Dental Exams & Cleanings at Chemung Family Dental
A checkup and cleaning is the visit that keeps everything else from becoming a bigger appointment. We look carefully, explain what we find in everyday words, and let you decide what happens next. Whether it has been six months or six years, you will not get a lecture here.
- Small problems caught while they are still small and inexpensive to fix
- Digital X-rays only when they will actually change your care
- A written estimate before any treatment is scheduled
- Monthly financing through Cherry and CareCredit for out-of-pocket costs
- Same team every visit, so nothing has to be re-explained
4.9 out of 5 from 440+ Google reviews
The visit that prevents the expensive ones
A dental exam is a careful look at your teeth, gums, bite, and the soft tissues of your mouth. A cleaning removes the hardened plaque, called calculus or tartar, that has bonded to the tooth surface and no longer comes off with a brush or floss at home.
Your hygienist charts the health of your gums, removes deposits above and below the gumline, and polishes the surfaces. Dr. Dunn then examines the teeth and tissues, reviews any X-rays, and talks through what he sees. Most visits run about an hour.
We take X-rays when they will change something about your care, not on a fixed schedule. If we recommend treatment, you get the reason, the alternatives, and a written estimate before anything is booked.
Check your insuranceWhy do routine visits matter this much?
Decay is cheapest at the beginning
A small cavity is a filling. The same cavity found two years later can be a crown or a root canal. Nothing about the tooth changed except how long it went unwatched.
Gum disease is quiet until it is not
Early gum disease rarely hurts. Charting your gums at every visit is how we catch it while it is still reversible rather than after bone loss has started.
Oral cancer screening every time
We check the soft tissues of your mouth, tongue, and throat at each exam. It takes under a minute and it is the part of the visit patients notice least.
Your bite tells a story
Wear patterns, chips, and sensitivity often point to grinding or a bite problem. Catching that early can save you from fractured teeth later.
It keeps the relationship current
When we already know your history, an emergency call is a much shorter conversation. See our emergency care page for how that works.
What a visit actually looks like
Check in and catch up
We update your medical history and ask what has changed since we last saw you. New medication, pregnancy, or a health diagnosis can all affect your mouth.
Cleaning
Your hygienist removes deposits above and below the gumline, then polishes. If it has been a long time, this part takes longer, and we will tell you that up front rather than rushing it.
Gum charting and X-rays if needed
We measure the pockets around your teeth and record them so we can compare visit to visit. X-rays are taken only when they will inform a decision.
Exam with Dr. Dunn
He reviews the charting and images, examines your teeth and soft tissues, and explains what he sees while you can still see it too.
Your plan, explained clearly
If nothing needs doing, we say so. If something does, you get the reason, the options, and a written estimate before you commit to anything.
Dental insurance coverage
We want getting care to be easy. Call us with your plan details and our team will check your benefits and explain what is covered before treatment starts.
Ask us about your coverageWhat happens if you wait?
Skipping visits does not usually cause a sudden problem. It causes a slow one. Plaque hardens into calculus that cannot be brushed away, the gums respond with inflammation, and over time the bone that anchors your teeth can begin to recede.
Decay behaves the same way. It starts in enamel, where a filling handles it, and works inward toward the nerve, where the answer becomes a root canal or an extraction. Coming in regularly is mostly about keeping your options cheap and simple.
Read the dental exams & cleanings FAQsHave questions about dental exams & cleanings?
If you’re considering dental exams & cleanings, it’s normal to have questions. Here’s what patients ask Dr. Dunn most often.
How often should I come in?
Every six months suits most people. If you have a history of gum disease, heavy tartar buildup, or certain medical conditions, Dr. Dunn may suggest three or four month intervals. Some very low-risk patients do fine annually. It is a judgment call, not a rule.
Why do I need X-rays?
X-rays show what an eye cannot: decay between teeth, infection at the root tip, bone levels, and the position of teeth that have not erupted. We take them when they will change a decision about your care rather than on a fixed calendar.
How long does the appointment take?
Usually about an hour for the cleaning and exam together. If it has been several years since your last visit, or there is heavy buildup, we may need longer or a second appointment. We would rather do it properly than rush.
Is the cleaning going to hurt?
For most people it is uncomfortable at most. If your gums are inflamed or you have sensitive roots, tell your hygienist and we can use a topical numbing gel. Nobody should be white-knuckling a cleaning.
It has been years. Are you going to lecture me?
No. People stop coming for all kinds of reasons, including cost, anxiety, and simply losing the habit. We are interested in where your mouth is now and what you want to do about it, not in why you were away.
What is the difference between a regular cleaning and a deep cleaning?
A regular cleaning treats healthy gums and works at and just below the gumline. A deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, treats active gum disease and goes further beneath the gums, usually with numbing. If you need one, we will explain why. See gum disease treatment.
Do you check for oral cancer?
Yes, at every exam. We examine the soft tissues of your lips, cheeks, tongue, floor of the mouth, and throat. It is quick and painless, and it is one of the most valuable minutes of the visit.
Will my insurance cover it?
Most dental plans cover preventive visits at or near full benefit, often twice a year. We file claims with most plans and verify your specific benefits before your visit. Anything not covered is explained in a written estimate first.
What if you find something that needs treatment?
We explain what we found, what the options are including doing nothing for now, and what each would cost. Then you decide. Nothing gets scheduled in the same breath as the diagnosis unless you want it to be.
Can I bring my kids to the same appointment?
Yes, and many families do. We see every age in the same office. See family dentistry for how we handle younger patients.
Why people love Chemung Family Dental
4.9 out of 5 from 440+ Google reviews
The hygienist Rita is most patient centered, very professional and expertly skilled. She immediately sets the patient at ease… The office staff made me feel like I was a long term patient, despite the fact that this is my first visit to this practice.
I have been going to Chemung Family Dental since day one. My dental hygienist, Nicky, is very knowledgeable and thorough. I highly recommend them.
Everyone is so friendly…and understanding! I have never been a fan of going to the dentist but they all make it so comfortable!
Other services at Chemung Family Dental
Family Dentistry
One office for every age, from a child's first visit to a grandparent's bridge.
Book onlineTooth-Colored Fillings
Repair a cavity with a filling that matches your tooth instead of announcing itself.
Book onlineSame-Day Crowns
A CEREC crown designed, milled, and fitted in a single appointment. No temporary.
Book onlineTeeth Whitening
Professional whitening supervised by your dentist, not guessed at from a box.
Book onlineEmergency Dentistry
Chipped tooth, lost filling, swelling, or pain? Call us and we'll get you seen.
Call (607) 734-2045Gum Disease Treatment
Bleeding gums are treatable. Deep cleaning and maintenance that stops the damage.
Book onlineOral Surgery & Extractions
Surgical extractions handled here by our oral surgeon, not referred across town.
Call (607) 734-2045Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom teeth assessed and removed in the office you already know.
Call (607) 734-2045Sedation & General Anesthesia
For anxious patients and longer surgery, sedation options up to general anesthesia.
Call (607) 734-2045Dental Implants
Replace a missing tooth with a root and crown that work like the real thing.
Call (607) 734-2045Root Canal Treatment
Save an infected tooth and end the pain, usually in one or two visits.
Book onlineFrom the blog
Why are my gums bleeding?
What bleeding gums usually mean, and when it is time for more than a cleaning.
Read the articleFinding a family dentist in Elmira
What to look for in an office that can see everyone in your household.
Read the articleA guide for nervous patients
Practical ways to make a dental visit easier if you have been putting it off.
Read the article