Dentists are the most frequently visited medical practitioners. Oral health and hygiene is very important in order to prevent the progression or oral diseases. It is essential to have a routine visit to a dentist at least twice a year.

General dentistry covers a wide array of procedures and services. It includes initial consultations and diagnostics. Before you begin treatment, these diagnostics, such as CAT scans and x-rays are used to determine what is wrong with your teeth.

General dentistry includes the following:

 

Dental cleaning

General dentists would either advise proper ways on how to brush and floss or scale and polish your teeth. This procedure is the most basic of all but it helps maintain oral health.

 

Dentures

Dentures are a set of removable false teeth usually made for older people.

 

Fillings and repairs

In case of damaged teeth, dentists use restorative materials to repair them. Most causes of damage to teeth are cavities or tooth decay and trauma. Trauma is usually caused by broken or cracked teeth, bruxism or tooth biting, opening things with your teeth and nail biting. To determine cavities, the dentist may use several methods such as x-rays, cavity detecting dyes and laser fluorescence that aids in cavity detection.

There are also different materials that can be used to repair teeth. The most common material is a composite, tooth-colored resin. It looks and feels like natural teeth. Teeth can also be filled with materials such as gold, mercury, porcelain and amalgam.

 

Bridges and dental implants

In case of a missing tooth, a fixed bridge or fixed removable denture, is made containing an artificial tooth or pontic as replacement. The false tooth is anchored to both sides of the crown that fit over where the missing tooth was.

Bridges can be supported by either implants or natural teeth. Dental implants are metal frames that are surgically placed into the jawbone that is anchored beneath the gums. The difference is that dental implants replace the entire tooth, which includes the crown and the root.

 

Crowns

Also known as dental caps, crowns are artificial teeth that are fitted or set on cracked, damaged or broken teeth. It is made of porcelain, metal and sometimes a combination of materials. It also helps hold dental bridges in place. It is placed over the tooth in order to add strength. Its purpose is to prevent further damage and protect the tooth structure.

Root canal treatment

Root canals or endodontic, is a procedure done when a pulp, the small thread like tissue that is in the center of the tooth, is infected or damaged. It can be done by a general dentist or a specialist dentist. The pulp contains veins, arteries, lymph tissue and nerves. The tooth usually begins to ache when decay has started to infect the pulp. If the infection spreads and if the dead tooth pulp is untreated, it can build up pus at the jawbone and form an abscess. An abscess can cause severe pain and is very dangerous as it can destroy the bone that surrounds the tooth.

 

Extraction

This refers to the removal of a tooth. The procedure is usually done when permanent teeth are broken or damaged by severe cavities and decay. Dentists would first opt to save the tooth by fixing it with a crown or filling and extraction is always a final option.

Other reasons why extractions are performed is because a new tooth are being blocked by an old tooth. So in order to make way for the new tooth to come in, extraction is done. If you are getting braces, extraction is done to make room for teeth to be moved into place. Wisdom tooth extractions are optional but mostly done when they are impacted.

 

Teeth whitening

This process is of course about whitening teeth. The procedure includes the use of peroxide-based materials to help whiten the teeth. If you plan to improve your stained and discolored teeth, this is the most popular cosmetic dental procedure. Most people get their teeth whitened for special occasions.

As stated on this post, these are the most common general dentistry services. Overall general dentistry focuses on the preventive, restorative and cosmetic services and procedures for maintaining oral health.