Excellent oral health plays a vital role in overall well-being, and routine dental care is key to maintaining it. While home-based routines, including brushing and flossing your teeth, help maintain excellent oral health, having a dentist to care for and oversee your and your family’s dental health is crucial. Family dentistry provides comprehensive dental care for your entire family.
From young toddlers beginning to learn about oral care to teenagers and adults requiring more advanced treatments, a family dentist can provide tailored treatment for patients of all ages. By retaining the services of a family dentist, you have gained a partner who will dedicate his/her time to maintaining you and your family’s oral health.
At Encino Dentist, we firmly believe that with regular check-ups, education, and preventive measures, you and your loved ones can enjoy bright, healthy smiles for many years to come.
How a Family Dentist Differs From a General Dentist
Many people often use the terms “general dentist” and “family dentist” interchangeably. After all, the two professionals have a lot in common. They both have the same training and offer the same dental services to help you stay on top of your dental health and prevent diseases.
However, there are a few key differences between family dentists and general dentists that you ought to know. That is particularly true if you are looking for a specialist to care for your family’s dental and oral health needs. General dentists are responsible for diagnosing, preventing, and treating a range of oral and dental health problems.
A general dentist can provide a range of oral care services and treatments, including regular checkups, exams, deep cleanings, fillings, root canal therapy, and other restorative procedures. They employ modern diagnostic tools and extensive training to diagnose and treat their patients’ dental and oral health issues. However, if specialized treatment is needed, a reliable general dentist will refer you to a specialist.
Family dentists are general dentists who focus on providing care for patients of all ages, which requires a person to undertake an undergraduate degree and attend a dentistry school for up to four years. While a general dentist focuses on specific types of care and age groups, a family dentist can treat patients of all ages, including infants and the elderly.
That means a family dentist will be the most suitable professional to care for your family members’ oral health care needs. If you have a family dentist, you do not need to schedule appointments with multiple dentists for your family’s oral health needs. A family dentist can care for your child’s teeth from infancy through teenage years and into adulthood.
Like a general dentist, a family dentist can offer you and your loved ones a wide range of oral care services, including diagnostic, preventative, and treatment services. If your dentist has retired or you have just moved to a new location, you should consider various factors when looking for a reliable family dentist. For example, you should consider whether your prospective dentist is licensed, experienced, and reputable.
Even if you do not currently have children, switching to a family dentist would be a wise move if you plan to have them in the near future.
Oral and Dental Care Services a Family Dentist Can Offer
A family dentist has extensive education and training to offer a wide range of family dentistry treatments and services to help you and your loved ones stay on top of their dental and oral health. Here are examples of treatments and services a family dentist can offer:
Preventative Care
Like a general dentist, a family dentist can offer you full preventative care for you and all your family members. Undoubtedly, prevention is better than cure, and this rule is particularly true in oral and dental health.
As the name suggests, preventive dental care focuses on preventing dental and oral health problems before they arise or progress to severe stages, which may require comprehensive treatment. Common preventative oral and dental care services your family dentist can offer you and your loved ones include the following:
Comprehensive Dental Examinations
Scheduling appointments with your dentist for regular dental checkups and exams is a critical part of preventative dentistry. Routine dental checkups and exams help maintain your oral health and prevent oral diseases.
During these routine appointments, your dentist will conduct all vital exams, including oral screening, to determine whether you are at risk of oral cancer. If so, the dentist will begin intervention treatments immediately to halt the progression of the issue.
Once you schedule an appointment with your family dentist, you and each of your family members will receive a comprehensive dental examination, which the dentist will keep as the baseline for future dental exams. One notable benefit of having a family dentist is that he/she will keep this file for many years to help monitor your dental and oral health.
During each oral and dental examination, the dentist will compare the results with the baseline examination to determine whether any concerns require immediate intervention.
Routine Cleanings
Visiting your dentist at least twice a year, or every 6 months, is vital, regardless of your age. While brushing your teeth daily helps keep them clean, stubborn stains may require a dentist’s intervention. During routine dental cleaning, your dentist will remove stains and plaque buildup on the surfaces of your teeth, helping keep cavities at bay.
If well cared for, your permanent teeth could serve you for the rest of your life without needing dental implants or dentures. During these routine cleanings, the dentist will use special tools to remove plaque and buildup from the surfaces of your teeth and below the gumline. When left unchecked, plaque buildup that extends below your gumline can cause gum disease and tooth loss.
To give you the sparkling smile that you deserve, your dentist will also remove any stains on your tooth enamel that could occur due to drinking wine, tea, or coffee.
Restorative Dentistry
Generally speaking, any procedure that can restore the functions and appearance of your teeth qualifies as restorative dentistry. Examples of these procedures include (but are not limited to) the following:
TMJ Therapy
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) therapy plays a crucial role in your body. The TMJ acts as a hinge that connects your lower jaw with the skull’s temporal bone on both sides of your head. The TMJ allows you to perform basic functions like biting, chewing, swallowing, and even speaking.
