Dentists (credentialed as Doctor of Dental Surgery/DDS or Doctor of Dental Medicine/DMD) diagnose and treat diseases, injuries and abnormalities of the mouth and gums. They also educate patients on good oral health practices. Many dentist work in private practice settings. Others work at community health centers or in hospitals, collaborating with other medical professionals to improve overall patient care.
Dental Cleanings
A dental cleaning removes plaque, tartar, and stains from the teeth. It can also prevent cavities and gum disease, which have been linked to heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Brushing and flossing help remove bacteria and food particles from the teeth, but a professional cleaning can reach surfaces that are hard to reach with home care.
During the dental cleaning session, the family dentist uses special tools to scale away the tartar deposits on tooth surfaces and beneath the gum line. Afterwards, the teeth are polished and a fluoride treatment may be applied. The teeth cleaning session is often painless and takes between 30 and an hour.
Dental Exams
Dentists can detect problems like gum disease and tooth decay in the earliest stages, when they are easier to treat. This prevents further issues and can help you save on costly treatments.
Patients are asked about their medical history, any medications they take, and their diet to determine how these factors can affect their oral health. Dental X-rays are also taken during the exam to evaluate areas that aren’t visible with just a visual examination.
Once dentists finish the dental exam, they will offer personalized advice on how to improve brushing and flossing habits. They will also discuss any issues detected and recommend treatment options.
Dental X-Rays
Dental X-rays are internal imaging of your teeth and jaws that provide vital information not visible with the naked eye. X-rays use electromagnetic radiation to pass through soft tissues, such as the gums and teeth, and absorb the denser parts, like bone. This allows dentists to detect problems with your teeth, nerves, sinuses, and tooth roots that might not be apparent during a visual examination.
The most common types of dental X-rays include bitewing, periapical, and panoramic radiographs. Your dentist can also take extraoral X-rays to monitor growth and development or to locate impacted or unerupted teeth, cysts or abscesses. Most X-rays are taken using digital sensors and emit significantly less radiation than traditional film based X-rays.
Dental Restorations
Dental restorations (fillings, crowns, and more) restore teeth to their optimal function, health, and appearance. They can also prevent more serious oral issues like tooth decay and infection.
Dental fillings are the most common type of dental restoration. A dentist cleans a damaged tooth and fills the area with a filling material such as amalgam, composite resin, porcelain, or gold.
Sometimes a cavity is too big for a filling and too small for a crown, so the dentist alters the tooth by shaving part of it down. They then cover the entire tooth with a dental crown. This type of restoration is more complex than a direct filling because the dentist must use a sectional matrix to support the tooth.
Preventive Care
Preventive care involves a dental team treating an existing problem before it has time to get worse. This includes cleaning the teeth to prevent a tooth from decaying or getting gum disease, which can lead to the loss of the tooth. The dental team will clean the teeth and remove any hardened bacterial plaque (called tartar) that builds up on the tooth over time.
The dentist will also examine the jaws, mouth, head, neck, and face to look for signs of cancer or other problems. In addition, the dentist may recommend sealants on permanent molars to help keep food particles and bacterial plaque from collecting in the deep grooves on the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
Medical Care
Despite the fact that dental and medical care focus on different areas of the body, they are closely linked. For example, an abscess in the mouth can indicate a problem in another part of the body like heart disease or diabetes.
While dental students learn about anatomy and physiology, many physicians receive little or no education in oral health. This difference is starting to change as more initiatives work to integrate whole-body care, including dentistry and medicine.
It is important to understand how medical and dental insurance works. This helps ensure accuracy and patient satisfaction. It also helps patients make informed choices about their dental and medical coverage.