A professional dental cleaning and exam at Olmos Park Family and Implant Dentistry is significantly more thorough than what a toothbrush and floss can achieve at home — and it is the cornerstone of the preventive philosophy Dr. Metz established when she founded the practice. During a cleaning, the hygiene team removes calculus (tartar) that has mineralised onto tooth surfaces and below the gumline, where it cannot be dislodged by brushing alone. Dr. Metz then conducts a detailed clinical examination, reviewing X-rays, checking for early signs of decay, assessing gum health, and screening for oral cancer. Patients leave with a clear picture of their current oral health status and a personalised plan for maintaining it.
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A regular prophylaxis cleaning removes plaque and tartar from above and just below the gumline in patients with healthy or mildly inflamed gums. A deep cleaning — or scaling and root planing — is a therapeutic procedure for patients with active periodontal disease, involving detailed removal of deposits from deeper pockets and smoothing of root surfaces to discourage bacterial reattachment. Dr. Metz will measure your pocket depths at your exam to determine which is clinically appropriate.
Modern dental X-rays involve extremely low radiation doses — a standard set of bitewing X-rays delivers approximately 0.005 millisieverts, equivalent to less than one day of natural background radiation. Dr. Metz follows evidence-based guidelines on X-ray frequency, taking them only when clinically indicated rather than on a fixed annual schedule.
Yes, and it is one of the most important things to flag. Bleeding gums are the primary clinical sign of gingivitis — inflammation caused by bacterial plaque at the gumline — and if left unaddressed, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, which involves irreversible bone loss around the teeth. Dr. Metz will assess the extent of inflammation at your exam and recommend the appropriate treatment to halt its progression.