Dental examination

Dental examination, also called intraoral examination, is an inspection of the teeth and surrounding soft tissues of the oral cavity. A dental examination is complete if it allows identification of all active factors that are capable of causing or contributing to the deterioration of oral health or function. It is incomplete if it does not provide enough information to develop a total treatment plan aimed at optimum restoration of the teeth and their supporting structures.

Usually a dental examination is followed by the taking of x-rays, but this depends on a number of issues including clinical needs and medical history. Every examination is different, simply because every patient is different.

When you are in the chair, the dentist will move you into a reclining position so that your mouth can be more easily examined. The dentist then examines the soft tissues including the cheeks, palate, throat, tongue, floor of the mouth, and your lips. The purpose of the soft tissue examination is to detect pathological changes in the tissues that line the inside of the mouth.

The teeth are evaluated for cracks, decay, malformations and malocclusions. The dentist will also look for problems such as food traps and bleeding gums. The dentist will also ask about issues that concern the patient: previous dental experiences, problems with taste and breath, as well as issues with appearance and comfort.

The examiner generally uses an explorer, a slender steel instrument with a flexible, sharp point, to probe the minute indentations on tooth surfaces for signs of demineralization and caries development. Fillings are also inspected, and a radiographic record of the teeth is usually made.

The examiner may also insert a periodontal probe into the soft-tissue sulcus around each tooth, to measure the depth of each sulcus and to explore for calculus and root defects.

The examination should include inspection of the floor of the mouth, all surfaces of the tongue, the salivary glands and ducts, and the lymph nodes of the neck.

Sometimes an intraoral video camera is used to look inside your mouth. This technology makes it possible to see intraoral areas and features in a highly magnified and illuminated way not normally possible otherwise. This video scan is visible on a TV screen, so the patient can see the full colour, live, real-time their teeth and other intraoral tissues.

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Finally, after the dental examination the dentist constructs a personalized treatment plan in writing for each patient, the plan includes the costs of any proposed treatments, the treatment plan is then discussed fully with the patient and the patient is educated about all the alternatives available for treatment.

Regular dental examinations (ideally every six months) are very important and help you to maintain a healthy mouth. The process allows the dentist to check for early signs of dental problems, such as decay or gum disease, and therefore take measures to prevent the problems from becoming serious. This could save a lot of pain, time and money.

Ex.15. Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and word combinations:

Оточуючі м’які тканини, поверхні зуба, кольорове зображення, аномалія прикусу, у збільшеному вигляді, накопичення їжі, сприяти погіршенню здоров’я ротової порожнини, виявити патологічні зміни, стосуватися пацієнта, вжити заходи щодо запобігання ускладненню проблем, лімфатичні вузли, рентгенівський знімок.

Ex.16. Answer the following questions:

1. What is dental examination? 2. In what cases is dental examination complete? 3. When is dental examination incomplete? 4. Is it necessary to take x-rays before examination? 5. What kinds of soft tissues does the dentist examine and why? 6. What instruments are used by the dentist during dental examination? 7. What is the final stage of dental examination? 8. How often should you consult your dentist?

Ex.17. Insert the missing words:

1. The purpose of the soft tissue __________ is to detect pathological changes in the oral tissues. 2. The dentist constructs a personalized ____________ plan in writing for each patient. 3. The treatment plan includes the _____ of any proposed treatments. 4. The dentist examines the soft tissues including the cheeks, palate, throat, tongue, _____ of the mouth, and your lips. 5. Dental examination is an inspection of the ____ and surrounding soft tissues of the oral cavity.

Ex.18. Read the following text and retell it: