First Visit in Years

What Happens at a First Visit After Years Away?

A first visit after a long gap is mostly about listening and looking. We talk with you about your health, any problems and what worries you, then carry out a thorough check of your teeth, gums and mouth and take X-rays. At Comely Bank Dental the new patient examination, including X-rays, is £95.

Before you leave, we explain what we found in plain language, answer your questions and talk through what, if anything, needs doing, in order of priority. You won't have any treatment on the day unless you want it, and any treatment is planned with its fees agreed in writing before it begins.

People come back after five, ten or twenty years away, for all sorts of reasons: fear, cost, a move to Edinburgh, a busy life, or a bad experience somewhere else. The reason doesn't matter to us. That you've come back does.

Booking: What to Tell Us

You can book by phone on 0131 332 3971, online through our booking page, or by emailing info@comelybankdental.co.uk if you would rather write it down. We see adults privately, and there's no waiting list for new patients.

It helps to mention:

• roughly how long it has been since you last saw a dentist
• whether you're in pain or have anything that feels urgent
• whether you're nervous, and anything that would make the visit easier
• any medical conditions that affect your care, such as a heart condition, diabetes or blood-thinning medicines

If you're in pain now, say so. You don't have to wait for a routine new patient appointment: we offer weekday emergency appointments, at £99 if you're not yet registered with us.

If you are anxious about the visit itself, our guide to dental anxiety explains the practical things we can change.

What We'll Ask You

The visit begins with a conversation, sitting upright, before the chair goes back. We'll ask about:

• Your general health: medical conditions, medicines, allergies and any recent hospital treatment, since these can affect your mouth and how we treat you
• Smoking, vaping and alcohol, which affect gum health and healing; we ask so that we can give you accurate advice, not to criticise
• What's bothering you: pain, sensitivity, bleeding gums, a broken tooth, a loose tooth or something you don't like the look of
• Your history: what treatment you had before, and anything that went badly
• What you'd like: some people want to be pain-free and nothing more; others want to talk about the appearance of their teeth too

Bring a list of your medicines if that's easier than remembering them. If you're pregnant or might be, tell us, because it affects X-rays and some treatment.

The Examination, Step by Step

We tell you what we're checking as we go, and you can stop us at any time. A full new patient examination looks at:

• Each tooth: for decay, cracks, wear and the condition of any existing fillings, crowns or bridges
• Your gums: we gently measure the small space between your teeth and gums to check for gum disease, which often causes no pain until it is advanced
• The rest of your mouth: your tongue, cheeks, lips, palate and throat, including a check for early signs of mouth cancer
• Your bite and jaw joints: how your teeth meet, and any signs of grinding or jaw strain
• Your face and neck: for any swelling or tender glands

You'll hear us call out numbers and short notes to a colleague. That is simply how teeth and measurements are recorded, and it doesn't mean we've found something worrying. If you'd like, we can show you what we see.

Why X-Rays Matter After a Long Gap

Much of what matters can't be seen by looking. X-rays show:

• decay between the teeth and underneath existing fillings
• infection at the tips of roots, which can be present without pain
• the level of bone supporting your teeth, which tells us how advanced any gum disease is
• wisdom teeth, roots left behind after old extractions, and other hidden problems

After several years away, X-rays are particularly important, because there is no recent baseline to compare against. They are included in the new patient examination fee.

Modern dental X-rays use a very low dose of radiation, and we only take the ones that are clinically justified. If you need implants or more complex surgery at a later stage, we may recommend a 3D CT scan, which we can take at the practice; that is separate and is only discussed if it is needed.

No Judgement, and Nothing Done Unless You Want It

However long it has been, and whatever state you think your teeth are in, we won't lecture you. Dentists see people after long gaps all the time, and most problems have ordinary explanations. Our job is to understand where things are now and help you from here.

The first visit is for finding out, not for surprises. We won't start treatment without your agreement. You leave with information and time to think, not a drilled tooth you didn't expect.

There are two exceptions, and both are your choice:

• If you're in pain, we can often relieve it on the day, for example by dressing a tooth or draining an infection, if you'd like us to
• If something is quick and simple, we may offer to do it there and then, but you're free to say no and book it for another day

If you feel overwhelmed at any point, tell us. We can slow down, stop, or finish another day.

How We Plan and Prioritise Your Treatment

If several things need attention, it can feel like a mountain. A clear order of priority makes it manageable, and it lets you decide how quickly to go.

Cosmetic treatment, if you want it, usually comes once your mouth is healthy.

For each item we explain the options, including simpler and more involved ones, and what's likely to happen if you leave it. Sometimes watching and waiting is a reasonable choice, and we'll say so. You might choose to do the urgent and stabilising work first and think about the rest later. The plan is yours to shape.

What Will It Cost?

The new patient examination, including X-rays, is £95. After that, nothing is charged for treatment until you have agreed to it.

If treatment is needed, we give you a written treatment plan that lists each item and its fee. Our fees are guide prices, confirmed in that written plan before anything starts, so you know where you stand before you commit. If the plan changes along the way, we discuss it with you first.

A few other things worth knowing:

• consultations for implants, composite bonding and Invisalign are free
• our dental plan covers routine dental examinations and hygiene visits for a regular fee, and members save 10% on most private treatment
• our plan members' children are seen under the NHS, so if your family comes too, their care is free

Your First Visit at Comely Bank Dental

Our practice is at 3 Comely Bank, Edinburgh EH4 1AN, a few minutes' walk from Stockbridge, and we see patients from Inverleith, Fettes, Craigleith, the New Town and further afield. We're open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm, with later appointments by arrangement.

Our new patients page has more about joining the practice. When you're ready, book online, call 0131 332 3971 or email us, and tell us it has been a while. That one sentence is enough for us to plan the visit around you.

Questions

This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.