Family dentistry provides many patients worldwide with better access to dental care and offers a variety of treatments to prevent the onset of oral health problems. Addressing these oral health problems through preventative measures makes achieving oral health possible, and families seeking to achieve better oral health can speak with their family dentist about their options for treatment. But how do family dentists help their patients? In today’s blog, we will be taking a closer look at family dentists, their roles, and your options for family dental treatment.
How Family Dentists Help Patients Achieve Better Oral Health
Family dentists work to treat patients of all ages, addressing oral health conditions at every stage of life. However, one of the biggest facets of their career involves working with kids and teenagers, having more experience with children in addressing their oral health needs. Family dentists tend to focus on providing general and preventative treatments. Because of the wide range of people they serve, family dentists work to see all family members, using special child-friendly equipment and calming techniques to help put children at ease with their healthcare.
Another facet of family dentists is their attention to elderly patients. Family dentists anticipate the special health issues and medical conditions they face and how they can affect their dental health. For instance, elderly patients with diabetes or heart disease will have a higher risk of gum disease and tooth decay.
Many specialists, including pediatric and geriatric dentists, can also provide these services. However, one of the most significant benefits that family dentists provide is how they handle their patients. While most dentists will focus on providing individualized care for specific patients, family dentists work with parents or guardians to create affordable dental care plans. They work with families to provide comprehensive services that can be easily scheduled into their day-to-day activities, recommend referrals to specialists, and offer a large selection of services to give patients more options with their dental care.
Family dentists work in single locations, have no age limits for seeing their patients, offer more competitive costs for dental care, and focus on the unique needs of those families by being stable, compassionate figures throughout their lives. When it comes to the treatments they provide, they offer a variety of dental care treatments, including:
- Annual Dental Checkups: Checkups ensure you enjoy the best optimal health of your life and allow family dentists to identify and address problems in their earliest stages. Through digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, family dentists can pinpoint problems such as tooth decay, gum disease, and other infections. Family dentists also use these checkups to check for signs of misalignment in children and oral cancer in adults.
- Dental Cleanings: Getting a regular dental cleaning is suitable for families, as it helps fight bad breath, teeth satins, and cavities. During a dental cleaning, your family dentist will remove all signs of plaque and decay from your teeth and use calming techniques to help children get a positive experience at the office.
- Fluoride Treatments: Some children can benefit from fluoride treatments. Fluoride treatments work to protect the teeth by infusing fluoride into the enamel, strengthening it over time, and giving children stronger teeth for life.
- Periodontal Cleanings: When gum disease develops, it’s time for a periodontal cleaning! Periodontal cleaning works to clean the gums’ inner areas to remove bacteria and plaque in areas where the toothbrush cannot reach.
- Cavity Fillings and Crowns: Cavity fillings and crowns are considered the best ways to treat cavities and severe forms of tooth decay. These methods can be used to treat people of all ages and help recover teeth facing the risk of tooth loss.
- Dental Sealants: Dental sealants work to protect children’s molars from tooth decay. Children are known to have deep crevices in the back of their molars, and the molars are known to be the most challenging areas to clean. Sealants are plastic coatings that work to fill in those crevices and can last for over 15 years.
- Teeth Whitening Sessions: Through teeth whitening, parents and older adults can quickly upgrade their smile. Many family dentists offer teeth whitening sessions to help give the teeth a whiter, brighter look.
- Dentures: For older patients losing their teeth, dentures can be an excellent way to protect their jawline and regain their ability to chew and speak.
- Orthodontic Referrals for Invisalign: For children facing early warning signs of tooth misalignment, many family dentists can provide orthodontic referrals to help them get treatments such as braces or Invisalign.
Advance Your Oral Health Care For Your Family with Tulsa Precision Dental
At Tulsa Precision Dental, we provide family dental services in Tulsa, OK, to give them the best care possible. Through the care of Dr. Chris and Kristie Vinson, our team can provide comprehensive and affordable dental care services that give you a healthier smile in return. To learn more about our dental services, schedule an appointment with our practice by calling (918) 492-1917 today.
