Services:
Comprehensive Dental Exams and X-rays
Easton, PA
Comprehensive Dental Exams and X-rays for the whole family
At Dr. Lisa Muff’s office, serving Easton, Pennsylvania, and the nearby region, our practitioner and staff encourage our patients to receive routine exams to prevent periodontal disease and other unpleasant oral health problems associated with pain and tooth loss. We recommend our patients attend these routine dental care appointments every six months, some more frequently, as part of their preventative care in addition to proper at-home oral health care.
Comprehensive Oral Health Exam
At a checkup, we’ll review your medical and dental history and ask if there have been any changes since your last visit. This part of the exam allows us to evaluate your medical history and identify any conditions or medications you take that could affect your oral health. You may notice us taking your blood pressure, and you may wonder why we do this. This step can help us identify a blood pressure issue. If you have any dental anxiety, it can help us intervene to prevent an unsafe spike. If you receive a local anesthetic, it typically consists of epinephrine, which constricts your blood vessels and can lead to a dangerous rise in your blood pressure during treatment. Plus, if you take blood pressure medication, some are known to cause dry mouth — an issue that can increase the likelihood of gum disease.
Next, a staff member looks inside your mouth for tooth decay, gum disease, and other visible signs of an oral health issue. Throughout our hygiene fitness evaluation, we receive insight into ways you can improve your oral health and can make recommendations. We can plan a course of action for any dental problems or restorative dental work.
At routine visits with our family dentist, you receive thorough dental cleanings. If you have any plaque, we use a dental scraper to remove it. We can provide a fluoride treatment to prevent dental caries in the future.
Importance of Dental X-Rays
Even if you have no signs of major dental health issues, the American Dental Association recommends an adult receive an X-ray every 3-5 years. Those with oral health issues may need them more frequently. The images can help our dentists identify decay not easily seen through our visual assessment. We can see decay beneath a filling; any jaw bone loss from periodontal disease is also visible. Sometimes, X-rays help us prepare you for a procedure.
Types of X-Rays Offered
Our family dentistry office provides bite-wing or periapical digital X-rays, each giving a different view of the mouth. We’ll recommend the right one for you based on your risk of various oral health problems.
Bite-Wing
A bite-wing X-ray is the most common type performed at regular dental checkups. For this option, our practitioner asks you to place the film in your mouth and bite down on its outer edges. Then, our dentist can see the structure of your upper and lower teeth and jaw.
Periapical
Periapical X-rays are taken on one part of your mouth at a time, either upper or lower. We can use this imaging to look at the roots of your teeth and the bone structure near them. These X-rays allow us to find abscesses and impacted teeth.
Visiting Us for Routine Exams
Your oral health impacts your quality of life and can also affect your heart. The ADA advises adults to get two dental exams per year, and when you choose us, you receive care from a dentist with 30 years of experience helping dental patients prevent oral health problems and have beautiful smiles.
Call us for an appointment at 610-559-8001.