Comprehensive Exam

A thorough diagnosis at the start of care prevents a long list of problems that come from treating teeth in isolation. The comprehensive exam is where we establish a baseline for your whole oral health: not just the chief complaint, not just the teeth that hurt, but the full picture. At a new-patient visit we take a full-mouth series of X-rays or a panoramic radiograph, depending on what your anatomy and history call for. We perform complete periodontal charting, recording pocket depths, bleeding on probing, recession, and mobility, so we can track the actual disease status of your gums over time rather than relying on visual inspection alone. The soft-tissue examination covers lips, cheeks, tongue, floor of mouth, palate, and the back of the throat. This is the oral cancer screening, performed at every comprehensive exam at no extra cost. Early detection is the single largest factor in survival, and the screening takes only a few minutes. We also evaluate your bite, look for signs of grinding or clenching, and check existing restorations for integrity and marginal fit. The consultation that follows is not a sales presentation. We explain what we found, what it means, and what your options are, including doing nothing when that is a reasonable choice. A treatment plan is built with you, not handed to you. We recommend a comprehensive re-evaluation each year.