What Happens During A Dental Examination?

A breakdown of this basic but essential element of oral care.

Things have been strange for all of us this last year or so and that goes for dental treatments too. With the success of the vaccine rollout though, and a better understanding of Covid, we are all hoping that it won’t be too long before our dental practice will be fully back to normal.

A solid foundation to good oral care should always include routine six monthly visits to Alexandra Dental Care for a check up. Many of you will be familiar with what happens at these sessions but it is worth breaking it down, partly to help patients understand the various parts of the appointment.

Medical history check

You will always be asked if your medication has changed or if there have been any significant changes to your health. These are often interlinked. We don’t ask this to be ‘nosey’, but to ensure that we carry out any treatment safely. For example, it is important for us to know if you are on blood thinning medication as this would need to be taken into consideration where, for example, an extraction was due to take place. Please do not be embarrassed and make sure to help us keep our records up to date. All information given to us will be kept private and confidential.

Checking of teeth

This is the most obvious part of the appointment. We will examine your teeth for any signs of decay or erosion, along with breakages and other damage. Any previous restorations will also be checked to make sure that they are still providing the functionality required.

Gum health check

In addition to checking the teeth, we will also check your gums for signs of gum disease. There can be many potential signs of this, some of which may not be noticed by the patient. We will also check to see if there has been any recession of the gums as this can expose the root section of the teeth which is less well protected than the crown and may be more prone to decay and tooth sensitivity.

Soft tissue check

Our Burton and Ashby patients will not only have their teeth and gums checked but also the soft tissues of the mouth including the tongue and cheeks. Given that we can check your mouth at regular intervals, this puts us in a good position to detect any concerning signs such as red or white patches or lumps and lesions. These can be caused by a number of ‘non serious’ things but they can also be potential early signs of oral cancer. Patients should be aware that we are not trained to be able to diagnose cancer directly and if we refer you to your GP, this is purely a precautionary measure and you shouldn’t be immediately concerned. That said, if we do refer you, you should go. In the unlikely event it does prove to be cancerous, the outcome will almost certainly be better if treatment is started earlier.

X-Rays

These are not taken at every check up but will be taken periodically. We can check the exposed part of the teeth when we examine them manually but not the roots and an x-ray will allow us to see what is going on below the gum line. This is especially useful for detection of problems such as root canal infections that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to see.

TMJ check

If teeth are misaligned or if you have a tendency to grind your teeth, this can cause problems with the TMJ (joint) which is the ‘hinge’ of the jaw. Problems with this area can be painful and may also cause headaches and neck pain too.

Giving advice

If we detect any deterioration or potential deterioration caused by the way you are looking after your teeth, we may offer suggestions as to how you can improve this. You may also be recommended to see the hygienist at Alexandra Dental Care for a thorough clean to remove any deposits of tartar which have built up on the teeth and gum line. Indeed, we advise patients to have this done on a six monthly basis anyway as this will significantly help you to keep your mouth healthy.

Discuss treatment options

Where a dental issue is detected, we will discuss any treatments that you might need with you. Working with our patients, we will put together a treatment plan designed to restore your teeth. In situations where teeth are discoloured, for example, we may also discuss cosmetic dentistry options such as teeth whitening and veneers.

We hope that this helps all of our local patients to better understand the comprehensive check up service that we offer at Alexandra Dental Care. As with all appointments, your check up can be booked by calling us on 01283 216347. Our friendly team is on hand to take your call!

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