Preventive dentistry

Preventive dentistry involves caring for your teeth to prevent oral health issues from occurring in the first place. For example, regular cleanings can help maintain good oral health by removing plaque from your teeth and gum line. Other preventive procedures include dental sealants and fluoride treatments. These can help you prevent tooth decay and cavities.

Hygiene

Brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash are the three essential habits to maintaining good oral health. Both brushing and flossing will remove bacteria, food particles, and plaque from your teeth. Rinsing your mouth with mouthwash can help control the bacteria in your mouth.

Brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day are essential. Brushing your teeth first thing in the morning and before going to bed is best because you’ve likely gotten food particles stuck in your teeth throughout the day. Flossing once a day before bed is important to remove food particles from in between your teeth.

Rinsing with mouthwash can help prevent plaque buildup. Be sure to use a mouthwash that kills bacteria and prevents plaque buildup.

Fluoride treatments

Fluoride treatments strengthen your teeth against decay. Fluoride is a mineral that naturally occurs in some foods and water. It can also be added to your dental products, like toothpastes and mouth rinses.

The fluoride treatments that your family dentist recommends will depend on your specific risk for decay. The most common preventive treatments are:

- Fluoride varnish. The application is fast and comfortable. The varnish is painted onto teeth using a small brush and allowed to sit for about one minute. Then, it is rinsed off.

- Mouth rinse. Fluoride mouth rinses are recommended for children, teens, and adults who don’t have decay or a high risk for decay.

Fillings

Dental fillings are one of the most common dental restorations. Fillings help restore teeth damaged by decay and protect the tooth from further infection. Usually, dental fillings are made from composite resin, porcelain, or gold. These materials are durable, strong, and look natural. Typically, dentists use fillings to treat cavities or tooth damage, but fillings also support bridges, crowns, and veneers.

Crowns

A crown is a cap that covers a damaged tooth. The crown is made to look like your tooth for a seamless appearance.

Crowns are used to treat the following:

Root canals

Root canal therapy is recommended when the nerve tissue deep inside teeth becomes damaged. The nerve tissue can become damaged as a result of decay, trauma, or other factors.

When decay or infection reaches the pulp, it can create a painful infection. Root canal therapy removes all infected tissue from the tooth so that the tooth can be restored with a filling or dental crown.

Dental implants

Dental implants are one of the treatment options for teeth replacement. These implants are titanium fixtures that act as tooth roots. The implants are placed into the jawbone, and after a healing period, the abutment and crown will be placed on the implant.

Dental implants are an ideal option for patients of all ages, including children. The implant itself functions as the tooth root, which provides stimulation for the jawbone and prevents the jaw from shrinking.

Orthodontics

Orthodontics, or braces, are used to help move teeth into the proper position. This treatment can also correct for jaw alignment issues. An orthodontist specializes in identifying and correcting jaw alignment issues. An orthodontist can also recommend the best type of braces or Invisalign treatment based on teeth alignment and individual needs.