Typically, a kid’s dental visit or an adult dental visit can take anywhere from 30 minutes to just over an hour. Of course, the duration of a dental visit varies significantly based on the procedures/treatments involved, the practice you go to, and whether or not you need any additional treatments. In this guide, we will cover some timelines for some of the most standard dental treatments, as well as what you can expect during these treatments. To schedule dental appointments in the Chicago area, please contact our team.
Your routine cleanings and exams take 30 minutes to an hour to complete. These exams usually have a few phases. There is an initial cleaning, where your hygienist will brush & floss your teeth, and then take time to remove plaque and tartar build-up. Depending on what you need, there may be other treatments involved, including taking dental X-rays. The exam involves looking at those X-rays and checking your teeth for signs of damage and decay. In situations where everything is good, and you are keeping up with your at-home oral care and routine dental appointments, these procedures tend to go by quicker. However, for patients who have not seen a dentist in a long time, these appointments might take longer to address dental concerns.
A dental filling treatment can take anywhere from half an hour to an hour. Fillings are very straightforward procedures, and are also one of the most common procedures. A dental filling involves drilling away a section of the tooth that has been infected/damaged, and then filling the cavity or hole with a special material. Before drilling, the patient has to be numbed. Altogether, this is a quick appointment.
Bridges and crowns are longer appointments. They can easily take up to two hours, and frequently require multiple visits. During an initial treatment, the tooth is prepared, and measurements are taken so that a custom crown that is fitted to your tooth can be created. Either your dental practice or a local dental lab will construct this crown/bridge, and then invite you back to the office to have it placed at a second appointment.
Root canals can also take up to two hours. A root canal is a more invasive procedure that involves cleaning out the infected root of a tooth and then filling it with a specialized material. This can take a significant amount of time, and it often requires the placement of a dental crown, which can require a secondary visit.
For families living in the Chicago area, our offices provide a variety of services from routine cleanings and exams to helping with bridges, root canals, and fillings. To get started with our team, please contact one of our five offices.
