General dentistry is at the core of dental care. It encompasses all preventive, basic, and routine services necessary to maintain your teeth, gums, and overall oral health. Overall, it serves as the foundation from which more specialized treatments can be provided.
While not as exciting as a teeth whitening procedure or as transformative as a restoration, general dentistry is essential to maintaining your oral health. That’s because it helps to prevent problems before they start, and catch them early when they do occur.
At our Colorado practices, we value the importance of preventive care and work with our patients to ensure they have the tools and knowledge they need to maintain their oral health between visits. We also provide comprehensive dental services to address any problems that may arise. Whether you are due for a routine cleaning or require more complex treatment, we will work with you to ensure you receive the care you need.
If you have any questions about general dentistry or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact our office today.
Cleanings & Exams
Did you know that it only takes 24 hours for plaque to turn into tartar? Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. When sugars and starches in the food you eat mix with these bacteria, they produce acids that eat away at tooth enamel, causing cavities. Fortunately, plaque is easily removed with the help of a toothbrush, floss, and routine dental cleanings.
Tartar, on the other hand, is a hard deposit of calculus that forms on teeth when plaque is not removed. Once tartar forms, it can only be removed by a professional dental cleaning. If left untreated, tartar will continue to build up, eventually leading to gum disease.
Despite how loyal you are to your brushing and flossing routine, dental hygienists are still able to remove tartar and plaque that you may have missed. This is because they have access to special tools and techniques that are designed for cleaning teeth. In addition, they receive extensive training on how to effectively clean teeth and remove tartar.
During a dental cleaning at our office, one of our experienced dental hygienists will thoroughly clean your teeth, removing any tartar or plaque that has built up. They will also polish your teeth and floss between them. Once the cleaning is complete, our dentist will perform a thorough examination to check for any problems and provide feedback on your oral health.
We recommend that patients visit our office every six months for a routine cleaning and examination. However, some patients may need to come more frequently, depending on their oral health.
If you are due for a routine dental cleaning and examination, we invite you to contact our office today to schedule an appointment.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
While the focus of dentistry is often to preserve the teeth, this is not always the best course of action. In some cases, it is necessary to remove teeth in order to maintain optimal oral health. One such situation is when wisdom teeth become impacted.
Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that most people get in their late teens or early twenties. For many people, these teeth can cause problems as they try to erupt through the gums at improper angles, or they become stuck when they lack room to emerge. When this happens, they are said to be impacted.
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause a number of problems. They can crowd or damage other teeth, they can cause pain and infection, and they can be difficult to clean properly, which can lead to decay. For these reasons, it is often necessary to remove wisdom teeth.
Wisdom tooth removal is a fairly common procedure. In fact, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, nearly 85% of wisdom teeth will eventually require removal. The process for wisdom tooth extraction is as follows:
- The area around the tooth will be numbed with a local anesthetic.
- We will make a small incision in the gum tissue to expose the tooth.
- The tooth will be carefully removed as either a whole tooth or in fragments.
- The incision will be closed with sutures.
You will be given postoperative instructions and be instructed to rest for the remainder of the day.
Emergency Care
Emergency situations can happen at any time, and this is no different when it comes to dental care. If you experience a dental emergency, it is important to be prepared by knowing what to do and who to contact for help.
Emergency dental care refers to any type of dental treatment that is needed in order to relieve pain or restore function to a tooth or an area of oral tissue that has been damaged. This can include situations such as tooth infections, tooth fractures, tongue lacerations, and more. In some cases, emergency dental care may also be needed in order to save a tooth that has been knocked out or is in danger of being lost.
If you find yourself in a dental emergency, the first thing you should do is contact our office. We will do our best to see you as soon as possible so that we can provide the care you need. If you are unable to reach us, or if your emergency occurs after hours, you can visit an emergency room or urgent care center for treatment.
By acting quickly, you can help to ensure that your emergency is resolved as quickly as possible with the least amount of damage.