The checkup that keeps everything else easy.

What happens at a dental checkup

A checkup is more than a cleaning. Here's what a typical visit covers, so nothing feels like a surprise:

• A blood pressure check and a look at your health history and medications
• Digital x-rays when they're due
• Intraoral photos, so you can see what we see on screen
• A gum check, measuring the small pockets around each tooth
• An oral cancer screening
• A look at your bite and jaw, and any wear from grinding
• A professional cleaning and polish
• An exam with the doctor, who walks you through what they found

What a professional teeth cleaning removes

Plaque is the soft, sticky film that builds up on teeth every day. Brushing and flossing clear most of it, but whatever gets missed hardens into tartar within days, and tartar doesn't brush off. It collects along and just under the gumline, where it irritates the gums and makes them bleed.

At a cleaning we gently remove that tartar with hand and ultrasonic instruments, polish away surface stains, and floss between every tooth. You leave with a clean slate and a few tips for the spots that tend to get missed.

How often should you get a teeth cleaning?

Every six months works for most people. Some do better coming every three or four months, for example if you've had gum disease, have diabetes, smoke or vape, are pregnant, or wear braces or aligners that trap plaque.

If your gums have deeper pockets and bone support around the teeth has started to break down, a regular cleaning isn't enough. That's when we recommend scaling and root planing, a deep cleaning below the gumline, usually done one section of the mouth at a time with the area numbed.

Dental x-rays: how often, and are they safe?

X-rays show what we can't see with our eyes: decay between teeth, problems under old fillings, infection at the root and bone levels. Ours are all digital, which uses less radiation than film and puts the image on screen right away so we can look at it together.

How often you need them depends on your risk. For many adults, a few bitewing x-rays about once a year and a full set every few years is typical. If you're pregnant or might be, tell us, and we'll decide together what can wait. For implants and some complex cases we also have i-CAT 3D cone beam imaging, used only when a regular x-ray can't answer the question.

Oral cancer screening

Every checkup includes a quick oral cancer screening. We look at and feel your tongue, cheeks, the floor and roof of your mouth, your throat and the sides of your neck for lumps, patches or sores that don't belong. It takes a couple of minutes and doesn't hurt.

Oral cancer is far easier to treat when it's caught early. Tobacco, heavy drinking and HPV raise the risk, but it can happen to anyone. Between visits, call us about a sore that hasn't healed in two weeks, a red or white patch, a lump, ongoing hoarseness, or trouble swallowing.

Fillings: fixing a cavity while it's small

A small cavity is a small fix. We numb the area, remove the decay and fill the space with tooth-colored composite, shaded to match your tooth and bonded in place. Most fillings take one visit, and you can eat normally once the numbness wears off.

Waiting is what makes cavities expensive. A cavity that keeps growing can need a crown instead of a filling, and one that reaches the nerve can need a root canal. That's the real value of a six-month checkup: it keeps small problems small.

Fluoride, sealants and nightguards

Prevention isn't just for kids. Depending on what we see, we may suggest:

• Fluoride varnish for adults with sensitive teeth, dry mouth, receding gums or a lot of past fillings
• Sealants on deep grooves in back teeth that trap food
• A custom nightguard if you grind or clench, to protect enamel and ease morning jaw soreness
• Tips on products, like a softer brush or a toothpaste for sensitivity, that fit your mouth

When you need more than a checkup

If we find something, we show it to you on screen, explain your options and give you the cost before anything starts. Everyday treatment we handle here includes:

• Gum disease: scaling and root planing, then maintenance cleanings to keep it stable
• Crowns: tooth-colored porcelain and zirconia crowns for cracked or heavily filled teeth
• Root canals: to save an infected tooth; both doctors do them
• Extractions and wisdom teeth: many are handled right here
• Jaw pain and TMJ: evaluation and custom occlusal splints
• Missing teeth: implants, bridges and dentures, planned with 3D imaging when needed

What does a checkup cost, and does insurance cover it?

New patients start with the $89 visit: a comprehensive exam, full-mouth x-rays and a consult with the doctor. Your cleaning depends on what your gums need, a routine cleaning or a deeper one, and we'll tell you the cost before we begin.

Most PPO plans cover preventive care like checkups and cleanings at a high percentage, often 80 to 100%, and we check your benefits before you come in. No insurance? The Sunshine Membership is $119 a year and includes two exams with x-rays, unlimited emergency exams and 20 to 30% off treatment, depending on the procedure (conditions apply).

Easy to keep up with in Oak Lawn

We're on Maple Ave, across the street from Kroger, close to UT Southwestern and the Medical District and about ten minutes from Uptown. Our storefront is at ground level with parking out front, so it's easy to walk in, get it done and get back to your day.

We're open Tuesday 9 am to 3 pm and Wednesday to Friday 10 am to 5 pm. Parents and kids can be seen in the same office, and everything happens in English or Spanish.