to prevent further deterioration.

A routine Check-Up & Clean at Contemporary Smiles includes:

A Comprehensive Oral Examination
  • X-rays will be taken (if not already on file). These x-rays will reveal any abnormalities in your teeth and your supporting oral structure that may otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.
  • An examination of your lymph nodes will follow. Attention is paid to any pain, tenderness, & mobility.
  • We will assess your jaw mobility, along with the surface area of your mouth and your lips.
  • An assessment of your bite will be carried out in order to uncover potential areas of discomfort and potential for improvement.
  • Significantly, we will conduct a full tooth record, noting the full condition of each of your individual teeth. This will determine the extent of any dental work that may be needed to ensure optimal oral health and wellbeing. Inta-oral photos of each tooth will be taken to substantiate these findings.
  • An Assessment of your gum health and soft tissues will also be carried out.

Lastly, we’ll discuss all relevant findings with you, and communicate openly and constructively about the need for the development of a treatment plan.

X-rays (if we don't already have them on file)

We perform dental x-rays at our practice in Corrimal. These are images of your teeth and mouth that we use to evaluate your oral health and to identify problems like cavities, tooth decay and issue beneath the gum line.

Taking an x-ray is completely painless and on takes a matter of seconds. Once we have taken x-rays of your mouth, we keep these on file so we do not need to re-take them every time you visit our practice.

A Scale and Clean (usually booked separately)

The ”scaling” part of the procedure involves the use of a precision instrument called a ”Scaler” to remove the plaque and tartar from the surface of your teeth.

The ultrasonic cleaner may also be used at this point to clean below the gum line.

Upon removal of any plaque and tartar build ups on your teeth, we’ll proceed to polish your teeth with a special variety of toothpaste that may feel a little gritty, but it helps to remove bacteria that may be still lingering on your teeth.

A good polish will also make your teeth look and feel exceptionally clean.

BOOK AN EXAM, OR REGULAR CHECK-UP & CLEAN

To book a professional exam, or regular check-up and clean, contact Contemporary Smiles Dental today.

“Dental check-ups play a major role in preventing minor dental problems from developing into something more serious.”

Regular brushing and flossing prevents plaque and tooth decay

What you should do between visits

It is very important to ensure that you take care of your teeth and gums between your regular dental visits. Plaque is always forming on your teeth, but you can manage this problem by brushing and flossing regularly.

Here are some suggestions for good oral care at home and between dental visits:

  • Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Be sure to use a toothpaste that contains a high level of fluoride (we can help you to choose the right toothpaste if required).
  • Floss daily.
  • Use a mouthwash to help control plaque bacteria. This will also help to keep your breath fresh.
  • Don’t wash out the toothpaste from your mouth after brushing.
  • Use an electric toothbrush rather than a standard brush.
Facts About: Exams, Check-Ups & Cleans

Here are some interesting facts about regular dental check-ups:

  • Regular dental visits (at least every 6-months) are extremely important in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
  • There are two parts to a regular dental visit: The examination, and the check-up and clean. A comprehensive examination should be performed with your dentist periodically, but a check-up and clean should be scheduled with your Oral Health Therapist at least once every six-months.
  • During the dental check-up, your dentist will check your overall oral health for any signs of trouble or other concerns you may need to address.
  • During the cleaning, your dentist or dental hygienist will remove any plaque and/or tartar build-ups and will polish your teeth as well.
  • You should visit the dentist at least twice a year (or as recommended by your dental professional).

Frequently Asked Questions

Our patients ask lots of questions. We’re glad you do as it means we can make your visit to the dentist a pleasant an enjoyable time. Here are some of the questions we frequently get asked:

How do I find the best dentist to visit?

With so many dentists to choose from, how do you know you’re choosing the right one? Just make sure your dentist is good at the following:

  • Actively listens to you
  • Educates you on treatments and oral health
  • Respects your time and resources
  • Keeps a tidy practice
  • Doesn’t up-sell to you
  • Gets to know you
  • Follows-up with you
  • Values you as a patient

Ultimately, the right dentist for you always gives the care that you and your family deserve.

Why is a dental health checkup so important?

Dental health check-ups are a vital part of your overall oral health regime. If you wish to maintain happy and healthy teeth and gums you should aim to book an examination, check-up and clean at least every 6 months.

During your check-up and clean, your dental professional will check your overall oral health for any trouble areas, and will remove any plague and tartar build-ups that you are unable to remove with normal brushing and flossing.

Is dental hygiene important to my overall health?

Your oral health is actually a window to your overall health, and problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body. Poor oral health may contribute to a number of conditions, including heart disease, pneumonia, diabetes and endocarditis.

This makes it important to practice good oral health techniques every day. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day; floss daily; limit your sugar intake; replace your toothbrush every three months; and schedule regular dental check-ups and professional cleans.

What is the average cost of teeth cleaning?
The cost of a professional check-up and clean at the dentist varies from practice to practice, but according to the website Choice who conducted a survey in Australia in 2017 on How much it costs to see a dentist, the price varied from $150 through to $305.

Pricing does depend on a variety of factors, including location, overheads and variances in the methods used (not all fillings are the same). But something you should always look into before booking a check-up and clean is what is actually included in your dental check-up.

If you book your regular check-ups at Contemporary Smiles, you will receive the following treatments:

  • a comprehensive oral exam
  • a check-up and clean (existing patients)
  • X-rays (if we don’t already have them on file).

Note: New patients at Contemporary Smiles will need to book in for a comprehensive initial examination with a dentist before a check-up and clean can be booked. This ensures we can provide you with the best treatment, and can identify any issues before they become a problem.

This would cost a total of $255.00 (although would be a much less if you have health insurance that covers dental treatments).

Price is obviously a factor, but is not the only important thing to look at when choosing a dentist for your next exam, check-up and clean.