ıCare Family Dental
Scale and clean in Chatswood
A check-up and clean is more than a quick polish. It gives us time to examine your teeth and gums, remove plaque and hardened tartar that brushing cannot lift away, and explain what — if anything — needs attention next.
Whether it has been six months or much longer, you can start with a clear assessment and a clean that is based on what your mouth actually needs.
We welcome patients from Chatswood, across Sydney's North Shore and beyond.
What a check-up and clean is designed to do
Even with consistent brushing and cleaning between your teeth, plaque can collect in areas that are difficult to reach. Once plaque hardens into tartar, or calculus, it cannot be brushed away at home.
A routine appointment brings the examination and professional clean together. It can help you:
- understand the current health of your teeth and gums;
- remove plaque and tartar that home care has missed;
- reduce some external staining and leave tooth surfaces feeling smoother;
- ask about bleeding gums, sensitivity, bad breath or changes you have noticed; and
- leave with practical advice and a review interval that suits your needs.
What happens during the appointment
We begin with you
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Tell us what you have noticed, what you would like checked and whether your teeth or gums are sensitive. Your dental and health history gives the dentist important context for the examination.
Your teeth and gums are examined
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The dentist checks for signs that need attention and assesses your gum health. Dental X-rays are used only when there is a clinical reason for them. For this first-visit package, two small dental X-rays and one full-mouth panoramic X-ray (OPG) are included when indicated. A digital scan of your mouth may also be included when the dentist believes it will add useful information.
Plaque and tartar are removed
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The dental team uses professional instruments to clean tooth surfaces and the gumline, including areas that are hard to reach with a toothbrush. Your teeth may then be polished to smooth the surfaces and reduce some external stain.
You receive a clear next step
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We explain the findings, answer your questions and recommend when to return. If something needs treatment beyond a routine check-up and clean, it can be discussed as a separate plan rather than becoming an unexplained extra.
Tartar and surface staining are not the same thing
Tartar is hardened plaque
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Plaque is a soft, sticky bacterial film. Minerals in saliva can harden plaque into tartar, also called calculus. Tartar often collects close to the gumline and cannot be removed by brushing or flossing; it needs professional scaling.
Surface staining sits on the outside of the tooth
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External, or extrinsic, stain is colour deposited on the outer tooth surface. Tea, coffee, red wine and tobacco are common examples of things that can contribute to this type of stain. A professional clean can reduce some surface staining, although deeper or internal discolouration will not simply clean away.
Where ProphyJet / air polishing fits
Some external surface staining is more stubborn than an ordinary polish. For suitable patients, ProphyJet, or air polishing, uses a controlled stream of air, water and powder to help reduce that surface staining, including staining associated with tea or tobacco.
There is usually no additional fee for ProphyJet / air polishing when it can be completed within the normal appointment time. If heavier staining requires extra time to treat, an additional fee may apply; we will explain this before treatment.
The right approach depends on the stain and your teeth and gums, so your dentist will advise whether air polishing is useful for you.
A real ProphyJet air-polishing result
Before and after
Before and after ProphyJet air polishing at iCare Family Dental. Visible brown external surface staining has been reduced after treatment. These photographs show one patient's result; the amount of change depends on the type and extent of surface staining.
Frequently asked questions
If your teeth or gums are sensitiveRead moreShow less
During a routine clean you may notice water, vibration, pressure or brief sensitivity. Inflamed gums, exposed root surfaces, existing sensitive teeth or heavier tartar can make some areas feel more tender.
Tell us before the clean and speak up at any point if something feels uncomfortable. Some people notice temporary tooth sensitivity or gum tenderness afterwards; your dentist can give advice that reflects what was found at your appointment.
Where appropriate, we can apply a numbing gel to help reduce sensitivity and gum tenderness during the clean.
How often should you consider a check-up and clean?Read moreShow less
Six months is the usual interval we recommend for a check-up and clean. Your dentist may recommend a shorter interval based on your individual needs.
When a routine scale and clean may not be enoughRead moreShow less
A routine clean is not the same as treatment for periodontitis. If the examination finds deeper pockets around the teeth, loss of supporting bone or established gum disease, removing visible tartar in one routine visit may not address the whole problem.
You may be advised to have a more detailed gum assessment, cleaning below the gumline over more than one appointment, ongoing periodontal maintenance or specialist input. We will explain why a different gum-treatment plan is being considered before you decide what to do.
What can change the cost?
The price card above gives the clinic's current first-visit prices for a routine check-up and clean. What you pay can also be affected by:
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- whether you have eligible private health extras cover and sufficient available benefits;
- whether the patient is aged 0–11, 12–17 or 18+;
- whether the examination shows that you need a different gum treatment rather than a routine clean;
- whether heavier external surface staining requires extra time for ProphyJet / air polishing; and
- any treatment recommended for a separate dental problem.
There is usually no additional fee for ProphyJet / air polishing when it can be completed within the normal appointment time. If heavier staining requires extra time to treat, an additional fee may apply; we will explain this before treatment.
Any care outside the stated package will be explained and priced separately before it proceeds.
Parents arranging a younger patient's appointment can also read about dental care for children.
Looking after your mouth after a clean
Continue brushing twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, and clean between your teeth every day. Be gentle around areas that feel temporarily tender, but keep the gumline clean. Follow any advice your dentist gives you for sensitive areas, gum health or products suited to your needs.
If discomfort is significant, persists or worries you, contact us for advice.
Clear preventive care in Chatswood
At iCare Family Dental, the aim is for you to understand what was found and what matters next. Consultations are available in English, Mandarin and Cantonese, and the clinic has 200+ five-star Google reviews.
You will find us at Shop 3, 379 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood NSW 2067, on the Archer Street side. There is two hours free parking at Chatswood Chase, and the clinic is about a seven-minute walk from Chatswood Station.
Ready to arrange your check-up and clean?
Book online for our Chatswood clinic.
Prefer to speak with us? Call (02) 8068 6828, or plan your visit.