4 reasons people make an appointment to see the dentist…
For people who haven’t been to the dentist in a while, there are a few reasons they might make a dentist appointment. Whether you are calling to schedule a dental cleaning or to receive emergency dental care, there are a few things you should know before your appointment.
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1. Dental Cleaning
One of the most common reasons people call to make a dentist appointment is to schedule a dental cleaning. However, if it’s been awhile since you’ve been to the dentist there are a few questions you’ll need to answer before your appointment. The first is when was the last time you had a dental cleaning. If your answer is more than three years, we may recommend you schedule a new patient exam instead.
If it’s only been a year or two since your last dental cleaning, our staff will ask about your dental health. Have you had lots of dental issues? For instance, do you have a lot of crowns or have you had a root canal or implant placed? Or have you noticed changes in your mouth recently? Like your teeth shifting or gums changing. If you haven’t had many issues or noticed any changes, we’ll schedule a dental cleaning. But, if you have, we’ll recommend the new patient exam to assess your dental risks and determine if you need a deep cleaning.
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2. Emergency Dental Care
Another common reason people call the dentist after many years is to receive emergency dental care. More often than not, we see this in men who are favoring one side of their mouth and their wife asks them what is wrong. They initially say nothing, but the pain becomes worse and their wife schedules them and emergency dentist appointment.
For these appointments, if there is pain we will address that first. But, if it’s been more than three years since the patient’s last dentist appointment, we’ll recommend they come back for a new patient exam. This will allow us to reassess things so the patient can avoid problems in the future.
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3. Cosmetic Dentistry Consult
A third reason people call to make a dentist appointment is to schedule a cosmetic dentistry consult. Maybe they just celebrated a big birthday and after looking in the mirror they realize their smile is not as straight and white as it once was. This consult is typically a free 20-minute appointment where we discuss your goals and also do a quick exam to assess your overall dental health.
During this appointment, we’ll determine if there are underlying issues that may prevent us from moving forward with cosmetic treatment. If there are larger issues at play, we recommend the patient addresses those first. After all, we don’t want to put a fresh coat of paint on walls that are falling down. While disappointing, this is in the best interest of the patient.
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4. Overdue Treatment
The final reason people call to make a dentist appointment is to begin work on long overdue dental treatments. We typically see this in parents who have let their dental health go while they take care of their children. Maybe they’ve been busy, or haven’t had the money to spend on their dental needs. Now, they’re missing a few teeth or desperately in need of a root canal and decided it’s time to start caring for themselves.
We specialize in adults who have significant dental issues and can help prioritize these treatments to save you money. These patients will come in for an exam where my team will take x-rays, impressions and photos and collect information on the patient. At a later appointment, they’ll meet with me to go over the diagnosis. Then, during a third appointment we’ll go over the treatment plan and cost.
In each scenario, our goal is always to do what is best for the patient. If you’re looking to schedule a dental cleaning and we recommend a new patient exam, please understand that this is the best option for your current dental health. Together, we can improve your dental health ultimately helping you keep your teeth until you’re 100.
Interested in making a dentist appointment? Schedule an appointment with our dentist office in Brandon, FL. We’ll be happy to go over your treatment needs and establish a plan that works for you.
