YOUR FIRST VISIT
Best care does not just focus on your teeth. In our examination, we will check:
- Your jaw joint for any issues.
- Do a basic skin cancer screening for suspicious moles and freckles. Most skin cancer arises from changes to an existing mole. Since we are looking at you from the same angle that the sun shines on you, it is a perfect opportunity to check the areas you find harder to see, such as the top of your head and tops and backs of ears.
- All the soft tissues in your mouth, including tongue, tonsils and cheeks.
- Check the lymph nodes around your head and neck that are associated with possible dental infections. If we locate enlarged nodes that cannot be attributed to a dental or viral cause, we will refer you to a specialist to get them checked.
- Check your saliva, bite, and teeth, with laser decay detection if appropriate.
- Carefully examine restorations, paying special attention to existing or at-risk areas for tooth fractures. Old amalgam (metal) fillings, for example, weaken teeth and are prime sites for teeth to develop fracture lines.
- Probe your gums gently to diagnose any gum disease .
- Digital bitewing x-rays are taken of all your back teeth. A digital panoramic x-ray is taken of your upper and lower jaw. We photograph your top and bottom teeth so we can show you digital pictures of your teeth on the computer.
We recognise that everyone is different, as are their dental needs ...
Using the information we have gathered, we can complete your ‘caries risk assessment’ and profile your risk level for future dental disease. We can also personalise a preventive and repair plan to suit your specific needs.
People often comment on how thorough our examinations are. But ask yourself, would you really want it any other way?
The total cost of a new patient examination is $176.00. This is great value for money for an hour of dental time. It includes an examination (normally $90.00), bitewing x-rays (normally $68.00) and a panoramic x-ray (normally $116.00). Any extra x-rays are also taken for free.