A complete oral exam is a dental exam completed for diagnostic purposes to gather all the necessary information to assess your oral health. Your dentist will perform the complete oral exam with the help of a dental assistant or dental hygienist. A comprehensive oral exam will be implemented at the first visit to a new dental office, or routinely every 3-5 years to update charting and diagnoses regarding oral and overall health.
What to Expect During Your Complete Oral Exam
- Creating or updating your medical health history. This including any allergies, medications, medical conditions or past surgeries. Your oral health and general overall health are connected in many ways.
- Gathering information such as chief complaint, whether anything is sensitive or sore, or having any aesthetic concerns.
- An extraoral exam which checks your head, neck and lips
- A jaw exam to check your TMJ (jaw joint) for health and function
- An intraoral exam to check your oral tissues for any abnormalities
- Charting of your teeth, including any missing teeth, chipped teeth, broken teeth, or decayed teeth
- Noting all existing fillings, crowns, bridges, implants, root canals or prosthetics
- Assessing the health of past restorative work
- Performing an oral cancer screening exam to check for any early signs of oral or throat cancer
- Assessing the positioning of your teeth and occlusion and how your teeth bite together
- Checking for any signs or symptoms of clenching or grinding such as tooth wear/abrasion
- Possible dental x-rays to check the roots of your teeth and diagnose any cavities between your teeth
- Detailed gum health measurements to check for gum disease and recession
- Photos of your teeth as a baseline in order to check future changes
- Referrals to specialists such as an orthodontist for braces or an oral surgeon for extractions if necessary
- Recommendations for better oral care at home, review of brushing and flossing techniques
- Formation of a treatment plan if any dental work is required/recommended
Importance of a Complete Oral Exam
The importance of a complete oral exam is to provide a full assessment and diagnosis. It is a longer appointment with your dentist to make a full diagnosis and create an oral care plan moving forward.