General Dentist Airdrie
Comprehensive Oral Exam

A comprehensive oral evaluation is the best way to get your oral health off to a good start. It is one thorough assessment of your physical well being and oral condition to establish a baseline for your dental health.

During your comprehensive exam, your dentist will perform a complete physical checkup from the neck up, so you leave the appointment more informed about the health of your gums, teeth, and mouth than you ever did in the past.

Typically, your dentist will start by collecting an extensive dental and medical history. This is an important step in order to identify any current medications, supplements, or natural remedies being taken, as well as past surgeries and hospitalisations, allergies, and conditions being treated.

Next is a visual examination, followed by a detailed dental examination using 360-degree panoramic X-rays or bitewing, and perhaps an intra-oral camera to check for:

• Gum recession
• Weaknesses in dental restorations such as fillings, crowns, or bridges
• New cavities
• Tooth deterioration caused by bruxism, misaligned bite, or TMJ

In addition, the dentist will perform a digital and visual examination of the lymph nodes around your face and neck to check for any pain, abnormalities, or flexibility within the nodes that might be indicators for disease.

A similar examination of gums, tongue, lips, and other internal areas of your mouth will be performed, also checking for early signs of disease or medical conditions including:

• Diabetes
• Blood pressure
• Leukaemia
• Systemic disorders
• Oral cancer
• Sinus problems
• Cardiovascular problems
• Immune abnormalities

After all the assessments, we will create a detailed tooth chart noting the condition of each tooth individually, as well as any previous work done, leakage, decay, treatments that need to be done, impactions, teeth positions, and wear of teeth.

After the comprehensive exam is complete, we will discuss the findings with you, and work together to devise a treatment strategy that will incorporate your immediate, short-term, and long-term dental needs.

Get your Comprehensive Exam Today!

Considering the importance of a comprehensive oral exam, we recommend this procedure every time we receive a new patient – whether it is your first dental visit ever or you’re simply changing from another dental practice to ours – to serve as a benchmark of your general wellbeing.

We also recommend that all patients get a comprehensive oral evaluation every five years, regardless of the state of their oral health. Afterwards, we shall conduct recare exams, or checkups, on a regular basis to assess any changes in your dental and health status.

A comprehensive oral evaluation helps us best understand you, identify the things that are of importance to you, develop a personalised dental treatment plan, and closely monitor any changes in your oral and overall health that may occur in the future.