A new year is here! Since we are still early in the year, you have a chance to mark this occasion with the first checkup of 2026. With a routine checkup and cleaning visit, you and your family have a chance to keep your smiles bright, beautiful, and healthy for months to come. In today’s blog, your Richardson, TX, family dentist talks about the importance of starting your 2026 with a checkup appointment!
Checkups for Kids and Adults
This is a visit that benefits every member of your family. Not only do we treat adults and seniors, but with pediatric dentistry we can also help little smiles too, from babies and toddlers to teens. With a checkup, all ages will sit down in the exam chair and our team will ask about oral hygiene habits and other factors that may impact oral health. We then take a close look at the smile not only visually, but with the aid of digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, which are gentle, safe, and use 90% less radiation than traditional systems.
With these images, we will be able to make a diagnosis with precision and accuracy, identifying possible risks to the smile and creating a personified treatment plan to address them. We will look for issues like cavities and gum disease, and for kids we can evaluate airway obstructions that could impact breathing at night and behavior during the day. We also watch for issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism, and whether your older teens need a wisdom tooth extraction in the future.
Dental Cleanings
In the same sitting, we will also conduct a dental cleaning, in which one of our talented dental hygienists will gently and thoroughly remove all plaque and tartar from the teeth. Doing so helps lower the risk of bad breath, stained teeth, and even cavities and gum disease. The process only takes a few minutes, and we then polish the teeth for a brighter appearance, and to help prevent serious buildup before we see you again.
Preventive Treatments
For kids and some adults, we could also discuss preventive treatments to help lower the risk of cavities. If needed, we could apply fluoride to the teeth in seconds, a process that helps keep enamel strong and cavity risk low. Our team could also apply dental sealants to the rear teeth, which are hard for kids to reach. This prevents cavities from forming there, often for years at a time!
Your Richardson, TX, Dentist Offers Healthy Smiles
With a checkup, you can start your year on the path to a better smile. For more information on our dental exams and cleanings, then please schedule a consultation by calling the Viva Dental Family Dentistry office nearest you at (214) 337-7800 (Dallas) or (972) 437-6000 (Richardson).
