A dental checkup is the best preventative method to keep your mouth healthy. When you visit Pinon Hills Dental in Farmington, NM, for your bi-yearly checkup, Dr. Travis Watson checks your teeth and gums for any issues.
If you have a cavity, your dentist can easily clean and seal it, then you're on your way. The issue would have been more complicated if you'd skipped the checkup. Your cavity may have grown and eroded your teeth and required more expensive and invasive procedures.
What sort of procedures might you need?
Extensive work is usually preventable if you go in for routine checkups:
- Root canal: A root canal is when bacteria have eaten through the enamel and dentin to reach the pulp, a nerve-rich area of the tooth. This can become a painful ordeal. Your dentist will need to disinfect the area, remove the pulp, and seal the tooth. Then you will need a new crown to reinforce your tooth and protect it from future damage.
- Dental implants: Implants have an over 95% success rate but needing them means you've lost a tooth. Implants replace tooth roots and restore functionality. The implant itself is made of titanium, which is biocompatible, and when you place a crown over it, no one knows there's been any work done to your teeth.
Dental checkup
So what happens during a dental checkup?
Your Farmington, NM, dentist scans your teeth, gums, and cheeks for any sores or cavities. They then use an x-ray to make sure there aren't any issues beneath the surface. You can even get a professional dental cleaning during this checkup from your dentist or hygienist to remove plaque and tartar that cause gum disease and cavities.
Would you like to book an appointment?
If you'd like to book an appointment with Dr. Watson, then don't hesitate to call Pinon Hills Dental, our Farmington, NM, office, at (505) 325-2859.