There are many different procedures performed in the field of
general dentistry. Some are relatively simple, while others are more complicated. Some are preventive, while others are therapeutic, meaning that they are intended to treat existing oral health complaints.
Preventive procedures are performed to protect your teeth and gums from problems such as tooth decay and infection.
In addition to performing oral hygiene at home, you also need to have regular dental cleanings and examinations. Brushing and flossing can help prevent excessive plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth but cannot remove everything. A routine dental cleaning scrapes the built-up calculus away and polishes the teeth to get them as clean as possible. It may also involve a fluoride treatment to prevent tooth decay.
On the surface of some teeth, there are deep grooves that are harder to keep clean and free from plaque. Sealants consist of plastic resins that are painted onto the teeth. They seal the grooves and smooth them out so that plaque cannot get trapped there. Sealants help to prevent tooth decay by creating a barrier between the surface of the tooth and decay-causing bacteria.
If there are oral health problems, such as cavities or infections, therapeutic procedures are intended to correct them.
A filling is one of the most common general dentistry procedures. When one of the teeth has a cavity, the procedure involves removing the decayed tissue and filling in the resulting gap with a hard, durable material. Most fillings consist of either metal amalgam or composite resin. They can generally be completed in about an hour and involve local numbing of the affected area to prevent any pain.
If the damage to a tooth is too extensive to treat with a filling, the dentist may perform a crown procedure instead. A crown is a tooth-shaped cap made of a durable material. It fits over the top of a damaged or decayed tooth to strengthen and support it. Before the crown can be placed, the tooth is prepared by removing some material so that the cap fits snugly over the tooth and among the other teeth.
A root canal involves removing decayed or infected material from the innermost layer of the tooth. It is usually combined with a crown to protect the tooth from further damage. A root canal may be the last option to save a severely decayed tooth.
When a tooth is extracted, it can cause adverse changes to your oral health as a whole. To avoid these changes, dentists prefer to leave natural teeth in the jaw whenever possible and only perform extractions as a last resort. However, if the tooth is too unhealthy or unstable to remain in the mouth and no other treatment options are available, extraction may be the only option.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: General Dentistry in Tinley Park, IL
Some general dentistry procedures are intended to correct a specific dental problem, while others are intended to prevent them from occurring and maintain oral health.
Request an appointment or call Tinley Park Smiles & Implant Dentistry at 708-675-7427 for an appointment in our Tinley Park office.
Maintaining good oral health is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Regular visits to a general dentist are crucial in preventing and treating different dental issues. General dentists provide a wide range of services, such as preventive care, restorative treatments, and oral health education. However, if you are new to an area or are changing dentists,…
Though we go to our general dentist all the time, one thing that not everyone considers is the fact that the dentist is the one that handles most of our oral health issues. How is it that one dentist is responsible for treating and diagnosing so many of our problems without the help of specialists…
Bad breath can feel uncomfortable and embarrassing, even more so when it does not seem to go away. If you are struggling with chronic bad breath, a general dentist can help. Many treatment options are available, some of which take place at home. In this article, we will explore the common causes of bad breath…