Most people book a check-up and clean without ever being told what the appointment actually covers. It is easy to assume it is just a polish. In practice, the examination is the part that does the heavy lifting, and the clean is what keeps the next examination straightforward.
Here is what an hour in the chair at our Canberra City practice usually involves, and why each step is there.
Before the chair: your history
If you are a new patient, the first few minutes are spent on your medical and dental history. This is not a formality. Medications that reduce saliva flow change your decay risk. Conditions that affect healing change how we approach extractions and gum treatment. Grinding, jaw clicking, reflux and smoking all leave signatures in the mouth that are easier to interpret when we know they are there.
If you have had dental work elsewhere, bring what you know: approximate dates, which teeth, whether anything has been uncomfortable since. Gaps in the record are normal and nothing to apologise for.
The examination
The dentist works through the mouth in a set order so that nothing is skipped.
Teeth
Each tooth is checked visually and with a probe for decay, cracks, wear facets and failing restorations. Old fillings are checked at their margins, which is where recurrent decay usually starts. Fillings do not last forever, and catching a leaking margin early is the difference between a replacement filling and something larger.
Gums
Gum health is measured, not eyeballed. The dentist or hygienist records pocket depths around the teeth and notes where the gums bleed on gentle probing. Bleeding is the earliest reliable sign of inflammation, and it usually appears well before anything becomes uncomfortable. If you would like more detail on what bleeding indicates, we have written separately about why gums bleed and when to act.
Soft tissues and bite
The tongue, floor of mouth, cheeks, palate and throat are examined. This is a routine screen for changes in the soft tissue, and it takes under a minute. The dentist also checks how your teeth meet, whether any teeth are taking more load than they should, and whether the jaw joint moves smoothly.
X-rays
Decay between the teeth and bone levels around the roots cannot be seen by looking. A new patient appointment at our practice includes a full mouth OPG x-ray, which gives a single wide view of the teeth, jaws, sinuses and the position of any wisdom teeth. How often x-rays are repeated after that depends on your individual risk, not on a fixed schedule.
The clean
Plaque is soft and can be brushed away. Once it hardens into calculus, it bonds to the tooth and has to be removed mechanically. That is the entire purpose of the clean.
- Ultrasonic scaling. A fine vibrating tip and a water spray break calculus off the tooth surface, above and just below the gum line.
- Hand scaling. Finer deposits and areas the ultrasonic tip cannot reach are removed by hand.
- Polishing. A prophy cup and paste remove surface stain from tea, coffee, red wine and tobacco, and leave the enamel smooth so plaque takes longer to re-accumulate.
- Mineral treatment. A fluoride varnish or paste is applied to help remineralise early weak spots in the enamel.
If you have not had a clean for a long time, or there is inflammation below the gum line, the clean may be split across more than one visit, or done under local anaesthetic for comfort. That is a clinical decision made on the day, and it will be discussed with you before anything starts.
What you are told at the end
You should leave knowing three things: what was found, what needs attention now, and what is being monitored. A written treatment plan with itemised costs is the norm for anything beyond the appointment itself. If something is being watched rather than treated, ask what would change that decision, so you know what the next review is looking for.
How often should you come in?
Six months is a useful default, not a rule. People with a history of gum disease, high decay rates, dry mouth, orthodontic appliances or extensive restorative work are often seen every three to four months. People with stable, low-risk mouths are sometimes seen annually. The interval is set from your risk profile, and it can change in either direction over time.
What it costs
Our new patient dental consultation and clean package starts from $219 and includes the examination and explanation of findings, a full mouth OPG x-ray, internal and external photographs, the clean and mineral treatment, and removal of stain, plaque and calculus. Costs for anything identified during the examination are quoted separately before treatment goes ahead.
We are a Bupa, NIB First Choice and Medibank provider, and HICAPS is available so any health fund rebate is applied at the time of the appointment. The full Civic Gentle Dental Care price list sets out current fees across general and cosmetic treatment. More on check-ups and cleans at our Canberra practice.
Common questions
Will the clean hurt?
Most people find scaling to be a vibration and a water sensation rather than a painful one. Sensitivity is more common if the gums are already inflamed or if root surfaces are exposed. Tell the clinician early rather than enduring it, because local anaesthetic or a slower technique is straightforward to arrange.
Why do my gums bleed during the clean if they do not bleed at home?
Bleeding on probing reflects inflammation in the gum tissue. Brushing may not reach the areas that are inflamed, particularly between the teeth, so the bleeding goes unnoticed until an instrument reaches them.
Can a clean whiten my teeth?
A clean removes surface stain, which often makes teeth look brighter. It does not change the underlying colour of the tooth. That requires a whitening treatment, and results differ from person to person.
How long does the appointment take?
Allow around an hour for a new patient examination and clean. Follow-up cleans are usually shorter.
Booking an appointment in Canberra City
Civic Gentle Dental Care is at Suite 8, Level 3/161 London Circuit, Canberra City, a short walk from the Canberra Centre. To arrange an appointment, call (02) 6247 0224 or send us a message through our contact page.
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for individual dental advice. Whether a treatment is suitable for you, and what it will involve, can only be determined after an examination by a dentist. Any prices mentioned are estimates drawn from our current price guide and are not a quote.