Treatment
Exams & Digital Imaging
A proper look, explained properly. Low-dose digital imaging on screen beside you, so you understand your own mouth.
A comprehensive examination is more than a glance at your teeth. Dr. Amera assesses each tooth, the health of the gums and bone, how your teeth meet, the joints and muscles of the jaw, and the soft tissues, including an oral cancer screening. Digital x-rays and intraoral photographs give her the information that is not visible from the outside.
Digital sensors capture images in seconds at a fraction of the radiation of older film, and they appear immediately on the screen in front of you. That matters more than it sounds: instead of being told there is a problem, you can see it. Findings are recorded and compared visit to visit, so slow changes are caught while they are still small.
Almost everything in dentistry is cheaper, faster, and more comfortable when it is found early. Decay between teeth, bone loss, cracks, failing old restorations, and infections at the root are all invisible without imaging, and all painless until they are not. The examination is the least dramatic appointment we offer and quietly the most valuable.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Exams & Digital Imaging.
Every patient, including new patients joining the practice, patients who have not been seen for several years, and anyone with a specific concern about a tooth. A comprehensive examination is also the necessary first step before any cosmetic, implant, or rehabilitation planning.
Conversational. Expect to be asked about your medical history, your habits, what you like and dislike about your smile, and what has happened in your mouth before. New patient appointments are longer than a routine check precisely so nothing is rushed and you leave understanding the whole picture.
A new patient comprehensive examination with imaging takes around an hour, sometimes a little longer if it is paired with a cleaning. Routine periodic examinations are shorter, and imaging is only repeated when it is clinically due rather than by default.
Bring a list of your medications and any relevant medical history, since both affect dental treatment more than people expect. If you have recent x-rays from another practice, we are glad to request them and avoid repeating the exposure. Examinations and periodic imaging are covered by most dental insurance plans, usually in full.
There is nothing to recover from. You leave with a clear understanding of what is happening in your mouth, a written plan if treatment is needed, and an honest sense of what is urgent, what can wait, and what is purely optional.
Get Your GLOW On
Your smile deserves this kind of attention
A boutique practice in Aliso Viejo, built around smile design, comprehensive care, and the kind of unhurried attention that makes dentistry feel different. We would love to meet you.