Our hygienist will first examine your face, lips, tongue, mouth and gums to determine if there are any visible problems. She will then use a tool to remove tartar that has hardened onto your teeth. She can see and reach areas of your mouth that might be hard for you to clean. If you notice she spends more time in one or two areas than others, this tells you that you might want to brush a little more carefully in those areas.

When this is complete, she will polish your teeth with a mild abrasive to clean away any remaining tartar and polish away stains.

If you are scheduled for x-rays, we will use our digital equipment to take these images. Digital images expose our patients to much lower doses of radiation and the whole process is much faster, meaning you get to go home sooner.

A thorough examination by one of our experienced dentists will come next. Every corner of your mouth will be examined for any signs of decay or other problems. Your existing dental work will be checked for signs of wear or damage. Your x-rays will be evaluated to see if there is decay under an existing filling or if a problem is developing between the teeth or under the gums.