Comprehensive Guide to Dental Examinations: Types, Benefits, and What to Expect"
The First Step of Your Dental Visit!
Dental exams are the first step of starting dental care at any office but why are dental care so important? The answer to that is the importance of your oral cavity.
Your oral cavity is the important passageway to the digestive and respiratory systems down below. It is an essential part of your every day life as it is responsible for speech, chewing, swallowing, digestion and tasting. It also serves as a protective layer for underlying tissues. Keeping this in good health is of the utmost importance so an oral examination is necessary to assess for complications and prevent future problems. Some of these problems include:
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Dental decay/Tooth decay
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Periodontal disease/Gum disease
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Oral cancers/ulcerations
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Tonsillitis, tongue tied, underbite, overbite and many more.
General dental checkups also have help to catch situations early so we can help treat it before it gets worse. Maintaining good oral health can also decrease the risk of diabetes, circulatory issues and kidney disease!
Anatomy of an Dental Examination
After going through the overview of a dental exam, what does the exam include?
The dental exam starts with a few x-rays. This is used as an assessment for analysis of the gaps between teeth as well as examining the roots of the tooth itself. Then the dentist comes over and does extra-oral and intra-oral examination to assess for any existing oral conditions. Our dentist or assistant will then ask you a few questions about your dental history, habits and how much sugar do you consume just to name a few. After this step conclusions can be made in regards to the next step for your oral health!
Types of Dental Exams
There are a few types of dental exam, the main types include:
Emergency Exam: Quick examination for patients experiencing severe dental pain or any adjacent urgent conditions. These patients will be seen ASAP in emergency slots.
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The exam itself consists of a few small x-rays or one large x-ray depending on the situation. This is then followed by a few quick tests to assess the painful area/area of interest to assess the condition. After this the dentist will communicate the findings with the patients about next treatment steps.
Specific Exam: Very similar to emergency exams just without the urgency label. It is to check on a part of the mouth, usually used for less urgent concerns like minor sensitivity, small chip on a tooth, etc.
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Similar to emergency exam, usually one x-ray and assessment before communicating the findings
Comprehensive Exam/New Patient Exam: This is the most comprehensive exam meant as the assessment for your entire mouth.
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The exam includes a panoramic x-ray and at least 2 peripheral and bitewing x-rays. As mentioned above the assessment will be apart of this exam as well as the intra & extra-oral examinations. For the final parts of the exam the 3D scan of the teeth will also be completed to check for any oral conditions.
Recall Exam: This is an exam for patients who have already completed a comprehensive exam. Usually it is done with a cleaning appointment where the dentists updates the patient's records if there are any changes.
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Could include x-rays depending on how long it has been since the last x-rays were taken. It will also include an oral examination for cavities.
There are many other subtypes of exams such as periodontal exam, temporomandibular joint exams, occlusal exams, primary dentition and mix dentition examinations and many more.
When Should Kids Book an Exam?
Dental check-ups for kids is a bit different for adults. By the time of their first birthday, parents should book a simple exam to make sure their teeth are healthy and assessing the development of jaws and teeth. While it may seems too young for a exam, it is important for their dental health and you can see if the cleaning you are doing at home is working. Early dental exams will also teach parents the best oral hygiene advice so that you can continue to keep their teeth healthy!
One most common difference for adults and children's exams is the amount of x-rays. Children under the age of 5-6 will not receive dental x-rays unless specifically needed for pre-existing dental conditions. If a cavity is suspected then an x-ray may be warranted. After they turn 5-6, it is important to take the x-rays to see how the permanent teeth are developing closer to their eruption.
Signs You Need a Dental Check-up
There are many factors that indicate that you need a dental examination.
These Include:
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Persistent Toothache
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Potential Problems: cavities, dental infection, cracked teeth, etc. Identifying the underlying issues is the core of the diagnosis.
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Prevents: further advancement of the toothache into a more extensive and potentially more invasive treatment. It is important to be diagnosed early to protect your teeth.
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Sensitive Teeth
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Common Triggers: cold, hot, acidic foods. It could also result from brushing or flossing
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Could Indicate: enamel erosion, cavities, gum recession and many more. Identifying this and in tandem with regular cleanings and treatment could help alleviate discomfort and prevent a worsening condition.
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Bleeding Gums
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Indicates: Possible gum disease, gingivitis, periodontitis or other oral health issues. Usually happens during brushing, flossing or eating,
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Treatment: addressing bleeding gums early and promptly is important as if left untreated it can lead to tooth loss or other severe oral conditions. Additional dental cleanings/periodontal care could help reverse the situation. Dental exams to monitor progression is also important.
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Bad Breath
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Likely causes: persistent bad breath could be an indication of sub optimal oral hygiene, gum disease, infections or other conditions.
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Early Prevention: bad breath could be an indication of dental troubles and if left untreated it could cause it to worse. Though it is sometimes hard to detect when you yourself have bad breath. If you suspect that you have bad breath, you can schedule a check-up to ensure there are no medical concerns.
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Sores/Lesions
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Multiple causes: canker sores, viral infection, oral cancer, trauma etc.
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Next Steps: dental checkup on a newly noticed sore/lesion is good to ensure that it is not harmful to you. Early detection of it is vital especially if it is for conditions like oral cancers. Biopsies will usually be done for anything that is not benign which helps to aid in the treatment of a more serious oral condition.
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Summary
Dental exams are an essential part of your dental visit and aids dentists in diagnosing dental concerns. There are many types of dental exam used for many different situations. Overall, it is important to get an evaluation once every 6 month on the regular or at least once a year to make sure you are in good dental health. This also helps to catch the progression of any dental concerns before they get worse.
The main goal of dental exams can be illustrated in two points:
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Preventing progression of dental disease
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Preserving oral health and oral longevity
There can be many things that affect your oral health and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. As such for anything that you have questions about feel free to reach out to us at 519-601-1588 or schedule an appointment with us. We will be happy to answer any questions. Our state of the art facility and professional staff will quickly be able to identify any dental issues and help to alleviate stresses.