What is a Family Dentist?
For a family dentist to practice their branch of dentistry successfully, they would have completed four years of undergraduate school, majoring in health sciences, followed by four more years in the dental sciences. Nine specific branches or disciplines are recognized by the American Dental Association, or ADA. There are a variety of treatments a family dentist can offer during your appointment. Your family dentist begins by concentrating on maintaining preventive care in specific areas that can address issues or even specific treatments.
What to Expect From Your Family Dentist?
The entire health industry strongly recommends that you and your family members see your family dentist every six months. These regular and consistent preventative exams always include an evaluation of the current condition of the teeth, gums, and entire mouth. They include x-rays to identify issues below the gumline. An oral history is established and revised from each exam, so all changes are both recorded and reviewed. They probe all the teeth to see if cavities are developing. They will check the bite alignment, which is important in the development of your children’s teeth. Then they examine the gums and the natural pockets around each tooth. Healthy pockets have a standard depth. If a pocket exceeds the desired depth, it can be a sign of gum disease. Your family dentist will always perform an oral screening, checking the lips, cheeks, tongue, and neck for signs of oral cancer.
After this regular exam, your family dentist and your team will professionally clean your family members’ teeth, removing the consistent buildup of plaque. Plaque is the primary source of cavities and gum disease.
Procedures That Are Common at the Family Dentist
You may be considering having your teeth professionally whitened by your family dentist. Their efforts and your results will easily exceed any at-home options. Your family dentist sincerely appreciates the value of a healthy smile. Your smile is the foundation for your personality, helping establish your self-confidence and self-esteem. Teeth whitening is a measurable, simple improvement. Your family dentist may suggest that a chip or crack be corrected or the gap between two teeth be improved. If the exam discovers a cavity, your family dentist will remove the diseased tissue and restore it with a dental filling in the space. If they recognize any signs of gum disease, they may refer you to a periodontal partner who specializes in soft tissue. They may do a deep scaling and root planing treatment, removing the plaque, which is the leading source of the gum disease. An endodontist might be needed for a root canal procedure if you have a cracked tooth that is now infected, and it is worth saving. An orthodontist focuses on the alignment of the teeth, and with the use of orthodontic braces or innovative computer-generated trays, can move the teeth to their desired location.
Cosmetic dentistry offers aesthetically pleasing porcelain veneers, or a periodontist will have restoration treatments associated with dental implants, dental bridges, or a denture solution.
Your oral health plays an unappreciated role in who you are. It is a crucial component of your entire body. Your family dentist is an invaluable member of your personal health team.