Exams & Cleanings

A comprehensive dental examination at Aloha Dental Group is a full clinical evaluation of the teeth, periodontium, bite, temporomandibular joints, airway, and oral soft tissues. It extends beyond a standard check-up to include detailed occlusal assessment, full periodontal charting, oral cancer screening, and airway screening.

New patient examinations include a thorough review of medical history, current medications, and any symptoms the patient has experienced — including jaw pain, morning headaches, snoring, daytime fatigue, dry mouth, or tooth sensitivity. All findings are documented and discussed with the patient in detail before any treatment is recommended.

Professional dental prophylaxis removes supragingival and subgingival plaque, calculus, and staining from tooth surfaces — deposits that cannot be adequately addressed through home care alone. Each cleaning appointment includes updated periodontal charting, a soft tissue examination, a review of home care technique, and assessment of any new clinical findings.

For patients with a history of treated periodontal disease, standard prophylaxis is replaced by periodontal maintenance, which involves more detailed subgingival instrumentation and closer monitoring intervals tailored to the patient's risk profile.

Following completion of active periodontal therapy, regular supportive maintenance is essential to prevent disease recurrence. Periodontal pathogens can recolonize treated sites within weeks, and without consistent maintenance, clinical attachment loss will typically resume.

Periodontal maintenance appointments involve thorough subgingival debridement of all affected sites, updated full-mouth periodontal probing and charting, radiographic monitoring at clinically appropriate intervals, and assessment of the patient's home care and systemic health factors affecting periodontal stability.

Maintenance frequency is individualized based on disease severity, residual pocket depths, patient compliance, and systemic risk factors — typically every 3 to 4 months rather than the standard 6-month interval for periodontally healthy patients.