Gilbert / Queen Creek family dentistry

Preventive care · Gilbert / Queen Creek

Dental Exams in Queen Creek, AZ

Regular dental exams help you stay ahead of cavities, gum problems, and other changes in your oral health. At Marketplace Dental Excellence in Queen Creek, AZ, our dentist examines your teeth, gums, and overall oral health to identify concerns and help you understand the care your smile may need.

What Is a Dental Exam?

A dental exam is a professional evaluation of your teeth, gums, and overall oral health. During the exam, our dentist looks for signs of cavities, gum disease, damaged teeth, infection, and other concerns that may affect your smile.

A dental exam also gives you a chance to address concerns before they become more difficult to treat. By checking your oral health regularly, our dentist can identify changes, explain what they mean, and recommend the right care when needed.

What Is a Dental Exam?

What Does a Dental Exam Check?

A dental exam looks beyond just checking for cavities. Our dentist evaluates your teeth, gums, existing dental work, and other areas of your mouth to identify changes that may need attention.

Teeth and Cavities

Our dentist checks your teeth for signs of tooth decay, cracks, wear, damage, and other changes that could affect your oral health. Finding these concerns early can help determine whether you need treatment or continued monitoring.

Gums and Supporting Tissues

Your gums and the tissues that support your teeth are also examined for signs of inflammation, bleeding, or gum disease. Evaluating these areas helps our dentist monitor the health and stability of your teeth.

Existing Dental Work

If you have fillings, crowns, bridges, dental implants, or other restorations, our dentist can check their condition during your exam. This helps identify signs of wear, damage, or other changes that may require attention.

Overall Oral Health

A dental exam also includes an evaluation of other areas of your mouth, including your tongue, cheeks, and gum tissue. If our dentist notices an unusual change or area of concern, they can recommend further evaluation or appropriate care.

What Happens During a Dental Exam?

Your dental exam will be based on your oral health, dental history, symptoms, and any concerns you want to discuss. Our dentist will evaluate your mouth, check for potential problems, and explain any recommended care.

01

Review Your Dental History

Our dentist may ask about your dental history, current concerns, symptoms, medications, and previous dental treatment. This information helps us understand your oral health and identify areas that may need closer attention.

02

Examine Your Teeth and Gums

Your teeth and gums will be examined for signs of cavities, gum problems, damage, infection, and other oral health concerns. The exam may also include checking existing fillings, crowns, bridges, implants, or other dental work.

03

Dental X-Rays When Needed

X-rays may be recommended when a closer look is needed at areas that cannot be fully evaluated during a visual exam. Whether you need X-rays depends on your dental history, symptoms, oral health, and the findings from your exam.

04

Discuss Your Oral Health

After the examination, our dentist will explain the findings and answer your questions. If treatment or preventive care is recommended, you can discuss your options and the next steps for your dental care.

Why Are Regular Dental Exams Important?

Regular dental exams give our dentist an opportunity to monitor your oral health and identify changes that you may not notice on your own. Even if your teeth feel fine, an exam can help detect concerns that may need attention.

Routine exams can help:

  • Find cavities and other dental problems: Our dentist can check for signs of tooth decay, damage, infection, and other concerns.
  • Monitor your gum health: Regular exams allow our dentist to look for changes in your gums and supporting tissues.
  • Check existing dental work: Fillings, crowns, bridges, implants, and other restorations can be evaluated for signs of wear or damage.
  • Track changes over time: Comparing your oral health during regular visits can help our dentist identify changes that may require attention.
  • Plan treatment when needed: If a problem is found, our dentist can explain your treatment options and recommend the appropriate next step.

Dental Exam vs. Dental Cleaning

A dental exam and dental cleaning serve different purposes, although they may be part of the same dental visit. An exam focuses on evaluating your oral health, while a cleaning focuses on removing plaque and tartar from your teeth.

Dental Exam

Dental Cleaning

Dental Exam

Evaluates your teeth, gums, and overall oral health

Dental Cleaning

Removes plaque, tartar, and surface buildup

Dental Exam

Checks for cavities, gum problems, damage, and other concerns

Dental Cleaning

Helps keep your teeth and gumline clean

Dental Exam

May include X-rays when needed

Dental Cleaning

Focuses on cleaning the teeth and areas around the gumline

Dental Exam

Dentist evaluates your oral health and findings

Dental Cleaning

Dental professional performs the cleaning

What If Your Dental Exam Finds a Problem?

If our dentist identifies a dental concern during your exam, we will explain what was found and what it may mean for your oral health. Some concerns may only need monitoring or preventive care, while others may require treatment.

Depending on the findings, you may need restorative treatment for a cavity or damaged tooth, care for a gum problem, or a tooth-replacement option for a missing tooth. Our dentist will discuss the recommended treatment and help you understand the next steps for your dental care.

Why Choose Marketplace Dental Excellence for Dental Exams?

