Why do I need a Dental Exam?
Your dentist performs a dental exam to gather information about
your oral health. Checking for dental decay is only a small part
of a complete oral exam. Your dentist checks for gum disease and
also examines the health of your entire mouth surrounding soft tissues,
which includes checking for such things as pre-cancerous or cancerous
lesions; oral sores or irritations to gum tissue; fit of dentures
or bridges and proper bite. Medical and dental histories are usually
obtained, along with diagnostic information from X-rays, laboratory
test or other tests.
Oral health is integrally connected with your general health. Check-ups
are important because some diseases or medical conditions have signs
that can appear in the mouth. Diabetes, nutritional and vitamin
deficiencies and hormonal irregularities are some examples.
The extent of the exam you’ll receive depends upon the number
of factors. If you’re a new patient for example, you’ll
receive much more thorough exam than if you’ve recently been
to the dentist and are returning to have a specific dental condition
checked.
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