Dental Treatment Information Guide

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The main goal of dentistry is to maintain good oral health. Dentists are there to accurately prevent, identify and treat any problems that may arise, from gum problems to chipped teeth and oral diseases. Some problems that occur in the mouth can affect other areas of the body and it is necessary that you visit a dentist regularly and ensure that you are putting into effect the hygiene and treatment plan offered to you.

Here you can find information on various aspects of dental care, including:

Cosmetic Dental Treatment

cosmetic dentistry is exactly the same concept as cosmetic surgery. It is the act of undergoing sometimes complicated or advanced procedures for the purpose of aesthetics. How we look can affect our self-esteem and confidence dramatically and having the opportunity to change the way we look can be extremely valuable to some people. The cost of having cosmetic dentistry depends entirely on what procedures you wish to undertake.

Many people are interested in complete smile makeovers. Whatever problem you wish to correct, a smile makeover can usually fix it. You may want straighter, whiter teeth or to have any gaps closed – this can all be done for you when you visit a cosmetic dentist. You may be surprised at how much more confident you feel after even the smallest changes. If you are looking for a smile makeover, your local cosmetic dentist will be able to advise you on what they can offer after an initial consultation. The cost of cosmetic dentistry is dependent on what services you choose and the experience of the particular dentist, along with the clinic you choose and the quality of the materials used. You may only need a few small changes or you may wish to have a completely new look.

The types of problems a smile makeover can deal with are:

Crooked teeth and general overcrowding
Stained or yellowing teeth
Gaps in between teeth
Overlapping teeth
Too much gum on show
Chipped or broken teeth
Missing teeth

Cosmetic dentists can often also deal with the overall look of a smile for example if you are dissatisfied with the wrinkle lines around the mouth; this is something which can be corrected too. The cost of your smile makeover is entirely dependent on you but it can range anywhere from as little as £1,000 up to £40,000.

General Dental Treatment

General dentistry is something that we have all come into contact with – even if you have never experienced any problems. A general dentist is someone you should be seeing on a regular basis so that you can make sure that your oral hygiene is at its best. If necessary, a general dentist can refer you to a specialised dentist depending on the problem.

Dental Hygiene

Dentists of all areas are interested in this aspect of dentistry as it affects most other things. Needless to say, to ensure that you are maintaining good oral hygiene you should be brushing your teeth twice a day and visiting a dentist regularly. You should also be flossing your teeth on a regular basis. Your dentist may recommend a more personal hygiene treatment process for you, if this is the case you should trust your dentist and do as they request because your needs may be different to others.

Emergency Dental Treatments

Emergency dental care refers to exactly the same sort of thing when thinking about what constitutes an emergency in general healthcare. If you are in a lot of oral pain or you have fallen down and damaged your teeth, you may need to seek emergency dental care.

Dental Diseases/Conditions

There are various dental diseases and conditions and your mouth is constantly under threat from dental plaque and bacteria that will build up and cause problems. Some diseases are very common such as halitosis, which is bad breath, and some diseases are rarer and cannot easily be spotted, such as mouth cancer. Your dentist can treat a lot of the common diseases, which is why it is so important to see your dentist regularly.

Common dental problems can be experienced at any point although there are ways to prevent these from happening. The most common problems include toothache, ulcers, missing teeth, sensitive teeth, tooth decay, overcrowded or crooked teeth and stained or discoloured teeth. If you are experiencing any of these problems you should arrange to visit a dentist who will go over a treatment plan for your individual needs.

Orthodontics

You may have already seen an orthodontist in your youth as it is important that children’s teeth are corrected early if possible. An orthodontist focuses on straightening teeth by using braces or more modern concepts such as the new ‘Invisalign’ straightening technique. They are fully trained in orthodontic procedures and are able to fix those little problems such as overlapping teeth and crooked teeth. However, orthodontists are not only for children and over recent years it has become much more accepted for adults to undergo orthodontic treatment too.

Specialists in Dentistry

Within every healthcare profession, there will be specialists in their field. It would be impossible for every person to know every single problem that can occur and to be able to treat so many problems. This is why we have different areas in dentistry. This also means that you will get the best treatment as the specialist you visit will know all about your particular problem - they will be experts on it. Dental specialists include, oral surgeons, orthodontists, paediatricians and prosthodontics.

Restorative & Preventative Dental Treatments

Prosthodontists offer the most extreme forms of dental restoration. They can perform full mouth reconstructions and they are often seen as the best type of dentist for restorative procedures. There are also a number of smaller restorative procedures that you may have gone through such as chipped teeth needing dental crowns or being restored by fillings, and these are offered by all dentists.

Preventative measures are things that you and your dentist can do to ensure that most diseases and conditions don’t occur. The simple way to prevent problems is to maintain good oral hygiene. That means brushing your teeth very well, twice a day for at least two minutes along with using mouthwash and flossing too. You should be seeing your dentist every 6 months and this is essential as it gives you a chance to get a professional cleaning and for the dentist to spot any problems. Treatment for some dental problems can be invasive and unpleasant so to stop this from happening, these really are simple things to do.

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