Dental Exam You will receive a dental exam when you present to our dental office for routine dental appointments or when you have dental problem you need to be addressed. Dental exams are also important preventive dentistry procedures since they allow dental professionals to spot issues before they get worse and bring further consequences. Our team at The OC Smiles Family Dental emphasizes that you get dental exams every six months even when you do not have any signs or symptoms of oral disease or conditions. Exams should come as a tool for preventing dental problems. They are also important in the diagnosis of an oral problem or condition.How to Prepare for Dental CheckupsOnce you are scheduled for an appointment to meet our dental team, you want to know how to prepare for the visit. When presenting for a dental exam and checkup, you need to have a good night's sleep. This way, you will be rested prior to the visit. It is important to ensure our dental team has all of your information. This includes the previous dental treatments or procedures you have had and any medication you are currently using. If you have had signs and symptoms of gum disease and other dental problems, tell the dentist. List those symptoms down while at home. A dental exam lasts about 45 to 60 minutes. The Dental Exam ProcedureOur team begins by getting your dental history. We want to know if it is your first time coming to our dental office. We want to know about changes in medication, including the current medicines you are using, for instance, medication for arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. If you are pregnant, we also want to know. Our dentist cleans your mouth to get rid of bacterial plaque and tartar. With a clean mouth, we are able to see what is happening inside the mouth much more clearly. After cleaning the mouth, we examine the teeth using a probe and a mirror. Our dentist is able to see areas behind and between the gum tissue and teeth. We check for things like redness, swollen gums, and sores, which can signal gum disease or even serious conditions like oral cancer. Measuring gum pockets is also important because it can help indicate if gum disease is present. Our team performs x-rays to get details of the invisible parts of the mouth, including the inside of teeth, the jawbone, the roots of teeth, and the interdental spaces. We feel the jawbone, inside and outside the mouth to make sure that the bite is aligned, smooth, and has no popping or clicking sounds occurring from the jaw joints. Additionally, the dentist inspects the grooves of your teeth to see if there are any cracks or if they are too smooth as a result of grinding and clenching. Last but not least, the dentist inspects the areas behind the neck as well as the jaw in order to determine if you have symptoms and signs of cancer. Cancer screening makes a crucial element for any oral exam and checkup appointment. Visit The OC Smiles Family Dental if you have not received an oral cancer screening recently. Dial (971) 447-0093 to book your next dental exam. |
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