Complete Examination

The first step in our office is to listen to you. We want to get to know you and make sure you are comfortable before we treat you.

A Complete Examination is as the name implies-a complete and thorough evaluation of your mouth and surrounding parts.
               
The Complete Examination is designed to minimize treatment for you. Common repair dentistry focuses on just that: repair. If you have a cavity they fill it, if you break a tooth they fix it. It's reactive. Complete dentistry is proactive. Complete dentistry offers you the opportunity to regain your oral health to it's optimum. Wouldn't you agree it is better to stay well than have to get well, frequently?   

During your Complete Examination we examine your teeth, gums, TMJ, cheeks, lips, throat, lymph nodes and muscles of your jaw area. This called the masticatory system.

"Since there is no effective way to achieve maintainable oral health without harmony of all parts of the masticatory

system, the total system must be evaluated."                                               
Dawson, Peter E. Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Occlusal Problems Second Edition, pp 1-13.

Your bite is analyzed. Models of your mouth are placed on a special machine in our on-site laboratory.

Checklist

You'll notice that during the examination we use a checklist. The procedure is rather like a pre-flight check that the pilot undertakes before take-off. This ensures nothing is overlooked.

Some of the many things we check about your teeth are: wear, abrasion, microscopic cracks and broken fillings.

We look at your old silver, mercury, amalgam fillings to see if their surface is swollen or chipped and in need of repair.

We note areas of early decay that may need preventative treatment, and we record the position of any tartar (plaque) and stain that should be removed from your teeth.

We examine you for signs of gum disease.   To do this we gently measure down the side of the teeth to check the tooth is properly joined to the gum. Separation of the tooth and gum and bleeding of the gums (without discomfort or pain) are early signs of advancing gum disease.

Any areas of your mouth where plaque is collecting are charted so we can help you to improve your cleaning methods.

"It is the dentist's role to examine the entire system and assess it's current status, make a diagnosis and develop a lifetime master treatment plan that will achieve optimal comfort, function, health and esthetics. Once the optimal results are achieved with a comprehensive approach, it is quite remarkable how little future dentistry is needed. Unexpected trips to the dentist to deal with dental emergencies are minimized."
Gregory J. Tarentola, Clinical Director the Pankey Institute

We pride ourselves on our thorough and complete oral examinations. This is the benchmark of our quality and pursuit for excellence.

Steven H. Feit, D.M.D., P.A.
240 West Palmetto Park Road
Suite 220
Boca Raton, FL 33432

Phone: (561) 338-7535
Fax:      (561) 368-2981
feit@stevenfeit.com