In all honesty, your general dentist might be the health care professional that you see the most frequently each year. A general dentist is uniquely positioned to help diagnose dental health problems and prevent tooth and mouth issues that could ultimately lead to overall health ailments. Should you see one for general dentistry services? What can seeing one do for you? Here’s what you need to know.
What are the types of dentistry?
- General: General dentists work like your family doctor. They provide general dental services to people of all ages. They cover a wide range of issues, but sometimes may need to send you to a specialist if they don’t have the specific skills you need. However, some general dentists have the skills to provide specialized care, too. General dentists will often see the entire family, which means they are really good at restoring teeth in all ages of patients!
- Restorative dentistry is all about fixing major problems with the function of your teeth and restoring them to their natural state. The most common restorative dental procedure is getting a filling. But it may also mean dentures, bridges, and other work.
- Cosmetic dentistry is all about making your smile look more appealing. You may want your teeth straightened, whitened, or otherwise adjusted. Sometimes teeth issues are cosmetic and functional as well, so you may need a dentist who can perform both cosmetic and restorative updates.
- Pediatric dentistry is about providing dental care to children. Young people have unique needs for their baby tooth care, wisdom teeth, and jaw growth. Pediatric dentists look into the growth and development of each of these things while providing counsel to parents. Many general dentists don’t provide sedation services for pediatric patients, and that could be one reason a child is sent to a pediatric specialist.
- Specialties: Dental specialists are dentists who have gone on to focus their practice on a specific area of dentistry, and they limit their practice to that specialty as they are experts in that space. The dental specialties that are certified are as follows:
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery, dental anesthesiology, oral medicine, dental public health, endodontics, oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral and maxillofacial radiology, orofacial pain, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, prosthodontics.
What services does a general dentist provide?
The general dentistry services a Lakewood, CO dentist offers are uniquely based on the dentist’s education, equipment, and specialties. However, many dentists offer services from other branches of dentistry, too. For example, at Balanced Dental Studio we offer:
- Dental cleanings
- Digital cavity detecting radiology
- Fluoride strengthening treatments
- Sealants
- Oral cancer screenings
- Fillings
- Periodontal treatments
- Tooth extractions
- Tongue-tie procedures
As you can see, we offer some cosmetic and restorative services as well as general ones. We also offer pediatric services, such as tongue-tie procedures.
When should you consult a general dentist in Lakewood, CO?
General dentistry is a critical part of your health care. The American Dental Association recommends that you see your general dentist once every six months. You can get a cleaning at this time, other preventative treatments, and screenings to make sure that you don’t have or get dental conditions. Of course, everyone’s a little different. If you have questions about when you need general dentistry in Lakewood, CO, you can always ask Dr. Turner.
Choose Dr. Elizabeth Turner as your Lakewood dentist
Those who live in Lakewood can trust Balanced Dental Studio for all of their general dentistry needs. Schedule your next appointment with Dr. Elizabeth Turner and she’ll get to know you and evaluate your unique needs.
To learn more about our general dentistry services at our Lakewood, Colorado dental clinic, visit this page here.
