Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

Abstract

The role of oral diagnosis as an essential component of preventive dentistry is clear. The early identification of pathologic changes enables treatment to be rendered before severe or extensive tissue damages occur. In cases where severe tissue damage has occurred, an accurate and thorough examination is needed to establish a diagnosis upon which a comprehensive treatment plan can be based. This treatment plan should provide for the prevention, restoration, and maintenance of damaged tissue. The diagnostic procedure thus involves: examining the patient, interpreting the findings, establishing a diagnosis, planning the sequence of treatment, and educating the patient. Case presentation is an important phase of the diagnostic procedure, because the professional skills of the dentist, in order to be of benefit to the patient, depend on patient acceptance. In order to present the case properly to the patient, a good history, a thorough oral examination, an accurate diagnosis, and a comprehensive treatment plan are imperative.