Comprehensive Exams

What’s the Difference Between a Checkup and a Comprehensive Exam?

Teeth and gums are checked at both checkups and comprehensive exams, but a comprehensive dental exam allows your dentist enough time to check all of the supporting facial, structural, and secondary components that go into that healthy smile of yours. It would take too much time to do a comprehensive exam with every checkup, and it would also be unnecessary. Here at Stamford Dental Spa, we perform our comprehensive exams in order to find out what is healthy versus what is not healthy, and we want to allow enough time to tell the difference.

Areas We Check

• Gums and supporting bones
• Teeth
• Examine soft tissues of mouth, throat and surrounding structures to screen for head and neck cancer
• Bite analysis
• Jawbones
• X-rays and various scans
• Quantity and quality of saliva
• Appearance of teeth and gums related to the face

Routine Cleanings

You should receive a routine cleaning every six months, to keep your already healthy smile bright.

One of our highly trained dental hygienists will make sure that your teeth are as clean as possible, while at the same time providing early screening for potential decay.

During a routine cleaning, tartar and plaque are removed from your teeth above and below the gum line. Even if you brush your teeth regularly, tartar can still form, which is why every once in a while, it is good to get your teeth cleaned and checked out by a professional. There are some places your toothbrush just can’t reach. That’s why we’re here!

At the routine cleaning, your hygienist will also polish your teeth, to keep your teeth white, and your smile bright. The cleaning may also include the taking of dental X-rays, which can help to detect decay as well as helping your dentist detect any other problems. Getting routine cleanings at the recommended times helps you to avoid bigger issues in the future.

At Stamford Dental Spa, we aim to help you stay on top of your oral health with these virtually painless visits, so that you don't suffer with dental problems down the road.