General dental care is more than routine dental cleanings and exams. While regular dental care services are important, general dentistry also covers preventative care. Preventative care offers treatments that maintain the smile and prevent the development of future oral health problems.
Wearing a mouthguard during contact sports, visiting the dentist in a dental emergency, and even removing an impacted tooth can minimize the risk of complex dental problems. We encourage patients to explore more of our general dental services in Nashville, TN.
The Importance of Preventative Care
General dentistry focuses on preventative care and maintaining your oral health. When you keep up with regular dental care, you’re less likely to have more severe dental problems in the future. Preventative care helps to stop dental problems early before they get to the point where they require invasive and costly treatments.
Preventative dental care has to take place both in the dentist office and in your home. Brush and floss at least twice daily, preferably after every meal. This daily maintenance prevents plaque and tartar from building up on your teeth. Not only do plaque and tartar put you at a higher risk for tooth decay, they do so for gum disease too. Gum disease is a serious problem that can grow to a point where it’s irreversible and compromises your overall health.
But even if you’re brushing and flossing properly at home, you’re not completely safe from dental issues. You have to visit the dentist, too. There are areas of your teeth that you may not be able to reach on your own. Specialized dental tools are the only way to ensure these areas are cleaned properly. Without this, you can still get plaque and tartar buildup in those hard to reach areas.
We perform an oral exam at every dental appointment as well. Certain dental problems don’t have early warning signs that are easily noticeable. Things like oral cancer and gum disease don’t have signs that are painful, so you may just pass right over them. We go through intensive training so that we can spot the early warning signs. This helps you avoid treatment that’s more costly and invasive down the line.
More Affordable Care
Most dental insurance companies cover preventative care. With many plans, there’s no fee at all for your twice-yearly preventative care visits. If you don’t have insurance, we offer financing that makes preventative care affordable for you. It’s one of the cheapest services that a dentist office offers.
Without preventative care, you get into more extensive oral health problems. While dental insurance may cover a portion of it, you may still have to pay out of pocket costs. With gum disease, you usually have to have more frequent, deeper cleanings. Things like dental implants require surgical procedures and multiple visits to ensure that the healing process is going smoothly. Preventative care helps you avoid these more expensive issues.
What are Dental Fillings?
Do you have a cavity or a severely damaged tooth? We may recommend a dental filling to preserve the tooth’s structure. Fillings are metal or composite materials that can restore missing tooth structures. We typically provide dental fillings for patients after root canal treatments. A root canal removes the infected dental pulp from within the tooth.
Additionally, we will provide a filling without a root canal if patients have severely worn teeth. Traditional metal fillings are best for teeth in the back of the mouth because they offer strength to the bite. We can also color-match fillings using composite materials.
General Dentistry in Nashville, TN
Our general dental treatments keep patients healthy and prevent common oral health issues. General dental care can include:
Custom Mouthguards
Do you play a contact sport like basketball, hockey, or lacrosse? Get a custom-made sports mouthguard in our office. Wearing a mouthguard can prevent the need for cosmetic or restorative dental care.
Emergency Dentistry
In the event of a dental emergency, please call 615 Smile Design. We can treat patients with toothaches, lost permanent teeth, broken dental restorations, and more. Treating a dental emergency sooner than later can prevent tooth damage and loss.
Family Dental Care
Our dental office works with patients to schedule dental appointments for the whole family. Family dentistry services provide general cleanings, examinations, and restorative and cosmetic care for patients as they age. Bringing children to the dentist early helps them get used to appointments, the office, and our team.
Root Canals
Our dental care team can perform a root canal in our Nashville dental office to restore your oral health. Root canals can save your natural tooth and bite structure in the event of trauma, advanced decay, and infection.
Dental Extractions
We work with an oral surgeon to provide dental extractions for impacted, infected and damaged teeth. Extractions can sometimes be one of the best options for a patient with a severely damaged or infected tooth. Our office also works with oral surgeons to provide dental implants and implant-secured dental restorations as needed.
Sedation Dentistry
Oral conscious sedation is a method of dental sedation that helps patients feel calm and relaxed during dental care. Patients take this type of sedation as a pill before treatment. While the patients remain conscious, they will not feel pain during their procedure.
General Dental FAQs
Do you have questions about general dental care? Read answers to these commonly asked questions:
Do I only need sedation if I have dental anxiety?
Patients who require more extensive dental care benefit from sedation. Dental sedation is not solely for anxious patients and benefits all patients.
How do I know if I have a dental emergency?
Call a dentist for emergency care if you have a sudden or severe dental problem, like a lost tooth or a highly painful toothache. If you have a physical or soft tissue injury, please receive medical care first. We can treat you for dental injuries after you are healthy.
When should I bring my child for their first dental appointment?
Bring your young child for their first dental visit when they are 12 months or older. Bringing your child to the dentist after their first baby tooth emerges is a great idea. Our dental team can provide tips on caring for your child’s smile and keeping track of their teeth as they appear.
Schedule a Dental Consultation Today
Contact our dental office for high-quality care today at (615) 637-2878 or request a dental appointment with us online. We see patients from Dickson, Nashville, and the surrounding communities.