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If you’ve been experiencing issues with your oral health or are visiting a new dentist for the first time, you will be given a comprehensive evaluation. During this exam, a variety of tests will be performed to establish a baseline for your overall dental wellness. Dr. Tere will then determine if you need any additional services performed to remedy specific conditions. Here’s what you can expect during a New Patient exam at Dental Distinctions in Kalispell, MT.

6 Steps of a Dental Oral Evaluation

1. Full Mouth Radiographs

dentistA radiograph provides your oral care technician with a clear image of your teeth. They can examine bone level, roots, and spaces where teeth make contact with each other. This allows them to search for caries, bone loss or infections that might be causing discomfort. 

2. Full Set of Intra & Extraoral Photographs

Using state-of-the-art technology, a technician will take full color digital photos of the inside of your mouth and teeth. These will be used to create a 360 view of your current oral enviorment and conditions that may need to be addressed. With all of the information recorded we then can provide multiple treatment plans to pick from to best suit you the patient.

3. Soft Tissue Cancer Screening

It’s important to engage in a regular screening of the head and neck, especially if you are a tobacco user. The screening will alert Dr. Tere to the presence of cancerous tumors or growths, allowing you to get treatment as soon as possible.

4. Full Mouth Probing

Periodontal disease is the infection of the tissues that surround your teeth. These infections can lead to tooth decay, tooth loss, bone loss and affect cardiovascular health. A full mouth probing will be used to search for periodontal disease.

5. Airway Evaluation

Obstructive sleep apnea not only causes interruptions to your sleep cycle, it has been linked to periodontal disease, clenching and grinding, jaw pain or discomfort, high blood pressure, heart disease, type II diabetes, weight gain, adult asthma, acid reflux and can be fatal in some cases. We screen every patient including children that may suffer from OSA or Sleep Apnea during an airway evaluation. Dr. Tere may decide that you or your loved one could benefit from Orofacil Myofunctional Therapy which helps to exercise and use the proper muscles of the face and neck to create a lip seal and teach the patient to breath through their nose the way nature intended. At Dental Distinctions we are part of the interdisciplinary team to diagnose, prevent and treat OSA.

6. Functional Occlusal Analysis

On occasion, patients might report difficulty chewing or closing their jaw due to misaligned teeth. A functional occlusal analysis and measurements reviewed informs us if surgery or other modifications are necessary to improve performance.

 

If Dr. Tere calls for a comprehensive dental oral exam, these guidelines will prepare you for what to expect. Dental Distinctions in Kalispell provides general dentistry and teeth cleaning services that are intended to bring out the best in your smile and keep you healthy. Their team of professionals will evaluate your specific needs and provide the appropriate services to remedy any issue. Call (406) 755-4166 today or visit them online to learn more about their team.

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