There are many different types of dental examination and assessment. Here is a brief guide to the ones you are most likely to have with us.
Your first assessment
An initial assessment is needed when a dentist takes a patient onto their list. It is a detailed, baseline record that future examinations are compared against.
- Questions about your medical and dental history.
- A gentle physical and visual examination of your head, neck, teeth and gums.
- X-rays, to see the parts of the teeth, gums and bone that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
- Your teeth are counted, fillings are recorded and your gums are screened for long-term infection.
The physical examination involves gently feeling your head and neck. This is highly recommended every six months for long-term smokers. Further assessment is required for treatments such as root canal treatment, braces and dental implants.
At the end of the examination, any diagnosis and proposed treatment plan can be discussed with you.
Check-ups and recall assessments
The basic philosophy is to detect problems as early as possible. Check-ups help discover problems before they become complex to treat. In the best case, a brief conversation about adjusting your brushing or flossing technique is all it takes to stop a problem getting worse.
Regular dental examinations allow problems to be identified and treated simply and predictably. Don't allow that little niggle to develop into something which becomes painful, complicated, unpredictable and expensive to treat.