General dentistry describes the regular type of dental procedures that keep our patient’s in good oral health. Regular visits to the dentist allows us to detect and treat small problems before they turn into big problems.
Everyone needs a professional cleaning done at least two times a year. During the cleaning, plaque and calculus are removed from the surface of the tooth and from under the gums. Otherwise, the build up of plaque and calculus can lead to cavities, loss of bone around the tooth, or other infections. Depending on certain conditions, the dentist may even recommend more frequent cleanings to optimize your oral health.
Fillings are necessary when bacteria have damaged and progressed under the surface of a tooth. This is called dental caries, meaning the tooth is decaying or becoming rotten. The affected part of the tooth is softened by the decay and may collapse or break, causing what is known as a cavity. Usually, caries and cavities need to be treated by the dentist to avoid the progression of decay deeper into the tooth, where it may infect the living nerves and blood vessels – a painful experience.
Deep decay or trauma to a tooth may injure the pulp – the very inside of a tooth that contains the nerves and blood vessels. Root canal treatment describes a procedure where the infected or damaged tissue inside the tooth is painlessly removed. Although the tooth will no longer be “alive”, it will still be able to stay in place and serve it’s function. Root canal treatment is a safe and effective procedure for saving a tooth.
Sometimes teeth can become so broken down that they can not be saved. In such instances, a tooth requires an extraction. A extraction involves the painless removal of both the tooth and it’s entire root(s). After some time, the socket from where the tooth was removed will fill with bone. The removal of wisdom teeth may also be recommended if it is determined that they are growing crooked and will never serve a healthy purpose in the mouth.