When was the last time you visited a dentist near you? You do not need to have an underlying dental problem for you to visit your dentist. It is why general dentistry in Fort Saskatchewan exists, ensuring that all people have somewhere to turn to whenever they need to see a dentist. Whether you suspect having a dental infection or you need a regular dental checkup, a general dentist in Fort Saskatchewan is just the person you should turn to.
What Is General Dentistry?
It is a specialty that majors in general dental care for all patients, regardless of age or specific dental issue. Ideally, the general dentists near you should be considered the primary dental care providers, catering to the diverse oral needs you may have. General dentistry near you ensures that the health of your oral cavity is at its best, without leaving out any feature of your mouth and aspect of your oral health.
Common General Dentistry Services
General dentists are in charge of many tasks in dentistry, even those overlapping with other specialties. The common general dentistry services you should know about include the following:
- Preventive dental care services – are the fundamentals of dental practices, beneficial for the sustenance of excellent oral health. Preventive dental care is perhaps the reason why general dentistry is popular as a dental specialty. The preventive dental services are offered regularly, allowing patients to establish a predictable routine regarding their dental health. They include:
- Dental sealants – for protecting the chewing surfaces of teeth from bacteria causing infections. Sealants are commonly used in preventive dental care for children and teenagers.
- Fluoride treatment – entails enriching the enamel of teeth with fluoride, a natural mineral that strengthens teeth and layers them for protection against dental cavities.
- Dental cleanings – routine teeth cleanings help boost oral hygiene and preserve excellent oral health. They are typically done every 3 to 6 months, depending on the patient’s oral state and underlying needs.
- Routine dental exams – for monitoring and evaluating your oral cavity. Through dental exams, a dentist will gather enough information about the kind of treatments you need and recommend the best strategies to preserve excellence thereof.
- Restorative dental care services – work differently from preventive dental care services. Instead of proactively protecting your oral cavity, a general dentist can also reactively protect your mouth. This involves restorative measures to repair and correct certain dental flaws that will help improve your oral health. Some such services include:
- Tooth fillings – are very common in dentistry. They are used to repair damaged teeth, typically as a result of dental decay.
- Dentures, dental bridges, and dental implants – are used to replace missing teeth. Dental implants are typically used for single-tooth restorations, while dental bridges restore up to three lost teeth in a row. For multiple missing teeth in a row, dentures are the most appropriate to get the job done.
- Dental crowns – are used to repair and restore the structural elements of teeth. A crown may be used alongside other restorative treatments, but its primary goal in dentistry is to reinforce the strength of teeth.
- Onlays and inlays – are used as alternatives to dental fillings and dental crowns, to partially restore the structures of damaged teeth.
- Diagnostic dental care services – include procedures performed to determine the kind of oral problem you have. They differ depending on the oral symptoms you display relative to the projections of your dentist. They include:
- X-rays – they are diagnostic digital images of teeth and jawbones that allow your dentist to evaluate the health of your mouth.
- Oral cancer screenings – are done to evaluate the health of your cells and tissues in the mouth, analyzing them for the presence of precancerous cells.
- Educational dental care services – include sensitization and counseling sessions to help improve your lifestyle and oral health. They include:
- Nutritional counseling – sensitization regarding proper eating habits.
- Oral hygiene training and counseling – particularly for children
- Cosmetic dental care services – they differ, depending on your personal preferences and dental goals. They include:
- Teeth whitening – to improve the brightness and whiteness of your teeth.
- Orthodontics – to straighten and re-align the position of your teeth.