The Most Common Dental Procedures

Dental care is an important part of general health since it greatly influences our physical well-being, self-esteem, and social relationships. Going regularly to the dentist is essential to prevent the onset of oral diseases and maintain good dental health.

Dental clinics usually have professionals with proven experience and are highly qualified to perform modern and painless dental treatments, which allows patients to receive global and personalized attention.

Below are some of the most common procedures in dental practice.

Dental cleaning

Professional dental cleaning is one of the simplest treatments performed in dental clinics. It consists of the removal of tartar (hardened dental plaque) by means of tooth scraping and dental polishing or surgical cleaning if too much tartar has accumulated.

The goal is to clean the teeth more thoroughly and thus eliminate plaque and dental plaque that can cause tooth decay, gingivitis, and periodontal diseases.

The dentists at Gio Dental at Station Landing suggest that although you brush your teeth regularly and use mouthwash and dental floss, there are areas of the teeth whose access and cleaning are more difficult.

With professional dental cleaning, you will get your mouth completely clean and free of tartar, bacterial plaque, and superficial stains caused by drinking coffee, smoking, etc.

Dental filling

The dental filling allows the restoration of a tooth damaged by cavities to its normal shape and function and helps to prevent consequent decay by eliminating the areas where bacteria can enter the tooth.

Removing the decay of a tooth prevents the disease from advancing and affecting the nerve of the tooth, which would result in having to perform a root canal or root canal treatment.

Local anesthesia is usually applied before starting the procedure. The dentist removes the decayed tissue from the tooth leaving a cavity that must be filled later with resin. Once the dentist has finished filling the cavity, they will apply ultraviolet light so that the material hardens.

The filling material is molded in order to return the tooth to its original shape and, in this way, recover its functionality. The process finishes polishing the dental filling to give it a shine.

Endodontics

Endodontics, dentistry concerned with diseases and injuries of the soft tissues inside a tooth, is a specialty of dentistry. One of the most performed procedures in dental endodontic clinics is the root canal, this is a treatment of the root canals or tooth roots, in which the total extraction of the dental pulp is performed.

The dental pulp is the innermost part of the tooth, where the nerves and blood vessels are located. The inflammation of the pulp usually manifests with pain, which can be of different degrees and occur at different times

The root canals are made in teeth with deep caries, which cause inflammation or necrosis of the dental pulp. Other reasons for the appearance of pulpitis are traumatism, abrasion, erosion, and the wear of the teeth due to rubbing between them (for example due to bruxism).

Dental crown

The dental crown is a cover of a full dental implant that is placed on a damaged tooth, although this resource can also be used to improve the appearance, shape, or alignment of a tooth. They are usually made with porcelain or ceramic, although metal, gold, or resin alloys can also be used.

Unlike removable prostheses, crowns are cemented over existing teeth or implants, and only a dentist can remove them.

The dentist will recommend a crown to:

• Replace large seals
• Prevent a weakened tooth from breaking
• Repair a fractured tooth
• Place a bridge
• Cover a dental implant
• Cover a discolored or deformed tooth
• Cover a tooth that has undergone a root canal treatment

Exodontia

Exodontia is a surgical act by which a tooth or a remnant part of it that has been housed in the alveolus is extracted. The intervention is performed under local anesthesia and by means of a simple and precise technique that usually does not involve complications, except for the subsequent hemorrhage and postoperative pain.

The most common reasons for the practice of extraction are the existence of caries and periodontal disease, although it may also be necessary in the case of retained teeth, supernumerary, position abnormalities, temporary teeth, or teeth related to cysts and tumors.

As you can see, dentists can be skilled in a variety of treatments to meet the needs of the patient. Not all dentists will perform all of the treatments above. You will want to look at your dentist’s website to see what services they might offer.

If you have any questions about your teeth, be sure to have a discussion with your dentist at your next cleaning or call to make an appointment.