You’ve certainly heard of family dentistry in Simpsonville, SC. But what exactly does this specialty imply? Is there a difference between a general and a family dentist? Read on to know more about family dentistry.
All You Need to Know About Family Dentistry
What Is a Family Dentist?
General, preventive, and comprehensive dental care for people of all ages is essential. Family dentists are not all general dentists. Most family dentists have some experience working with children, though not nearly as much as specialized pediatric dentists. This implies that family dentistry is designed to assist you and your children with their dental health needs at all stages of life.
Family dentists are aware that children’s dental needs differ from those of adults. They are trained to provide customized care to ensure that their specific oral hygiene requirements are addressed. Likewise, a family dentist may be thought of as a “one-stop shop” for dental care.
One of the key advantages of a family dentistry practice is that the same dentist can look after your dental health from childhood through adolescence and maturity. Moreover, family dentists are trained to provide a compassionate, caring approach to dentistry, understanding the changes that occur in a child’s mouth at every stage of life.
What to Expect from Family Dentistry Services
Most family dentists provide oral hygiene and preventative dentistry services, but some may also include orthodontic, aesthetic dentistry, and oral surgery such as dental implants. The following are the most common services:
- Cleanings and Tests Every Six Months
Dental cleanings and 6-month checkups are crucial because they allow your dentist to keep track of the health of your mouth or your child’s oral hygiene. Without this treatment, plaque and tartar will develop. Most kids and adults should get oral exams every six months. If you have bleeding, swollen gums, your dentist may want to check on your dental condition more often.
- Dental Sealants and Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride and dental sealants can help prevent cavities and are commonly administered to kids with cavity-prone teeth. Fluoride treatments are professional dental remedies that include a high concentration of fluoride. These are applied to a patient’s teeth to enhance dental health and minimize the chance of cavities.
Fluoride treatments can be applied as a solution, gel, foam, or varnish in the clinic. To prevent tooth decay, a thin, plastic coating is applied over the biting surfaces of teeth, mainly the back teeth (premolars and molars). The sealant attaches immediately to the teeth’s depressions and grooves, providing a protective covering over each enamel.
- Cavity Examinations and Fillings
Cavities are the most prevalent and unavoidable childhood concern. That’s why you need to take advantage of the services of a family dentist as most of them are experts at detecting and treating cavities with fillings.
Tooth decay is a dental health concern that is commonly caused by poor dental hygiene and/or a sugary or sweetened beverage-rich diet. The most common treatment for tooth decay is a dental filling, which plugs the cavity and prevents it from getting worse. Composite, amalgam, or ionomer fillings are the common options.
- Orthodontics
While most family dentists may provide orthodontic exams, not all of them will perform orthodontic treatment in-house. Some may even refer you to a local specialist. The positions of the mouth and jaw are changed during orthodontic treatment, making it easier for patients to bite, chew, and talk. Orthodontics can also help you avoid health issues like:
- TMJ or Jaw Pain
- Teeth Grinding or Clenching
- Sleep Apnea
- Speech Impediments
- Digestive Issues
- Tooth Loss
- Gum Disease
- Tooth Decay
- Worn-out Teeth
- Bone Loss
- Treatment for Gum Disease
Gum disease is quite frequent in adults. Family dentists treat cases of gingivitis or gum disease with procedures including deep cleanings, gum flap surgery, and antibiotics. Plaque bacteria that build up around, on, and between your teeth causes gum disease. If these bacteria are not removed by brushing and flossing on a regular basis, it can irritate the gums, resulting in red, swollen, and bleeding gums, all of which are indications of gum disease, also known as gingivitis.
Small ‘pockets’ between teeth and gums may form if these indicators of gum disease go ignored. Periodontitis, which is one of the deadliest types of gum disease, can develop when these pockets deepen. Damage may have occurred at this stage of gum disease, and if left untreated, tooth loss may result. This is why, in order to maintain your gums healthy, it’s critical to find an effective gum disease treatment early on.
Reap the Benefits of Family Dentistry in Simpsonville, SC
At Pelham Links Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we take pleasure in providing the highest quality dental care for the entire family. We want our patients to have a thorough understanding of what we do at our office and the services we offer. Not sure if we’re the right fit for you? To hear success tales from our happy patient family, visit our office!