All You Need Know About General Dentistry

People often see the dentist help them prevent certain situations in their dental health. Also, most people visit the dentist to assist them in enhancing their smile and beautifying their facial appearance while also taking care of a dental problem as well. What then is general dentistry and what does it entail? We will find out in this article. General dentistry or General dental care is the examination, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases causing damage to the teeth, gum, and the maxillofacial area of the body. General dentists are involved in the general maintenance of dental hygiene and teeth conditions. It will interest you to know that 80 percent of dental practitioners are general dentists while the other 20 percent of dental practitioners are dental specialists. General dentists are the most common dental care providers while the others ate dental specialists who are involved in a particular type of dental procedure like orthodontics, endodontics, oral & maxillofacial surgery, pediatric dentistry (pedodontics), dental public health, oral & maxillofacial pathology, and oral & maxillofacial radiology. The number of extra practices and the period of training is based on the kind of dental practice or specialty that a dentist goes after. Soon after dental school, most dentists move into practice immediately while some might seek extra training to enable them to become dental specialists. Some patients visit highly skilled dental specialists such as endodontists to treat toothache especially root canals. However, some general dentists can still carry out this type of treatment. But if the dental situation requires strict special treatment, the general dentist can refer the patient to a dental specialist who specializes in that particular dental issue. In general dentistry, the dentists work with patients in developing customized oral hygiene that includes dental cleaning, dental examination, X-ray, and other dental instruments to help with the early detection of dental problems and prevent them from occurring. A general dentist in Edmonton can also engage in various restorative processes to help their patients treat teeth diseases, teeth misalignment, tongue, and gum diseases. Though general dentistry is related to preventive and restorative dentistry, most dentists, still seek extra training to enable them to provide restorative services such as teeth fillings, teeth whitening, to improve the patient's smile and enhance facial appearance. Can I Get Restorative Dental Care From A General Dentist Near Me? Yes, you can! Most general dentists offer restorative dental care. There are two types of restorative dentistry that a general dentist can provide and they are:

Direct Restorative Dentistry

This dental procedure is often conducted in just one visit. You can get this dental care done in a day unless you have some abnormalities that might have occurred during the treatment due to allergies or underlying health conditions. Direct restorative dental care is performed to repair the inside region of the mouth. For example, Cavity fillings. For your restorative dental care, you can see a dentist in NW, Edmonton Some of the procedures under direct restorative dental care are:

• Amalgam: this dental equipment is used to rebuild the posterior teeth (the molar and premolar). It is a combination of about 53 percent mercury with silver, tin, and copper.
• Composite: this material is commonly used for teeth fillings, veneers, dental bonds, and inlays. It looks like natural teeth and has a sticky bonding material that is made of acrylic resin.
• Conventional Glass Ionomer: this is a restorative appliance that looks just like an actual tooth. They can rebuild the incisors and canines. However, they are not as strong as composite or amalgam. Hence, dentists don't use them for the restoration of the posterior teeth (back teeth).
• Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer: this is specifically used to rebuild baby teeth. They are identical to conventional glass ionomers but they are stronger and are made up of extra acrylic resins.

Indirect Restorative Dentistry

Unlike direct restorative dentistry, you need to visit the dentist at least twice during indirect restorative dental care. They specialize in the outer part of the mouth based on a person's teeth impressions. Usually, the first process is to examine and prepare the teeth by extracting decay and that is when an impression of your teeth is made. The dentist will then send the impressions to a dental lab for them to be made before the patient's next visit. On the second visit, the custom-made restorative materials will be attached to the teeth and some important adjustments based on how they fit the patient's teeth or if problems occur during the process. There are different types of indirect restorative procedures that you can get from a dentist near you, they include:

• Tooth crowns: these are tooth-shaped crowns that are attached to the tooth for the restoration of decay, missing or broken tooth. Unlike dental bridges, they are not used for aesthetic purposes.
• Tooth extractions: this is performed when a patient is suffering from serious tooth decay. The dentist would have to extract the tooth completely to avoid more damage. See a dentist in T5L 3P9.
• Dental implants: these are manufactured tooth roots used to fill in space created by a missing tooth.
• Dentures: these are false teeth that are used to replace missing teeth. The patient might need a full or partial set depending on the dental issue.