What should a complete dental exam include?
May 22nd, 2008 by Dr. Kourosh Maddahi DDS
Examining the teeth and noting all existing restorations of the teeth on the patient’s dental chart. Then, checking the teeth for cavities and the gums for any plaque buildup or pocketing around the gums. Then soft tissue exam should be done of all the tissue surrounding the teeth, gums, tongue, throat and tonsils to see if there is any abnormality. This is called an oral cancer screening exam. The temporal mandible joint, also known as TMJ, should be examined to make sure there is not any clicking, popping, clenching or grinding.