Dental Exams
Regular dental exams help protect not just your oral health, but also your overall health. Also, the exam gives us a chance to provide tips on caring for your teeth and to detect oral health problems early — when they're most treatable.
What you can expect during a dental exam
· Evaluate your overall health and oral hygiene
· Evaluate your risk of tooth decay, root decay, and gum or bone disease
· Evaluate your need for tooth restoration or replacement
· Check your bite and jaw for problems
· Possibly take dental X-rays or, if necessary, do other diagnostic procedures
During a dental exam, we will ask about your health problems or medications you take and discuss how they might affect your oral health. If you have diabetes, for example, you're at increased risk of gum disease. Medications that contribute to dry mouth can increase your risk of tooth decay. If arthritis or another condition hampers your ability to brush your teeth, we might show you how to insert the handle of your toothbrush into a rubber ball to make gripping easier — or recommend an electric toothbrush. If you have prosthetic replacements — such as dentures or bridges — we will examine how well they fit and discuss the need for adjustments. Dental exams might also include counseling about diet, use of tobacco products and other lifestyle factors that can affect oral health.
Dental Xrays
A dental X-ray allows us to see detailed images of specific sections of your mouth to help diagnose problems not visible during the dental exam. X-rays aren't typically needed at every dental visit, and we will discuss with you the need for X-rays based on your oral health and risk of disease.
Radiation exposure from dental X-rays is very low, especially from digital X-rays now used, but let us know if you're concerned.
Oral cancer exam
During your dental exam, we will look for signs of oral cancer. We will palpate your face bones and jaw line and neck to check for any lumps or bumps – inflamed lymph nodes, thyroid nodules which could be a sign of cancer, your neck. We will feel and examine your lips and cheeks, as well as the sides of your tongue and the roof and floor of your mouth, where a small, unattended lesion could become the precursor of oral cancer.
Dental impression
In some cases, we might recommend making a dental impression of one or both jaws to produce a replica of your teeth and oral tissues. This can help us to evaluate your bite or make a mouth guard or bleaching trays.
Results
After your exam, we will discuss your oral health, including your risk of tooth decay, gum disease and other oral health problems, and preventive measures you can take to improve and protect your oral health. For instance, signs and symptoms of some systemic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and diabetes, might show up in the mouth first. If we will find indications of disease, we will suggest that you see your doctor.
We will make specific recommendations tailored to your needs. If you are at high risk of tooth decay or gum disease or have other oral health problems, we might recommend frequent checkups. Treatment might be needed to address any of these findings and may be explained in a follow- up consultation appointment.
Occasionally, some treatment might be conducted from the work of dental specialists depending on the complexity of the care suggested by your dentist. Just as we use a team to provide care, more complex care might include work from other specialized dentists for treatment such as oral surgery, root canals or gum treatment.