What are the Services my Dentist Should Offer with a Dental Check-up?

If not every six months, it should happen at least once a year. But what are the services that your dentist should offer you with your dental check-up? Truth be told, you should visit your dentist twice a year to ensure optimal oral health. Your dentist is there to assist in your oral hygiene management by evaluating, preventing, diagnosing and treating any abnormal conditions.

If you’ve recently relocated and are searching for a new dentist or, like many South Africans, you’ve had a bad experience with a dental practitioner, you might want to consider researching an Intercare-affiliated dentist.

Intercare-affiliated dental practitioners are professionals that care. Notwithstanding your past medical or dental history, we want to know about it. Intercare provides a comparatively pain-free environment using a skilled combination of modern technology and cutting-edge dental knowledge. We bring the human factor to dental science with professionalism, etiquette and a pleasant bedside manner.

What Does my New Intercare Dentist Need to Know?

Regardless of your insecurities, you need to share them with us. Dental phobias are a tangible fear for some patients that sometimes revert to childhood. Our dentists sympathise and relate to these insecurities and will assist in relieving them. In the initial consultation, it might alleviate some of your stress simply by talking about it to your dentist.

At the first appointment, your dentist will want to know about your general and dental health. Your medical information is completely confidential with your Intercare-affiliated dentist, so be sure to share previous conditions comprehensively.

Inform your practitioner of both your medical and oral hygiene history. One may relate closely to the other and vice versa. It may even affect the diagnosis, prognosis and medicinal treatment of various oral conditions. For example, diabetes may be the cause of premature gum disease and you might require alternative medication or anaesthesia with your treatments.

Unrelated health issues’ medication might lead to a dry mouth which may increase your risk of cavities. Your dentist will then, in conjunction with you, settle on an oral regime for you to follow that will suit your lifestyle.

Dental Check-ups and Services

What Can I Expect at my Routine Check-up?

Assuming you’re attending dental appointments at your Intercare-affiliated dentist twice a year, you can expect a thorough investigation into your oral health every six months. Your dental practitioner will take everything that you discussed at your initial interview into account. They will allow you to get comfortable and settle into the dental chair while proceeding to check your mouth, teeth and gums. They may enquire about any minor problems or irritations that might be concerning you.

Once comfortable, your dentist will begin to check for cavities. Additionally, they will check for excessive plaque or tartar build-up on your teeth. Next, they will assess the depth or shallowness of your gums. If spaces between your teeth become more prevalent and your gums are becoming shallower, it may be a sign of gum disease. Your practitioner will also examine your face, neck, throat and tongue for any indication of swelling, sores, discolouration or other complications which may be symptoms of a more serious condition.

If you have maintained your oral hygiene programme, however, your smile should still be holding up quite nicely. Your dental practitioner may hand you over to a dental hygienist for a scale and polish. Plaque and tartar build-up will be removed, your mouth will receive a deep cleaning and your teeth will be treated to a healthy polish.

What will happen if There are Problems?

Your Intercare-affiliated dentist will address any irregularities that may have been discovered throughout the examination. If an x-ray is necessary, the practitioner will do it on-site, while you’re sitting in the chair. This will allow them to gain a better understanding of any underlying issues. They can detect any tooth decay or tooth impaction and identify cysts or abscesses inside the gum tissue.

Your dentist will discuss any concerns they may have and suggest preventative measures. They may inquire about everything, from smoking and alcohol intake to tooth brushing techniques, nutritional intake and dietary habits whilst offering treatment recommendations. If it is necessary, they may schedule further appointments to insert a crown or filling dependent on the seriousness of the condition.

Are There Additional Services my Dentist can Offer with my Check-up?

Should your dental practitioner diagnose a more serious condition whilst undergoing your dental examination, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that you’ve chosen a dentist affiliated with Intercare. Intercare Dental Centres have cutting-edge technology perfectly paired with complete, fully staffed dental departments. Our competent and efficient dentists and oral hygienists are carefully selected, specialised professionals who offer a full range of dental services.

12 Dental Services You Can Find at Intercare Dental Centres

Our innovative, fully equipped Dental Centres situated nationwide offer:

General dental services – Including your bi-annual check-up
Oral hygiene – Managed and maintained by our selected, qualified dental hygienists.
Teeth whitening – Is offered with scaling and polishing procedures.
Porcelain crowns, veneers and inlays – Included under Prosthetic and dental rehabilitations service
Periodontal screening and treatment – Early detection and treatment of gum disease.
Treatment of occlusal disease – A major contributor to tooth loss affecting your overall oral health

Specialised dental care services:

Radiography – X-rays performed in your dental appointments.
Orthodontics – The specialised science of fitting dental devices like braces and retainers.
Surgical dental implants – Surgically implanting metal posts into your jawbone beneath your gums.
Endodontics – Root canal specialists offering treatment of the dental pulp inside your teeth.
Oral surgery – Surgery performed on your teeth, gums, jaws, or facial tissue surrounding the mouth.
Periodontology – Treatment of a chronic disease affecting the gums and bone supporting the teeth.
Prosthetic and dental rehabilitations – Restoring your teeth to optimum condition using porcelain crowns, veneers, inlays and other procedures.

Additional general dental services:

Routine dental care – In addition to the specialities and treatments above, Intercare-affiliated dental professionals can also assist with restorative dental treatment, removable prosthesis preparation and treatment and root canal treatment.

Oral hygiene services – Include customised preventative programmes, scaling and polishing, de-banding of braces and teeth cleaning, root planning and scaling and teeth whitening. Also offered are retainers, gum guards, occlusal protectors and preventative maintenance programmes.

What Support Does my Dental Professional Receive if I Choose an Intercare-Affiliated Dentist?

Intercare has centralised healthcare by locating primary healthcare professionals under one roof. You don’t only adopt a dentist when you choose an Intercare-affiliated dental professional. You have adopted access to an entire medical fraternity, including general practitioners, pathologists, physiotherapists, psychologists, dieticians, optometrists and audiologists, all in close proximity to one another.

You will also enjoy exclusive access to our pharmacies which will be equipped to fill any prescription from these medical professionals. For enhanced convenience, book your appointment quickly and easily online. The only remaining question that you should ask is: “Do I get a lollipop if I behave during my appointment?”