Focuses on examining both soft and hard tissues in the mouth.
Key elements include gingiva, palate, tonsils, frenum, and tongue.
Soft Tissue Examination
Gingiva
Examined for:
Color
Shape
Configuration
Significance:
Important in identifying contraindications for orthodontic treatment in patients with periodontitis or gingivitis.
Anterior marginal gingivitis often seen in mouth breathers, due to dryness.
Checks for:
Ulcerations
Atrophy
Tongue
Examined for:
Shape, which includes variations like long, broad, small.
Color
Configuration
Conditions identified:
Macroglossia (extremely large tongue) visible on a lateral cephalogram.
Signs include lateral margin of the tongue.
Functional checks:
Tongue tie deformities
Speech impairments
Alterations in resting position
Frenum
Labial Frenum Examined:
Can cause midline diastema
Test Used:
Blanch Test: Determines if labial frenum causes diastema. In this test, the examiner retracts the maxillary upper lip to check for blanching in the dental area.
Palate
Examined for:
Ulcerations
Scar tissue
Cysts
Swellings
Shape Variations:
Brachycephalic patients: Broad shaped palate.
Dolichocephalic patients: Long shaped palate.
Tonsils and Adenoids
Type: Pair of lymphoid tissues.
Examined for:
Size variation
Inflammation
Physiological Aspect:
Enlarges during pivotal stages of life.
Effects of Inflammation:
Alters tongue position downward
Mandible moves forward
Results in a characteristic facial appearance known as "adenoid facies."