There are many early intervention treatments available, from fissure sealants to small composite fillings, and critically, dental cleaning or scale and polishes. If these treatments are carried out regularly and soft tissues are checked, it prevents more serious conditions from presenting themselves later, which can involve painful situations and expensive treatment.
FAQs
At our practice a dental check up involves several key steps to ensure comprehensive care.
Initially, the dentist will have a conversation with you to discuss any issues or concerns you may have experienced since your last appointment. This could include sensitive teeth, ulcers, bleeding gums, or changes in your medication.
Next, we’ll review your medical history to ensure we’re aware of any changes that could affect your dental health. We’ll then perform a soft tissue examination, checking all the soft tissues of your oral cavity, including your tongue, palate, floor of the mouth, tonsils, throat, neck, and lymph nodes. We also examine the TMJ and muscles of mastication along the jaw and face, looking for any lumps, bumps, ulcers, or unusual findings.
Following the soft tissue exam, we assess your periodontal tissues (gums and bone) to check for any chronic infections you may not even be aware of. This is done using a special periodontal probe to check for bleeding gums and tartar buildup.
After assessing your gums, we will examine your teeth for cavities and evaluate your cleaning effectiveness. We want to emphasise that our goal is to help you improve your oral hygiene, not to criticise. If we identify areas where you’re struggling, we’ll provide guidance on better cleaning techniques, as your at-home care is crucial for maintaining good oral health.
Finally, we’ll determine if any dental radiographs (x-rays) are necessary. We follow the FGDP guidelines for routine bitewing x-rays, typically taken every six months to two years, to monitor periodontal bone levels and detect any decay between your teeth that isn’t visible to the naked eye.
All our x-rays are digital, providing a better quality image and easy access for our clinics. We use Vista Scan phospho plates, which offer high-quality imaging and are less likely to cause gagging due to their thinness.
After completing these steps, we’ll discuss the condition of your mouth and present a report to you in the clinic.
At Cube Dental, we need to know your medical history for several important reasons. Certain conditions can increase your risk of dental diseases like gum disease (periodontal disease, formerly known as Pyorrhoea) and cavities (decay). For example, reduced saliva flow, often caused by medications such as antidepressants and anxiolytics, or conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome, can also contribute to these issues.
Additionally, some conditions can create risks for surgical complications. For instance, bisphosphonates, a common medication in Ireland due to the prevalence of osteoporosis, can increase the risk of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ), a very painful condition. To follow the recommended guidelines and manage such situations correctly, we need a complete medication history.
Diabetes is another important consideration, particularly among older patients, as it can predispose individuals to certain dental conditions and affect how we schedule appointments.
Your alcohol and smoking habits are also critical factors, as they can significantly increase your risk of chronic and advanced periodontal disease. We will ask about these during your medical history review.
To help us see you on time, we ask that you complete our online medical questionnaire before your appointment. Please use the link provided in your reminder text message.
To fully assess your dental health, we need to take dental x-rays. It’s impossible to determine the bone levels around your teeth without them. X-rays also reveal decay between your teeth that we can’t see with the naked eye. Additionally, we may find evidence of periapical pathology or unusual lesions that require investigation.
All our dentists are trained dental practitioners who have passed rigorous training standards to ensure competency in using X-ray equipment safely. We adhere to the European Guidelines on Radiation Protection in Dental Radiology, which provides advice for dentists in primary care settings.
We recommend routine bitewing radiographs at least every two years for patients, unless they are at high risk of dental disease.
To put the radiation exposure in perspective, a bitewing or periapical X-ray is 1–5 µSv (microsieverts). That’s equivalent to half a day’s background radiation or halfway on a flight to NYC. Exposing yourself to this level of radiation every couple of years poses a negligible risk, and the benefits far outweigh any potential concerns.
As a dentist, we typically find issues such as clicky jaw joints, swollen lymph nodes, scalloping of the tongue, cheek biting, white lesions, and amalgam tattoos during soft tissue examinations.
We are also trained to look for more serious issues that require immediate referral to an oral maxillofacial surgeon. Less sinister findings might indicate, for example, sleep apnoea or teeth grinding, which would be incorporated into a report along with a proposed treatment plan.
