What Happens in General Dentistry?

Visiting a dentist every couple of months should be a routine you practice even in your adult life. It is the best strategy to ensure you are keeping up with excellent oral health. When it comes to seeing a dentist, you can have different types of dentists attend to you. It usually depends on the underlying health problem and your dental goal. However, most patients have to start their dental care journey in general dentistry in Calgary. This is where you can begin to make dental plans that will work for your oral health in the long term.

What Is General Dentistry?

It is a type of dentistry that attends to the general dental needs of patients. General dentists in T2J 7E1 are the main dental care providers for patients. Often when you visit a dentist, you are attended to by a general dentist. They can diagnose different dental problems, and even offer treatment to several of them. However, in general dentistry, not all dental problems are treated. For the most part, a general dentist near you will refer you to a different type of dentist after diagnosis. For example, when you have a decayed tooth, your dentist may refer you to an endodontist for a root canal procedure.

Still, general dentistry is not particularly focused on treating dental problems. Instead, this specialty of dentistry is oriented toward preventive measures to protect and maintain excellent oral health. Along the way, different treatments are enforced to treat oral problems and maintaining good oral health. In that case, it is safe to say that, general dentistry majors in diagnostic and preventive dental services.

What Happens in General Dentistry?

Even though general dentists are the primary caregivers in general dentistry, you will find other types of dentists, including family dentists in Calgary. Their goal is to offer dental care services in the following capacities:

• Diagnostic services – include processes that help determine whether or not you have dental problems that need treatment. This service is offered by conducting dental exams. They can be physical exams or digital exams. This is why the service sometimes involves x-rays and other digital diagnostic images.
• Preventive care services – there is a range of procedures and treatments for the preventive care of patients’ oral healths. They include dental cleanings, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, mouth guards, to mention a few. Preventive care services are the cornerstone to excellent oral health, making them paramount in general dentistry.
• Restorative services – although this is not always the case, general dentists can offer restorative services to patients. These services include dental treatments and procedures that help repair and restore teeth. One of the most common treatments in general dentistry for restoring teeth is tooth filling application. In some cases, tooth extractions can also be performed by a general dentist, usually to protect the rest of your oral cavity from the infection thereof. Aside from those, general dentists can also offer immediate dentures or placing dental crowns.
• Cosmetic services – although general dentists are not as advanced in cosmetic dentistry as cosmetic dentists, they can as well offer cosmetic oral services. The most common one is teeth whitening. General dentists can help improve the appearance of your smile by bleaching them to remove stains. In general dentistry, you can also get composites through a dental bonding procedure, to improve the shape, size, and even color of your teeth.
• Overall dental health concerns – a general dentist is perhaps the one dentist you can talk to about all your oral concerns ranging from gingivitis to abscessed teeth. They have a wide knowledge of the different health aspects of the oral cavity. In fact, it could be your general dentists that help detect your health problem regarding diabetes, sleep apnea, among other health problems.

Summary

General dentistry is the primary care giving specialty for all dental issues in dentistry. General dentists work closely with other types of dentists, including orthodontists, endodontists, and periodontists, to ensure maximum care is offered to patients. This is why a general dentist will quickly refer you to a specialized dental care provider for advanced treatment to better your oral health.