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What
will your first visit be like?
 Dentistry today has so much
to offer...restorative and reconstructive dentistry, porcelain
veneers and crowns, bonding, white fillings,
whitening, implants...what is right for you? It has to begin
with a comprehensive exam and diagnosis.
Unless there is
some immediate concern, urgency, or a strictly cosmetic
consult, the first visit will involve a comprehensive
exam. If there is an immediate concern, it may need to
be addressed first, then followed by a comprehensive evaluation.
Before
you and Dr. Rice can determine what is possible for long-term
stability with regard to comfort, function, health and
esthetics,
your current condition is assessed. Your comprehensive
exam is a baseline for future comparisons and is the basis
for
a lifetime master plan for oral health.
The following will
be done during your INITIAL EVALUATION:
1. Review your medical
and dental history
2. Clarifying your concerns, wants and
expectations and/or problems
3. Oral cancer examination (done by dental Hygienist
at Hygiene visit)
4. Tooth examination to check for decay, cracks, wear
etc.
Photographs to evaluate esthetics and condition of
teeth and gums (diagnosis)
5. Full series of 20 views
Periodontal Examination
6. Measuring all gum crevices to check for hidden gum
disease
7. Condition (quality, quantity and recession level)
of gum tissue
8. Measurement of mobility or looseness, another sign
of problems
9. Are fillings or crowns causing gum irritation?
Temporomandibular joint orthopedic examination
10. Palpation (pressing with finger tips) to check
for inflammation
11. Range of motion tests to check jaw movements
12. Palpation (pressing) of all muscle groups both
within and outside the mouth for any signs of discomfort
or
tension
Occlusal (bite) examination (bite problems can be a
cause dental failures)
13. Check if all teeth touch equally (engineering check)
14. Check how teeth meet when jaw moves in all directions
Digital Radiographs
15. Full mouth series, 20 views, to show decay, infection,
bone condition
After your examination, Dr. Rice will:
- Review
all findings
- Discuss your treatment recommendations
and sequence
- Give you a customized written report
- Discuss all fees
- Answer all questions to your satisfaction
and understanding
If your condition warrants further evaluation the
following will also be done:
Diagnostic study casts (models of your mouth) if needed
16. Two sets, one is a baseline, the other for 3D planning
and blueprinting
17. Measurement to customize models for
jaw simulator
18. Measurement for how teeth bite together
- Evaluate and study
all the above information
- Consult with
any specialists, if indicated
- Make a specific diagnosis
for your current condition
- Design a blueprint for your care
with the diagnostic casts
- Develop an individualized long-term
treatment program and sequence
- Dr. Rice will then review
and discuss everything at a consultation appointment.
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