A Quick Guide to the 5 Most Common Dental Procedures Performed by Dentists

Good hygiene implies taking good care of your teeth. More than regularly cleaning your teeth is required to maintain a beautiful smile. You will need check-ups and interventions to ensure that your teeth keep that perfect white shade.

Dental Care

Although you might fear that some procedures are painful, dentists today use anesthesia and other procedures to ease your pain and make you feel as comfortable as possible.

According to Dr. Michael Richer a specialist in Dentistry in Hicksville, NY if you’re intimidated by the buzzing sounds, the x-ray machines, or the blinding white light. Remember that there’s nothing to fear, and you’ll get used to it in seconds. Also, a good dental clinic must use the highest standards and technology to treat any tooth issues without discomfort. Here are some standard procedures that dental professionals do to improve your dental hygiene.

Dental Fillings

Even though advanced technology and expertise in dental care made it easier to maintain your teeth, 92% of adults in America have had dental caries (tooth decay) in their permanent teeth, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Having cavities and decay can cause much pain and prevent you from going on with your day.

Tooth decay is a form of damage caused by harmful bacteria in your mouth. Although these bacteria, namely Streptococcus Mutans and other lactobacilli, are the main culprits regarding tooth decay, they don’t usually cause damage to your teeth unless you avoid standard dental care procedures or have a sugary diet.

Sugar feeds the bacteria that, in turn, damage your teeth, and acids attack your tooth enamel. After continuous acid attacks, the tooth enamel loses more and more minerals, and a white spot will appear on your teeth.

Suppose you don’t treat it by following dental healthcare practices, changing your diet, and regularly visiting your dentist. In that case, the enamel will eventually be destroyed, leading to the formation of a cavity.

In this situation, dental fillings are one of the best treatments and are among the most common dental procedures. The filling material to repair cavities can be tooth-colored (composite) fillings or silver-colored (amalgam) fillings.

Dental fillings aren’t complicated, and a dentist can quickly solve the issue. After numbing your tooth, your dentist will use a dental drill to remove the decayed dental tissue and seal it with a dental filling. It’s painless, simple, and a common dental procedure.

Dental Crowns

Badly damaged teeth need restoration to prevent an extraction. If you postpone going to the dentist for longer than you should have, you might find yourself in need of a dental crown. Some general dentists can make the crowns themselves, allowing you to attend only one appointment.

Otherwise, dental crowns are usually made in dental laboratories, so you might have to attend a second appointment to finish your procedure. Silver, gold, porcelain, dental resin crowns, or fillings are the most common materials used for dental crowns.

After you discuss with your dentist and decide on the best material for your situation and financial possibilities, your damaged tooth will be reshaped to fit the replacement dental crown. Think of the crown as a tooth-shaped cap that protects a weak tooth from breaking, decaying, or breaking apart.

Most broken or severely worn down teeth can be saved with a dental crown. In some cases, the dental crown can act as a dental bridge or cover misshapen or discolored teeth, dental implants, or a tooth treated with a root canal.

Although dental crowns are standard procedures, they last between five to fifteen years or more if you take good care of them. Dental crowns are highly beneficial and a good option for people that don’t want dental implants. Of course, which option is viable depends solely on the condition of their teeth and gums.

Root Canal Therapy

In cases when a cavity has been untreated for a long time, and oral bacteria invade the pulp, you can get a tooth infection. Some common symptoms are sensitivity to heat and cold, swollen gums and jaw, tooth discoloration, and tooth pain that does not go away.

When this happens, you need to visit your dentist to receive root canal therapy. Your dentist will prescribe you antibiotics you must take a few days before the appointment. During the procedure, you will be under anesthesia. Your dentist will remove the nerves, blood vessels, and tissues, clean and fill the canal, and seal the tooth.

Root canal treatment (endodontics) is a painless and common dental procedure that can even save your tooth. The root extends into the bone of your jaw, which anchors the tooth in position, and because of this, even damage due to falls may require root canal treatments. Also, some teeth have more than one root canal.

A critical step before any root canal treatment is that you need dental X-rays. This is the only way your dentist can assess the damage to your pulp by the bacterial infection. Though your symptoms may go away, it doesn’t mean that your tooth has healed and you no longer require dental intervention.

Quite the opposite. When the infection progresses, your symptoms will disappear from time to time as the pulp dies and the infection spreads throughout the root canal system. Sooner or later, other symptoms will appear, such as:

Pain when chewing or biting
Swollen gums near the affected tooth
Pus oozing
A swollen jak or cheek
The tooth is becoming darker in color

See your dentist as soon as possible if you have a toothache, as the pulp won’t heal on its own, and the infection can get worse. If you let the infection get worse, root canal treatment may no longer help you, leading to another common dental procedure, namely tooth extraction.

Tooth Extractions

Heavily decayed teeth, gum disease, or an impacted tooth can cause extensive damage to your teeth. In such cases, dentists recommend having a tooth extraction. This can happen if your tooth can’t be saved or your dentist doesn’t want to commit to saving it, but the best way to tell is to visit a proper dental clinic.

Some people fear that tooth extractions can be painful. Although you’ll experience some discomfort during the procedure, dentists use anesthetic to ensure that your extraction is painless. The process is so easy that you might even be tempted to laugh as your dentist struggles to take out your tooth. You might feel sore for a few days, but a painkiller prescription will help you through this situation.

After a couple of days, you’ll be able to eat normally and without discomfort. However, keeping your natural teeth is what you should strive for. To do this, have regular checkups and follow the best dental practice routines. Remember that dentists see all kinds of damaged teeth. It would be best if you didn’t let your feelings get in the way of your health. You have nothing to be embarrassed about and nothing to fear!

Dental Implants

Suppose you lose a tooth because of injury or disease. In that case, you know that it can lead to complications such as defective speech or changes in chewing patterns. Replacing your former tooth with an implant can make your life easier. The procedure involves minor oral surgeries, but the best part is that you can eat again without discomfort and smile without embarrassment!

A dental implant is a surgical procedure that replaces your teeth roots with metal, screwlike posts and replaces your damaged or missing teeth with artificial teeth. Even some people that don’t have dental issues choose to have dental implants due to their durability and looks.

They’re among the most popular dental procedures and alternatives to dentures or bridgework tooth replacements in case such options aren’t possible. The condition of your jawbone and the type of implant will dictate how dental implant surgery is performed.

Dental implant surgery, depending on your condition, may involve several procedures. However, the most significant benefit is that patients receive solid support for their new teeth. Since the bone healing process requires time to heal adequately, this process may take several months.

The titanium in these implants will fuse with your jawbone, preventing slips, noises, or bone damage that may otherwise be present in fixed bridgeworks or dentures. The best part is the materials used in dental implants can’t decay as your natural teeth would.

The first dental implant procedure took place in 1965. However, since then, the technology has been perfected, and dental implants are today among the most common and popular dental procedures throughout the world.