How Long Do Dental Appointments Take?
Going to the dentist is one of those important things that we have to do in life. Even if we brush and floss well, we need our dentists to look at our teeth every 6 months to ensure no cavities, gum issues or cancers are developing in our mouths.
The biggest problem is that most people are afraid of the dentist and fear getting dental work done therefore appointments are delayed and placed on hold or life becomes busy and we forget about dental appointments.
Going to the dentist also takes time, but how much time exactly? Dental appointments take different amounts of time depending on the type of appointment, if it’s a first time appointment and how much or which type of work needs to be done in the appointment.
We will discuss the length of different dental appointments below. Note: these are roughly the appointment times that are allocated to our offices and may differ dentist to dentist depending on their techniques etc.
So, How Long Do Dental Appointments Take?
This depends on what you’re going to the dentist for. Your average appointment usually takes around 30-45 minutes to allow proper work to be done since your dentist needs time to do quality and effective work in your mouth. When it comes to bigger dental jobs appointments can take up to 2 hours with little breaks in-between depending on what is done.
How Long Do New Patient Dentist Appointments Take?
New dentist appointments at our office usually take roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour. This is because with new patients at the dentist we need to collect all the relevant information about the mouth and the teeth.
At our office our dentists take photographs to discuss issues that are present in the mouth since photographs are one of the best ways to communicate what is going on in the mouth.
New patient dentist appointments also take a bit longer due to taking x-rays which allow us to view the bone and look in between teeth at any issues that could be arising that your dentist cannot see with their eyes. With this any issues can be clearly communicated with our patients by visual communication.
How Long Do Dentist Appointments Take For Fillings?
Dentist filling appointments usually take around 30 to 45 minutes on average which could be more or less depending how large the dental filling needs to be, if the filling is deep and if there is more than one dental filling needed.
Your dentist needs time to do good work when it comes to getting dental fillings therefore if it takes longer it just means that the dental filling is likely deeper or more complex than a normal filling.
Can Dental Fillings Be Done On Your First Dental Appointment?
Dental fillings can be done in the first dental appointment but this should be communicated over the phone to the reception first since your dentist may need more time to do all the work, roughly around 30 to 45 minutes is needed to do the dental filling. Usually if more fillings are needed then a consultation will be booked after the main problem is fixed to create a plan.
It is better to do a full consultation and checkup in the first appointment to lay out a full plan on which dental fillings need to be done, if any dental crowns need to be done or if there is any other procedures that are necessary.
Once a plan is made then follow up appointments can be made to fix all the issues present in the mouth.
How Long Do Root Canal Treatments Take At The Dentist?
Root canal treatments are often done when a tooth is badly infected, has a large cavity or received trauma. The average time for a root canal differs and depends on a few factors.
For example if an abscess is in the mouth then the tooth may need an initial visit to do an emergency root canal to help calm the tooth down before completing the root canal treatment. This would take 30 to 45 minutes for the emergency root canal treatment where the nerve is removed and another hour next appointment to complete the root canal treatment.
Some teeth the root canal can be started and completed on the same day which may take a bit longer. In front teeth this can be 45 minutes to an hour where back teeth may be needing more time such as 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the root canal start to finish.
How Long Does It Take To Get A Dental Crown?
Dental Crowns are done when a large amount of the tooth is broken by cavities, fractures or if a root canal was done and the tooth is brittle so we replace that missing tooth structure with porcelain. Dental Crowns are a great way to preserve teeth for a long time especially after root canal treatments.
Other options can be dental onlays, inlays or overlays which you could always ask your dentist about.
Usually on a dental crown or dental onlay/overlay appointment takes 45 minutes to an hour for the first visit and you’ll have to come back a second time to cement that dental crown or onlay/overlay of porcelain.
This second visit can be on the same day such as at our practice or within a week if a laboratory is used to create the dental crown or dental onlay/overlay. The second appointment is usually not more than 45 minutes.
How Long Does A Dental Cleaning Take?
