New Patient Exam

Dental Exam
A clinical exam is more commonly referred to as a routine check up. This check up lets Dr. Clausen essentially take inventory of the overall health of your mouth and teeth and diagnose any potential problems you may have.

A. The first thing Dr. Clausen will check during the exam is your face and neck. Checking visually, Dr. Clausen will look for any abnormalities, such as lumps, bumps or swelling.

B. Checking inside your mouth is next on the agenda. During this part of the check up Dr. Clausen will be looking for any abnormalities in the soft tissue, such as discolorations or ulcers on your lips, gums, tongue, palate and cheeks. Dr. Clausen will also perform an oral cancer screening and will check your bite and your jaw joint for any problems.

C. Next Dr. Clausen will check your gums and jawbone, as they are the foundation for your teeth. Dr. Clausen will check them for any signs of gingivitis, gum disease and bone disease.

D. Checking your teeth comes next.  Dr. Clausen will be checking them for cavities and other problems. Finally, Dr. Clausen will be sure to look specifically at any areas where you may have symptoms or concerns.

X-rays
In most cases a clinical exam by itself is not sufficient to completely diagnose all potential problems with your mouth. In fact, the majority of problems with your teeth and the jawbone are not visible to the naked eye. That is why x-rays play a key role in allowing a better, and more accurate look at what is really going on inside your mouth and below your teeth and gums. By using x-rays Dr. Clausen can check for any bone loss and determine the severity of the gum disease. 

In addition to revealing any problems that were not visible during the clinical exam these initial x-rays will also provide Dr. Clausen with a benchmark with which to compare against during your future visits.