To help our patients and their families enjoy good oral health and avoid the onset of issues like tooth decay and gum disease, we offer general dentistry. From checkups and cleanings, to metal-free dental work and even Botox, we can help improve the health, function, and beauty of your smile. In today’s blog, your Lake Orion, MI, dentist talks about general dentistry and how we can use these procedures to help you and your family maintain good oral health and shining smiles!
Starting with a Dental Checkup
The first step in protecting your smile with general dentistry is to make an appointment with our team for a dental checkup. You should have one every six months, so that we can monitor your smile and catch problems in the early stages, hopefully before you experience discomfort! Our team will conduct the exam with advanced digital imaging, including intraoral cameras and digital x-rays. We look for issues like tooth decay, infection, gingivitis, and gum disease. We also screen for oral cancer and watch for the signs of issues like bruxism too. These benefit patients of all ages, from kids as young as age two to the oldest members of your family!
Our Professional Cleanings
As part of your checkup, we will also clean your teeth. General dentistry means preventing issues from occurring, and cleaning is a great way to keep cavities and even gingivitis and gum disease at bay. Using an ultrasonic scaling device, which emits gentle vibrations, we will remove all plaque and tartar from your teeth. Our team then uses a manual pick for any stubborn portions of tartar. Finally, we polish the teeth. This not only helps your smile look brighter, but it can make it more difficult for plaque and tartar to accumulate on the surfaces of your teeth before your next visit.
We also have a cleaning to help manage gingivitis and gum disease. Known as a scaling and root planing, this involves the same tools but we also remove buildup from the roots and from beneath the gum line too. This could take one visit or several, and we will numb your smile too. We again complete the procedure by polishing your teeth. This can help protect you from periodontitis and adult tooth loss!
Treating Bruxism
Bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding, can occur due to stress or factors that upset bite balance, such as missing teeth, injury, misalignment, or issues with the growth and development of your smile. Our team wants to offer treatment to help you avoid damaged teeth and a higher risk of tooth decay and dental infection. With a custom oral appliance, which is fitted for your smile, you can safeguard your teeth. The appliance is worn like a mouthguard while you sleep and repositions the jaw to ease underlying strain. The appliance also places a soft barrier between your upper and lower teeth to prevent further damage from occurring!
Our Metal-Free Dental Work
We believe in a holistic approach to dental care, using metal-free materials that are biocompatible and bond with the teeth. These materials can also be shaded to blend with your smile. For example, instead of metal fillings, we have composite resin options that look lifelike and bond with the teeth. We have porcelain and zirconia crowns that look natural too. Our metal-free dental work also includes our bridges and implant restorations!
Botox Injections
Did you know that we offer Botox? With Botox injections, we can help ease stress and strain in the facial muscles, which makes this an excellent treatment for issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism. But there is also another benefit. Botox can help ease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, so you have a more youthful appearance. The results tend to last about six months, so we can re-administered during your routine checkup and cleaning visits.
If you have any questions about general dentistry, or if you would like to schedule your checkup and cleaning visit with our team, then contact our office today to learn more and get started. We want to help you enjoy your best possible smile, so please reach out to us today.
Your Lake Orion, MI, Dentist Talks About General Dentistry
Our team wants to help protect and preserve your smile with general dental care. With routine visits and preventive actions, we can help keep serious issues at bay and safeguard your smile for years to come. For more information on general dentistry, then call Lake Orion Family Dentistry at (248)693-6213!
