Seeing a Family Dentist such as Petreikis L D DDS is a smart way to enhance the health of your teeth. Since the health of your teeth is part of your overall health, your entire body will benefit from regular check-ups and treatments. If you will be seeing a new dentist, it’s advisable to familiarize yourself with the basic protocol of an initial visit. While dentists can vary in their elements of a dental visit, most will follow a systematic way of assessing your mouth’s condition.
When seeing a new Family Dentist, you will have a consultation followed by a thorough examination. The consultation is where you talk to a dentist about your fears and expectations. You can bring pictures or articles that relate to how you want your teeth to look. This will help the dentist get a better idea about your wants. If you have had a bad dental experience, let the dentist know this so he can treat you accordingly. There are many new procedures and pharmaceuticals that can help alleviate pain and discomfort. Also, listening to music or wearing earplugs can reduce the noise you hear during treatments.
After a consultation, a dentist will perform a thorough assessment of your mouth. He will view your head, neck, salivary glands, and lymph nodes. When he is doing this, he is looking for redness, swelling, or other abnormalities indicative of the presence of dental disease. To test your temporomandibular joint, the dentist will ask you to open your mouth all the way. He will then request that you move your lower jaw side to side. Any catches or hitches will usually be noticeable during this movement.
In addition, a dentist will also view the soft and hard tissues of your mouth. He will do a clinical examination of your teeth to find any defects or deterioration. X-rays may be ordered to get a better view of the parts of your mouth a clinical exam won’t reveal. Finally, a periodontal examination will be done to specifically look at your gums for signs of disease. These treatments are often done simultaneously. Doing all these tests will help the dentist determine the best course of treatment for your mouth.
