General Dentistry
Your general dentist will work with you to develop a customised dental hygiene plan that incorporates dental examination, tooth cleaning, possible tooth scaling, X-ray and use of other diagnostic equipment to prevent, uncover or treat problems as early as possible.
Your dentist may incorporate a variety of restorative procedures in the development of a comprehensive treatment plan that will help prevent decay or disease of the teeth, mouth, gums and tongue. General dentists also use restorative dentistry procedures to repair the effects of tooth decay, trauma, defect or disease in these areas of the mouth.
Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are used to repair damage to the structure of a tooth or teeth. Structural damage can be caused as a result of tooth decay, wear or trauma. After the removal of a problematic tooth structure, the tooth is restored with one of filling materials: gold, amalgam, composite resin (white filling material) or porcelain. Each filling material has its advantages and disadvantages.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges replace missing teeth with artificial replacements (pontic). The pontic is held in place by composite materials that are anchored to surrounding teeth. General dentists, family dentists, prosthodontists and cosmetic dentists may perform bridge procedures. Availability of the latest materials, technology and expertise varies among dentists.
Root Canals
Root canal therapy removes infected pulp tissue within the root chamber of the tooth. The hollowed-out tooth is filled with an antibacterial filling, and the tooth is “capped” with a crown for protection. Endodontists in performing root canal therapy, though general dentists also often perform the restorative procedure. Root canals is an extensive process involving a series of procedures.