Visiting a dentist should not be limited to when you are in severe pain. Regular dental visits should form a part of your preventive care services. Prevention goes a long way in prompt diagnosis of various conditions and their timely and inexpensive management.
One of the primary elements included in routine dental visits is a dental examination. There are different types of dental exams including initial, emergency, six-month re-care and comprehensive examinations. An initial dental exam will be done on your first visit to a dental clinic in South Jordan. This aims to get a clear picture of your overall dental health and put together a care plan on your management options.
Six-month re-care examinations are meant as follow up and to check that your dental treatments are working optimally. A comprehensive exam is done at least annually to pick out any significant dental health issues. The following are some of the elements included in a comprehensive dental exam.
Dental X-Rays
Radiographic examination will allow your dentist to get a detailed picture of your oral cavity. There are several kinds of dental x-rays which can form a part of your comprehensive exam. Bitewing x-rays will generate a clear picture of the crown of your lower and upper teeth while periapical ones will visualize your whole tooth and its surrounding jawbone.
Panoramic x-rays will generate a broad view of your whole mouth while cone beam computerized topography radiographs generate a 3D image of your mouth. The latter type of x-ray is used for gauging the spacing between your teeth and its adjacent structures.
Gum Disease Screening
Most people will disregard their gum health so long as their teeth are fine. Your dentist will visually examine the gums for any signs of gum disease then use a periodontal probe to determine the depth of gum pockets. Healthy gum pockets are 1-3mm deep. Any pockets deeper than this might indicate an active gum infection even with no visible outward sign
Oral Cancer Screening
Various forms of oral cancer will go unnoticed for ages until it is too late to treat the condition. Early oral cancer detection is essential for positive treatment outcomes. Your dentist will hence inspect your cheeks, lips, mouth, and gums for any areas of discoloration, lesions and, lumps which could indicate oral cancer. If there are any suspicious tissues encountered, a biopsy might be taken to confirm the diagnosis.
Dental Impressions
These are designed to make an impression of your oral tissues and teeth. This will guide the fabrication of a customized sports mouth guard or be used for the evaluation of your bite. You will be required to bite on a horseshoe-shaped tray made of a soft gelatin material to make the impression.
Dental care does not just encompass the treatment of oral health conditions. The above examinations are meant to assess your risk of various oral diseases and recommend the best preventive measures for the same. Moreover, they will form the basis for the frequency of your future dental checkups. Fortunately, the examinations are quick and inexpensive, and some are done under sedation to guarantee your comfort. Keen to book a dental appointment? You can seek dental care in batavia IL for an oral examination now.
