A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic and therapeutic steps.
Intraoral examination
- Foetor (halitosis) [if applicable, in cases of prolonged MAV].
- Dental findings (general dental findings).
- Mucogingival (oral mucosa-tooth) findings [preoperative with regard to surgical technique].
- Intraoperative
- Checking the extracted (“pulled”) tooth for completeness [radix in antro (“tooth root remnant in the (jaw) cavity”)]
- Removal in the alveolus (tooth cavity) remaining root remnants under good illumination and suction [radix in antro].
- Nose blowing test obligatory
- Direct (pressure buildup in nose held closed with two fingers while mouth is open; nasal blow test is positive if air escapes from empty alveolus) [positive in MAV; possibly negative despite MAV due to prolapsing mucosa/prolapsing oral mucosa].
- Indirect (puffing of the cheeks with closed lips) [positive in MAV].
- Careful probing of the alveolar fundus (floor of the bony tooth socket) with blunt probe.
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.
