Services Offered By The Family Dentists

Preventative dental services are services you can receive from your family dentist meant to stop any dental disease before it takes hold of your mouth. Taking good care of your oral hygiene does not only mean brushing twice a day and flossing your teeth. For complete dental care, you need to visit your dentist after at least every six months for preventative dental services. During such visits, your dentist will carry out some dental procedures meant to detect any early signs of dental problems before they can become severe and demand advanced dental procedures. There are quite a number of dental services your family dentist can offer that falls under this category. Here are some of them.

• Dental Check-up

A majority of Australians visit their dentist for dental examination at least once a year for dental check-up. However, a good number of such people have little to no idea about what happens during the procedure while they are on the dentist chair. Having someone work inside your mouth and hearing some strange scrapping voices can understandably cause a lot of anxiety and stress. However, you don’t have to worry, here is a detailed look at what will happen to you the next time you visit your dentist for a dental check-up. After all, the more you are aware about something, the less scary it becomes.

• Dental History

Before anything is done on your mouth, your dentist will first need to know about your dental history. He/she will need to know if this is the first time you are visiting a dentist, or you have done it before but with a different dentist. Your dentist will also need to know if you have any general health complications such as diabetes, pregnancy or arthritis. It is paramount that you let your dentist know about your health concerns such as allergies or anxieties so as to avoid any ugly incidences. This will also make sure that your dentist has administered to you the right kind of care you require.

When your dentist asks if you do have any kind of anxieties, kindly be genuine. Do not try to be a hero and act brave. It’s quite normal for a majority of people to be afraid of visiting the dentist. Be honest so that your dentist can know the right approach while handling your case. Sometimes all you require is the right explanation of what is going to happen during the procedure for you to feel relaxed.

• Teeth Cleaning

Now that you have shared your dental history as well as your health concerns with your dentist, now it is time to get inside your mouth. The first thing your dentist will do is to give you a thorough cleaning. They will begin by scraping off plaque and tartar that have accumulated over time below and above the gum line. They will then floss in between your teeth to remove any food particles.

After scraping and flossing, your dentist will then give your teeth a shiny and smooth finish by polishing them using a teeth polisher. The polishing will also help get rid of any residue that was left behind during the scraping process. A smoother surface will also make it difficult for plaque and tartar to collect.

• Examining the Teeth

Now that your teeth are clean and shiny, it is now time to examine if there are any underlying problems in your mouth. The dentist will use a dental mirrortogether with a metal probe. This will enable him/her to see hidden areas such as behind your mouth and in between the teeth. It also enables him to check if there are any softening on the dentine or the tooth enamel.

During the examination, your dentist will also be on the lookout to check if there any signs of mouth sores, redness or swelling of the gums. Finally, your dentist will measure periodontal pockets on your mouth. Periodontal pockets are the spaces between your top of the gum line and the point which the gum tissue firmly attaches to the tooth. The pockets should measure between one and three millimetres deep. Anything that is deeper than that is a sign of gum disease and should be monitored closely.

• Dental X-rays

The last thing that your dentist will do during a dental check-up is to take x-ray pictures of your mouth. Dental x-rays help the dentists to establish if there are any issues below the mouth surfaces. A dental x-ray involves biting down a piece of plastic and then the dental x-ray machine is placed over your cheeks. The resulting image will show all the parts of your mouth teeth including the roots. This will give your dentist a clear image of what is happening.

Today, there is major technological advancement in dental x-rays. Dentists are today using digital x-rays to get dental images from a patient. One advantage of digital x-ray, unlike the traditional one, is that it emits less radiation.This means that it is entirely safe to go through a dental digital x-ray.

Your dentist will use the dental x-rays to check if there any signs of fractures, loss of bone or any other of dental issues. It also helps the dentist to check the effects of teeth grinding, jaw alignment and oral cancer.

Restorative dental procedures refer to the procedures performed by your family dentist to keep your mouth functional and healthy. These procedures include dental crowns, veneers and caps. The ultimate objective of restorative dentistry is toreplace the existing teeth while at the same time while maintaining the existing natural teeth as much as possible. This type of dentistry does not require any specialisation from the dentist. It involves steps taken by the family dentist to make sure that your mouth stays as healthy as possible. The procedures ensure that the mouth is functioning at its best and also improves the overall smile. Here are some of the dental procedures your family dentist can perform.

– Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are fixed prosthetic restorations which are made to restore a damaged tooth to its original size and shape. They are among the most performed dental procedures by family dentists. Every day, thousands of people across Australia have dental crowns place to solve different kinds of dental problems. However, despite the fact that the procedure is popular, a majority of people still have no idea what it entails. In fact, some people are frightened or intimated by the mere thought of having a dental crown.

There is nothing to be scared of when it comes to dental crowns. Not only are they important in restoring the functionality and aesthetics of your smile, but they are not scary at all. The entire procedure is straight forward.

Dental crowns are permanently cemented on a cracked, damaged or extensively decayed tooth. As much as sometimes they extend to the lower part of the tooth root, dental crown are mainly meant tobe used on the ‘crown’ part of the tooth.
Once the crown has been installed, you will be able to eat, chew and talk just as you would with your natural tooth. It is helpful since it protects the natural tooth underneath. They protect the vulnerable inner part of the tooth by shielding it physically from any damage.

– Dental Bridges

A dental bridge is a tooth replacement option that helps in replacing the space left when one or more teeth are missing. It restores your bite and helps in maintaining the natural shape of your face. The bridge will hold onto the adjacent teeth and make everyday activities such as eating to be much easier. Dental bridges can be made out of a number of material including gold. However, the most used material is porcelain. This is because porcelain is aesthetically pleasing and it can blend well with other natural teeth.

There are quite a number of reasons why you might require a dental bridge. First, losing a teeth is a serious matter since all teeth are meant to work together. When you lose a tooth, the nearby tooth will tend to shift to try and fit the remaining space. This can affect your bite, place more stress on your tooth and possibly cause some pain. It is also hard to clean teeth that have drifted or shifted from their original position. This increase the risk of tooth decay. Also, when you lose a tooth, the chances are that the jaw bone will shrink and this may affect the way it supports the lips and the cheeks. As a result, this may make you look older than your actual age.

Placing a dental bridge will require you to make more than two dental visits to your family dentist. On the first visit, your dentist will prepare the adjacent teeth. He/she will then take an impression which will be taken to the dental laboratory to make the dental bridge. Your dentist will place a temporary bridge on you to protect your teeth in the meantime before your permanent bridge can be ready. After the permanent bridge is ready, your dentist will cement it on the adjacent teeth permanently in a way that it cannot be taken out unless it is with the help of the dentist.

– Dentures

Dentures are artificial teeth and gums created by your dentist to replace missing natural teeth. Dentures can be either full or partial. This means that they can replace all the teeth on both the upper and lower jaw or can replace just a few teeth on the mouth. Despite the type of dentures you want your family dentist to fit, there are going to be custom made to specially fit your mouth and resemble the shade of your natural remaining teeth.

Initially, dentures were made out of porcelain or plastic, but today most of them are made out hard resin. However, the material used to make dentures are known to be fragile, and thus they can easily break if dropped or if you fail to provide proper care to them.

Irrespective of the type of dentures you’re wearing, they need to be cleaned on a daily basis just like you do to your natural teeth. As much as these prosthetics are made out of plastic, plaque and tartar still holds onto them and can harm the existing remaining teeth. To clean your teeth, make sure you use some clean running water to dislodge any food particles stuck in between the teeth. Be sure not to use any cleaners, electric tooth brushes or the regular toothpaste. Use some mild soap or denture cleaner and a soft-bristled toothbrush.

– Dental Fillings

Dental fillings are another common restorative dental procedures your family dentist can perform. The fillings are used to replace decay on a tooth. While installing the fillings, your dentist will first remove the decayed part of the tooth. He/she will do so after numbing the surrounding tissue with some anaesthetics. The decayed part is removed using a special laser while applying caution not to leave any decayed part behind. Next, the dentist will clean the area making it ready for the filling.

The process of adding the filling will vary depending on the type of material that will be used. For the popular composite resin, the material will be added in layers and then cured using a special light. The material is then polished to become smooth in a way that it feels comfortable just like the natural tooth.

