COMPREHENSIVE EXAM

New patients and those who haven't been in for three years or more will undergo a comprehensive exam by the doctor. This thorough examination will usually take approximately one hour.  (Note:  If your visit is the result of a dental emergency, we will address that problem first. Your subsequent visit would then involve this exam.)

This comprehensive look at your oral health gives us a baseline by which we can make future measurements and comparisons. Basically, it gives us a crystal clear picture of your oral health today, and provides a road map for where you're going.

Modern dentistry offers so many opportunities to enhance your health, comfort and appearance; this evaluation reveals which treatments would benefit you and include the following:

1. Review of your medical and dental history.
2. Discussion time to address your concerns, current problems, your desires for future health and expectations of us in caring for those problems.
3. A thorough oral cancer screening.  
4. A detailed tooth examination is performed checking for decay, cracks, fractures, wear and failed dentistry.
5. Periodontal (or gum and bone tissue) examined: measuring gum crevices at six points on every tooth to check for hidden gum disease.
6. Evaluation of the condition of the existing gum tissue.
7. Measuring all teeth for any looseness, another sign of problems.
8. Assessing existing restorations (fillings/crowns/bridge work, etc.).
9. Providing an objective evaluation of your effectiveness in plaque removal and disease control.
10. Evaluating your individual susceptibility to gum disease.
11. Providing detailed instruction to help you immediately improve your gum health.
12. Temporomandibular Joint Orthopedic and Bite Analysis: Palpation (pressing with finger tips) of the jaw joints to check for inflammation.
13. Range of motion tests to check the health of jaw movements. 
14. Examining all teeth to evaluate if they touch equally.
15. Examining all teeth to evaluate how the jaw moves in all directions and if the teeth properly guide.
16. Radiographs (X-rays) are taken to show decay, infection and bone condition.
17. A panoramic radiograph, if indicated, showing the entire upper and lower jaw and jaw joints, sinuses and many other important structures.
18. Photographs are taken of problem areas so you can see what the doctor sees.