General dentistry care can offer many benefits for your oral health. Even if you stay on top of good oral hygiene, you still will need regular checkups and treatments from your dentist. When you go to the dentist’s office for a visit, a number of things will happen. One of the first will be a series of X-rays. The hygienist or dentist will take the patient’s X-rays, except for pregnant women and small children. These images can show the dentist problems in the mouth that the naked eye cannot detect.
Having a general dentistry checkup should occur at least every six months for people of all ages. This starts as soon as a child gets teeth and continues throughout life. Young patients and those who have not been to the dentist’s office for a long time may have anxiety leading up to and during a visit. It is helpful to know what will take place. Nervous patients should learn about the checkup process and what the dentist will do. It can also help to meet the staff beforehand and feel comfortable with them.
Tooth decay is perhaps the most common problem that dentists encounter. It is common in younger patients but takes place with teens, adults, and seniors as well. Larger cavities may be evident to the person or others just by looking or feeling. However, it takes an X-ray at a general dentistry appointment to identify smaller cavities. These tiny holes will form on the teeth as sugars and starches from foods eat away at the enamel layer of the tooth.
To repair a cavity, the dentist will put in a filling after cleaning out the decay. For larger cavities, the dentist will perform a root canal. X-rays may also show cavities beneath fillings. The dentist may also spot decay underneath crowns.
General dentistry services are concerned about the health of the person’s jaw as well. The jaw can also deteriorate due to extreme tooth decay and gum disease. When bone loss occurs, teeth can become loose and fall out. The shape of the person’s face can also change, affecting appearance and speech. X-rays can show these issues at all stages. If the dentist detects bone loss early enough, it may be possible to reverse the effects with a bone graft.
A general dentistry checkup consists of routine procedures such as looking for cavities and cleaning teeth. The dentist will also keep an eye out for more serious problems such as oral cancer. X-rays can reveal that the patient has a tumor cyst as well. These may be deep within the jawbone. They also can be at any stage of development.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: General Dentist in Visalia, CA
When you go to the dentist’s office, you can expect X-rays during a checkup. These generally take place at the beginning of the appointment. X-rays are vital because these images show things that the dentist would not ordinarily be able to see. There is nothing to be nervous about when getting an X-ray. From these pictures, the dentist will also know how to treat any conditions you have.
Request an appointment or call Visalia Care Dental at 559-975-1213 for an appointment in our Visalia office.
Oral appliances provided by a general dentist are an effective treatment option for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a severe disorder in which patients repeatedly stop breathing for a few seconds while sleeping. When the airways are clogged, airflow is momentarily limited, reducing the brain's oxygen level. The condition has physiological and emotional consequences for…
General dentists spend a significant portion of their time performing preventative dental treatments. These treatments reduce the odds of common dental issues, like tooth decay and gum disease, from developing in the future. Preventative care saves patients time and money by making it less likely that they will develop severe dental problems that call for…
Going to the general dentistry office may not excite you, but you can reap the benefits. Putting off dental appointments can disrupt good oral health habits and lead to serious problems. The next time you come to see your dentist, you will have a dental cleaning. This is much more than a formality. General dentistry…