The comprehensive oral health evaluation is always an important process for the new patient in a practice. Dr. Nghi Trinh-Pham may recommend that you have periodic comprehensive evaluations over the course of your life, depending on the frequency of your contact with your dentist and changes observed in your oral condition. She will know when this is appropriate for your individual circumstances.
The entire comprehensive evaluation process may take place over multiple visits. Certainly, if you have immediate concerns or an urgent need, Dr. Nghi Trinh-Pham will address those issues prior to leading you through the entire evaluation.
Beginning Conversation
Complete Examination
Your Treatment Appointment
Your Recare Appointments
Most often, the comprehensive evaluation begins with discussing your dental history and learning about your past experiences with dentistry. Dr. Nghi Trinh-Pham gains valuable insight as you talk about your past experiences and express what you want for yourself, how you see your present level of oral health, and your expectations of Dr. Trinh-Pham and office staff. Hearing your concerns and opinions will help her and the rest of the dental team provide the level of service you expect or even raise your expectations. It will assist them in helping you achieve your desired results.
The next step is a complete clinical examination. This is accomplished with your help and input. Comprehensive clinical examinations are more thorough than the “cursory check-up” you may have come to expect.
In order to reach a complete understanding of your present state of health, Dr. Trinh-Pham must gather data about your masticatory (chewing) muscles, TMJ (temporomandibular joint (jaw joints)), and occlusion (bite). She also must gather information about how these three components work together in your mouth.
Evaluating the health of the periodontium (gums) and surrounding soft tissues is part of the process. Dr. Trinh-Pham will be looking for signs of disease, oral cancer, and injury during this part of the exam. A complete assessment of the health of each individual tooth, as well as the condition of any existing restorations (such as fillings, crowns and bonding) or prostheses (such as dentures and partials), is an integral part of the process.
An esthetic evaluation is apt to be included. If you have expressed concern about the way your teeth look, you will have the opportunity to “tour” the mouth together, discussing each point of concern.
Throughout this exam, Dr. Trinh-Pham will be asking you what you are feeling, wondering, and thinking. You, after all, know better than anyone what you feel in your own mouth.
Along with the process of examining your mouth with you, she will suggest appropriate x-rays. These may include films of your teeth, entire jaw system, and if necessary, specific films of your jaw joints.
Diagnostic impressions of your upper and lower teeth will be made using an elastic material. These impressions are a “negative” of the mouth into which dental plaster is placed to make an accurate copy of the mouth. The resultant “casts” will be mounted on an articulator, which is an instrument that simulates the movements of your lower jaw relative to your upper teeth.
A final step in gathering data is a complete set of close-up photographs of your teeth and face.
During this entire process, you and Dr. Trinh-Pham will be conversing about each portion of the examination and what you are discovering. She will be actively listening for your questions, concerns, and opinions – and will take time to address them. You will be a collaborative member of your oral health team.
The appointment time we set aside is dedicated especially for you. We make it our policy to see only one patient at a time and make every effort to honor all time commitments. We request that you extend the same courtesy to us.
If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us immediately. With at least 24 hours notice, we are able to give your appointment to another patient who needs to see the doctor. We do not charge a broken appointment fee, nor do we want to begin doing so. Lost time, however, prevents the doctor from seeing other patients who need treatment.
We hope you share our belief that regular preventive dental care is a sound investment. While the responsibility for returning regularly is primarily yours, we will provide the service of sending you a written reminder of the appointment you selected. If you were unable to choose an appointment at your previous recare visit, please call us for an appointment when you receive the reminder card.
NEWSLETTER
Dr. Nghi Trinh-Pham will be concerned first with getting to know you as a unique individual in order to meet your expectations. She will be concerned next with a co-discovery examination, which will allow both of you to determine the aspects of your oral health and appearance that can be improved. 