At an Examination appointment we would require you to fill out our medical history form. Once that has been completed, your dentist will then go on to discuss your general health using the previously filled out form. During the examination your dentist will carry out a thorough check of the following:
- The examination will always begin with the opportunity for the patient to voice any discomfort or concerns with any aspect of their oral health.
- Social History - this is an opportunity for yourself and your dentist to gain an understanding of your lifestyle. This would include your occupation, interests, smoking history (if any), and alcohol intake. Your dentist is merely there in an advisory capacity regarding your oral health.
- Extra Oral Check - your dentist will check the Temporomandibular joint, muscles of mastication (muscles used for chewing), neck and lymph glands including around the thyroid, any tension in the back of the neck/shoulders and any facial asymmetry/ anomalies.
- Temporomandibular Joint - this is the joint in which your upper face is connected to your lower face. Here we check to see if there are any clicks or discomfort when opening and closing your mouth. Sandeep himself has gained a certificate in advanced occlusion giving him a greater knowledge in this area.
- Soft Tissues Check - Your dentist checks all soft tissues present in the mouth for any anomalies, including an oral cancer screening.
- Oral Health Check - this is where your dentist will perform a thorough check of your gum health, including a BPE score. A BPE is the average pocket depth measurement in all sextants of the mouth in order to determine whether there is a presence of gum disease.
- Occlusion - occlusion is sectioned into different classes. At this appointment your dentist will record your over jet and overbite and which class you fall into. This determines how your lower and upper face connect.
- Mobility - this is when your dentist checks each of your teeth for any movement, as this can be a sign of periodontal disease. If there are any concerns regarding mobility, your dentist will discuss options regarding possible referral for periodontal treatment.
- Tooth Surface Loss - there are several different groupings which can cause tooth surface loss. The first being abrasion-This is caused by overzealous brushing in the past. The second is erosion-Erosion can be caused by too much acid in the mouth. This can be down to a person’s diet or a medical condition. The last group which is checked is attrition-Attrition occurs due to grinding of the teeth which we will all do but in some cases can be quite severe in cases of bruxism during daytime or night time.
Download our Medical History (.doc)
