Routine & Emergency Exams

At NorthShore, regular oral exams every six months are crucial for comprehensive dental health, encompassing examinations beyond the mouth, including head and neck assessments and X-rays to diagnose conditions invisible to the naked eye. In cases of acute pain or swelling, our emergency exams focus on the problem area, including X-rays, to swiftly determine appropriate treatment, ensuring timely care and relief for our patients.

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Routine & Emergency Exams

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Dental Exams at NorthShore

Routine Oral Exams

NorthShore recommends that patients have a routine oral examination every 6 months. This visit will include more than just a look inside the mouth. The doctor will also examine the head and neck region using palpation, or feeling, with their hands for any abnormalities. Dental X-rays will also be taken to give us a visualization between the teeth and below the gumline to areas that are not able to be seen with the naked eye. These X-rays allow your dental professional to properly diagnose dental conditions, such as periodontal disease, dental decay (cavities), etc. X-rays also help the dental team identify any previous dental work that may have been completed in another office.

*NorthShore, in accordance with the American Dental Association, recommends that children have their first dental exam when their first tooth appears or by their first birthday.

Emergency Exams

NorthShore provides emergency examinations for patients experiencing acute pain or swelling. During an emergency exam only the problem area will be addressed. An X-ray will be taken of the problem area, and the Dentist will then examine the localized pain to determine the appropriate treatment.

If the pain is coming from the area of the wisdom tooth/teeth a special type of X-ray, called a panoramic X-ray, may be needed to further determine whether the patient might be better served by a specialist, called an Oral Surgeon.