Yes, please read my question again carefully.
Could a GENERAL DENTIST detect EARLY periodontal disease?
My situation was, I visited A FEW general dentists for second opinion, they said I DID NOT have periodontal disease, but NONE of them used any probe or x-ray, they just looked at my teeth with their eyes and some playing tools and reached the conclusion, without too many explanations. Only one said briefly — “Periodontal disease has some signs that you don’t have”
Out of worry, I visited a specialist in periodontal disease. He took full mouth x-ray for me, and he measured with probe. He said I had mild / early periodontal disease that I should receive a root planing and scaling treatment which was so costly.
I really don’t understand. I don’t understand if the general dentists (I actually visited FOUR general dentists) were all rough and careless in examination or if the specialist wants me to receive expensive but unnecessary treatment?
Welcome any lengthy opinion but if you don’t want to write lengthy, my question just comes down to this - Could a GENERAL DENTIST detect EARLY periodontal disease?
Thanks all.
At a dental appointment and cleaning, hygienists and dentists can help with scraping away excessive plaque and tartar build-up, assessing and examining your gums for signs of disease, and diagnosing the stage of gum disease that you are currently at.
If your dentist diagnoses you with gum disease during a regular dental appointment, they might refer you to seek the assistance of a periodontist. Periodontists are dentists that are specialized in gum disease. They can provide more intensive surgical interventions if need be.
In response to this, yes a general dentist can and should assess your periodontal health. Whether or not if they do is another situation.
Depending on the severity, xrays can help assess the full extent of the current disease.
If you believe they have misdiagnosed you or not provided a proper examination, call them to discuss this and if you feel this has caused you harm, you could seek legal representation.
Yes dentist will look for inflammation of the gums and plaque or tartar at the base of the teeth. Using a probe, your dentist will determine the severity of your gum disease by measuring pockets in your gums and decide if further tests are required or not.
Yes, a general dentist can detect early periodontal disease, but whether they actually identify it often depends on the type of examination performed. Early periodontal disease can be quite subtle and may not always be obvious during a quick visual check. In many cases, dentists use periodontal probing to measure gum pocket depths and X-rays to evaluate bone levels around the teeth. These tools help reveal problems that may not be visible to the naked eye.
From the situation described, it is understandable why there is confusion. If four general dentists only performed a visual examination and did not use a probe or review X-rays, there is a possibility that very early signs of periodontal disease were overlooked. On the other hand, a periodontist specialises in gum disease and will typically conduct a much more detailed assessment before making a diagnosis.
Rather than focusing on whether the specialist or general dentists were right or wrong, it may be worth asking the periodontist to explain the specific findings that led to the diagnosis. Evidence such as pocket measurements, bleeding points, or bone loss shown on X-rays can help clarify the recommendation for treatment.
Clinics such as Shire Doctors and Dentists, visit:google.com/maps/place/?cid=17585836619343542484, generally assess periodontal concerns using both clinical examinations and diagnostic imaging when gum disease is suspected. Based on the information provided, a comprehensive examination with probing and X-rays would usually offer the most reliable answer regarding early periodontal disease.