Most people actually overlook dental cleanings. Dental cleanings are necessary every 6 months for everyone.
Some people with gum disease may even require a dental cleaning every 3 months to get them back on track with oral hygiene and to improve their health. Even if we brush and clean extremely well, dental cleanings assist with getting to places we are not able to with a normal toothbrush.
Dental cleaning appointments vary in time depending on factors such as how much calculus and plaque build up is currently present, are the teeth extremely sensitive and are the teeth also stained. Simple cleanings take roughly 15 to 20 minutes to clean and polish the teeth while cleanings are require more work to remove build up can take up to 40 minutes. If stains need to be removed this can also add onto the time of the cleaning.
How Long Does It Take To Get Your Teeth Whitened At The Dentist?
Teeth whitening will require a consultation first before the dental whitening appointment. This is because not all teeth can whiten the same and if there are fillings in the front teeth it needs to be communicated to our patients that those fillings will stay the same colour while the other parts of the tooth will become more white.
Dental teeth whitening appointments take 1 to 2 hours if it is done in the chair but more follow up appointments may be needed for the in chair appointments for great results while the at home kit appointment takes roughly 15 minutes to take moulds of the mouth and provide trays for the whitening to be done at home.
How Long Does It Take To Get Dentures At The Dentist?
Dentures are used to replace missing teeth and are a removable solution to gaps in the mouth due to tooth loss.
The first appointment will have to be a consultation which time can be seen above. On average 4 to 5 appointments will be needed to create the dentures as we communicate with the dental laboratory through the steps. Each appointment takes roughly 30 minutes to create dentures.
How Long Does It Take To Get A Dental Bridge At The Dentist?
Dental bridges are great for replacing missing teeth permanently. They are however not indicated for all missing teeth cases and can only be used in certain situations.
The first appointment for a dental bridge is usually the longest taking about 45minutes to 1 hour and could go up to 1 hour and half depending on the number of teeth that need to be included in the dental bridge.
The second appointment may be on the same day or in about a weeks time. This second appointment is shorter than the first appointment and is usually around 30 to 45 minutes to ensure everything fits well and the cement is cleaned around the dental bridge.
How Long Does A Checkup Appointment Take At The Dentist?
Dental checkup appointments take roughly 30 to 45 minutes in the dental office. It all depends on a number of things such as if it’s just a 6 monthly checkup, general check of the mouth is done, a view of previous fillings, checking for any sort of cancer in the mouth and x-rays along with cleaning should be done.
Every year new photographs of the mouth are taken by our office to see any differences and changes in the mouth compared to the year before.
How Long Does Putting Braces On Appointment Take At The Dentist?
Placement of dental braces can take awhile since the braces need to be placed perfectly.
Dental braces placement appointment usually takes around 1 hour to 1 hour and a half. It however depends on what is planned by your dentist or orthodontist which can make the appointment time slightly less.
How Long Does Gum Disease Treatment Take At The Dentist?
Gum disease needs to be monitored very closely and checked up upon every few months by your dentist.
Your dentist should create a treatment plan for your gum disease in order to control it and improve your oral hygiene.
Gum disease treatments in our offices take about 45 minutes to 1 hour since we clean below the gums VERY well to make sure that no calculus and build up remains behind. This is usually done on each side of the face starting on the right side first then the next day the left side is completed.
How Long Does It Take To Remove A Tooth At The Dentist?
Sometimes removing a tooth at the dentist needs to be done even. Tooth removal procedures take on average 30 to 45 minutes depending on which tooth needs to be removed and if it needs to be removed surgically or not.
Surgical removed of molar teeth at the back of the mouth often takes around 45 minutes.
Looking for a dentist near you to take care of your teeth and oral health?
Dr Gray is the perfect dentist for you! We offer a large variety of dental treatments along with affordable pricing. Dr Gray has a large amount of post graduate training behind him to tackle even the most difficult cases! Call us today to make an appointment for you or your family.
Find us at 33 Claribel Road, Windermere, Durban, South Africa.