We believe in family dentistry, providing care that helps everyone from the youngest member of your family to the oldest. With our approach, we can help prevent the onset of serious issues, or even address them in the early stages. In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS, dentist talks about keeping smiles strong and beautiful with family dentistry.
Starting with Your Checkup and Cleaning
Family dentistry always starts with a dental exam. The checkup enables our team to use digital imaging to make a diagnosis with precision and accuracy, so we can uncover any concerns that need care in the earliest stages, often before you experience symptoms. We then create a treatment plan to tackle these concerns, addressing issues like tooth decay, infection, gingivitis, and gum disease, as well as TMJ disorder and bruxism. We also screen for oral cancer!
In the same visit, we will take time to thoroughly clean your teeth, removing all plaque and tartar from the surfaces of your smile. The process helps lower the risk of tooth decay and gum disease, and fights bad breath and teeth stains. This is helpful for smiles of all ages!
Scaling and Root Planing
For teen and adults with sore, red, and bleeding gums, we may recommend more than a traditional cleaning. To reverse gingivitis and manage gum disease, protecting you from periodontitis and tooth loss, we could conduct a scaling and root planing. Using the same ultrasonic scaling device we employ in our traditional cleanings, we will remove plaque and tartar from the teeth and the roots, and destroy pockets of bacteria and buildup that rest beneath the gums too. The process could take one visit or several, and we will numb your smile to ensure your comfort. We then polish the teeth and may recommend a traditional cleaning every three to four months to control buildup and manage the disease.
Treatment for TMD and Bruxism
If you have pain in your jaw and head, or notice teeth looking worn down or damaged, you may have TMJ disorder or possibly bruxism (teeth grinding). We can help with family dentistry! Our team will examine your bite to assess the presence of these two separate but often related disorders. From there, we can create a custom-fitted oral appliance that you wear at night to bring relief from headaches, jaw pain, and dental damage. The appliance is worn like a mouthguard and helps reposition the jaw to ease stress and strain on your joints. The appliance also puts a soft barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to avoid further damage. This can provide relief with a simple to use and noninvasive solution!
Care for Children
We want to help every member of your family, and that includes your children! With children’s dentistry, we can help babies, toddlers, and even kids and teens enjoy better oral health. In addition to routine checkups and cleanings, we can also discuss preventive treatments like fluoride and dental sealants to help strengthen teeth and lower the risk of tooth decay, often for years at a time!
Dental Fillings
If you have a cavity, this could be a source of pain and eventually, lead to infected teeth. But we can offer treatment with family dentistry in only one visit. A filling uses a metal-free and lifelike composite resin, which we can shade to blend with your tooth. Applying this only takes one visit, and it offers a natural appearance and a long-lasting restoration to stop decay and prevent infection. The same material can also be used in bond procedures to repair damage and mask common cosmetic imperfections in one sitting too.
Root Canal Therapy
What happens if a tooth develops an infection? When this happens, you need more than just a dental filling. Our team can provide a root canal procedure to address the infection and keep your smile intact. To begin, we will numb the tooth and keep you comfortable as we open it and remove the infected tissues from within. We clean the inside of the tooth, add a new filling, and then cap it with a dental crown to ensure the results look good!
Tooth Extraction
In some cases, we may need to remove a tooth to protect your smile. An example is the arrival of wisdom teeth, which can alter the appearance and function of your bite. We can conduct a tooth extraction with precision and comfort.
Schedule a Visit for Family Dental Care
We’re proud to offer quality dental care for the entire family. To learn more about family dentistry, call Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at (913)681-5500.
