General Information on Dentistry

While people have a general idea of what a dentist is, many people that don’t visit the dentist regularly are unsure of what dentists do. Even patients that visit the dentist raleigh north carolina for regular checkups and cleanings may not have a clear understanding of what other services are available to them. It’s important to understand just what it is that dentists do, and how you can benefit from the services that they provide.

General Dentistry Services

When most people think about going to the dentist, they think about general dentistry. General dentistry is the field of dentistry that specializes in providing routine services, cleanings and checkups. During your trip to the dentist for a general checkup and cleaning, your dentist will check your teeth, gums, cheeks, tongue and jawbone to make sure they are healthy. If it has been a while since your last visit, this may involve an x-ray. Your dentist will also clean the plaque, tartar and debris from your teeth. If they find that you have tooth decay or gum disease, they may need to provide additional care to resolve the issue.

Deep Cleanings and Cavity Fillings

For tooth decay, your dentist will need to clean away the decay, and restore the area that was damaged. In order to do this, they will often place a filling. In cases of gum disease, your dentist may decide to perform a deep cleaning (also known as a scaling and root planing). This will remove the plaque and tartar from below the gum line, allowing your gums to properly heal.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Another field of dentistry is cosmetic dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry involves any services that improve the cosmetic appearance of a patient’s teeth and/or gums. Cosmetic dentistry is also a catchall term that includes a variety of different procedures. These procedures include:

• Dental Crowns
• Dental Veneers
• Teeth Whitening
• Braces
• Gum Contouring
• Dental Bonding
• And More

Certain cosmetic dentistry procedures are almost entirely for cosmetic reasons, which means having those procedures performed is not imperative. There are other services, though, that require attention as soon as possible.

An example of a procedure that is purely cosmetic is teeth whitening. An example of a cosmetic procedure that is necessary is the placement of a dental crown. Teeth whitening can improve the appearance of a patient’s teeth, but it doesn’t affect the function. Without having a dental crown placed, on the other hand, a patient may experience increasingly more pain, and further damage to the tooth.

Speak with Your Dentist

If you have any questions about a dental procedure or how to resolve an oral health issue that you are having, speak with your dentist. If the issue seems minor, set an appointment for as soon as you can to make sure the problem doesn’t get worse. If it is more severe, set an appointment as soon as possible.

Make sure to visit your dentist every six months for a regular cleaning and checkup to ensure ongoing excellent oral health.

Renaissance Dental Care, located in Raleigh, NC, provides comprehensive general and cosmetic dentistry to patients of all ages. Consider an appointment today.

Interested in reading more about about general dentistry? Here's some basic insights into what you can expect at a regular trip to the dentist.