Routine Exams

During a routine dental visit, Dr. Herber or Dr. Gotsch will perform various examinations to identify healthy and unhealthy areas in and around the mouth. They will use different equipment to detect and diagnose disease, such as tooth decay or gum disease. If untreated, these conditions can lead to pain, dysfunction, tooth loss, absence from school or work or simply poor appearance.
Following your examination, we will report our findings and make recommendations for necessary treatment. We then develop a special plan to meet your needs at subsequent dental visits, while answering any questions or concerns you may have about you and your family's oral health.
Regular visits allow us to find early signs of disease. Problems can be treated at a manageable stage.
On average, seeing a dentist twice a year works well for most people. A few people can get away with fewer visits. Others may need more frequent visits. People with a high risk of dental disease might need to visit every three or four months, or more. This high-risk group includes:
·         Smokers
·         Diabetics
·         People with current gum disease
·         People with a weak immune response to bacterial infection
·         People who tend to get cavities or build up plaque
 
The schedule for any person may change during a lifetime. In times of stress or illness, you may need to see the dentist more often than usual. Frequent examinations may help you to fight off a temporary infection or treat changes in your mouth.