Today in the United States, dentistry ranks among the top 10 most trusted and ethical professions of all, and many millions of Americans count on their regular dentists to keep their teeth in good shape. Going to the dentist regularly can help prevent painful and expensive tooth problems such as cavities, infections, and more, and a patient may get anything from a routine cleaning to tooth pulling or a dental implant. The top dentists in one’s area can do all this and more, and a good dentist may in fact be a family dentist. Like a family doctor, a family dentist can take on a whole family of patients at once, and these family dentists are flexible enough to take care of patients of any age. This can be quite convenient, and such family dentists can be found with an online search if need be. When is it time to visit a dental clinic and find a family dentist? And what can they do?
Find the Family Dentist For You
The best dental clinic for a family will be clean and professional, and managed well and staffed with expert dentists and assistants. When a family moves to a new city or county, or if the family’s current practice closes or no longer accepts their health insurance, it is time to go on the search. This is usually done online in the 21st century, and a search phrase such as “family dentists near me” or “top rated family dentists nearby” can show a list of relevant results. If desired, the client can specify their ZIP code to keep the results even more local. In the results list, the client can strike out offices that aren’t taking on new patients or those that don’t accept the client’s health insurance, then they can visit the rest.
A family can visit local dental offices to evaluate them fairly in person, and get a clear impression of how professional and well-run a dental office may be. The adults will consult the staff, and check out their credentials, past awards or recognition, work history, patient reviews, and more. Meanwhile, the children can get their own impression of the office, and if those children feel comfortable there and get along with the staff, then the parents may consider that family dentist office a solid candidate. The family may visit a number of offices like this until they find one that suits their needs, and sign up as patients.
Proper Family Dentistry
What can a family dentist do for their clients? Nearly anything, as family dentists are flexible professionals who can take care of the dental health of children, the elderly and anyone in between. Children are not immune to getting cavities or tooth infections, so once they become two years old, their parents may take them to either pediatric dentists or family dentists for regular checkups and cleaning. Children may also have braces fitted on to keep their teeth growing straight, and children can even have sealant put on their teeth for added protection. What is more, children will be taught proper dental self-care for home, such as brushing teeth after every meal or even using mouthwash, if supervised. Children will also be advised to use mouth guards while playing sports, and they will be told to never chew on hard items.
That’s not all. Adult patients can have a wide variety of dental issues taken care of at a family dentist’s office, from cosmetic dentistry to tooth removal to dental implant work. Cosmetic dentistry may involve tooth whitening to alter discolored teeth, or the patient may have clear plastic retainers fitted on so their crooked teeth can be straightened back out. If a tooth is badly infected or damaged, it can be numbed and removed pain-free, and the same may be done on wisdom teeth that are starting to grow in.
Dental bridges, meanwhile, replace missing teeth entirely. A bridge is a realistic replica tooth modeled after the patient’s real teeth, and it is fitted into the gap. That false tooth is anchored to covers that slip over the real teeth that flank the gap, to keep it in place. This can restore a person’s smile, and make eating and speech easier, too.