Your first dentist appointment is essential to us. At Cedarwood Dentistry, we focus on providing individualized care to meet our patients’ needs. This first visit helps us determine what treatment you may need and what type of care you are looking for.
We have two different appointment types in which we may first interact with a patient: a Problem-Focused Exam and a Complete New Patient Exam.
Problem-Focused Dental Exams
In the Problem-Focused Exam, we solely focus on what is bothering you. This may be a painful or broken tooth, wanting to whiten yellowed teeth, pain in your jaw or face, or any other specific complaint you may have. If you have a particular problem that you need to address quickly, we can help you.
Comprehensive New Patient Dental Exam
A Comprehensive New Patient Exam is more in-depth than a Problem-Focused Exam. It consists of four major parts: a head and neck exam, a hard tissue exam, a soft tissue exam, and x-rays. All four parts are integral to creating a plan for your dental needs.
Head & Neck Exam
In the head and neck exam, we check for lumps, bumps, and spots from the top of your head to the bottom of your neck, as well as inside of your mouth. We check for anomalies that may be abnormal or concerning. A head and neck exam is an essential part of ensuring your total health!
Hard Tissue Exam
Our hard tissue exam involves checking and recording any missing teeth and teeth with existing work, and we also look for new decay. The hard tissue exam provides a baseline for what problems you have had and what work we may have to accomplish.
Soft Tissue Exam
The soft tissue exam checks for bone loss, periodontal disease, and gingivitis. We accomplish this by measuring your gum pockets and the amount of exposed root surface. We also check for bleeding, which is a sign of inflammation and disease.
Dental X-rays
A complete set of x-rays is necessary to check the condition of your teeth and the bone around the teeth. X-rays allow us to see between your teeth to check for decay, under your gums to check for bone loss, and at the bottom of the root of your teeth to check for infection. They are an essential part of providing you with a complete look at your current conditions and developing a plan for fixing problems. See Why are Dental X-rays Important for more information!
Dental Treatment Plan
After your comprehensive exam, we provide you with your entire treatment plan. For most cases, we discuss this plan directly after your exam. It consists of a plan to care for your gum and bone health, any cavities that need to be filled, how we can replace teeth that may be missing, and how we can ensure the health of your teeth for the future! We also schedule time with one of our hygienists for a cleaning. Depending on our findings, you may need a regular cleaning or a more involved deep cleaning.
Your first visit is the first step in your journey to dental health. We aim to provide you with a personalized plan to achieve your dental goals!
