River Walk Dental Orthodontics
Dental Examination
San Antonio TX
Change the way you think about a dental visit. Personalized & patient-centered dentistry!
Dental Examination
Oral examination commonly referred to as a dental checkup, is a process that helps dentists carefully review your oral health. The oral examination involves the entire mouth, as a first-time visit or a regular 6-month check-up. Oral exams help in identifying a specific issue in a particular area of the mouth, like pain, swelling, broken teeth, or other dental issues.
Steps of an Oral Exam
There are four main categories:
Comprehensive Oral Evaluation: A comprehensive oral exam is for patients who are seeing a new dentist for a checkup for the first time.
Regular (Periodic) Oral Evaluation: Regular exams are a part of the dental check-up process every 6 months. In a periodic oral evaluation, a dentist already has existing information for established patients who regularly visit the office. A periodic exam might or might not include X-rays. If there is an issue, the dentist may recommend X-ray.
During periodic oral evaluations, Our dentist will review your X-rays, conduct a visual exam, and observe signs of inflammation, bleeding and periodontal disease (if any) under the gum line. They will check the outside and inside of your mouth, tongue, and other soft tissues to help you understand a potential warning sign.
Our dentist might use an explorer to check for teeth and gums, including any existing work you may have such as fillings, bridges, and crowns. Patients with a full or partial denture will be required to remove them for the examination.
Limited Oral Evaluation: This type is also known as “problem-focused.” It is used to identify symptoms such as dental pain or swelling in a particular area of the mouth. Limited exams might involve digital X-rays of the affected area and diagnostic reading by the dentist, as well as a visual evaluation.
Follow-Up Evaluation: Your dentist might ask you to come back for a follow-up visit to checkup, or if you are experiencing any pain or other symptoms.
What Happens After The Check-Up?
Once you have completed your checkup, a treatment plan is created if required. This plan lists all treatment options that might be required, along with the costs and number of appointments. Advice on all aspects of your treatment is also given by your dentist at all times.
See the dentist soon!
Don’t let anxiety about a dental exam keep you away from seeing a dentist. Many oral health issues are simple and inexpensive to get rid of if caught in the early stages. So, get a dental examination quickly.
Also, limit the number of sugary treats and follow good dental hygiene habits to keep future problems to a minimum.
