Checkups and cleanings

A regular visit has a simple rhythm:

• A quick update: any changes in your health or medications, and anything that's been bothering you.
• X-rays, if they're due. Ours are digital, so the image is on the screen in seconds.
• The cleaning. A hygienist removes plaque and hardened tartar above and just below the gumline, then polishes your teeth. We also check your gums for signs of disease.
• The exam. Dr. Vazquez or Dr. Aldana checks every tooth, your gums and your bite, and screens for oral cancer. An intraoral camera lets you see the same worn spot or crack the dentist sees.
• A plain answer: what looks healthy, what to watch, and whether anything needs treatment.

On your first visit we welcome you by name and take you back to a treatment room. We take digital x-rays so the dentist has a complete view, then Dr. Vazquez or Dr. Aldana comes in, reviews the images with you on the screen, and does a full exam. If anything needs attention, we talk it through in detail before any plan is made. The new patient exam with x-rays is $80.

Arrive about 15 minutes early and we'll handle paperwork with you. Bring a photo ID, your insurance card if you have one, and a list of your medications.

For most people, about every six months. That's often enough to catch a cavity while it's small and clean away tartar before it irritates the gums, and most insurance plans cover two preventive visits a year.

Some people do better with more frequent visits: people with gum disease, those who get cavities easily, smokers, people with diabetes, and anyone with a lot of dental work. We'll tell you what makes sense for your mouth rather than a one-size rule.

X-rays show what an exam can't: cavities between teeth, decay under old fillings, bone loss from gum disease, infections at the root tip, and teeth that haven't come in. Many of those problems cause no pain until they're advanced.

Our x-rays are digital, which means much less radiation than old film x-rays and a sharp image in seconds. We don't take them at every visit. How often depends on your history and risk, and we'll tell you why whenever we recommend them.

Every regular exam here includes an oral cancer screening. It's quick and painless: the dentist looks at and feels your lips, tongue, cheeks, the floor and roof of your mouth, and your neck and jaw. We're looking for sores that don't heal, red or white patches, lumps, or any unusual growth.

Oral cancer is far easier to treat when it's caught early, and early changes are often painless, so the screening matters most for people who feel fine. Tobacco and heavy alcohol use raise the risk. If you notice a sore that hasn't healed in two weeks, don't wait for your next checkup. Call us.

A regular cleaning is preventive. It's for healthy gums or mild inflammation, and it focuses on the teeth above and just below the gumline.

If we find signs of gum disease, like deeper pockets between your teeth and gums, bleeding, or bone loss on x-rays, a regular cleaning can't reach the problem. A deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, cleans below the gumline with the area numbed. We'll show you the measurements and x-rays so the recommendation makes sense, and give you the cost in writing first.

Two small add-ons that prevent a lot of trouble:

• Night guards. If your teeth look flatter than they used to, or you wake up with a sore jaw or headache, you may be grinding at night. A custom guard made from your bite protects your enamel and can ease morning soreness.
• Fluoride. A quick, painless treatment that strengthens enamel and helps it resist decay. It's common for kids, and it helps adults who get cavities easily, have dry mouth, or have exposed roots.

Lots of people who come in haven't seen a dentist in years. That's fine, and nobody here will lecture you. We'll take a good look, tell you honestly what we see, and start with what matters most. If there's a lot to do, we'll help you put it in order, so the urgent things come first and the rest can be planned around your budget and schedule.

For new patients, the exam with x-rays is $80. Cleanings and any treatment are quoted in writing before they happen.

With insurance, most plans treat exams, cleanings and routine x-rays as preventive care and cover them at a high level, often twice a year. We check your plan before your visit. Without insurance, the Sunshine Membership is a $110 one-time fee for 2 checkups with x-rays, unlimited limited exams for pain, and 30 to 40% off dental treatment, with no monthly fees. It doesn't include cleanings.