When you sustain an injury in this joint, you may end up with a painful condition known as TMJ syndrome. Some of the causes of this condition include:
- Wearing dental bridges
- Bad posture
- Arthritis
- Chewing gum
- Teeth grinding
Fortunately, regardless of the cause, a family dentist can help manage symptoms and improve jaw function in your TMJ. If you experience any of the following symptoms of TMJ syndrome, you should consult with your family dentist for treatment:
- Neck and facial pain
- Jail pain and stiffness
- Jaw locking or limited mobility
- Clicks in your jaw, especially when you yawn
Dental Bridges
Your dentist may recommend a dental bridge to replace your missing tooth, especially if you have severe bone loss or the condition of your oral cavity does not allow a bone graft or dental implant. A dental bridge comprises crowns, which a dentist places on your natural teeth on each side of the gap, and artificial teeth that help restore the aesthetics and functions of your teeth, including chewing.
Additionally, dental bridges help prevent the surrounding teeth from shifting into the gap, which can cause orthodontic problems and other oral health issues. Luckily, the dentist will only require scheduling two appointments to complete the dental bridge placement procedure, making it a quick and convenient option for replacing multiple missing teeth.
Dental Filling
Another common type of restorative dentistry treatment you or your loved one could need at some point in their lifetime is dental fillings. Also known as dental restorations, dental fillings help restore your teeth’s integrity, function, and morphology of the missing tooth structures caused by external trauma or cavities.
Unless your tooth is severely damaged or compromised, dental fillings may be enough to restore its integrity and aesthetics. Generally speaking, your dentist could recommend dental fillings if you have any of the following dental issues:
- You have cavities — If you have cavities (tiny holes on the surface of your tooth enamel), your dentist could recommend applying dental fillings to prevent the progression of the issue and accumulation of bad bacteria in the holes
- You have a fractured tooth — Whether your tooth fracture was due to a dental trauma, an untreated cavity, or any other issue, dental fillings can help restore the integrity and aesthetics of the tooth
- You have a discolored tooth — Your teeth can fracture due to dental trauma, teeth grinding, or even biting hard foods. Regardless of the cause, dental fillings could be an excellent treatment option for the issue
Depending on the location of the restored tooth, your dental hygiene, the material used, and the size, dental fillings can last between 7 and 20 years. Common materials your dentist will use to make your dental fillings include the following:
- Gold
- Composite
- Amalgam
- Glass ionomer
Pediatric Dentistry
As a parent, you want to ensure your children grow up with healthy habits, including dental care. That is where the services of a pediatric dentist become vital. However, if you have a family dentist, you do not have to worry about having a separate specialist to treat and monitor your child’s dental and oral health. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, a family dentist has proper training to handle dental and oral health issues of patients of any age, including children.
Pediatric dentistry is a specialized field of dentistry that focuses on the care of children’s teeth, gums, and mouths. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), your child should see a dentist before his/her first birthday. While it may seem early, this appointment is crucial for establishing a firm foundation for excellent oral and dental health from a young age.
Common dental and oral health issues that children and teenagers experience include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Thumb sucking — Addressing the issue of thumb sucking and pacifier use early is vital because these habits could contribute to the development of teeth misalignment issues
- Orthodontic problems — Your family dentist can help determine whether your child is at risk of developing orthodontic issues, including an overbite and crowded teeth. If so, he/she can offer the necessary treatment or recommend your child to an orthodontist.
- Cavities — Cavities are common issues among children, but they are treatable, especially when detected early
Generally speaking, pediatric dentistry helps your child grow up with a healthy smile. By taking preventative steps, creating an excellent oral care routine, and visiting your dentist regularly for a family dental checkup and exam, you are setting yourself and your children up for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Periodontics
Periodontics is a branch of dentistry that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of periodontic problems, also known as gum disease. Periodontal disease is an inflammatory condition that attacks your gums and supporting structures, including the underlying jawbone.
It starts with plaque accumulation on the surface of your teeth and below the gumline, leading to irritation and inflammation of the gums (gingivitis). If you or your child has gingivitis (an early stage of periodontal disease), he/she is likely to experience the following symptoms:
- Swollen or red gums
- Gums that bleed easily when brushing your teeth
- Teeth sensitivity
While gingivitis is easily reversible with improved oral hygiene, if left unchecked, it can progress to periodontitis (advanced gum disease), which can eventually lead to tooth loss. If you or a family member has periodontitis, your family dentist could recommend the following treatments to reverse the condition:
- Flap surgery
- Scaling and root planing
- Antibiotic therapy
Cosmetic Dentistry
Both a family dentist and a general dentist can perform cosmetic dentistry procedures. The primary goal of this procedure is to boost the aesthetics of your smile. Below are common cosmetic procedures your dentist could recommend:
Teeth Whitening
As you age, your teeth may lose their shine due to exposure to various food- and drink-staining substances, including red wine. Habits like smoking or chewing tobacco products could also discolour your teeth, affecting the beauty of your smile. Regardless of the cause of your teeth discoloration, cosmetic dentistry can help fix the problem and improve the aesthetics of your smile.
