Blog / March 19, 2024

What Are the Most Common Dental Procedures, and Why Are They Performed?

When we talk about staying healthy, it’s important not to forget about our teeth and gums. Dentists do a lot of different procedures to keep our mouths healthy or to fix problems. Some treatments help us before problems start, and some fix them after they’ve happened. Knowing about these common dental treatments helps us make good choices for taking care of our mouths.

Why Do People Need Regular Dental Check-Ups?

To make sure your teeth and gums stay healthy, it’s a good idea to see a dentist often. Dentists usually say you should come in every six months. This is so they can catch any small problems before they get bigger. Visits like these often include a few important parts.

Teeth Cleaning: This is when the dentist cleans your teeth. They take off plaque—a sticky film of bacteria—and tartar, which is hardened plaque. Removing these helps stop cavities and gum disease.
Dental X-Rays: X-rays are special pictures that let the dentist look inside your teeth and the bones around them. They show problems that can’t be seen just by looking in your mouth.
Dental Hygiene Tips: The dentist or dental hygienist might tell you the best ways to brush and floss. They also might give you advice about foods that are healthy for your teeth. This helps you take good care of your mouth at home.

Going to your dentist often is really important. Dentists do more than fix problems. They help stop problems from starting. For example, a dentist in Sterling offering gentle care for families can watch how a child’s teeth are growing. If they see anything that might become a problem later, they can take steps to prevent it. They also show kids and families the right way to take care of their teeth at home.

Teeth Cleaning and Preventive Care

Trying to stop problems before they start is a big part of dental care. There are certain things your dentist does to make sure your mouth stays healthy:

Checking Your Mouth: The dentist looks inside your mouth to check on the health of your teeth and gums.
Teeth Cleaning: Besides making your breath fresh, cleaning your teeth gets rid of stuff that could cause bigger problems later.
Fluoride Treatments: Fluoride makes your teeth strong and can even help heal tiny cavities that are just starting.

What Does Cosmetic Dentistry Do?

Some dental procedures are for making your smile look better. This is called cosmetic dentistry, and it includes a few different treatments.

Whitening Your Teeth: This is for when you want your teeth to look whiter and brighter. It can remove stains from things like coffee or wine.
Fixing Teeth: If you have a tooth that’s chipped or stained, veneers and bonding can make it look like new again. They cover the damage and give you a nice smile.
Braces and Other Straightening Treatments: These can straighten crooked teeth. They also help if your top and bottom teeth don’t line up right when you bite.

Implants are a special way to replace missing teeth. They are like new roots for replacement teeth. After you get dental implants in Sterling, you have to clean them and go to the dentist regularly to make sure they stay healthy. Ask your dentist how to take care of your implants to make sure they last a long time.

How Do Dentists Treat Gum Disease?

Taking care of your gums is just as important as taking care of your teeth. There are certain things your dentist might do to help your gums stay healthy or get healthy again if there’s a problem:

Cleanings Below the Gum Line: If your gums are starting to get sick, the dentist can clean under them to help make them better.
Adding Gum Tissue: If your gums have pulled away from your teeth too much, the dentist might add some new tissue. This is to cover the roots of your teeth and protect them.
Gum Surgery: If the disease in your gums is really bad, the dentist might do surgery on them. This helps stop the disease from causing more problems.

When Do People Need Surgical Dental Procedures?

For tougher problems, dental surgery can help fix the health and working of your mouth:

Root Canals: This is when the dentist treats a tooth that’s sick inside. They save the tooth, so you don’t have to have it taken out.
Extracting Wisdom Teeth: Wisdom teeth sometimes need to be removed to stop the pain and crowding of your other teeth.
Help with Comfort During Surgery: Dentists use different ways to make sure you’re comfortable during dental surgery. This helps make the treatment easier for you.

People of different ages have different kinds of dental needs. Children’s teeth are growing, so they need special care. Older people also have special dental needs as their teeth age. Dentists for these age groups know what kind of care each person needs.

What Happens When There’s a Dental Emergency?

Sometimes, things happen suddenly that hurt your teeth or mouth, and you need to see the dentist right away:

Sudden Dental Problems: These can include a tooth falling out, a really bad toothache, or a gum infection that hurts a lot.
Being Ready for Emergencies: Having a dentist like an accessible emergency dentist in Sterling who can see you quickly can be very important when you have a dental emergency.
Knowing What to Do Right Away: If you know some basic things to do for a dental emergency, you can help save a tooth until you see the dentist.

How Do Lifestyle Choices Affect Dental Health?

The things you do every day—like what you eat or whether you smoke—affect your teeth and gums:

Eating Healthy: Eating lots of foods that are good for you helps keep your teeth and gums strong. Foods with less sugar are better for preventing cavities.
The Harm of Smoking: If you smoke, it’s not just bad for your lungs. It also makes it more likely you’ll get gum disease, lose teeth, or get mouth cancer.
Paying Attention During Pregnancy: When you’re pregnant, your body changes a lot. These changes can affect your teeth and gums, so it’s important to take good care of your mouth during pregnancy.

Wrapping Up

Dentists provide lots of treatments that help keep our mouths healthy. There are check-ups to catch problems early and treatments to fix issues that are already there. By knowing what dental treatments are available, we can play a big part in keeping our teeth and gums in good shape. Visiting a dentist on a regular basis gives us personalized care that we can’t provide at home by ourselves.