Dental appointment: What to expect at your first visit
When making a dental appointment, many people can be nervous about their first visit. Learning more about the initial exam can help alleviate concerns and stress. At their dental office in Milwaukee’s nearby suburb of Shorewood, the Draver Dental Team strives to provide a calm, welcoming environment so that you can achieve and maintain your best smile for years to come.
The goal of the first dental visit can vary from person to person, and therefore can be scheduled as a limited or comprehensive exam.
A limited exam focuses on one urgent issue — a toothache or broken tooth. Some patients may refer to this visit as an “emergency dental appointment.” The main focus is to address the time-sensitive issue. This exam will typically take an x-ray of one tooth or area and evaluate one tooth. Once the tooth is fixed, a more thorough and comprehensive plan can be made for the future.
Many patients may have a few non-urgent concerns, need to establish with a new dental office, or have not had a dental exam in years. In that case, a comprehensive exam will be completed. The goal of the comprehensive exam is to assess the level of dental health and gather information about the entire mouth and surrounding structures. Patient goals will be discussed, X-rays will be taken, and existing fillings, crowns, and cavities will be documented and evaluated. Oral cancer screenings and TMJ evaluation are also important aspects of a comprehensive dental visit.
Once all tissues are evaluated, a treatment plan will be developed. The treatment plan can be separated into different phases and priorities based on what treatment is urgent and what might be anticipated to be needed in the future. The X-rays and information gathered will be thoroughly presented and discussed so that you can make informed decisions about your oral care. Draver Dental will work with you to achieve both your short-term and long-term goals.
The Draver Dental Team looks forward to helping you gain and maintain a healthy, and happy smile.
Call us at (414) 962-0389 or message us to schedule your initial dental appointment today!
The video segment above featuring Dr. Hannah Draver and Stephanie Brown originally aired on May 27, 2022 during The Morning Blend on Milwaukee’s TMJ4.
