A routine examination is the single most valuable appointment in dentistry — because it is the one that finds problems while they are still small, painless and simple to treat.
Most dental disease develops silently. Decay, gum disease and even early oral cancers rarely announce themselves with pain in their early stages, and by the time something hurts, the most conservative window for treatment has usually closed. A regular examination lets us intervene early, using the least invasive techniques, and keeps your care focused on prevention rather than repair.
There is an old proverb: the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second-best time is now. It is never too late to take control of your oral health, and every patient who books that first appointment has already taken the most important step.
Your examination is far more thorough than a quick look at your teeth. It typically includes:
If you have had X-rays taken elsewhere within the last year, please bring them with you. If we cannot access them on the day, we may need to take a new set for safe diagnosis and treatment planning.
We also check for undiagnosed facial pain, which is frequently linked to an uneven or incorrect bite.
Beneath the gum line sits the periodontium — the soft tissue and bone that hold your teeth firmly in place. Gum disease (periodontal disease) affects these structures and, left untreated, is a leading cause of tooth loss.
During your examination we use a fine instrument called a periodontal probe to measure the small spaces between your teeth and gums. The depth of these pockets tells us a great deal about your gum health. We also assess the colour and texture of the gums, looking for the redness, swelling or bleeding that can signal inflammation or infection — so that anything developing is caught and treated early.
Where appropriate, hygiene treatment can be carried out in the same visit (at an additional fee) to remove plaque and tartar. Beyond fresher breath and healthier gums, clean tooth surfaces let your dentist see around the angles of each tooth clearly and give you more precise, personalised advice.
We look carefully for tooth wear, uneven bites and bruxism (clenching and grinding). An uneven bite is like walking in two shoes of different heights — the muscles overwork to compensate, which drives further clenching and accelerates wear, particularly once the natural canine guidance is lost.
This matters for more than your teeth. The loss of tooth height affects the vertical dimension of the face and can visibly age the lower third of the face. Overworked jaw muscles can also fatigue and become painful, sometimes triggering tension headaches and migraines. As part of your examination we carry out a facial analysis to assess all of this — so please tell us about any head or neck pain you experience. Depending on severity, treatment ranges from monitoring and facial exercises to splints and, where needed, restorative work.
Examining the soft tissues of the mouth can save lives. At every examination we carry out a thorough soft-tissue check of the gums, tongue, cheeks, and the roof and floor of the mouth, looking for anything unusual. Many systemic diseases show their earliest signs in the mouth.
The great majority of anything we find is harmless. But where a lesion is a cause for concern, early detection dramatically improves outcomes. Please tell us about any new sore, lump or discolouration that has not cleared within two weeks. If we cannot identify it with confidence, we will refer you to our oral pathologist for a biopsy — and we will always encourage you to follow through. On more than one occasion, insisting on a biopsy has changed the course of a patient’s health entirely.
Your mouth and your general health are deeply connected. We will always ask about your medical conditions and medications, because many systemic conditions — including diabetes, thyroid and cardiovascular disorders, immune conditions, rheumatoid arthritis and eating disorders — have oral signs, and we are often well placed to spot them early.
The relationship runs both ways: oral infections can affect the rest of the body, and periodontal disease has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
We also review any unusual symptoms that may be head- or neck-related. Patients have come to us with undiagnosed dizziness, facial pain or headaches that turned out to be sinusitis, and children with mouth sores later diagnosed as Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease — allowing us to reassure them and plan care appropriately.
Certain medications carry oral side effects too, from gums that bleed more readily on blood thinners to gum enlargement with some anti-epileptic drugs. This is exactly why a thorough history is so important: it allows us to plan treatment that is safe and appropriate for you, adjusting or timing care where conditions require antibiotic cover, altered medication or special precautions. A full examination protects us both.
Every consultation is given the time it deserves.
Your first visit is an unhurried, in-depth consultation, with generous time set aside for you. It gives your dentist time to understand your dental history, carry out a full clinical examination, take any necessary X-rays, and talk through your concerns, goals and options in detail. This appointment sets the foundation for everything that follows.
Children are given their own dedicated appointment — unhurried time to build trust, keep things relaxed, and carry out a full, gentle check of your child’s teeth, gums and bite, with clear guidance for parents on home care.
If you are considering veneers, bonding or a full smile makeover, a dedicated cosmetic consultation gives us time to understand your goals, assess your suitability and talk through every option available to you.
For complex cases, we offer dedicated consultations with our specialists in endodontics (root canal), prosthodontics (restorative) and orthodontics. We also offer emergency appointments, so we can see you promptly, diagnose the problem and begin treatment as quickly as possible.
Every smile is different, and understanding what you would like to change is the first step. Complete our short form and tell us a little about your concerns, goals or previous dental experiences. A friendly member of the Smile Solutions team will then contact you to discuss your options, answer your questions and help you decide what feels right for you, with no pressure to book.
