Scott Greenhalgh DDS - Cosmetic Dentistry

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Why you need a GREAT Dental Examination

I see new patients almost everyday. I see people that are new to Denver, haven't been to the dentist for years, or have had a major disappointment with their old Denver dentist. I would say that 80% of these people hope to have one of those "check-up" examinations that last about 5 minutes like when you have your teeth cleaned. What they seem to want is to run in and run out, and largely get the blessing on their teeth, you know, "I don't have any cavities, right Doc?"

When we see new patients, our examination takes at least an hour. We commonly see people who have had some sort of an issue that still isn't resolved, or some problem that no one else could fix (see my other dental blog about clues, Cosmetic Dentistry and Sherlock Holmes).

Here's part of what is important on that first visit (for more detail see "what to expect on your first visit"). One, the history of what has happened to your teeth (and why it happened) is critical. Why you went or didn't go to the dentist before, along with how you feel about going to the dentist now. These impressions and opinions affect how likely you will be to really take care of your teeth well for the future.

Here's another critical part: your X-rays. One of my pet peeves is when you go for a medical X-ray. No one gives you any information. If you are lucky, maybe they'll let you look at the image, but it's like the whole X-ray department is run by the CIA. No one will tell you anything about what it means or what's on the darn X-ray.

I sit down with our new patients and spend 10 minutes just showing you your X-rays. I know that's sort of controversial stuff. Actually SHOW you what's there, TALK about what it means, and discuss anything important in that whole set (another aside, YES, you really do need those periodic X-rays-they show changes and the things that start as small problems before they start to hurt).

After that we start checking the outside of your face and mouth. Yeah, the OUTSIDE. Things like the TMJ, your facial muscles, and glands. These all are windows to your overall health and how well your jaw joint works (or sticks) and how prone you are to clench or grind your teeth. And how balanced your bite is.

After that THEN we start to look at teeth. It usually takes FORTY minutes before we even start looking at teeth. That's how important all of these other things are. FORTY minutes.

So, this is really just the beginning of a great examination. The point is that we study YOU, we talk about YOU and then tailor the recommendations to YOU. So whether you are looking for a Denver cosmetic dentist or a family dentist in Denver, it all starts with a great exam. Contact us today to see the difference for yourself.

Labels: best Denver dentist, Denver cosmetic dentistry, Denver dentist, Dr. Scott Greenhalgh, Dr. Scott Greenhalgh DDS, TMJ