Dentistry is a branch of medicine that focuses on the care of your teeth and mouth. Within dentistry, there are different areas of specialization that take care of different things in your mouth. General dentistry is the most common and frequented form of dentistry.
General Dentistry
As stated before, general dentistry is the most frequented form of dentistry. The purpose of this area of dentistry focuses on the general care of your mouth. These are three common areas focused on in general dentistry.
Examinations
At every general dentistry appointment, your dentist will examine your teeth. Examinations are important because it allows your dentist to see any change in your teeth. Changes in your teeth sometimes include tooth movement, cavities, gum disease, and other issues. In addition, your dentist will likely take x-rays of your teeth at some point so they have a more in-depth look at your teeth.
Preventative Treatments
Preventative treatments are cost-saving and cost-effective for all patients. The best way to avoid oral health issues is to take proper care of your teeth. Preventative treatments include cleanings, dental check-ups, fluoride treatments, and more. Professional cleanings are highly encouraged because there are some things regular toothbrushes cannot get to. Your dentist and their team have access to tools that get to those hard to reach places. If plaque worsens it will turn to tartar. Tartar is only removable by a professional. If certain things are ignored, we can assure you it will worsen before it gets better.
Extractions
In some cases, the best thing to do is to remove the affected tooth. If the tooth is not salvageable or will make things worse, your dentist might recommend removing it. Some common reasons for extracting a tooth include:
- crowding
- infection
- risk of infection
- tooth decay
- gum disease
- tooth breakage
- impacted tooth
If you think you need a tooth extraction, contact your dentist right away. If you delay, your symptoms could worsen and lead to other dental issues. In other words, don’t wait because it won’t get better.
To learn more about general dentistry, contact Westmoreland Dental Group. At Westmoreland, we specialize in various forms of dentistry including general, cosmetic, procedural, and treatment. To meet with our doctor visit us online here or contact us at (423) 282-2844 today!