Hello, my name is Dr. Koilpillai here at Montpelier Family Dentistry. I often get questions on what a dental exam entails. What comprises a dental exam? I will be answering some of those most common questions about dental exams.
Why are dental exams and cleanings essential?
The question arises, why are dental exams and cleanings essential? They are essential because, being part of your body, your mouth is a very important part of your body. It should be examined just like you go to your physician for your physical. Your dental exam is very important to the health of your whole body because it is part of your body. Whatever happens in your mouth can affect the rest of your body. So we want to check for healthy gums, healthy teeth, and other things that are important, which I will cover in the next few questions.
What is included in a dental exam?
So the question arises, what is included in a dental exam? Here at Montpelierar Family Dentistry, we do an exam of the entire head and neck and the inside of the mouth. We check the muscles that open and close your jaw and the joint—that's your jaw joint. We check for any signs of infection by checking your lymph nodes around your neck. We check the inside of your oral cavity for any signs of cancer or anything else that may be abnormal. We're also looking for health in that exam, so we're checking that. We're also checking your teeth for the condition of your teeth, any cavities, cracks, wear, or tear that we need to address. We also conduct an exam based on your x-rays to see what's there below your gum line that's hidden and cannot be seen, such as signs of gum disease, abscesses, infections in the teeth, cysts, or any growths that shouldn't be there. We're also checking your airway from where we can observe it from your mouth to see how much airway space you have when we examine you. That's one thing that we do here. If you are short on airway space, we may have you do a questionnaire on risks for sleep apnea.
What is a dentist looking for during a dental exam?
You might wonder, what is a dentist looking for in a dental exam? We are looking for anything that might be going wrong in the mouth. We are checking your gums and taking a lot of measurements around each tooth to see the health of your gums and the bone underneath your gums. We are also checking your teeth themselves: are there any cavities, cracks, or signs of wear that should not be there? Are any teeth very weak or about to break? We're checking those things among many other things.
What types of recommendations might come from a dental exam?
You may wonder, what recommendations may come from a dental exam? The recommendations from the doctor will be customized to each patient. Each patient's going to get something that's tailored to them. If they need to have fillings done, they may be recommended fillings. If they need some crowns to strengthen their teeth, we may recommend that. If they need some gum treatment to get their gums healthy, we may recommend that, among other things.
How long does a full dental exam take?
You might wonder, how long does a full dental exam take? I would say it takes about an hour, maybe a little longer, because we're very thorough in our office. We take X-rays, which is part of the exam, some records, and we do a scan of the whole mouth. The scan is basically like a mold of your mouth, but it's a digital mold and it takes only a few minutes to do. We do the actual clinical exam also, so it requires about an hour. Then there's time afterward to answer questions and to give you the information that we have gathered.
Are dental exams painful?
You might wonder: Are dental exams painful? They are not. It is very gently done, taking care that everyone is different, and at the same time very thorough.
How can I schedule a dental exam?
You may wonder how to schedule a dental exam. Please call us at Montpelier Family Dentistry at (301) 812-4599 and speak to one of our friendly employees, and they will schedule you.
I hope I've been able to answer some questions on dental exams. If you have additional questions or are ready to take action, please call us at Montpelier Family Dentistry. I hope I've been able to answer most of your questions about the dental exam. If you have any other questions, please give us a call at Montpelier Family Dentistry, and we'll be happy to answer any questions.
Difference between a dental exam and a cleaning
The main difference is that with the cleaning, your teeth are just being cleaned by the hygienist. They're removing all the buildup, such as plaque. An exam is when the dentist comes in and checks each tooth, looks at your x-rays, and looks for any cavities or bone issues on the x-rays. They may also check your gums briefly, check inside your mouth, and look for any signs of infection. The dentist is the one who can diagnose you.
How long does a full dental exam usually take?
A full dental exam would probably take around 20 minutes. We check on the outside of your face, the inside, your muscles, your jaw, your teeth health, and your gum health.
How often should a person have a dental exam and cleaning?
For the average healthy patient, we recommend at least twice a year. For patients who have gum disease, we recommend three to four times a year to ensure that things don't spiral out of control.
How do dentists diagnose cavities?
We use x-rays and compare that to what we see physically in the mouth.
Same day treatment
If we have time, we can sometimes do same-day treatment, like filling cavities. But for the most part, we like to do a full exam, check everything, and come up with a plan for you.
How do dentists determine if a patient needs a root canal?
We look for a very large cavity that we can see in your mouth, swelling or some infection near where the tooth is in your gum, and also look at your x-ray to see any infection in the bone or large cavity that's causing this need for a root canal.
Are dental exams painful?
For the most part, no. Some patients do have tenderness when we check their gums, but it's nothing invasive.
Preparing for an dental exam
The most important thing that helps us is making sure that if you do take medications, please come with your full medication list. Some things that you may be taking or some medical conditions you have can impact us being able to do dental work on you. So, we want to make sure you're safe.
Schedule an appointment
All you have to do is call us at (301) 812-4599.