Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-Rays?

[Ro_Laren]

I went to the dentist today for my annual check-up. Before he saw me, the dental hygienist took my x-rays and cleaned my teeth. When the dentist came in, the dental hygienist told him about some areas that she thought might be problem areas and the dentist looked at my x-rays. He did this for a minute or two and said I had a small cavity and that it should be filled (he could have called it a mini or micro cavity). However, he didn’t actually physically look into my mouth at all. IIRC, he has done this before: not looked at my mouth, but only my x-rays. He looked at my mouth during my last visit, but I didn’t see the dental hygienist that day. But like I said, I think that on my previous appointments when I go to the dental hygienist first he just looks at my x-rays. I don’t think he has ever said I had a cavity (though other dentists have seen them and given me fillings in the past). My question is this: how many of you guys have dentists that don’t actually look at their mouths, but only at their x-rays? I’ve been to a number of dentists over the years and my current dentist is the only one that I’ve had that doesn’t always look at my mouth.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

When I go for a checkup, my dentist looks at my actual teeth as well as the x-rays, but the hygienist does most of the actual work.

 

[Robert D. Robot]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

The hygienist takes X-rays and then does the cleaning. When the dentist comes in, he looks at the x-rays and has a discussion with the hygienist about both the x-rays and whatever the hygienist may have noticed during the cleaning. He then thoroughly checks all my teeth himself, with special attention to any problem areas that came up earlier.

 

[HIjol]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

In America, the hygienist looks at my teeth, probes a bit, gum health, mostly, takes the X-rays and cleans my teeth. The dentist probes a lot, looks at the X-rays and recommends and does anything cavity-wise that is necessary.

Here in the Middle East, the Dentist does everything. I cannot speak for every dentist, but the one I have here only has a receptionist. Very modern equipement and tools, just like home.

 

[Disco]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

Dentist does it all for me. The hygienist is just for special cleaning I think.

 

[JoeZhang]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

Dentist does it all for me. The hygienist is just for special cleaning I think.

It appears the american system works differently - here in the UK, you generally have an appointment to see one or the other, not the two together...

 

[bbailey861]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

Both. Looks at the x-rays then prods around in the mouth. Hygienist then does the cleaning.

 

[B.J.]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

I only get x-rays once about every two years or so. At a typical appointment, the hygienist cleans and looks around for trouble spots. The dentist then comes in and does a quick once-over, concentrating on spots the hygienist points out, but only looks at the x-rays if they've been newly created at that appointment. Never had a dentist that didn't look at my teeth themselves.

 

[Kirby]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

My dentist/hygenist is a husband/wife team, and they're the only ones there. He actually does most of the work, including the cleaning. She does the x-rays, and has done the cleaning a few times when he's been with another patient.

 

[scotpens]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

Normally I have my teeth cleaned by the hygienist every four months (I tend to build up a lot of crud at the gumline). Every third appointment the dentist inspects my teeth (quite thoroughly, I might add) after the cleaning. I get x-rays taken every couple of years or so.

Fortunately I'm blessed with strong teeth -- I've only had two cavities in my life and that was when I was 16 years old.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

Hygienist does most of the work, ie cleaning and probing every once in awhile, then at the end the dentist will take a very quick look at my mouth just to make sure there's nothing wrong, making any decisions if any followups are needed. X-Rays are only ever done on a case basis to check out problem areas in more detail. The Dentist only really comes into play for the bigger jobs such as fixing teeth.

 

[Random_Spock]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

Both. Thankfully. And the hygienist is really good. She found out that a couple of my front teeth never came down. Never knew that. None of my other dentists over the years ever let me know about it.

 

[auntiehill]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

The hygienist takes X-rays and then does the cleaning. When the dentist comes in, he looks at the x-rays and has a discussion with the hygienist about both the x-rays and whatever the hygienist may have noticed during the cleaning. He then thoroughly checks all my teeth himself, with special attention to any problem areas that came up earlier.

^This. This is pretty much how every dentist appointment of my life has gone.

 

[Kilana2]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

Due to relocation I have changed my dentist. It is a young female. She has a good "dental chair manner" (she knows how to deal with patients). I´m currently in a root canal therapy. She has also made X-rays, but checked my teeth properly. She also explained the X-rays and the treatment. Dental terminology is not my strong suit, even though I come from a medical profession. But all in all I´m very content with my treatment.

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

X-Rays once a year, Hygienist takes them in the patient room before the cleaning and looks them over. Performs cleaning. After cleaning Dentist comes in, Hygienist tells her what she saw/thinks of them, Dentist considers them, looks over the X-Rays and does her own oral examination.

 

[C. Cole-Chakotay]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

My dentists have always looked at both. I went to a new one yesterday and he looked at both the x-rays and inside my mouth.

 

[auntiehill]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

The upshot of all this, Ro, is that you apparently need to find a new dentist!

 

[Finn]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

In my experience, X-rays weren't routine, and they were usually for a procedure related to braces or dental surgery.

 

[Count Zero]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

Yeah, I've had about 3 or 4 x-rays taken by the dentist in all my life and nearly all of them were due to possible braces and my wisdom teeth. I think it was just done once in search of a cavity because my dentist wanted to make sure there wasn't one underneath a tooth that looked funny. So, x-rays are rare. But I guess that's because in the US people are usually privately insured so you can charge them for things that may not be necessary while over here a lot of people (including myself) are publicly insured and you can only ask for so much.

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: Dental Visits: Does Your Dentist Look at Your Mouth or Just Ur X-R

Yeah, I've had about 3 or 4 x-rays taken by the dentist in all my life and nearly all of them were due to possible braces and my wisdom teeth. I think it was just done once in search of a cavity because my dentist wanted to make sure there wasn't one underneath a tooth that looked funny. So, x-rays are rare. But I guess that's because in the US people are usually privately insured so you can charge them for things that may not be necessary while over here a lot of people (including myself) are publicly insured and you can only ask for so much.

With my insurance I get one set of free X-Rays a year with a cleaning. Probably seen as a preventative measure so "will save money in the long-run if something goes wrong" idea.