General dentistry includes most procedures that people have heard of, even if they haven’t gotten them. These procedures include fillings, crowns, and root canal therapy. In addition, general dental care is used to repair minor tooth damage due to accidents such as tooth chipping while eating. Also, addressing lousy breath is a part of general dentistry.
What is General Dentistry?
General dentistry is the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of conditions and diseases in the body’s oral and maxillofacial region. Most dental care providers are general dentists. General dentists offer restorative and preventive services such as teeth cleanings, x-rays, sealants, and cavity fillings. In addition, they provide a wide range of procedures and treatments to patients of all ages.
Some patients may visit a general dentist to receive a root canal, while others may see an endodontist if the situation requires a specialized root canal treatment.
General Dentistry Services
Many dentists use a combination of specialized care, including essential dental care treatments and restorative services also oral surgery. Common general dentistry treatments available at Dental Expressions by Dr. Gary Bram include:
- Bridges: A dental bridge is a permanent appliance that replaces missing teeth. It’s made of several pieces fused to fit into the open gap where your teeth used to be.
- Crowns: Dental crowns are caps placed on top of the damaged teeth. They are used to protect and restore the shape of the teeth when fillings don’t solve the issue. Crowns are made of porcelain, metals, ceramics, and resin. They require you to have good oral care for them to serve you for long.
- Dental Denture: A denture is a replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. Two types of dentures available are partial and complete dentures. Complete dentures are usually used when all the teeth are missing, and partial dentures are used when some natural teeth have remained.
- Fillings: These are treatments used to restore the function, morphology, and integrity of missing tooth structure resulting from external trauma or carries. Also, it is used for the replacement of structures supported by dental implants.
- Teeth Cleanings: This is a part of oral hygiene that involves removing dental plaque from teeth to prevent gingivitis, cavities, and periodontal disease.
- Dental Sealants: They are a dental treatment that prevents tooth decay. Teeth have recesses on the biting surfaces, the back teeth have fissures and some front teeth have cingulum pits.
Other Types of General Dentistry Services
Whether you’re going for a minor oral surgery or a routine dental exam, there are many options to choose from when visiting our Queens general dentist. Services offered by our dentists include preventive treatments, restorative services, oral surgery, and cosmetic dentistry:
Restorative Dentistry
Our dentist in Bayside Queens searches for cavities and signs of oral diseases during dental exams. If you have tooth decay, the dentist might recommend a direct or an indirect restoration.
Direct Restoration Materials
Direct restorations are usually placed within one office visit. They are repairs made inside the mouth, such as cavity fillings:
- Amalgam: These fillings are a mixture of silver, tin, and copper. The material is used to restore teeth.
- Composite: This is a tooth-colored bonding material made of acrylic resin.
- Conventional Glass Ionomer: This is a tooth-colored material that is not durable as composite or amalgam. This material can effectively restore front teeth, including canines and incisors.
- Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer: These ionomers are similar to conventional glass ionomers, but they are more robust and have added acrylic resins. They are used to restore baby teeth.
Indirect Restoration Materials
General dentists offer indirect restoration procedures, which will require you to have two dental visits to be complete. The first step involves preparing the teeth by removing decay and preparing it for indirect restoration. Then your dentist will make an impression. Lastly, the dentist will send the image to a dental laboratory to be created.
During the second visit, your dentist will fit the restorations to the teeth and make any necessary adjustments. The indirect restorations include root canals, tooth extractions, and wisdom teeth removal.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Many patients seek cosmetic procedures to enhance their smiles which helps boost their confidence and improve their appearance. Cosmetic dentistry treatment options include porcelain veneers and professional teeth cleaning, which is a safe and effective cosmetic treatment that lightens discolored teeth.
