Dental Exams and X-Rays in Union City, NJ

Dental exams and X-rays are essential components of preventive dental care and treatment planning. They make it possible to identify and understand your dental needs so that you can receive proper and effective care. 

Diana Rodriguez, DMD, provides dental exams and X-rays at Union City Mini Dental Implants to provide a solid foundation for all of your dental needs.

What Is a Dental Exam?

Routine dental exams are an integral part of an effective approach to maintaining your oral health. During the exam, Dr. Rodriguez will carefully evaluate the condition of your teeth and mouth to identify potential issues and areas of concern.

Dental exams and X-rays cover a wide range of areas focused on oral health. One important element is checking for any tooth decay. The dentist will visually inspect teeth for signs of cavities and check fillings to ensure that tooth decay isn’t continuing in the area.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that 26% of adults have untreated tooth decay, highlighting the need to always follow through with your routine dental exams.

Your dental exams and X-rays will also evaluate your gum health. Gum disease is a serious condition that can lead to tooth loss and other negative outcomes. Together, dental exams and X-rays can identify both soft-tissue loss and bone deterioration, which are both key symptoms of gum disease.

If you have crowns, bridges, dental implants, or any other prosthodontic appliances, the dentist will also inspect their condition. This will include both any wear or damage to the appliances themselves, along with signs of inflammation or infection in the tissue around them.

One of the most critical elements of dental exams and X-rays is oral cancer screening. Oral cancer is an incredibly serious condition that is most responsive to treatment with early detection. The dentist will inspect the mouth and throat for signs of oral cancer during a check-up.

In children and adolescents, development is monitored through dental exams and X-rays. The dentist will check for any signs that development isn’t progressing properly, which may call for orthodontic treatment.

In most cases, you’ll also have a dental cleaning at the same time as your dental exam. The cleaning process removes plaque and tartar that accumulate on your teeth and contribute to tooth decay. 

These hardened deposits can’t be addressed with regular brushing but are instead removed with special dental instruments. Fluoride treatment is also commonly administered during the exam and cleaning.

Why Are Dental Exams Important?

Dental exams and X-rays are important because they are vital to detecting and diagnosing a wide range of dental issues. While many patients seek out dental care due to symptoms like pain or sensitivity, many dental issues do not show these immediately noticeable symptoms until they have progressed.

Waiting until a cavity has progressed to the point of causing regular pain could mean that the patient will need a root canal treatment instead of a simple dental filling. Gum disease can escalate to significant soft tissue and bone deterioration before causing noticeable symptoms.

These are just the most common examples of what can happen if routine dental exams aren’t taken advantage of to identify issues earlier. More serious issues, like oral cancer, can also be addressed more effectively when they are detected early by routine dental exams.

If you want to take a proactive approach to your and your family’s oral health, sticking to routine dental exams is the way to do it. It’s the best choice you can make in terms of maintaining long-term oral health and avoiding increased treatment requirements and negative outcomes.

How Often Should I Have a Dental Exam?

The frequency of dental exams is very important, as the primary benefit of dental exams is identifying issues in time for effective treatment. Some patients have unique needs that require additional check-ups, which is something that they’ll have discussed with their dentist.

In general, dental exams and X-rays are recommended twice per year. This frequency allows most issues to be caught at a point when effective treatment is possible. 

Keep in mind that you should visit the dentist any time you have a toothache or other symptoms of dental issues. You don’t have to wait until your next routine exam to get care.

It’s important to note that the two times annually recommendation applies to both children and adults. Many adults fail to keep up with routine dental exams and X-rays, which can lead to a wide range of complications later in life.

Many parents are unsure when it’s the right time to bring their children in for their first dental exam. You should bring in your child either as soon as their first tooth emerges or around their first birthday, whichever comes first.

Oral health is incredibly important, both during development and later in life. Keeping up with recommended routine dental exams and X-rays is the best decision you can make to maintain your oral health.

Cone-Beam Computed Tomography X-Rays

At Union City Mini Dental Implants, we strive to provide our customers with the highest standard of care. To meet that commitment, we use the latest equipment available, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) X-rays.

CBCT X-rays are among the latest developments in dental imaging technology and allow Dr. Rodriguez and the staff at Union City Mini Dental Implants to provide more effective diagnosis and treatment planning.

This unique technology generates 3D images of your teeth and the surrounding soft tissues through a single straightforward scan. This provides a detailed and accurate look at the current state of your overall current health, making it possible to identify current and future issues.

CBCT X-rays are an essential component of the advanced treatment planning that Dr. Rodriguez provides for patients. With these 3D scans, she can more effectively plan advanced procedures like dental implants, periodontal treatment, and more.

With greater accuracy and detail, CBCT X-rays make it possible for Union City Mini Dental Implants to provide a higher level of care and improved results for our patients.

The CBCT X-ray procedure is fast and straightforward. The arm of the X-ray equipment will rotate around your head, capturing high-resolution X-ray images as it does so. The advanced software that powers the imaging equipment then generates the 3D scan from these images.

A Foundation for Your Preventive Dental Care

At Union City Mini Dental Implants, we can provide for all of your and your family’s preventive and other dental needs. With top-of-the-line equipment and committed care, you can receive the attention and treatment you need for your long-term oral health.

Dr. Rodriguez has nearly 20 years of dental experience providing quality care for patients. Your oral health is in good hands when you trust her for your routine dental exams and X-rays, along with any other dental treatment needs.

Schedule Your Next Dental Exam Today

If you haven’t had a routine dental exam in some time or need to find the right dentist for you and your family’s needs, you can schedule an appointment with Diana Rodriguez, DMD. You can contact Union City Mini Dental Implants to book your appointment today and discover the difference that attentive, personalized care can make.