Preventive Approach

Recognising problems before they grow: the value of a dental check-up is not limited to the question "is there decay?".

Oral health changes over time, and some problems do not cause marked pain in their early stages. Regular records and examination let us recognise change early.

What do we assess at a check-up?

• New or early decay
• Gum bleeding, and the risk of pocketing and bone loss
• Signs of teeth clenching and wear
• Jaw-joint and muscle complaints
• The condition of old fillings/crowns/bridges
• The tissues around implants
• Intraoral soft tissues
• The bite and mobility of the teeth
• Eruption and development in children

Check-up frequency

A single "every 6 months" rule is not right for everyone. Depending on decay and periodontal risk, smoking, implants, orthodontics, existing restorations and general health, the check-up interval can be personalised.

Over many years at our clinic we have observed that signs of teeth clenching, tooth wear and jaw-muscle/joint findings in particular can progress without some patients noticing. This clinical observation has reinforced our approach of looking, during a regular check-up, not only at tooth decay but at the masticatory system as a whole.