YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT:

Your first appointment with us can be for several reasons. What you are coming to see us for initially, will determine what your first appointment will consist of. I have listed some of the common â?oefirstâ?? appointments that we have in our office.

• Consult. Sometimes a patient just wants to come in and talk to me or one of my team members. They really don't want anything done at this appointment. This is fine with us. The appointment is complimentary and we just talk for 15-20 minutes about whatever is concerning them. Sometimes we take digital photographs of their smile or back teeth so we can look at their problems together and decide what the next best step will be.
  
  
• Cleaning and a check up. This appointment involves meeting my team and my self. Digital photographs and digital radiographs are taken to see if you have any cavities or problems you are not aware of. We can also recreate your smile on the computer to see what your possibilities would be. This is really cool and patients seem to enjoy it. It does not mean we have to fix your smile; it is just interesting to see what you would look like with a new smile. Your teeth are then polished and flossed. I promise we will not hurt you. I will then come in and discuss any further treatment you may desire.
  
  
• Emergency exam. Sometimes a patient contacts us because they have a specific problem that they would like us to address for them. They are usually in pain or have been for some time. Or they chipped a corner of their tooth and they are getting married in three days! Either way, we see them the day they call and spend 20-30 minutes addressing their problem. Sometimes they have to come back for us to finish treatment, but we at least make them comfortable.
  
  
• Complete exam. Sometimes a patient comes to see us with a really complicated case. They have multiple problems and need extensive care. We see several patients a month that come to see us because they were told their only option is dentures and they want another option. In these cases we spend about an hour taking several different records so I have a complete understanding of their problems. I then take a few days to consult with my specialist team (orthodontist, oral surgeons...) as to what their best options will be. I then invite them back to talk about how we can avoid dentures and maintain their natural teeth. If we canâ?(TM)t save all of their teeth, I will have options for them as well. I even have the specialist there to answer their questions for them.
  

Below I have listed all the different exam procedures we do and how they are used. I feel the more you know about what we are doing the less scary and more comfortable it will be for you.

• The Interview. This allows us to get to know you and find out what you are looking for. It is not an interrogation. You don't have to tell us anything or answer any questions you don't want to. We just want to know how you feel about your smile and your teeth in general. We want to know if you have any specific concerns or if there is something about a dental office that makes you uncomfortable. Once we know what will make you happy, then it's easy for us to make sure you have a great time in our practice.
  
  
• Digital Radiographs. These are so cool. It is similar to traditional dental radiographs but they are instantly developed on the computer. They also use 90% less radiation. Less radiation is always a good thing. Because they are digital, they can be enhanced to show Dr. Brei any problems you may have when they are very small. Don't you hate it when you have cavities every time you go to the dentist because the radiographs were not sophisticated enough to detect the cavities the first time?
  
  
• Digital Photographs. This is the absolute best part. We photograph your smile with latest digital cameras and then recreate your smile on the computer. Together we will digitally recreate your smile until it is everything you want it to be. This also allows Dr. Brei to magnify any areas of your mouth to find in problems when they are just starting.

• Impressions. This is when we makes study models of your teeth and place them on a chewing simulator. Dr. Brei can then see how your teeth are behaving when you are biting down and chewing without the lips and cheeks getting in the way. This is very important for Dr. Brei to know if you are having headaches, wearing your teeth, or have crowns and fillings that have broken in the past.
  
  
• Direct evaluation. Dr. Brei starts by evaluating the muscles that help you to open and close your mouth. If you are having headaches, it may be because these muscles are not working properly. He then examines the inside of your mouth for anything that would not be considered normal. This includes everything from cold sores to cancer. Next he checks the gum tissue around each tooth. If your gums are receding or bleeding, that can be a sign of larger problems. He will then go over each tooth one at a time. He really takes his time to do this. He looks for cavities, cracks, wear, loose dental work, or anything that doesn't look right.