Exams and Cleanings
Come visit us every six months for your regular exam and cleanings. You’ll have an exciting visit with fun things to do and you’ll get awesome prizes and toys too!
X-rays:
Before the exam, we are going to take pictures of your teeth, called X-rays. These pictures are going to show us if you have any cavities, or sugar bugs, on your teeth. There are four pictures that we need to take, and they are very very important so try your best! But if it’s too hard, let us know, and we may have to wait until next time when you’re mouth is bigger and you can take the picture more easily.
When kids reach seven years old, we also take a panoramic x-ray, or pano, which goes around the head to take one full shot of the entire mouth. This lets us see more detail around the mouth, such as the jaws and the sinuses.
Exams:
The exam is the easy part. Before the dentist comes in, a laser cavity detector may be used to check for any sugar bugs on the tops of your teeth. This shines a bright red light on the dark spots and it beeps to give a number of how soft that part of the tooth is. The dentist will then come in, look at the numbers and then look at your teeth to see if you have any sugar bugs!
Cleanings:
Then the dentist will clean your teeth with special instruments. While cleaning, you can watch TV or play the Wii. Afterwards, your teeth will be polished with a special toothbrush and toothpaste. It may tickle! Feel free to ask for different flavor toothpaste if you don’t like the one you have. We have:
- mint
- cherry
- bubblegum
- chocolate
- blueberry
- watermelon
- and more!
Lastly, special vitamins will be put on your teeth to make them strong! For the vitamins to work, you can’t eat or drink for thirty minutes, but afterwards you can eat whatever you want!
Cool Prizes!
After your cleaning, you get a goody bag with some toys and cool toothpaste, flossers, and mouthwash! You even get a light up tooth brush that keeps blinking until you’re done brushing your teeth. We also have balloons for you in different colors, so don’t be afraid to ask for them.
Lastly, if you have no cavities, you can take a picture and be part of our No Cavity Club! You can hang your picture so everyone can see what an awesome brusher you are!
At Ladera Ranch Dentistry, we believe that getting used to exams and cleanings at an early age is always a good idea. Not only do kids find out whether their smile is nice and healthy and learn about good brushing and flossing habits, but kids also become comfortable with going to the dentist. It becomes more like a fun and exciting visit rather than a scary unknown appointment. More importantly, we value your kids’ health, as well as their comfort. We want them to have fun while building great habits, friendly relationships, and enjoyable memories.