Catching problems while they are still small and cheap to fix.
A checkup is not just a look at your teeth. It is a systematic examination of everything in your mouth, most of which you cannot assess yourself — decay between teeth, bone levels below the gumline, early tissue changes, and how your bite is wearing.
The economics are stark. A cavity found at a checkup is a filling. The same cavity eighteen months later is often a root canal and a crown, at many times the cost.
What We Examine
- Every tooth — decay, cracks, wear, and the condition of existing fillings and crowns
- Your gums — inflammation, recession and pocket depths, the early markers of gum disease
- X-rays where needed — decay between teeth and bone loss are invisible to the naked eye
- Your bite — how teeth meet, and evidence of grinding or clenching
- Soft tissue — an oral cancer screening of the tongue, cheeks, palate, throat and neck
- Existing work — old restorations fail eventually, and it is better to plan replacement than have one break
The Oral Cancer Screening
This part gets overlooked and it matters. Oral cancer is far more survivable when caught early, and early lesions are typically painless — which is exactly why people do not notice them. It takes a couple of minutes and it is part of every checkup here.
How Often?
Every six months for most adults and children. Higher-risk patients — a history of gum disease, smokers, diabetics, or anyone prone to decay — benefit from more frequent visits. We will tell you what your situation calls for.
What Happens After
You get a straight account of what we found. If everything is fine, we say so and book you back in six months — we are not going to invent work.
If treatment is needed, you get a written plan with costs, and we prioritise it: urgent first, structural next, cosmetic last. If something can reasonably wait, we say that too.
Cost and Coverage
Checkups and X-rays are covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan and virtually all private plans. See fees and payment. Usually booked together with a cleaning in one visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a checkup if nothing hurts?
Yes. Most dental problems cause no pain until they are advanced. Pain is a late symptom, not an early one.
Are dental X-rays safe?
Modern digital X-rays use very low radiation doses. We take them when there is a clinical reason, not routinely at every visit.
How long does a checkup take?
Around 30 minutes, or closer to an hour combined with a cleaning.
What if it has been years?
Come in anyway. See new patient information — the first visit is a full assessment and nobody is going to give you a hard time.