Getting to Know General and Cosmetic Dentistry in San Luis Obispo

Taking care of our health and appearance is one of the most important things in our lives. The way we live our lives can cause (or prevent) a lot of health issues, and believe it or not, a lot of people don’t pay too much attention to their dental care and the way their teeth look like, and this, of course, can escalate to more severe health issues that, in one way or another, can influence our daily lives.

That is why dental care is so important. If we manage to engage in healthy dental care routines, the chances of us suffering from specific issues related to our teeth will be greatly reduced.

However, there are certain problems related to the position of our teeth that cannot be dealt with by regular practices, which is the reason why some people rely on dentistry professionals.

In this article, we will talk about some of the most popular general and cosmetic dentistry procedures that can help us fight a lot of these problems, and discuss some of the things you should be doing to avoid some of these problems.

Teeth Cleaning, the Most Common Procedure

Considering all the procedures that can be done by a dentist, teeth cleaning is by far the most common one, and it is actually recommended to go to the dentist to have your teeth cleaned at least every six months.

The procedure is fairly straightforward and simple, but it can be a little scary for some people, just because they think that it is a painful experience. Regular teeth cleaning processes, by no means, should cause you pain.

However, tooth decay or inflamed gums can cause some pain during a cleaning procedure since they increase sensitivity, and that is why it is important to be honest with the professional handling your case, so it can react accordingly.

The cleaning process often consists of specific steps, such as:

• A physical examination to decide how to proceed
• Removal of plaque and tartar, which is a cause of poor dental practices
• Toothpaste cleaning, to make sure everything is perfectly cleansed
• Flossing, for a deeper cleaning
• Rinsing, to remove debris inside of your mouth
• Then last is the fluoride treatment, to protect your teeth and cavities for the next months to come

If you are interested, you should check Copp Dental Group for more detailed information about it.

Extractions, Torture for a Lot of People

Extractions are probably the reason why a lot of people are scared of dentists, since although it is true that you can receive sedatives to reduce the pain, they are not exactly pleasant to experience. However, most of the time, you will be heavily sedated or even unconscious, so you might as well feel nothing.

There are various reasons for extraction procedures, but the most common ones are tooth decay or wisdom tooth removal, necessary to keep a healthy mouth.

Fillings to Fix a Tooth with Cavities

A tooth can develop what is known as a cavity, which is permanent damage caused to a tooth that can cause tiny holes in its surface. A filling is a process in which these cavities are dealt with, and this procedure is often painless and can take from an hour to two to be finished, depending on the severity of the cavity.

Cosmetic Procedures

There are also a couple of cosmetic procedures that don’t actually seek to improve the performance or the health of the teeth but improve the way they look. There are multiple procedures that can achieve better looks, but each one focuses on specific circumstances.

Something we can say is that these procedures often involve adding or removing something of the dental structure, the modification of its structure, shape, or looks, and repositioning. Some of these procedures include:

• Tooth whitening also referred to as tooth bleaching, is probably the most common cosmetic procedure out of all the options. It englobes a wide variety of options, some of them requiring the hand of a professional while others require over-the-counter products. With that said, professional aid is often recommended because it has a higher chance of success, with better results.

  Some whitening procedures use lasers, but most of the time the whitening is done through the use of different dental products. The difference between over-the-counter whitening products and the products used by professionals is that the latter choice is much stronger, which is the reason why it should be handled by specialists, and why it is recommended to get an appointment instead of trying an in-home whitening procedure.

• Reshaping, also known as contouring or stripping, is the process in which the teeth are manipulated to modify their shape, position, or length, commonly used to deal with crooked teeth or a tooth that is showing a malformation.
• Implants, simply described as prosthetic replacements for teeth that have gone missing due to incidents, diseases or conditions.
• Straightening, the process in which metal braces are used to correct and reshape the teeth to achieve a more symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing look.

Of course, there are a lot more cosmetic procedures to mention, and if you are interested in knowing them, you should visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmetic_dentistry for more detailed information.

Something that is worth mentioning is that, although some of these cosmetic procedures are painless, some others can cause some pain or discomfort and might last quite some time to achieve their initial goal, and a good example of this is the straightening process, which can take one year and a half, to even a couple of years, to do its job.