General dentistry is the process of diagnosing and fixing the problems occurring with your teeth and gums that need attention because they are currently causing you physical pain or discomfort or will, in the future, possibly cause you pain or discomfort.



Preventative maintenance is also a big part of keeping your oral health, and thereby one of the more important parts of general dentistry. Here are some of the most common services associated with general dentistry:

Fixing Cavities

Several things can lead to tooth decay and the development of cavities - diets heavy in sugars and junk food, coupled with less than perfect oral hygiene are usually the main components. Cavities will cause pain in and around the affected tooth and if they go untreated they can lead to a host of other problems, including infection that may need antibiotic treatment.

General dentistry can fix most cavities in a relatively quick and painless manner with the help of a local anesthetic. A dentist will use a variety of picks and a dentist's drill to remove all of the rotted material from the affected tooth and then fill the tooth back up with the appropriate filler. Teeth can be filled with a metallic filling or a tooth-colored bonding material; while both are strong, resilient and capable of making the repair; the tooth colored bonding will certainly result in a more attractive smile.

Sensitive Teeth

Sensitivity in the teeth can be the result of any number of different issues - an exposed nerve or cavities or excessively worn enamel - but whatever the cause of the problem, general dentistry will most likely be able to remedy the issue as well as help keep it from becoming a recurring problem.

Chipped and Broken Teeth

A chipped tooth is a common problem among children, teens and active adults. Chipped teeth can be an almost constant source of pain from the exposure of live nerve endings, not to mention that they almost always hurt the appearance of the patients smile. In the case of a back tooth being broken or chipped a dentist will sometimes be able to repair the problem in the same fashion as he would a cavity. A shot of a local anesthetic along with some minor dentist's drill work and many small chips can be filled with the tooth colored bonding that repairs cavities.

In the event that the chip is more severe a dentist will be able to fit the chipped tooth for a temporary cap to alleviate the discomfort and improve the patient's appearance while the mold for a permanent cap is created.

Cleaning and Maintenance

This is, quite possibly, the most important part of everything that falls under the umbrella of general dentistry. Regular visits to your dentist (at least twice annually) for a professional cleaning, x-rays if necessary, and an all around check-up can help to prevent any of the aforementioned problems. Regular check-ups can catch any developing problem in it's early stages so the dentist can remedy it before it becomes a big issue; and it's very likely that your twice annual visits to the dentist, coupled with the advice the dentist will give you on maintaining and practicing good oral hygiene, will be enough to keep you from developing almost any problems at all.

Your dentist has the ability to undo or repair many of the problems caused by a lapse in good oral hygiene, minor or even major accidents in which some teeth become damaged. He or she will also be able to educate you on the best course of care to prevent some of those problems from happening in the future.