The most important dental care is the kind that happens consistently. Regular check-ups and professional cleanings catch problems when they are small and manageable, long before they become painful or expensive. At Novadent, Victoria Island, we take general dentistry seriously because every other service we offer is built on it.
General dentistry covers the full range of routine and restorative dental care that keeps your mouth healthy day to day. It is the foundation of every other dental service. A patient with healthy teeth and gums can access any cosmetic or specialist treatment they want. A patient who has neglected their dental health must resolve that first.
At Novadent, our general dentistry service is designed to be thorough and honest. We examine everything, explain what we find, tell you what needs treatment and what can simply be monitored, and give you a clear picture of your dental health at every single visit.
Decay, gum disease and early oral cancer all develop silently. By the time a tooth hurts, the problem has usually progressed well beyond the stage where a simple filling would have resolved it. A check-up finds issues before symptoms start.
Patients who attend every six months consistently spend less on dental treatment over their lives than those who only come in when something is wrong. A small cavity costs a fraction of the root canal it becomes if left untreated. Prevention is not just better health, it is better economics.
Cosmetic treatments, orthodontics and implants all require a healthy foundation first. Patients who maintain regular general care can access these services at any time. Those who have neglected their oral health must first invest in restoring it before specialist work can begin.
Every service below is available at our Maroko, Victoria Island clinic. You will not be referred to another practice for any of these treatments.
A full oral health assessment at every visit, not just a glance and a comment.
All patients, every 6 months
Removes what brushing and flossing cannot reach, no matter how well you clean at home.
All adults, every 6 to 12 months depending on risk
Restore decayed or damaged teeth so naturally that you cannot see them.
Decay, cracked teeth or patients with old silver fillings
Save a severely infected tooth rather than losing it to extraction.
Severely infected or damaged teeth where the root can still be saved
Gentle, pain-free removal when a tooth cannot be saved by any other means.
Severely damaged, infected or impacted teeth that cannot be restored
A calm, unhurried environment that builds a positive relationship with dental care from the very first visit.
Children of all ages. The earlier they start, the better the foundation
Most dental problems are painless in their early stages. A small area of decay causes no discomfort until it reaches the nerve. Gum disease advances silently for months. Oral cancers found early are dramatically more treatable than those found late. Here is what that silence costs when it is left alone.
| PROBLEM | Caught at check-up | Left until symptomatic |
|---|---|---|
| Small cavity | ✓ Simple filling, low cost, one visit | ✗ Root canal or extraction required |
| Early gum disease | ✓ Resolved with professional clean | ✗ Periodontal surgery or tooth loss |
| Cracked tooth | ✓ Crown placed to protect the tooth | ✗ Split extends to root, extraction |
| Early oral cancer | ✓ High treatment success rate | ✗ Advanced stage, significantly harder to treat |
| Worn tooth enamel | ✓ Cause identified, behaviour changed | ✗ Sensitivity, cracking, costly restoration |
| Impacted wisdom tooth | ✓ Monitored and removed cleanly when ready | ✗ Infection, abscess, emergency extraction |
Patients who attend Novadent every six months consistently pay less for dental care over their lifetime than those who only come in when something hurts. Prevention is not a luxury. It is the most cost-effective thing you can do for your oral health.
Every six months is the standard recommendation for healthy adults. Your personal risk factors determine whether you should attend more frequently. We will tell you exactly what interval is right for you at your first visit.
Every 6 months suits you if you...
Six-monthly visits keep a healthy mouth healthy. Most adults who attend consistently stay in this category for life.
You may need more frequent visits if you...
High-risk patients typically benefit from visits every 3 to 4 months rather than 6. This is not a punishment. It is what keeps these patients out of expensive restorative treatment.
A professional clean removes what six months of home care leaves behind. But home care is what determines how much is left to remove. These four habits account for the vast majority of what separates patients who maintain excellent oral health from those who struggle with recurring problems.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Most people brush for 30 to 40 seconds. Two full minutes, morning and night, covers every surface and removes the plaque that causes decay and gum disease before it has time to mineralise into tartar. Electric toothbrushes make this significantly easier.
Up to 40% of each tooth surface is between teeth, completely unreachable by a brush. Decay and gum disease start in these spaces more often than anywhere else. Floss once daily before bed, or use an interdental brush if you find floss difficult. This single habit dramatically reduces your decay risk.
