Comprehensive Dental Exams

Dental Examinations: Maintain Your Smile For Life

Tooth decay or cavities don’t happen overnight. Generally, they start as small cracks or holes that if left untreated will develop and eventually to tooth loss. This is why it is important that we have frequent checkups and deep cleans. Although we may feel okay, not experience pain and our teeth may look well, fine holes and cracks may already be present, and detecting them early is crucial to fixing problems quickly and efficiently.

Comprehensive dental examination will include full visual and palpatory inspection of all your teeth. The supporting structures and the jaw and its surrounding tissues and gums will also be thoroughly inspected.

The examination and diagnostics will include laser diagnostic screening of susceptible teeth, objective determination of the health of the jaw joints and gums by measurement, palpation and functional testing, and more if necessary. To inspect areas between the teeth, underneath fillings, and gum area where normal inspection is impossible, at least 2 digital x-rays will be taken. Unlike film x-ray, digital x-ray reduces 90 percent of exposure.

Each comprehensive dental examination at A Smiling Place usually takes about an hour. If there are no problems detected, a scaling and cleaning service may be done after the inspection.

Every routine dental examination with A Smiling Place includes the following steps:

• Comprehensive visual inspection of all hard (teeth, jaws) and soft (gums, lips, cheeks, palate, tongue, floor of mouth) dental tissues using state of the art equipment
• Palpation, Percussive and Functional tests on teeth with possible problems
• Instant Digital radiography (up to 90% less radiation than conventional radiography) of areas requiring further investigation and where manual inspection is impossible
• Passive Laser sounding and objective measurement of suspicious fissures in teeth for early signs of decay
• Passive Gum attachment Measurement and charting to determine the status of Periodontal health and the long term viability of the teeth and health of supportive underlying bone
• Visual and Palpatory Oral Cancer screening involving palpation of lymph nodes in the neck and jaw
• Palpation and functional testing of the jaw joints (TMJ’s) and muscles of mastication (chewing)
• In other cases, plaster casts may be made of the teeth to enable detailed treatment planning, investigation of bite problems and treatment options including mock build-ups and to facilitate visual explanation to help properly diagnose the condition.

A Smiling Place emphasizes the great need for preventive dental care. We highly recommend that you visit us twice a year for your thorough and comprehensive dental examination to prevent tooth decay and tooth loss. Your sparkling smile is our concern.

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From beginning to end, your experience at A Smiling Place will make you smile bigger, brighter and more confidently than ever. Contact us today for an obligation-free consultation if you are interested in General Dentistry and rediscover yourself.