As we get older suddenly we realised many things we didn't appreciate about being young - being fit, having smooth skin and having all your own teeth. As our loose teeth (and bridges) struggle to deal with chewier food we start eating bland mush and, there is no easy way to say this, OLD PEOPLE FOOD. I'm determined not to let that happen to me and I'm doing everything I can to keep my own teeth as long as possible, and when that's not possible to get the best possible teeth replacement. If you are like me and want to keep on eating whatever you want, I think you'll like my site. It's all about dental health and teeth replacement & maintenance.
Keeping your teeth young
Services A Family Dentist Can Offer You
Mabel Hicks
Though the term 'family dentist' may sound as if it refers specifically to a dentist who only deals with families, the truth is that it's just another way of describing a general dentist. Unlike a paediatric dentist who only deals with children and teenagers, a family dentist can treat anyone from a toddler to a senior citizen. Family dentists emphasise preventive measures such as regular teeth cleaning, but they can also offer you some other valuable services.
Periodontal Disease Treatment -- Periodontal disease affects your gums and the supporting bone structure. It is caused by plaque, a hard sticky substance that forms on your teeth, which is a blend of bacteria, saliva and food particles. Plaque that isn't removed becomes tartar, which left untreated will infect your gums and lead to periodontal disease.
A family dentist can perform a thorough evaluation to determine if you have periodontal disease. Some common symptoms are bleeding gums, swollen gums, halitosis (constant bad breath), receding gums and loose teeth. Caught early, a family dentist can clean your teeth to arrest the progress of periodontal disease. However, if the disease has progressed, your family dentist may have to perform a deep cleaning, also known as scaling, to get deep into your gums to remove bacteria and smooth out your roots.
Cosmetic Dentistry -- Cosmetic dentistry is a specialty that focuses on restoring smiles that have been marred by yellow teeth, cracked teeth, broken teeth, incorrect bite or old dental work that has now discoloured one or several teeth. Restorations are a method by which a family dentist can restore these teeth, utilising procedures such as:
- filling cavities with a composite material
- placing crowns (porcelain-made artificial teeth) over teeth that have undergone root canal surgery
- creating full and partial dentures, which are removable fake teeth
- whitening teeth through an in-office laser treatment or take-home treatment in which a customised dental tray is filled with whitening gel and worn for several weeks
Sleep Dentistry -- Many family dentists now offer what is known as 'sleep dentistry,' which is a process in which you are either put to sleep using an IV or given nitrous oxide, also known a laughing gas, to relax your body, so that you are unaware of what's happening as the dentist works on your teeth. Sleep dentistry is also called painless dentistry, and the goal is to relax patients to such a degree that they feel no discomfort at all during procedures such as root canals, fillings and deep cleaning.
For more information, contact a family dentist like Buderim Marketplace Dental.
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