The best way to maintain a healthy smile is by brushing your teeth twice a day for two full minutes, flossing, eating healthy foods, and keeping up with regular checkups at your dentist’s office. These basic preventative measures will go a long way towards keeping your smile healthy. However, no matter how careful you are or how diligent you are about your oral health care, at some time in your life, you may have some sort of dental problem that needs to be evaluated by a dentist.
Gentle Dental Center offers a complete range of dental services from routine cleanings to complex restoration and cosmetic dentistry. Here are some the most common dental problems and how they can be treated.
Tooth Decay
Patients suffering from a toothache are possibly dealing with tooth decay. Depending on the severity of the decay, the best treatment will be either a filling or the placement of a dental crown. Both treatments are designed to rebuild the tooth’s strength and restore the best oral health possible.
Crooked Teeth
Crooked teeth are problematic because they can hinder a patient’s ability to chew normally. They can also be difficult to keep clean. Patients with crooked teeth can benefit from a straightening system such as traditional braces, Invisalign clear braces, or even porcelain veneers. With veneers, you can fill gaps between your teeth, whiten teeth that are stained, and fix badly shaped or crooked. A veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct these maladies, simply and quickly, to help you achieve a beautiful smile. When left untreated, crooked teeth can often lead to periodontal disease and premature wear on your enamel, which can cause decay.
Discolored Teeth
Teeth can become stained or discolored for many reasons including:
- Foods and beverages consumed
- Medications
- Aging
- Smoking
- Poor Dental Hygiene
For many patients whose teeth are discolored, a professional whitening treatment can make a significant difference. For patients with deep staining issues, veneers can hide the stains and offer much whiter smiles.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that surround and support your teeth. It is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Because gum disease is usually painless, you may not know you have it. Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease and patients can receive in-office treatment, which includes removing plaque and tartar improving their oral health. Healthy gums are essential to the health and retention of your teeth, and also an indicator of your overall health. At the Gentle Dental Center, we want to ensure that your gums are in good shape, as they are the foundation of your teeth. A beautiful smile means nothing if the foundation is weak.
Missing Teeth
Missing teeth makes it challenging for patients to eat, talk, and smile confidently. Having missing teeth can lead to a range of more complex dental issues such as:
- Change in bite
- Shifting of the teeth
- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
- Speech impediments
- Increased risk of periodontal disease
- Increased risk of tooth decay
There are multiple options for patients missing teeth. Some patients benefit from dentures, partials, or appliances such as dental bridges. For many people, however, dental implants are the ideal treatment because they are a permanent solution that looks and feels natural while maintaining optimum oral health.
How Gentle Dental Center Can Help
At the Gentle Dental Center in VA Beach, we combine the finest dental care with a compassionate, patient-centered approach. Our team of dentists is highly skilled in providing cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry for patients with dental issues. We are also experts in preventative dental care, which helps you maintain a healthy smile for a lifetime. If you have any dental concerns or issues call Gentle Dental Center today (757) 689-2940.
