New dentist did not see my teeth

V

Victor

Senior Member
Location
midwest USA
I went to an oral surgeon for dental implants. He took expensive x rays and looked at them, for his assessment.
But he did not actually look at my teeth. Isn't that odd? Or is that the way it is done? She sure charges plenty for a visit and makes me wait too long.
 

Ha, ha! A lady told me that she wanted to have a complete physical. The doctor wanted to do it over the phone. She canceled the appointment. It must be the new breed of doctors! I think us seniors might be in trouble if future doctors want to examine us by looking at our photos on their smartphones!
 
The surgeon is going to pull the tooth, the only important aspect is if there is enough bone support for an implant.
 

Victor said:
I went to an oral surgeon for dental implants. He took expensive x rays and looked at them, for his assessment.
But he did not actually look at my teeth. Isn't that odd? Or is that the way it is done? She sure charges plenty for a visit and makes me wait too long.
Click to expand...
She may need information only from x-rays rather than looking at your teeth. Supporting bone structure is very important with implants, so that may be the crucial first step, and your existing teeth may be irrelevant. It's only a guess on my part.
 
Victor said:
But he did not actually look at my teeth. Isn't that odd?
Click to expand...
Sounds VERY odd, should you call and ask them about it? I tried googling what to expect from the initial exam for getting implants and read a few of the results and they said the gums would be examined. Here is a quote from one of the sites:
"

How a Dental Implant Consultation Works​


Oral Examination​


During a consultation, the oral surgeon will thoroughly examine the patient’s teeth, gums and assess their overall oral health. The oral surgeon will go over the patient’s medical history. They will evaluate the patient’s bone density and quantity because there must be enough healthy bone remaining from where the patient’s tooth was extracted for a dental implant to be successful. A patient with inadequate bone volume may need a bone graft before a dental implant.


X-Ray Examination​


X-rays and computer tomography scans (CT scans) are usually performed during the examination. An x-ray exam shows how dense the bone actually is and determines if there is enough bone structure to place the implant. The oral surgeon also determines exactly where the implant should be placed based off the patient’s x-ray. "
 
You'd think they would take a look at the inside of the mouth at least to see if there is any periodontal disease present. You could have abscesses or even cancer. How else would they know?
 
Packerjohn said:
Ha, ha! A lady told me that she wanted to have a complete physical. The doctor wanted to do it over the phone. She canceled the appointment. It must be the new breed of doctors! I think us seniors might be in trouble if future doctors want to examine us by looking at our photos on their smartphones!
Click to expand...
I've noticed in recent years that having a "physical exam" doesn't mean actually touching the patient. I must say I don't miss any of that, particularly the prostrate exam, the PSA blood test is good enough for me.
 
My yearly physical now just starts with a discussion to set up the tests needed. Once those are done, you get to see the doctor for a mini-checkup. Not too much touching involved.
 


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