Dental Exam
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Protect your oral health with comprehensive dental exams

Many people who take excellent care of their oral health at home often ask the question of why they need to visit the dentist regularly. That’s because many dental and oral problems do not become visible or cause pain during their early stages. Examples of such issues are cavities, gum disease, and cancer.

Additionally, regular dental exams not just protect your oral health, but also your overall health. For example, symptoms of some systemic diseases like diabetes, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis manifest in the mouth first.

Routine visits to Jonathan J. Golab, DDS, PA can help detect any disease or disorder in its early stage and allow them to be treated quickly.

What Does a Comprehensive Dental Exam Involve?

At Jonathan J. Golab, DDS, PA, Dr. Jonathan Golab will first perform a visual exam of your entire mouth, including the teeth, gums and other soft tissues , as well as your head and neck area. The exam will include these steps:

  • Teeth Examination: We will check the surface of every single one of your teeth with an instrument called the explorer. Some dental issues include stains, cracks, cavity, decay, loose teeth, and margins around any tooth restorations like crowns or fillings.
  • Gum Tissue Exam: We will look for signs of inflamed, red, or bleeding gums. People who have periodontal disease may also have receded gums. If you do have gum disease, we will recommend an appropriate treatment plan for you.
  • Soft Tissue Examination: The soft tissue inside your mouth, apart from the gums, includes the tongue, the palate, the inside of your cheeks and lips and the floor of the mouth. We will explore these areas for any signs of discoloration, sores, lesions, unexplained bleeding or growths. Your tonsils and the back of your throat will also be examined for any issues.
  • Occlusion: Occlusion means contact between your teeth. We will check whether your upper and lower teeth contact each other properly or if there are problems in your bite. We may also ask you to bite into a wax mold to see for ourselves if your teeth meet properly together.
  • Head and Neck: We will also feel your head and neck area during a comprehensive routine exam. We will conduct a physical exam to feel any tenderness or swelling in your salivary glands or lymph nodes. We will also check your lower jaw movement to see if you have any problem with your temporomandibular joints (the hinges that connect the lower jaw to the skull).
  • X-rays: We will also recommend dental x-rays to see details in your mouth that may not be visible during the visual exams. X-rays are not always needed during a routine dental check up, but we may recommend them if you are at high risk of oral disease. Radiation levels of dental x-rays are very low and not cause for concern.

To make sure we give you the proper treatment, we will review your dental and medical history. Several diseases, especially systemic and autoimmune disorders, can cause a greater risk of gum disease. Also, bring a list of any medication that you are taking so that we do not prescribe you medicines that may negatively react with the ones you are already taking.

Do not hesitate to let us know if you have sensed any changes in your mouth like prolonged bleeding, persistent bad breath, lumps, burning sensations, cavity, tooth sensitivity, or other issues. By informing us of these issues beforehand, you can help us make an early and more accurate diagnosis.

To schedule an appointment with us, call us at (469) 444-2119 today.