Dental Exam

A dental exam should be so much more than a quick look inside your mouth. First, our meticulous dentists search for any decay or cracks in your teeth. We want to catch problems early, while they’re small and easy to fix. Second, we examine the foundation. Without healthy gums and bone, even healthy teeth soon become problematic. Third, during the dental exam our dentists gently tests your bite and function. In other words, we see how your jaw joint (called TMJ) moves and how well your teeth come together. Our dentists particularly look for grinding, clenching or popping in your jaw–all of these can cause serious long-term problems if left untreated.

In addition, our thorough dental exam includes areas beyond your mouth. We also evaluate the health of your sinuses, throat and neck. Not surprisingly, it’s all connected. Dental complications can lead to issues in these surrounding areas, and sometimes neck or sinus pain is just a symptom of a dental problem. Finally, our experienced dentists looks for symptoms of oral cancer. Sadly oral cancer causes about 10,000 deaths per year in the United States. Therefore, we all want to screen often and catch it early.

First, no pain. Unless your exam is combined with a teeth cleaning or other procedure, our dentist places nothing scarier in your mouth than a mirror. We simply look, feel, and ask questions. In addition, we take several x-ray images. At Soothing Dental we only use extremely low-radiation digital x-rays. In fact, the exposure of our digital x-rays equals the exposure of just one day on earth. You get a little from the sky, the planet, and background electronics. And finally, your dental exam ends with a long discussion. Our dentist very thoroughly and patiently explains the current health of your mouth and answers all of your questions. Your smile creates a lifetime of first impressions, and you use your mouth every time you breathe. We want you to understand how best to care for it.

Dental insurance typically covers one or two oral exams each year. And if you don’t have insurance, or you have a less-than-stellar plan, we’ve still got you covered. To make quality dentistry more accessible, we proudly offer Soothing Dental Membership Plans! These honest, straight-forward, affordable plans all include dental exams and regular teeth cleaning. Some also include 50% off dental crowns or substantial discounts on cosmetic procedures. Best of all, we place no annual caps or limits on our plans. Get that dental exam and a dental implant or two or six in one year. We keep covering you!

You want to preserve your smile for the rest of your life. So do we. And you probably need a dental exam if you’re reading this, so stop procrastinating. We make it easy, educational, and even a little fun. Call or text 415-989-3953 today to schedule your appointment, or simply schedule your appointment online now.