OPERATIVE Patient Assessment, Examination, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning Flashcards
what are 6 aspects of patient assessment?
- infection control
- CC
- medical review
- sociologic and psychological review
- dental history
- risk assessment
what are 4 important considerations of the medical review?
- communicable diseases
- allergies and medications
- systemic diseases and cardiac abnormalities
- physiologic changes associated with aging
what are 4 general considerations for examination and diagnosis?
- charting and records, preferably electronic
- tooth denotation system
- preparation for clinical examination
- interpretation and use of diagnostic tests
what should be included in the examination of orofacial soft tissues?
- submandibular glands and cervical nodes
- masticatory muscles
- cheeks, vestibules, mucosa, lips, lingual and facial alveolar mucosa, palate, tonsillar areas, tongue, and floor of mouth
what are ways we diagnose caries?
- visual changes in tooth surface texture or color
- tactile sensation when an explorer is used judiciously
- radiographs
- transillumination
- laser fluorescence (DIAGNOdent)
- digital imaging fiberoptic transillumination (DIFOTI)
- quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF)
- electrical conductance or impedence measurement
should a dentist rely solely on one test to diagnose caries? why or why not?
no, because no test currently available is completely accurate
where are caries most prevalent?
pits and fissure
why is the use of an explorer to diagnose fissure caries strongly discouraged?
because injudicious use of an explorer may cause fracture of the surface enamel that has been weakened by subsurface demineralization
how are occlusal surfaces examined for caries?
visually and radiographically
an occlusal surface of a tooth is visually diagnosed as carious if ___
there is chalkiness or apparent softening or cavitation of tooth structure forming the fissure or pit or brown-gray discoloration radiating peripherally from the fissure or pit
how are occlusal surfaces radiographically diagnosed as carious?
- should be made from a bitewing
- when radiolucency is apparent beneath the occlusal enamel surface emanating from the DEJ
- in contrast, a noncarious occlusal surface has either grooves or fossae that have shallow, tight fissures that exhibit superficial staining with no radiographic evidence of caries
precarious or carious pits are usually found where? what are they typically a result of?
- cusp tips, occlusal 2/3 of the facial or lingual surface of posterior teeth, and on the lingual surface of maxillary incisors
- typically the result of developmental enamel defects
how are proximal-surface caries usually diagnosed?
- radiographically
- it can also be detected by careful visual examination either after separation or through fiberoptic transillumination
brown spots on intact, hard proximal-surface enamel adjacent and usually gingival to the contact area are often seen in older patients whose caries activity is low. what are these spots usually a result of? are these spots usually carious?
- extrinsic staining during earlier caries demineralization-remineralization cycles
- usually not carious and is usually more resistant to caries as a result of fluorohydroxyapatite formation (tx not indicated)
- they are challenging to diagnose because of faint radiographic evidence of the remineralized lesion
how are proximal surface caries in anterior teeth identified?
- radiographic examination
- visual inspection (transillumination optional)
- probing
where do smooth-surface caries occur?
facial and lingual surfaces, particularly in gingival areas that are less accessible for cleaning
what is the earliest clinical evidence of incipient smooth-surface caries?
white spot that is visually different from the adjacent translucent enamel and, in contrast to enamel hypocalcification white lesions, partially or totally disappears from vision by wetting
why are both incipient white spot lesions and hypocalcification white lesions undetectably tactilely?
because the surface is intact, smooth, and hard
what is the treatment for incipient white spot lesions?
preventive treatment should be instituted to promote remineralization of the lesion
the presence of several facial (or lingual) smooth-surface caries lesions in the same patient suggest ___
- a high caries rate
- the gingival third of the facial surfaces of maxillary posterior teeth and the gingival third of the facial and lingual surfaces of mandibular posterior teeth should be evaluated carefully in these patients
how do advanced smooth-surface caries present?
- they exhibit discoloration and demineralization and feels soft to penetration by the explorer
- discoloration ranges from white to dark brown, with rapidly progressing caries usually being light in color
why does discoloration occur in a smooth-surface lesion in someone with low caries activity?
- darkening occurs over time because of extrinsic staining, and remineralization of decalcified tooth structure occasionally may harden the lesion
- this lesion may sometimes be rough, although cleanable, and a restoration may not be indicated except for esthetics
the dentin in an arrested remineralized lesion is termed ___
sclerotic
how do early root caries present?
well-defined discolored area adjacent to the gingival margin, typically near the CEJ
root caries is found to be softer than adjacent sound tissue, and lesions typically spread ___
laterally around the CEJ
how are active root caries detected?
by the presence of softening and cavitation
although root caries may be detected on radiographic examination, ___ is critical
- a careful, thorough clinical examination
- differentiation of a caries lesion from cervical burnout radiolucency is essential