General dentistry provides a way to help maintain good oral health and prevent issues that cause discomfort and threaten smile stability! Which is why we want to see you every six months for a general dental visit. In today’s blog, your team at Celina Family Dentistry talk about general dentistry for Celina, TX, patients!
Starting with Your General Checkup and Cleaning
General dentistry begins with a routine checkup and cleaning visit. During your checkup portion, our team will take a very close look at your teeth and gums, including the surfaces and what is beneath the outer enamel and the gums. We do so with digital x-rays, which use 90% less radiation and provide instant images chairside. We also employ intraoral cameras. With an accurate diagnosis, we can plan treatment in detail for any concerns we discover, protecting your smile from the risk of complications and painful symptoms.
In the same visit, we always take time to clean your teeth too. With a dental cleaning, we will use an ultrasonic scaling device to gently but thoroughly remove all plaque and tartar from the teeth, a process that helps fight cavities, bad breath, teeth stains, and even gum disease. We then use a manual plaque for any stubborn bits of tartar, and will polish your teeth to brighten them and limit the ability for buildup to accumulate before we see you again.
How We Approach Children’s Dentistry
Our team doesn’t just offer general dentistry for adults. We can help protect your little ones with children’s dentistry too! We recommend a routine dental checkup and cleaning every six months for kids starting at around age two. These visits allow us to watch for cosmetic concerns like tooth decay, so we can address them early and keep smiles healthy and free of premature tooth loss. These appointments can help kids become accustomed to seeing the dentist, so they don’t develop dental anxiety, and will be more likely to continue seeking dental care on their own as adults. We also take time to talk to kids about better oral hygiene habits too!
We also want to protect little smiles from tooth decay. As part of their dental exam visit, we will apply fluoride to the teeth in a varnish form. The layers will strengthen the outer enamel and lower the risk of tooth decay. We also apply dental sealants to the rear teeth, which kids have a difficult time reaching when they brush and floss. The sealants mean sugar and starch cannot be caught between these hard-to-reach teeth. This can protect smiles from cavities or ears to come!
Dental Sedation
Part of general dentistry is making sure you and your family always feel comfortable and relaxed during your time with us, even if you have dental anxiety or a real fear of seeing the dentist. We could even help those with special needs! To do so, we offer three different forms of dental sedation, choosing the right one for you based on your medical history, medications being taken, age, weight, and overall medical history. For a mild approach, we could use nitrous oxide, a gas form you inhale through a mask over your nose. You then enter a deep state of calm and the effects wear off when the procedure ends. We also have oral sedation for a deeper state of calm, given in a pill or liquid form before the procedure begins. This lasts longer and you may be a bit groggy, but will have no memory of the procedure. For the deepest form of calming, helpful for those with severe anxiety or who will require more in-depth care, such as wisdom tooth extraction or dental implant placement, we could offer IV. This is administered intravenously, and you enter a sleep-like state with little to no memory of the process at all.
TMJ Treatment
General dentistry also allows our team to offer relief from jaw joint disorders like TMJ disorder, and to prevent damage from bruxism. Our team can create an oral appliance that is worn at night, fitting like a mouthguard. For those with TMD and jaw pain, this helps reposition the jaw to ease stress and strain so you avoid symptoms during waking hours. For bruxism, this provides a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth so you avoid damage! If you have any questions about general dentistry, then contact our team today to learn more.
Celina Family Dentistry General Dental Care
We would love to help you and your entire family maintain good oral health for years to come. To learn more about improving your overall oral health, then please call Celina Family Dentistry in Celina, TX at (214) 851-0130 today.
