dental examination, an inspection of the teeth and surrounding soft tissues of the oral cavity. The examiner generally uses an explorer, a slender steel instrument with a flexible, sharp point, to probe the minute indentations on tooth surfaces and around dental restorations for signs of demineralization and caries development. Fillings are also inspected, and a radiographic record or imaging of the teeth is usually made. The examiner may also insert a periodontal probe into the soft-tissue sulcus around each tooth to measure the depth of each sulcus and to explore for calculus and root defects. The examination should include inspection of the floor of the mouth, all surfaces of the tongue, the salivary glands and ducts, and the lymph nodes of the neck in order to detect pathology. Also called intraoral examination.