Teeth whitening is one of the most sought-after cosmetic procedures that your dentist could recommend if you have stained or discolored teeth. A family dentist can offer you an in-office teeth whitening procedure or an at-home remedy.
Professional teeth whitening involves the use of teeth bleaching agents, including carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide, to destroy the pigments that make your teeth appear discolored or stained. Generally speaking, the results of this cosmetic procedure could last for up to three (3) years with an excellent oral and dental care routine.
Dental Veneers
You could be an excellent candidate for dental veneers if you need a complete smile makeover. Dental veneers are custom-made thin shells that a dentist attaches to the front surface of your teeth to fix various cosmetic dental issues, including:
- Irregularly sized teeth
- Gaps between your teeth
- Tooth discoloration and stains
- Broken, chipped, or cracked tooth
- A gummy smile
One of the most common and popular materials that your dentist uses to make dental veneers is porcelain. Other materials your dentist can use to make dental veneers include zirconia and composite resin. With proper care, zirconia and porcelain veneers can last about 10 to 15 years. However, composite veneers will last for five to seven years.
Dental Bonding
During dental bonding, the dentist will use a tooth-colored composite resin to restore and mask discolored, chipped, cracked, or stained teeth. The dentist can also shape the composite resin to lengthen your teeth and fill the gaps between them, significantly improving the appearance of your smile.
Unlike dental veneers, this procedure is reversible because the dentist does not have to remove any of your tooth enamel to prepare your teeth for the bonding material. With excellent oral and dental care, the results of the dental bonding procedure could last for five (5) to seven (7) years.
Gum Contouring and Tooth Contouring
Uneven teeth and excess gum tissue could negatively impact the aesthetics of your smile. If you or a loved one has excess gum tissue, also known as a gummy smile, the family dentist may recommend a gum contouring procedure. During this procedure, the dentist will remove any excess gum tissue and reshape your gumline to improve the appearance of your smile.
On the other hand, tooth contouring involves removing parts of your tooth enamel to change its shape and appearance.
Orthodontics
Orthodontics’ reputation as a cosmetic treatment has evolved significantly. The purpose of this cosmetic dental procedure is to correct the alignment of your teeth and jaws to boost the appearance of your smile. You or your loved ones could be an excellent candidate for orthodontic treatment if you have any of the following dental issues:
- Crowded teeth
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Crooked teeth
- Open bite
Depending on the severity of your tooth misalignment and your preferences, a family dentist may recommend braces or clear aligners (Invisalign).
Endodontic Treatments
Endodontics is a branch of dentistry that focuses on the treatment of infections and issues affecting the inside of your tooth. If an infection in your tooth reaches the pulp, or inner chamber of the tooth, your nerve tissues will die, and, if left untreated, the bacteria could spread to the bloodstream, causing other health issues.
To remove the infected pulp and nerves, a family dentist will recommend a root canal. However, if the infection is severe, the dentist could recommend comprehensive endodontic treatments such as:
- Endodontic surgery
- Endodontic retreatment
- Dental implants
- Root amputation
Benefits of Family Dentistry
Here are the benefits of securing the services of a family dentist:
You Will Enjoy Convenience
One notable advantage of choosing a family dentist is the convenience it offers. Scheduling a dental appointment for your entire family at the same location reduces stress and saves time. The convenience of having a family dentist is particularly beneficial if your family members have busy schedules, juggling school, work, and other recreational activities.
You Will Receive Personalized Treatment Plans
A family dentist will create a tailor-made treatment plan for each family member based on their needs and dental history. The personalized approach ensures efficient and effective dental care. Tailor-made treatment plans also help set realistic goals and expectations, making the treatment process more manageable and transparent.
You Will Receive Emergency Dental Care
If you have a family dentist, you have someone you can rely on when you or a loved one develops a dental emergency. Common dental emergencies that a family dentist can handle include the following:
- A broken tooth
- A knocked-out tooth
- Severe toothache
If you or a loved one has any of these dental issues, seeking prompt medical care can help prevent further complications and alleviate any pain. Knowing you have a reliable family dentist you can rely on can lessen a lot of stress and anxiety.
He/she Will Keep Comprehensive Records
A family dentist will maintain comprehensive oral and dental records for all your family members. These records contain vital information, including your dental history, notes, and scheduled treatments, providing a clear picture of each family member’s oral health.
Having this information in one place is crucial because it helps the dentist monitor any changes in your oral health and recommend appropriate treatment. For example, if you or a family member has an underlying medical condition that affects his/her dental health, a family dentist can work with your doctor to develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
Find a Seasoned Family Dentist Near Me
Finding a reliable family dentist is key to ensuring your family’s oral health. Ensure you find a reputable and experienced dentist, especially if you have children in your home. We invite you to call our credible family dentists at Encino Dentist at 818-650-0429 and take a proactive approach to your and your family’s oral health.