Oral Diagnosis
Oral diagnosis is the main branch of dentistry that undertakes the diagnosis and treatment planning of oral diseases and systemic diseases that show symptoms in the mouth.
The mouth does not only contain decayed teeth and inflamed gums. As accepted all over the world, the jaw bones and joints, salivary glands, tongue and all soft tissue diseases seen in the mouth are issues that concern dentistry. Although these structures and tissues cover a small area, they form an anatomically complex system. Many systemic diseases also show important symptoms in the mouth. For example, gum disease progresses very quickly in diabetes. Again, frequent and numerous aphthae in the mouth may be the first symptoms of Behçet’s disease. For these reasons, a separate main branch of science was born regarding the diagnosis and treatment planning of oral diseases; Oral Diagnosis and Radiology has also undertaken this task.
Dental Films (Dental Radiography)
The greatest aid in diagnosing oral diseases – especially those related to hard tissue such as teeth and jawbone – is dental radiographs, or dental films. The two most commonly used types of dental films are periapical (small, showing 2-3 teeth) and panoramic (large, showing all lower and upper teeth and the entire jawbone). Digital radiography devices, which are a computer-aided technique, also allow detailed evaluation by allowing color and light to play on the film image with a very low radiation dose. In addition to these, MRI and CT are also films that can be requested, especially in implant applications and the diagnosis of joint diseases.
Diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases
With all these methods, only 1/3 of the dental structure can be seen in the mouth, the remaining 2/3 and structures such as inflammatory formations in the jawbone and impacted teeth can be easily seen and diagnosed. A good diagnosis allows for the correct treatment planning. In this way, all necessary treatment needs are determined early and larger problems are prevented in the future.
In the Oral Diagnosis and Radiology department, after the initial records of the patients are taken, their examinations are carried out in detail. Then, one or more dental films are taken in accordance with the treatment needs and the treatment plan is determined.
In accordance with the treatment plan, the patients are referred to specialist physicians and their treatments are started. It is the duty of our department to answer all the questions of the patients regarding the treatment plan and duration.
Personal and medical information in the patient file is never shared with third parties in accordance with our privacy policy.