Every time you eat or drink something sugary, the bacteria in your mouth produce acid for around 20 minutes. Three meals a day means three acid attacks. Twenty snacks means twenty. Reducing snacking frequency between meals gives your saliva time to neutralise the acid and remineralise the enamel. This matters more than cutting sugar out entirely.
Do not wait six months if you notice sensitivity, bleeding gums, a loose tooth, a sore that does not heal or any other change in your mouth. These are signals worth checking. Call us and we will advise you whether it needs an appointment or can wait. Early intervention is always better than emergency treatment.
Patients who came in once and became regulars. Here is what six-monthly care looks like from the patient side.
17 Sept 2024
8 Jul 2021
Honest answers to the questions we hear most from Lagos patients about check-ups, cleanings and general dental treatment.
Most healthy adults benefit from a check-up and professional clean every six months. Patients with a history of gum disease, frequent decay, diabetes, dry mouth or who smoke may need to attend every 3 to 4 months. We assess your risk at your first visit and give you a personalised recommendation. The interval is reviewed at every appointment as your dental health changes over time.
Absolutely. This is the most important thing to understand about dental care. Decay does not cause pain until it reaches the nerve. Gum disease is painless until it causes tooth loss. Early oral cancer has no symptoms at all in its most treatable stages. Feeling fine is not a reason to skip a check-up. It is precisely the condition under which a check-up does the most good.
Yes. Modern digital dental X-rays use a fraction of the radiation of traditional film X-rays, and the dose is extremely small compared to the background radiation you encounter in everyday life. A full set of dental X-rays exposes you to less radiation than a short flight. We only take X-rays when they are clinically justified and never routinely as a matter of policy without reason.
Root canal treatment has a reputation that dramatically overstates how uncomfortable it is. The procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic, which means you feel pressure and movement but no pain during the treatment itself. The tooth may be tender for 2 to 4 days afterwards, which is managed with standard over-the-counter pain relief. Most patients are surprised by how routine the experience feels. The toothache before a root canal is typically far worse than the procedure.
When their first tooth appears, or by their first birthday at the latest. This sounds earlier than most parents expect, but the first visit is not about treatment. It is about getting your child comfortable in a dental environment before they have any reason to be anxious about it. Children who start early develop positive associations with dental care that stay with them for life. Children who only see a dentist when something is wrong associate dental visits with pain and fear. The earlier you start, the easier every subsequent visit is.
A comprehensive check-up including X-rays where clinically indicated and a professional clean typically takes 45 to 60 minutes. We do not rush through check-ups. If additional treatment is identified at the appointment, we discuss this with you at the visit and schedule any necessary treatment separately. You will always leave a check-up knowing exactly what the state of your mouth is.
Yes, and we see more of these patients than you might expect. If you have avoided the dentist for a long time, the most important thing is that you come in now. Whatever the state of your teeth, we will assess it calmly, explain it clearly and give you a realistic plan to improve things. There is no judgment. Everyone starts somewhere, and the best time to start is now. Book a check-up and let us tell you what you are actually working with.
Novadent at Maroko, Victoria Island is the closest comprehensive general dentistry clinic for patients in Lekki Phase 1, Ikate, and Ikoyi. From Lekki Phase 1 the drive takes approximately 10 minutes. From Ikoyi it is around 10 to 15 minutes via Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue. We offer same-day appointments for check-ups and are open Monday to Saturday. Book online or call us directly.
Every treatment below is available at Novadent, Maroko, Victoria Island. No referrals to other clinics, no extra travel.
Get up to 8 shades whiter in a single session at Novadent. Professional in-clinic whitening in Victoria Island, minutes from Lekki. Book a free consultation!.
Transform your smile with porcelain veneers, composite bonding, and full smile makeovers at Novadent. Premium cosmetic dentistry in Victoria Island. Book now!
Traditional braces or clear Invisalign aligners for children, teenagers and adults. Expert orthodontist on the team.
Get a perfect smile with traditional braces or Invisalign clear aligners at Novadent. Expert orthodontic care in Victoria Island, near Lekki & Ikoyi. Book a consultation!
Book your check-up and professional clean at Novadent, Maroko, Victoria Island, Same-day appointments available. Children and adults welcome. No referrals, no waiting weeks for an appointment.
Free consultation · No obligation · Same-day appointments · Maroko, Victoria Island, Lagos
Lagos’ trusted dental clinic at Maroko, Victoria Island. We deliver world-class dental care to patients from Lekki, Ikoyi, VI and beyond.
