Our team offers a comprehensive array of treatments to help improve the function, health, and beauty of your smile. but with general dentistry in particular, our team can help manage your oral health and avoid complications. We can even offer metal-free and lifelike treatment! In today’s blog, your Lake Orion, MI, dentist talks about our approach to general dentistry.
Dental Checkups
A dental checkup is a major component of general dentistry. Essentially, we want to see you every six months for a checkup so we can look closely at your smile with digital x-rays. These x-rays use 90% less radiation, don’t require uncomfortable bite wings, and offer an examination with precision and accuracy, so we can make a diagnosis and create a treatment plan. Our team can watch for the signs of tooth decay, dental infection, gingivitis, and gum disease, as well as TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). In the same visit, we will also screen for oral cancer. Since serious oral health issues take months to form, a regular checkup allows us to catch and treat them early!
Cleaning Your Teeth
Another major component of your general dentistry visits is the dental cleaning. Essentially, we will use an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual pick to thoroughly remove all plaque and tartar from the surfaces of your teeth, and from along the gum line. The procedure takes only a short amount of time, and can help lower the risk of bad breath, teeth stains, cavities, and even gingivitis and gum disease. If you have warning signs of gum disease, we could offer a deep cleaning to remove buildup from beneath the gums and from exposed roots too. After we finish cleaning your smile, we will polish the teeth thoroughly. Doing so not only helps your smile look brighter, but also makes it difficult for plaque and tartar to adhere to the teeth, so your buildup is less severe in between your cleaning visits.
Creating Bruxism Appliances
General dentistry also includes treatments for serious concerns like bruxism. With this disorder, people grind and clench their teeth on a regular basis. Without care to address the issue, the pressure could damage teeth. They become worn down, cracked, or chipped, and the risk of tooth decay and dental infection increases with time You could also develop painful aches in your teeth, jaw, and face. With an oral appliance, we create a device based on detailed digital images we take of your smile. The completed appliance looks like a mouthguard and is worn as you sleep. The appliance then moves your jaw to ease pressure and strain, and also places a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage. Our team can of course offer treatment to repair damage or lengthen worn down structures.
Metal-Free Fillings and Crowns
We want your restorations to look natural, so you can smile with confidence. We also want to ensure they’re safe for people of all ages, from kids and the elderly, to pregnant women and even those with metal allergies. With our holistic approach, we provide metal-free restoration made from lifelike and biocompatible materials like composite resin and ceramic. Our composite resin fillings can be placed in one visit and treat tooth decay. We also use the material in bonding procedures to address damaged teeth and mask cosmetic concerns. If you have more severe decay or infection, or a damaged tooth, we could place a custom crown, one made from a ceramic we color match to blend with your smile.
Dental Bridges
If you have minor tooth loss, we could employ a dental bridge to address between one and three lost teeth in a row. The prosthetic is again made from ceramic, and color matched to blend with your smile. The prosthetic contains new teeth with crowns on one or both ends. We attach the crowns to the abutment teeth, the ones on each side of the gap in your smile. The bridge then offers a natural appearance, a durable chewing surface, and ensures your bite is properly balanced. If you have any questions about how we offer general dentistry to protect the health, function, and even the beauty of your smile, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you and your loved ones enjoy healthy and beautiful smiles for years to come!
Talk To Your Lake Orion, MI Dentist About General Dentistry
To learn more about how we use general dentistry to improve your oral health and smile beauty, contact Lake Orion Family Dentistry in Lake Orion, MI by calling 248-693-6213 to schedule your next appointment.