At Marketplace Dental Excellence in Queen Creek, AZ, your dental exam is an opportunity to get a clear picture of your current oral health and understand whether any concerns need attention. Our dentist evaluates your teeth, gums, existing dental work, and other areas of your mouth based on your individual dental needs.

If your exam identifies a problem, you can discuss the appropriate treatment options with our team instead of being left unsure about what to do next. Whether you need preventive care, restorative treatment, or another dental service, we can help you understand the recommended care and plan your next step.

Schedule Your Dental Exam in Queen Creek

Don’t wait for tooth pain or other symptoms before checking your oral health. A dental exam can help identify changes in your teeth and gums that may not be noticeable on your own. Schedule an exam with Marketplace Dental Excellence to find out if your smile needs any additional care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Included in a Dental Exam?

A dental exam includes an evaluation of your teeth, gums, and overall oral health. Our dentist will check for cavities, gum problems, damage, infection, and other concerns. Existing dental work may also be evaluated, and X-rays may be recommended when needed.

The recommended frequency depends on your oral health, dental history, risk of tooth decay, gum health, and individual dental needs. Our dentist can evaluate your oral health and recommend a schedule that is appropriate for you.

X-rays are not required at every dental exam. Our dentist may recommend X-rays when they are needed to evaluate areas that cannot be fully examined during a visual exam. The need for X-rays depends on your dental history, symptoms, and oral health.

A routine dental exam is generally not painful. You may experience some mild discomfort if your dentist needs to examine an area that is sensitive or already causing a problem. Let our team know if you have any concerns during your appointment.

A dental exam and cleaning may be scheduled during the same visit, depending on your appointment and dental needs. An exam evaluates your oral health, while a cleaning focuses on removing plaque and tartar from your teeth.

More ways we can help

Related preventive services.

Areas we serve

Neighborhoods

We proudly serve patients from these surrounding neighborhoods and communities

Queen Creek

Gilbert

Gilbert

Mesa / Gateway

Driving Directions

Marketplace Dental Excellence is conveniently located at 18610 S Rittenhouse Rd #106 in Queen Creek, AZ 85142, making it easily accessible from major roads throughout the East Valley. If you’re traveling from Phoenix or areas to the west, US-60 East and Loop 202 East provide convenient routes toward Queen Creek. From the north, Loop 202 South connects to local roads leading directly to Rittenhouse Road. Visitors coming from the south can use Hunt Highway or local roads to reach the dental office quickly. Our location is close to neighboring communities like Gilbert, Chandler, San Tan Valley, and Mesa, with ample parking available. Be sure to plan for potential traffic during peak hours to ensure a smooth visit.
Don’t see your neighborhood listed? Give us a call — we likely still serve your area.
Testimonials

What Patients Say About Us

Reviews that individuals have submitted to us are detailed below.

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Brenda Anderson profile picture
Brenda Anderson
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Staff very friendly and helpful.
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Michael Evans profile picture
Michael Evans
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Dr. Smith great dentist with amazing staff.
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Jezel Oconnor profile picture
Jezel Oconnor
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Update to my review from a while back. I started going myself last week. As someone who worked in dental for ten years and still has bad dental anxiety, Dr. Stone is great. I presented with tooth pain. Although he tried to convince me to save the tooth (as that is his job) he ultimately listened to what I wanted and took it out. The tooth gave him a challenge, but the entire time he kept me calm... made me laugh... and didnt make me feel bad when I needed breaks. I have full faith he will help me get my dental health back and in turn making me more confident in my smile. Highly recommend. My 6 year old daughter had her first dental appointment and cleaning today. I was a nervous wreck but the staff was so amazing and kept her calm (and I) calm. I did not get the technicians name that did her x-rays but the technician was so patient and calm and quick with her. Dr. Smith then came in and made my daughter feel so comfortable and helped her and us, as her parents, understand the areas she needed to work on. Cari the hygienist explained to my daughter what she was doing every step of the way so she wouldn't be scared and they even gave us an estimate for what we were looking at for the next 6 month appointment. Yasmira and the rest of the staff up front were so friendly and welcoming. Our visit overall was wonderful from start to finish. The office is very clean and cozy and feels like a home instead of dental office. Highly recommend for all your family needs!
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Ma Morales profile picture
Ma Morales
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Hygienist was very capable and gentle, friendly to.
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Ramiro Ruiz profile picture
Ramiro Ruiz
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Great service!! Everyone is great!!
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Frank Saenz profile picture
Frank Saenz
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Had a wonderful experience, great and caring staff, great on timing
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Beth Crain profile picture
Beth Crain
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I had a root canal done, and I was very pleased with my treatment. Both the dentist and the dental hygienist were very very professional. I’ve been a person that’s always dreaded going to the dentist, but no more not at this office.. Everyone is extremely professional, courteous, and understanding
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Francis Ramos profile picture
Francis Ramos
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Excellent service and staff.