First Visit, Full Exam
During your first visit at our private clinic, you will meet with one of our dental hygienists and, together, you will go over your health questionnaire, discuss your needs, your expectations, take the necessary X-rays and, if possible, your hygienist will continue with your dental cleaning.
Afterwards, Dr. Skaf will examine your X-rays, your joints, your gums, your tongue, your teeth and your occlusion, and then discuss her diagnosis with you. If required, you will both set up a treatment plan adapted to your needs and priorities, determine an appointment sequence, and then, you will be notified about the costs involved to carry out this plan. You will be informed about all the options available to help you preserve or improve your oral health.
Please schedule 90 minutes for this first appointment. Your dental cleaning is normally done during this appointment, but only the dental hygienist can ensure this.
Then, if you wish, you will meet with our Treatment and Financing Plan Coordinator to discuss the financial part:
- Review your dental insurance plan
- Possibility of a getting dental loan
- Tax credit
- Review and explanation of your treatment plan
- Payment agreement versus treatments
- Appointment sequence
We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you as our patient!
Dental Examination
Everyone should have regular preventative dental examinations no matter how well you take care of your teeth. These examinations will help prevent all dental issues, inform you about preventative measures as well as determine the necessary treatments to prevent the issues from deteriorating. For most patients, an examination should be done every 6 months. However, the frequency of your visits is recommended and determined by your dentist based on your dental needs.
The dental examination consists in looking over your medical and dental history, evaluating your teeth, gums, tongue, palate, the inside of your cheeks as well as your jaw joints. Sometimes, it is necessary for the dentist to do some radiographs during the examination to make a proper diagnostic. During this preventative examination, your dental hygienist will also proceed to your professional cleaning and give you some advice on your oral health.
Regardless of how much care you practice on your teeth and gums, there are some dental problems that only your dentist can detect:
- Deterioration of fillings, crowns and other restorations
- Root cavities exposed by receding gums
- New cavities below the gum and between the teeth
- Cavities under existing fillings
- Cracked teeth
- Enclosed wisdom teeth
- First signs of gum disease
- Periodontal pockets caused by gum diseases
- First signs of the oral cancer
- Signs and symptoms of other problems that can harm your overall health
Professional Cleaning
The cleaning can take up a big portion of your dental visit. It is a very important part because it can prevent gum diseases, a very common problem among adults. The cleaning is comprised of two stages:
Detartaring: First, we eliminate tartar build-up. Then, we remove small particles that settle around the teeth and in places that are difficult to reach such as below or at the gum line.
Polishing: Afterward, the hygienist proceeds to the polishing which smoothes the surface of the teeth and fillings in order to slow down the accumulation of dental plaque (sticky film) which forms on teeth and becomes tartar if not removed. Once the tartar settles on your teeth, only your dentist or hygienist can remove it. The paste used during the polishing deposits a small layer of fluoride which provides additional protection and smoothes the surface of your teeth.
