Clinical examination

If you are visiting us for the first time, then you should know that we will need to create your medical chart. We are required to ask you a few questions about your general health and your pre-existing conditions, so you will need to fill out a form with details regarding your medical history. Your responses may impact the direction of our approach to your dental problems. Be sure to answer truthfully and completely, so that we may be able to help you with fully informed decisions. Tell us if you are taking any medication (prescribed or otherwise) or whether you had allergic reactions in the past.

Our colleagues at the front desk will register the data into the system, while one of our assistants will prepare you for your first panoramic x-ray. This will guide us through formulation of diagnosis and assist in our clinical decision making. After we get your x-ray, it is time for your clinical examination. With the help of a dental mirror and a dental probe, we will thoroughly inspect and analyse:

• the health status of your existing teeth together with their roots, supporting bone and gingiva
• the health status of your gums and general aspect of your oral cavity mucosa
• existence of active infections, oral lesions or local signs of illness
• the state, correctness of execution and functionality of: any dental treatments you might have undergone (fillings, root canals, build-ups etc.), any fixed prosthetic pieces you might have (crowns, bridges, veneers etc.), any removable dentures
• existence of implants, their health status and supported prosthetics’ status
• bite relations between arches
• the aesthetic aspect of your smile
• the aspect of your facial skin and lips.

Our findings will be noted in your chart and we might take some photographs to keep and analyse certain aspects over time. This is also a great tool to see the impact of the treatments versus the initial state. During the examination, we will ask you to tell us about:

• your oral hygiene habits (what type of toothbrush and paste you are using, whether you floss and how many times a day etc.)
• your eating and sleeping habits
• how often you schedule regular check-ups and professional teeth cleanings and when was your last appointment at the dental office.
• whether you had or wish to have any orthodontic treatment.
• if there is anything that bothers you, regarding the oral cavity (like for example tooth pain, an unesthetic smile, biting relations or TMJ pain etc.)
• anything that you would like to change, treat or improve (in our area of expertise)
• your expectations following the treatment plan we propose.

Having your x-ray at hand will help us examine, diagnose and corroborate all the data in your medical chart. In some cases, especially when we need surgical treatments (like bone-augmentation or dental implants), we will likely need a CT-scan (or a CBCT – Cone Beam Computer Tomography) to guide us in choosing the correct medical approach for your particular case. This will show us a 3D image of everything of interest like the health status of the bone, neighbouring anatomical structures and also the shape and direction of existing teeth roots.

After the data-collecting phase, we start to visualize the steps of an individualised treatment plan. All the details towards realisation and the reasons we chose a particular tactic will be explained to your understanding. We like to sometimes discuss cases together with our colleagues, because each of us may have an idea that could help and each of us is passionate about specific treatments, so you will probably meet at least one other team member in this sitting. 😊

You will receive a written (and printed) version of the plan we put together and agreed upon. If you have more than one choice, then you will receive all the options that are available. At the end of the session, we will schedule an appointment to get started with the work.