Dental Exams

The foundation to every healthy smile begins with a baseline screening that assesses and evaluates the patient’s current oral health condition. At Barsky DDS, the doctor provides extensive exams on each and every patient.

Initial and routine examinations provide us with the opportunity to limit the amount of dental therapy that you need over time. They also allow the doctor to share essential information with you regarding his findings.

At Barsky DDS, every new patient visit starts with a detailed, comprehensive oral exam.

Meet Dr. Barsky

What are Dental Exams?

A dental exam is a procedure to check a patient’s overall oral health and hygiene. The checkup includes looking for signs of tooth decay, gum disease, bone disease, root decay, as well as evaluating a patient’s need for tooth replacement and smile restoration.

Dr. Barsky’s Attention to Detail

An exam isn’t just “looking at your teeth.” It is actually a detailed procedure that assesses many different factors of your oral health. Some of the things the doctor screens for during your examination will include conditions such as:

1. Occlusion and Wear

The way your teeth fit together will impact their wear over time. Misaligned bites may be aesthetically displeasing, but they are also causes of problems like gum disease, TMJ disorder, tooth decay, premature tooth wear and tooth fractures. If you are considering getting orthodontic therapy or a smile makeover, an occlusal evaluation is the first step.

2. TMJ Function

The doctor will palpate both TMJ areas as you open and close your mouth, evaluating them for any signs of popping, clicking, or deviation. Even a slight abnormality in the jaw motion can lead to headaches or fractured dental restorations. Excessive grinding or clinching may also damage the joint.

3. Periodontal Health

Using a small probe, the tissues around each tooth will be measured to record any detachment that may have taken place just under the gumlines. Healthy teeth have pockets up to 3mm deep, but deeper pockets indicate gum disease as well as bone loss. Finding these areas early on can prevent the need for more invasive therapy later on – not to mention help you prevent unnecessary tooth loss.

4. Oral Cancer

Identifying abnormal or precancerous tissues at an early stage is the best way to improve a successful outcome for cancer therapy. Unfortunately, many people feel that they are not at risk for cancer and wait until it is far too late for a cancer screening. Even healthy individuals can develop the deadly condition; so early diagnosis is key.

5. Side-Effects of Health Conditions

Did you know that some medical conditions can go undiagnosed unless they are identified by your oral health professional? Some examples of conditions that present oral manifestations include anemia, GERD, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and Addison disease, just to name a few.

6. Enamel Damage

Abnormal damage to your tooth enamel along the gumlines or cusp tips can mean problems like acid reflux, aggressive toothbrushing, or bruxism are at play. Early identification can help you avoid unnecessary loss of tooth structure.

7. Tooth Decay

Of course, the doctor is also screening for tooth decay. However, our goal is to pinpoint demineralized areas before they evolve into a cavity. That way improved oral hygiene or fluoride treatments can assist in reversing the demineralization of the tooth structure before a cavity develops.

Who can Benefit from Dental Exams?

Anyone can benefit from dental exams, no matter what their age or the state of their oral health.

What are the Benefits of Dental Exams?

There are many benefits to dental exams, especially preventative benefits. Dental exams let oral health professionals spot problems before they get serious, and spot conditions that can lead to problems before the occur. This includes things like tooth decay, gum disease, root decay, and more. These conditions are relatively easy to prevent and treat in their early stages, but become increasingly risky and expensive to treat the longer they go unnoticed.

Dental exams also allow oral health professionals assess and diagnose any other kinds of problems a patient may have. This includes the need for braces, replacement teeth, crowns, fillings, or other procedures. These treatments are more effective and easier to complete the earlier they are noticed.

Finally, dental exams allow oral health professionals to evaluate the strength and condition of a patient’s jawbone and bone health. This can help prevent bone loss as well as infections that can spread to the rest of the body.

What does a Dental Exam Include?

A dental exam will start with a series of questions regarding patient complaints. Oral health professionals will ask if there have been any problems, and ask about the nature of those problems, including how long they have been going on and if any actions or situations agitate them.

Following this, the patient’s mouth will receive a thorough examination. The surfaces of the teeth will be checked, including using a special mirror to check the back of teeth. The patient’s gum health will be evaluated, and any stains, tartar, or plaque buildup will be noted for cleaning.

In addition to the visual examination, a dental exam will frequently also include x-rays. These will allow the patient’s jawbone health, bone strength, and root health to be checked, and can also show potential cavities and areas of tooth rot that could not be detected through the visible inspection.

Following these steps, an oral health professional will share their findings with the patient and plan a course of action to treat any issues that are uncovered.

Oral Hygiene

Impeccable oral hygiene can extend the life of your dental restorations and help you retain your natural teeth for life. Let us help you find the best methods and tools that are necessary for your particular smile needs. If you have difficulty reaching certain areas or cleaning around particular teeth, please let us know!

Integrity of Existing Restorations

When maintained properly, restorations such as fillings, crowns or veneers can last for several years. The doctor thoroughly assesses the margins of restorations to pinpoint any weak points, so that proactive measures can be taken to extend their durability.

Aesthetic Concerns

Everyday wear and tear can lead to worn, chipped, or stained tooth enamel. As the doctor monitors the appearance of your smile, he can make suggestions to reduce the aesthetic impact that your lifestyle may be making on your teeth.

Implementing Digital Radiographs as Part of Your Exam

At Barsky DDS, we utilize low radiation digital x-rays as part of your comprehensive exam. Using digital radiographs allows the doctor to assess key elements such as:

• Bone height and quality
• Health of tooth roots
• Cavities forming between the teeth
• Pathology not visible during a visual exam

In most cases, we take a full mouth series of digital x-rays at your first visit, to establish a baseline reading for your entire smile. Then, follow-up images are taken about every 12 months to evaluate whether or not any changes have occurred between the two visits.

How Often Should I Have a Dental Exam?

Even our healthiest of patients should schedule an oral exam every 6 months. We usually book your exam alongside of your preventive dental cleaning, to make your visit more efficient.

If you suffer from conditions such as periodontal disease, the doctor may need to see you more frequently – such as every 3 months, until your condition is managed. Careful maintenance allows us to assist you with the tools you need to reduce unnecessary or costly treatments later on.

Exams Limit the Extensiveness of Dental Care Over Time

During your recurrent visits to Barsky DDS, the doctor will compare your oral health condition to that of previous visits. His extensive record keeping and digital images make it possible for us to carefully monitor the development of situations that need to be followed.

Should changes be noted, the doctor can provide preventive or minimally invasive therapies to help to correct them. These less extensive treatments minimize the number of appointments you need in the future, as well as reduce your overall cost of care throughout the life of your smile.

Should the doctor identify any areas of concern during your exam, we will take an HD digital image of the area to share with you. This allows you to see the condition for yourself, and provides you with valuable visual information when considering what method of care is most appropriate.

About Prosthodontics

The Advantages of Seeing a Prosthodontist for a Dental Exam

A board-certified prosthodontist has years of training and practice beyond the four years of dentistry school. This includes three years in an intensive and closely monitored residency where they are trained in the latest techniques and technology to produce the best results for their patients.

After the residency period there are two more years of examinations and evaluations to receive board certification. As a result, a prosthodontist has years of experience practicing the best and newest practices in modern dental science, making a prosthodontist the ideal person to see for a dental exam.

Schedule Your Dental Exam with Dr Barsky Today

If you need a dental exam contact the office of Dr. Barsky today. Dr. Barsky is a board-certified prosthodontist in private practice in the Miami, and will help you get the most complete picture of your oral health possible.

Experience a visit at Barsky DDS