If you are someone who goes regularly to your family dentist I’m sure you’ll know the usual routine of a check up. And if you’re someone who isn’t really dedicated to having regular dental check up, I’m sure you’d like to know how your check up routine has changed with all the new technology we have.
What was wrong with the old way of doing a checkup?
There was nothing wrong with the older techniques. And we still use them. But we now have amazing tools to make the procedure more proficient and the diagnosis of any ailments more precise.
What are the new techniques I should look out for at my next checkup?
Intra oral scanning is the latest in dental screening. A live video of photos is taken of your teeth in 3D. So you can view them on the screen and any areas of potential issues can be visualized and then discussed with your dentist. And then the scan can be saved for posterity to be retrieved at a later date if you want to compare the aging or wear process of your teeth. It is very precise and it is something everyone should have!
Are there any other new modalities to add to my dental check up?
Perhaps not as new but still new-ish is the CBCT 3D xray scan. With this x-ray, one can visualize your upper and lower jaw in 3D. We can see if you have any bony issues, decide whether you have any infections around the teeth and even plan if there is enough bone to place an implant. CBCT xrays should not be taken at every checkup, there are certain criteria that we need before performing them so don’t worry, we won’t give you any extra radiation that you don’t need.
And the newest modality for your check up?
Can you believe that sometimes back ache and even constant headaches can be due to your bite being incorrect? A bite scan is the answer. If you’ve ever had a filling that is too high or if you’ve had a whole lot of dentistry done, you’ll know the feeling of having your bite feel very out of sorts. The new bite scans can help see if you are wearing a tooth down with too much pressure and helps us adjust teeth just enough without damaging them. A happy bite means a very happy TM joint and musculature.
At Enamel we can do the all of these investigations at your check up.
If you’d like to have a very comprehensive check up done, we at Enamel are very happy to help. We’ll use the intraoral scan and the bite scan if we need to give you the best visualization of your mouth and the treatment that you will need. We reserve the 3D CBCT only for those cases that need it as we don’t want to give out too much radiation unless absolutely necessary.
Book with Enamel now for a dental checkup with all the bells and whistles.
By Dr Sheryl Smithies
Associate Dentist at Enamel Dentistry
