General Dentistry

A general dentist is also known as the frontline in the industry because they’re the professionals who stop the advancement of harmful bacteria and plaque. They can also catch a variety of dental issues that can develop over time before they have the chance to spread to the rest of your mouth.

Why Visit a General Dentist?

The main reason to visit a general dentist is to stop disease, learn more about oral hygiene, and get into a better rhythm about how you take care of your teeth. When you find the right general dentist and stick to a schedule of routine cleanings, you might be surprised at just how much grief you can save yourself down the line. Good oral health is a collection of decisions that you make every day.

The right general dentist can give you all the advice you need to give your teeth their best chance of standing strong year after year. At Your Smile Studio, we encourage all of our patients to schedule a visit at least once every six months. No matter how busy a person’s schedule is, it’s critical to make time to see a dentist who can evaluate your oral health and tell you more about how to keep decay at bay.

What Are Preventative Services?

The most well-known preventative service is a standard tooth cleaning. During this procedure, the doctor removes the plaque and tartar from your teeth and gums. This is important because even those who are meticulous about brushing and flossing will find themselves coming short when it comes to scraping it all off. While at-home tools can get very close to giving you a completely clean mouth, they’re no match for the professional tools that the dentist will use.

It’s important to note that a teeth cleaning is different than a full exam. During this procedure, the dentist will look at the whole of your oral health, using additional tools and techniques to assess everything from your gum health to cavities to the beginning stages of oral cancer. This is a chance for patients to receive more customized recommendations about their oral health, which may include anything from a custom-fit mouthguard to a crown to strengthen a broken or chipped tooth.

What Is Restorative Dentistry?

A general dentist won’t be able to do root canals, but they will be able to do a variety of restorative procedures:

• Cavities: A regular dentist will use composite fillings to restore a tooth with cavities. The faster they can catch a hole in the tooth, which is usually formed by bacteria, the more they’ll be able to preserve the natural structure of the tooth.
• Crown: When a tooth is too damaged to be filled by a cavity, a general dentist will fit a crown over it in order to strengthen it. Crowns can be made today in several ways from a variety of materials. Talking to your dentist can help you narrow down the best option for you.
• Gum disease: If you have periodontitis or your gums are at risk of further damage, a general dentist can diagnose and treat the disorder with anything from deep cleaning to antibiotics.
• Bridges: A bridge can replace a missing tooth using healthy teeth as anchors. A general dentist will be able to fashion the device so it can be custom-fitted to your mouth.
• Implants: An implant will replace a missing tooth using a metal post in the jawbone. This post will need several weeks to fuse with the bone before it can be covered with an artificial tooth.
• Cosmetic dentistry: Bonding, veneers, and teeth whitening are all popular procedures today. A general dentist helps people feel better about their smile, so they’re more likely to take care of it.
• Screenings: A dentist who sees you twice a year will be able to gather a lot of important information over time. As your teeth and mouth change, they’ll have all the reference points they need to make smarter decisions about your overall care.

A general dentist has been trained to help people sidestep more specialized branches of dentistry. While there is no preventing every root canal or surgical procedure, there are plenty of treatments that can be avoided under the right circumstances.

What Kinds of Qualifications Does a General Dentist Have?

A general dentist will have completed four years at an accredited dental school after completing their undergraduate degree. They will need to pass all the state tests and fulfill all continuing education of state licensing boards to maintain their qualifications. You may come across general dentists who specialize in implants, veneers, or crowns, though the overall qualifications remain the same.

General Dentists In Seminole, FL

If you’re looking for a general dentist in Seminole, FL, it’s important to find a staff with enough experience to help you take care of your teeth over the years. Not every dental issue is as straightforward as it may first seem, so you’ll want to work with professionals who can handle it all. At Your Smile Studio, you’ll meet a team who can give you more than just standard advice.