Oral exams are carried out to determine issues with your teeth, gums and sometimes jawbone. Teeth are a vital part of your mouth and sometimes, because of gum disease or a weak jawbone, serious problems with teeth result.

So an oral examination will not only determine problems that you may have with your teeth today, but also those that are likely to develop without treatment. Early remedial action, as with most health issues, will mean that the treatment is less severe and the result will be a longer lasting solution.

Most people are aware of the need to fill cavities that can develop in teeth because of teeth decay. We use a drill and other tools to remove the decayed part of the tooth before filling with a material that bonds to the remaining tooth to form a strong sealed surface that both protects and strenghtens the original part of the tooth.

Bridges are used to support a cosmetic replacement for a lost tooth and consist of two or more crowns that fit over adjacent teeth to support a new replacement tooth that fills a gap left by an extraction. An oral examination will determine whether a bridge, or perhaps a dental implant is the best course of action for any individual.

Root canal procedures are required when the soft inner part of a tooth becomes infected and is likely to cause an abscess. Treatment involves removing the nerve and pulp of the inside of the tooth which is cleaned and sealed. Whilst a root canal is a major procedure, it is vitally necessary to remove harmful bacteria that may be harbouring in a decayed tooth. Left untreated, an infected tooth may result in other serious health issues that can be life threatening.