Cosmetic dentistry is a dental treatment that can be carried out by a family dentist to enhance the appearance of a smile. This is done by correcting some issues such as cracked, chipped, discoloured, and unevenly spaced teeth. There are quite a number of cosmetic dental procedures which include:

– Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is one of the simplest ways to enhance the appearance of your smile. The procedure can be done in-office on your dentist chair using some bleaching agents. You can also buy some over the counter gels that you can apply using some whitening trays. However, when you compare between in-office teeth whitening and over the counter, in-office methods are more effective. This is because they provide results almost immediately. It will only require you less than one hour in the dentist office to achieve pearly white teeth.

– Dental Veneers

Another popular cosmetic dental procedure that can be done by your family dentist is dental veneers. A dental veneer is an ultra-thin shell made of composite or porcelain that is cemented over the surface of the tooth to correct a myriad of dental issues. These issues included uneven tooth alignment, chips or cracks and worn out tooth enamel. As much as dental veneers fall under the category of cosmetic dentistry since they help in a smile makeover, they also boost protective qualities of a tooth. This may eliminate the need for extensive dental treatment in future. Other benefits that come with dental veneers include durability, improved appearance and need little removal of the tooth structure compared to dental crowns.

To determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure, you will have to schedule a dental examination appointment with your dentist. Since dental veneers are irreversible, your dentist will discuss with you other treatment options that can serve the same purpose as veneers. A majority of dentists will always prefer the procedure which is the most minimally invasive and will preserve much of the natural tooth structure. If you will decide that dental veneers are the most appropriate for you, your dentist will start the procedure right away.

– Dental Bonding

This is adental procedure where a resin that looks just like the natural tooth, which is a durable plastic material is applied on the surface of the tooth and hardened using laser or ultraviolet light. This will make the material bond on the surface of the tooth. Dental bonding is used to repair a wide range of dental complications as well as enhance aesthetics. Some of the problems it can solve include cracked, chipped, decayed or misshapen teeth. Unlike dental veneers which require two dental visits, dental bonding can be completed in just a single visit. With this treatment, you can walk into your dentist office with some old teeth and walk out after some time with a completely new set of teeth. The procedure does not involve damaging the tooth in any way or removing its structure. Dental bonding is majorly meant for people who have perfectly healthy teeth but are not pleased with their appearance.

Family dentistry covers a myriad of dental services including dental emergencies. A dental emergency is an issue relating to teeth or the supporting tissue that requires immediate attention from the dentist. Dental emergencies can happen to anyone. You can encounter such an experience during games or while trying to chew on some hard foods. Whatever the story behind your encounter, the chances are that you will require immediate attention from a dentist. If you are in a dental emergency, your family dentist can be of great help. Here are some of the most common dental emergencies.

– Facial Swelling

Inflammation on the face can occur due to the body’s immune system reaction to an allergen or infection. Swelling can happen both to the cheeks and gums. Once you experience some facial swelling, it is important you seek attention from your dentist immediately since it can easily spread to other body parts. In some severe cases, it can become fatal.

– Knocked Out or Dislodged Tooth

Knocked out tooth is a very common occurrence among most children as well as adults. This is because most people engage in sporting activities which increases the chances of such an emergency. In the occurrence of a dislodged tooth, pick it up by the crown without touching the root and place it back on the socket. If the tooth is some how dirty, rinse it with some clean water without using any soap or scrub. Bite down your teeth to try and make it remain in position until you reach your dentist.

– A toothache

A toothache is one of the signs that there is something wrong with your tooth and should never be ignored. Sometimes a toothache can be severe in that it causes you to have some difficulties in eating, sleeping or even concentrating. Sharp pain on the tooth means that something is wrong and requires attention. It can be gum disease, tooth decay or a cavity. Once you experience such pain, you can take some over the counter drugs to try and alleviate it and then seek the attention of your dentist as soon as possible.

– Lost Crown or Filling

When a crown of filling fall out that can be a sign of tooth decay underneath. If you lose a crown, make sure that you call your dentist as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more damage can occur to your tooth.

Family dentistry is a broad area, and family dentists are trained to handle a myriad of dental complications. You should visit your family dentist at least once after every six months or any other time that you feel you have some concerns about your dental health. You may also visit your dentist any time you need to improve your appearance through cosmetic dentistry. Also, ensure that you practice proper dental hygiene at home for a healthy smile.