By the time you are reading this, I will be in Florida at the Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education instructing a group of dentists from different parts of the country and world.  I have been blessed to be a part of the Visiting Faculty there since 1997 and have thoroughly enjoyed teaching a variety of dentists.  My article this week (and over the next several weeks) will focus on one of the foundations of the teachings at the Institute -the comprehensive examination. 

Think about this - what if you went to your physician to have a full physical and all they did was check your blood pressure.  Blood pressure is an important part of a physical examination, but by no means is it all that needs to be evaluated.  You would most likely feel cheated and wonder if everything else they didn’t check was OK.  The same is true when it comes to a “full physical” for your oral health.  Typically when patients call a dental office for the first time, they ask to have their teeth cleaned and a “check-up”.  This is all well and good if your mouth is in excellent condition and you have been seeing a dentist regularly, but if it has been much more than a year since your last visit you may be better served with a comprehensive oral health evaluation. 

A comprehensive examination evaluates all aspects of the oral health complex.  Patients whose goal is optimal health for a lifetime need to have more than a cursory “check-up” to look for cavities.  A lot is more involved with oral health than just the teeth. Dentists who subscribe to the principles and practices of optimal care understand the patient’s desire for the best dental services that are appropriate for their circumstances and objectives.  They are concerned with first getting to know the patient as a unique individual so they can meet their expectations and help the patient achieve their goals for oral health. 

The comprehensive oral evaluation is an important process for any new patient in a dental practice.  The entire process is accomplished in different ways depending on the dental office and preferences of the doctor, but the evaluation ultimately involves collecting a variety of information related to achieving and maintaining good oral health.  Your dentist will evaluate your mouth from several different perspectives.  Most often, the evaluation begins with discussing your dental history and learning about your past dental experiences.  Your dentist gains valuable insights as you talk about your past experiences and express what you concerns and desires for oral health you may have.  Hearing your opinions will assist the dental team in helping you achieve your desired results.

The next step of the evaluation involves a complete clinical examination.  This is accomplished with your help and input.  Comprehensive clinical examinations are more thorough than the “hygiene check-up” you may have come to expect.  In order to reach a complete understanding of your present state of health, your dentist must gather data about your temporomandibular (jaw) joints, masticatory (chewing) muscles, occlusion (bite) and how these three components work together in your mouth.  Evaluation of the periodontium (gums) and surrounding soft tissues is a critical part of the process and of course a complete assessment of the health of each individual tooth is involved.  Last but not least, it all must be put together with an esthetic evaluation so your smile can be at its best.  Over the next few weeks I will be discussing each part of the comprehensive evaluation so you can better understand the importance of allowing your dentist the time to “get to know you”.