You have a 57-year-old female patient report for her Periodo…

You have a 57-year-old female patient report for her Periodontal Maintenance appointment. She was running a few minutes behind schedule and missed her bus to get to your appointment, so she had to walk to the clinic. When you take her blood pressure, it reads 139/99. Her pulse is 95 BPM, and her respiratory rate is 22. After reviewing the patient’s medical history, she reports no new ER visits or hospital stays, but she is still having issues with her stent that was placed in 2019 from a previous heart attack, and is still taking the depressant drug, Valium for her generalized anxiety. During the dental history portion, you find out this patient has a 7/10 fear of the dentist due to past trauma. During assessments, you determine this patient is at high risk for caries. This patient has a lot of radiographic calculus subgingivally on the distals of her 2nd molars. Use this information to answer the following questions. QUESTION: Which instrument could be used to remove the subgingival calculus noted in the case?

Your patient had a kidney transplant 6 months ago and is tak…

Your patient had a kidney transplant 6 months ago and is taking cyclosporin and another immunosuppressive medication to prevent rejection of the new kidney. This is their first appointment since the transplant and they are presenting for a prophy and exam.  They indicate that they have been experiencing some changes in their mouth and want to you to evaluate them.  One is a cluster of vesicles on their lip that they say has been there for 4 days and is starting to heal and another is an enlargement of their gingival tissue, both related to their medication use. Use this information to answer the following questions. QUESTION: Choose the best statement regarding this patient’s transplantation.

Your 42 year old new patient presents in your new patient ex…

Your 42 year old new patient presents in your new patient exam (NPE) rotation and has not been to a dentist for 20 years.  He has a large amount of supragingival calculus and stain with generalized inflammation.  You check in your head and neck exam with the faculty and determine that there are not any pathological findings, just a variation of normal consisting of bony deposits on the buccal of the mandibular alveolar process and on the palate.  The faculty advises you to get a full series of radiographs and to use the ultrasonic throughout the mouth first since there is so much calculus, charging out a 4355 code, before you will be able to accurately complete periodontal assessments and restorative charting. On the radiographs you see that there is a generally moderate bone loss and radiographic furcation involvement as well as generalized radiographic calculus deposits.  Use this information to answer following questions. QUESTION: In this scenario, why were radiographs and ultrasonic use recommended before completing periodontal charting?