Why is dental health important?
Dental health is really important because your mouth is part of your overall health. Problems such as chronic inflammation and gum disease can affect your oral health, and research has also found associations between oral health and certain conditions elsewhere in the body.
Regular dental checkups are important because they give us an opportunity to check your gums, bone levels, and teeth for cavities or other concerns. How often you should come in depends on your individual oral health and dental needs. The goal is to identify problems early and help you maintain your natural teeth for as long as possible.
What is a healthy dental routine?
It really depends on the patient and their needs. For many patients, flossing or cleaning between the teeth once a day and brushing twice a day for at least two minutes is a good routine. However, it really depends on each patient, how their teeth are positioned, and any specific dental treatments they've had.
If patients have crowns, bridges, braces, or Invisalign, their home care may need to be adjusted. The best thing to do is to come for a visit and let us take a look. We can give you specific guidance on your needs and the tools that can help you keep your teeth healthy.
What are the most common dental problems?
A lot of patients think common dental problems are cavities. Yes, that's one of them. But other problems include gingivitis, periodontal disease, bleeding or swollen gums, bone loss, broken teeth, cracked teeth, and wear on the teeth.
You can also have malpositioned teeth or what we call malocclusion, which means the teeth or bite aren't properly aligned. Depending on the individual case, the way your teeth come together can affect how biting and chewing forces are distributed and may contribute to wear or other dental problems.
You can also have bad breath or missing teeth. Missing teeth can affect the way you chew your food, and some patients may start avoiding certain foods because they're difficult to chew. Your teeth aren't just teeth. They're a functioning part of your mouth, and when teeth are missing, we can discuss whether replacing them would improve your function.
Please take care of your teeth. You only get one set of adult teeth, and whenever possible, the goal is to maintain the natural teeth you have.
What services do you provide at your office?
For patients who are thinking about what services we provide at our office, we offer a range of preventive and diagnostic services, such as X-rays when needed, cleanings, and sealants for kids.
We also provide fillings, crowns, veneers, Invisalign, extractions, dental implants, and full-mouth rehabilitation. On the cosmetic end, we offer whitening, veneers, and Invisalign. We also provide nonsurgical facial aesthetic treatments, including Emface, Exion, and Botox.
What can a new patient expect at a full exam?
If you're a new patient, we typically schedule about 90 minutes for a full new patient exam. You would see one of our hygienists, and we start by taking a full medical and dental history.
Depending on your needs, we may take dental X-rays and an iTero digital scan of your teeth. That's followed by periodontal charting, where we evaluate your teeth and gums, including things like gum health, recession, bleeding, and other signs of periodontal problems.
Once we have that information, we'll develop a treatment plan based on your individual oral health and dental needs.
Your dental health matters to us, and we're here to support you every step of the way. If you're looking for expert dental care near Haymarket, VA, call (571) 248-7389 or email [email protected] to learn more. Ready to get started? Schedule your appointment below.