Preliminary Dental Treatments

If you are thinking of getting more serious dental treatments like dental implants or oral surgery, or possibly are thinking of embarking on orthodontic treatment, there may be a few preliminary dental treatments you must undergo, depending on your oral hygiene. Here is what you should definitely get before starting a more complicated or intensive dental treatment.

Oral examination

A proper analysis of your oral health must happen to determine if you are eligible for dental treatment. This means an x-ray and possibly a CT scan to test the bones if they are dense enough (this is only relevant when getting dental implants). You may also want to get blood work done to see if you have any systemic diseases like haemophilia or diabetes, as these will exclude you from many procedures, but these are only necessary if you have any symptoms that may be suspicious.

Hygiene session

Your mouth may be less able to fight off bacteria after oral surgery or dental implants, therefore it is important to make sure that your teeth are as clean as possible before getting any serious dental treatments. A professional oral hygiene session is the perfect way to do that. During these sessions any and all plaque and tartar will be removed from the tooth surfaces, leaving you with optimal oral conditions which will minimise the chances of infection or tooth decay.

Root planning

One of the aspects of a hygiene session is root planning. This is important before a serious dental procedure because it cleans the gums and soft tissues, and reduces the chances of periodontitis, which can be a real problem. The dentist will scale the tooth roots and the soft tissues, and remove any plaque or tartar from these. If you already have periodontitis, you may need to undergo a course of antibiotics to clean the soft tissues.

Minor treatments

Needless to say, if you have any cavities or pre-cavities, you will need to get those taken care of before you embark on your dental procedure. These minor treatments should not be ignored, and you should invest in getting them done once and for all, as in the long run, a successful serious dental procedure will end saving you time and money.