What is Possible with Just One Dental Visit?

How many trips to the dentist does it take to screw in a light bulb?

That’s not a real joke. There’s no punchline. But we all know the question - how many times will I have to come back to the dentist?

This can be an especially daunting question to ask if you haven’t been to the dentist in a long time...

What Comes With a Regular Dental Cleaning?

With any single given dental appointment, most patients can expect a full routine cleaning that focuses on the surface of the teeth. That’s very normal. This typically includes:

• Cleaning with fluoride
• Removal of visible plaque
• Polish
• And, of course, a cavity check

That last one is what scares a lot of people -- What if I have multiple cavities and have to come back?

Well, if you plan for additional time, and depending on your dentist, it’s possible to get one or two cavities taken care of that same visit. Any more than that might require additional visits.

Beyond Just Cavities…

If you’ve got more serious issues than cavities, though, you may find yourself setting up multiple follow-up appointments. Broken or rotted teeth require additional visits, as would root canals.

But advancements in available dental technology have enabled dentists everywhere to provide greater comfort and convenience to patients than ever before, and many treatments that used to require lots of return visits can now be done in one visit.

Many dentists employ CEREC technology for same-day dental restoration, for example. This cutting-edge technology removes the lab work from the process. During chairside treatments, dentists can now take patients through all the steps, from first digital impressions and computer-based construction of the restoration to the milling process, all right there in the office.

Teeth in a Day® technology enables dentists to provide same-day tooth implants. In this process, a temporary tooth (or crown) is placed during the same appointment as dental implant placement. Patients leave, and continue with their life and work. Meanwhile, the dental implant fuses with your natural bone and the long-term custom crown will be placed in about three to six months.

It’s Up to You

There’s lots of new technology available to the public through private local dentists these days, and the technology continues to improve. The best bet is to call your dentist and inquire about specifics, and then make an appointment. It’s quite possible that you’ll be all done in a single trip!

About the Company:

Dr. Kouyoumdjian received his Doctoral of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Southern California where he focused on esthetic dentistry. He has received several professional awards and regularly attends training sessions to stay up-to-date on the latest cosmetic dentistry. Several other services are also available, including teeth whitening and general dentistry. The whole staff at Studio City Dental Center strives to make patients comfortable and have a pleasant experience.

Dr. Kouyoumdjian received his Doctoral of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Southern California where he focused on esthetic dentistry.