What You Need To Know About General & Cosmetic Dentistry

Dentists are who we entrust with the care of our teeth and mouth. A general dentist will be equipped to care for most problems a person could have with their teeth. General veneers before and after are trained and experienced in cleaning and repairing teeth. A general dentist can take care of your basic oral health needs; if you need cavities filled or just someone to do your regular professional-quality teeth cleaning, see a general dentist. No doubt the most common service performed by general dentistry practitioners is teeth cleaning. Ideally, people should have their teeth cleaned once every six months or so.

Regular cleanings can keep tartar and plaque from building up, which will both protect your teeth and benefit your health overall. You might not think that having your teeth cleaned could help your protect against heart disease, but experts now know that certain types of bacteria are capable of entering the bloodstream through a person's mouth and gums; getting your teeth cleaned could be a small step in protecting yourself against heart disease. A dental hygienist may actually be the person performing your cleaning. Trained in basic cleanings and patient preparation work, dental hygienists work under the supervision of dentists on some tasks so to free the dentist to assist patients in other ways.

If you need a crown or a cavity filled, your regular dentist will be able take care of you. Tests like X-rays, or basic oral health care procedures like root canals and teeth extractions are usually performed by dentists. Essentially, for basic upkeep and routine teeth cleaning, most people won't need to see a specialist.

Some people, however, may have different, more specific needs than just a regular cleaning or filling. If you are seeking to change a noticeable part of your smile, or just generally make your teeth and gums more aesthetically pleasing, you may want to see a cosmetic dentist. An orthodontist who specializes in using braces and other methods to straightened teeth, for example, is one type of cosmetic dentist. But there are a great deal a different available cosmetic dental procedures depending on what your needs are.

Cosmetic dental professionals perform a lot of teeth whitenings. Exposure to coffee or cigarettes can leave teeth noticeably stained, and a professional teeth cleaning is usually more thorough and effective than the over-the-counter methods available at stores. Porcelain veneers are another specialty of before and after cosmetic dentistry. Veneers are thin, custom-fitted layers of porcelain that your dentist has to specialty order; they can cover up chipped teeth, gaps between teeth, or even help straighten out a crooked tooth. Cosmetic dentists can also perform gum lifts; a procedure that reshapes gum tissue and sometimes the bone underneath, so to make the teeth appear more symmetrical.