More than a Cleaning: The Elements of a Comprehensive Dental Exam
You should get more out of your routine dental hygiene appointments than just a cleaning.
While that’s certainly an important part of these visits, there’s so much more to them. Cleanings should be part of a comprehensive exam that provides your dentist with information about your oral health as well as your overall health. If you’re a new patient, your dentist should take the time to get to know your health history, your concerns and your goals, and then continue to have these conversations with you every time you return to determine what’s changed.
Dr. Danny Moosa and the team at Parkway Family Dental are committed to providing comprehensive exams in their Polaris, Ohio, office. They want to become a true partner in your care, taking the time to explain why treatment is recommended and to go over the various options. Their goal is to provide the best care possible and to empower patients to make the best decisions for their health. Providing comprehensive exams is a big part of that.
Comprehensive oral exams set a baseline for your health and allow Dr. Moosa to catch both dental and overall health problems early. He looks for signs of oral cancer, gum disease, diabetes and other conditions, and will let you know if he finds anything concerning.
What exactly makes up a comprehensive oral exam? Here’s what to expect at Dr. Moosa’s Polaris, Ohio, office during your appointment:
This is where Dr. Moosa and his team learn more about you. They’ll ask you about your medical and dental history and your current conditions and medications. They’ll take the time to listen to your concerns, your dental-related fears, and your goals for your smile. This is also the time to learn more about the services Dr. Moosa offers and what might help you reach those goals, including implants and clear aligner therapy.
Digital x-rays provide many advantages over traditional film x-rays. They quickly give Dr. Moosa access to detailed images of your mouth, which he can use for enhanced diagnosis and treatment planning. Digital x-rays allow Dr. Moosa and the team at Parkway Family Dental to better educate patients about their condition and why certain treatment is being recommended. Digital x-rays also enable Dr. Moosa to find issues early, so he can prevent small problems from becoming bigger (and more costly) down the road.
Dr. Moosa or one of his team members will use an intraoral camera to quickly take detailed pictures of the inside of your mouth, then display those pictures on a large screen so you can view them together. He’ll educate you about what he sees and why treatment is being recommended. Intraoral cameras are a critical tool that help Dr. Moosa enhance diagnosis, treatment planning, record keeping and communication.
Periodontal disease is a problem for many patients, and is something Dr. Moosa and his Polaris, Ohio, based team checks for at every appointment. They look for common signs of periodontal disease such as gum inflammation, deep gum pockets and bone loss. Periodontal disease can have a negative impact on both your oral and overall health, making it critical to diagnose and treat.
One of Dr. Moosa’s skilled hygienists will thoroughly clean your teeth and look for issues like cavities, plaque and discoloration. After the cleaning, the hygienist will report findings to Dr. Moosa.
Dr. Moosa will take a detailed look both inside and outside your mouth. He’ll check your teeth, bite, gums, tongue, cheeks and floor of the mouth for anything that might look unusual, then move to your face, neck and lymph nodes looking for signs of disease. He’ll go over findings with you and may make recommendations based on what he sees.
At the end of the appointment, the hygienist will apply fluoride to your teeth, a quick process that strengthens tooth enamel and helps prevent cavities.
Dr. Moosa and his team will educate you throughout the appointment, focusing on topics like your oral condition, how to improve home care and the possible consequences of not going through with recommended treatment. The Parkway Family Dental team will answer any questions you have and address your concerns, so you can be confident you’ve received the best care possible and made the best decisions for your health. And if Dr. Moosa recommends treatment, you can easily schedule before you leave.
Over the years, Dr. Moosa has implemented many technologies into his Polaris, Ohio, based office, with the goal of providing the best, most comprehensive care possible during routine exams as well as during dental procedures. Technologies like digital x-rays, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), intraoral scanners and intraoral cameras help ensure Dr. Moosa and his Polaris, Ohio, based team provide the care their patients both want and deserve.
Dr. Moosa and the team at Parkway Family Dental are committed to providing gentle care and empowering patients to make the treatment decisions that are best for them. They want to be true partners in your care, and it all starts with providing comprehensive exams and investing in technologies that improve the patient experience and outcomes.
Ready to schedule your next comprehensive dental appointment with Dr. Moosa? Give Polaris, Ohio, based Parkway Family Dental a call today.
Please call 614.854.0101 or click below to schedule an appointment online. We can't wait to meet you!