Maintaining good oral health is key to living a happy and productive life. We are only given one set of adult teeth and gums, so it is vital that we take care of what we have. As such, it is important to choose a Family Dentist that you, and your loved ones, can trust. From early childhood, to retirement, a quality Dental Office will guide you along the path to dental care and achieving your own perfect smile!

Common Procedures a Family Dentist Performs

Dental professional work on a wide variety of tasks to keep your mouth feeling its best. For example, one of the most common procedures is a Root Canal. Your dentist will perform a Root Canal if an infection has entered the “pulp” or bundle of nerves on the inside of your tooth. When this pulp becomes infected, the bacteria multiply very quickly. This can often cause swelling, an abscessed tooth, bone loss, or drainage problems. A tooth infection is usually extremely painful, and often associated with discoloration. If you wait too long, you may be forced to see an Emergency Dentist to immediately start the Root Canal.

During a Root Canal the dentist will essentially remove all the infected pulp from your tooth. They will also wash it out to make sure that all the bacteria are killed. Once the tooth has been cleaned, it is often necessary to perform some restoration to make sure that a weakened tooth stays intact. A Family Dentist will also commonly provide: fillings and repairs, bridges and implants, dentures, extractions and crowns.

Other areas of focus for a Dental Center

There are also many cosmetic oriented procedures that a Dental Office will perform. A truly comprehensive Dental Clinic will work to not only maintain the oral integrity of their patients, but to help boost their confidence and self-esteem. For many people, this can start early in life through the use of Orthodontics. Orthodontics, focus on dental displacement, or alignment of the teeth. Sometimes, it is necessary to correct the bite of a patient so that they can chew properly; this is called malocclusion. Many other people are simply looking to straighten their teeth.

Types of Orthodontics

Some studies report that between forty to seventy-five percent of Americans between the ages of six to nineteen will wear Braces at some point. Dental Braces are often used to correct: underbites, overbites, cross bites, crooked teeth and flaws with the jaw. Many patients will only wear braces for a few months to correct minor problems; other will have to wear theirs for much longer because of more severe bite issues. Dental Braces also have among the highest rates of satisfaction for dental procedures because they are so simple and effective.

Alternatives

Many people want to straighten their teeth, but don’t feel comfortable wearing metal braces for a prolonged amount of time. If this is the case, a family dentist will usually recommend Invisalign. Invisalign is a great alternative to help achieve a glowing smile. Invisalign works by creating transparent (similar to a retainer), systematic aligners that actively reshape your teeth. Over time, the teeth are incrementally moved to achieve an ideal bite

To begin, the dentist will take impressions and X-rays of your mouth. This information will then be sent to a lab where a 3-D model is created. Using a computer program, the dentist will work to create an image of what your final alignment will look like. Then, the dentist will work backwards and create several different molds that will step-by-step move your teeth. Invisalign is often used by adults who want to change their smile, without having to wear standard braces.