If You Haven’t Been to the Dentist for a Long Time, What Should You Expect?

We hear from many people who haven’t been to see a dentist in years, and the staff and dentists at Library Park Dental want to let you know what you can expect when you come to see us.

Encouragement

At Library Park Dental we will encourage you from the time you first call us to make the appointment all the way through the end of treatment. We recognize that it takes courage to pick up the phone to contact us. We will encourage you to come in and attend to your teeth. We want to take care of you as you take care of your teeth.

Respect

We understand that your history of not seeing a dentist could have been because of many reasons. Some people fear the possibility of pain, while others had bad experiences in their youth. We respect your past and hope that we can help you set new patterns and behaviors so that your oral health can become a priority.

Thorough Treatment Planning Beginning with a Thorough Exam

At your first appointment with us, we will sit down and have a discussion. What do you like about your smile? What do you not like? Do you have fears related to dentistry? What has caused the gap in services? Why are you interested in treatment now? These questions and other similar questions will help us to get to know you and understand how you have gotten to this place.

We will show you the office so that you can see our area for dental hygiene where you will hopefully come twice a year to have your teeth cleaned. We will glance at our sterilization lab where we meet or exceed OSHA and CDC guidelines regarding procedures for instruments and products used in our facility. And we will go into one of the treatment rooms, where the dentist will meet you.

If you do not have recent X-rays, the dentist will have the assistant take a series of digital x-rays. This reduces the amount of radiation and allows the dentist to manipulate the image to better see a variety of situations. In some cases, the dentist will ask for a panoramic 3D Cone Beam image, which takes 3D images of your teeth and surrounding tissues, bones, and nerves.

Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer claims one life every hour in the USA. That is more than the number of lives lost to skin cancer, cervical cancer, or Hodgkin’s disease, and it is of great concern to our doctors. This is especially true because oral cancer is one of the most curable diseases when caught early. At your first visit and every subsequent checkup, we will be offering oral cancer screening.

Periodontal Screening and Complete Examination

The dentist will examine your mouth and will note what treatment you have previously had, the condition of that treatment, and anything that is seen that needs future treatment. There will also be an exam of your gums since periodontal disease (gum disease) is linked to poor tooth outcome.

Treatment Planning

After the exam and the x-ray images have been reviewed, the dentist will show them to you and together you will discuss what has been seen. If there is treatment needed, priorities will be created so that treatment can be completed in the most time-sensitive, cost-sensitive manner possible.

We want our office to be a place where you feel encouraged and respected, and where you see us as professionals who care about you and your oral health. We want to partner together in order to help you have the healthiest mouth possible and help you feel good about your smile.

Call us today at 262-654-6535 to set up an appointment. We look forward to working with you!