When you are looking for a new family dentist and trying to decide whether a certain dentist’s office is right for you, it’s important to consider the services that they offer and what your needs are. A lot of people often ask what the difference between cosmetic dentistry and general dentistry is, and whether they require the services of both. Understanding the differences between these two branches of dentistry is vital if you are going to find the right dentist for you and your family.
In basic terms, general dentistry deals with preventing and treating oral disease and other oral health problems. Cosmetic dentistry, on the other hand, deals with the way that your teeth and gums look. Regardless of whether they practice general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry or both, all dentists must go through the same basic training. You can be sure that they are qualified to treat your dental issues, whatever they may be.
This page will go into more detail about cosmetic and general dentistry to help you determine what kind of dentistry services you and your family need.
General Dentistry
General dentistry covers anything to do with the health of your teeth and gums. For most people, this consists mainly of preventative procedures and treatments. For example, it is important that you have regular checkups and cleanings to ensure that your oral hygiene routine is adequate. During these checkups, your dentist will let you know if there are any problems and provide treatments where necessary.
General dentistry also deals with more advanced dental health problems, such as tooth decay or gum disease. Dentists will provide a range of different treatments, including tooth extraction, professional cleaning, fillings, crowns, and root canals.
In some cases, a general dentist may carry out very basic cosmetic dentistry procedures, like teeth whitening. However, they do not usually have the equipment or the expertise to perform advanced cosmetic procedures.
It is important that everybody sees a general dental professional on a regular basis, so make sure to search for ‘nearest dentist to me’ and book an appointment right away if you are not already having regular checkups. If you and your family do not see a general dentist on a regular basis, you are putting your oral health at risk.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Although there is some overlap between general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dentists specialize in a range of specific procedures designed to improve the way that your teeth look. If you are unhappy with the way that your teeth look, you need to search for ‘cosmetic dentist near me’ and book a consultation.
At your initial consultation with a cosmetic dentist, they will examine your teeth and gums and talk to you about your goals. Once they have a full understanding of the things that you want to change about the way that your teeth look, they will be able to suggest a range of different procedures.
Cosmetic dentists often provide advanced teeth whitening procedures that give better results than those that you would get with a general dentist. They can also carry out teeth contouring, using a small drill or a laser to smooth rough areas of the teeth and make them look more uniform.
In people that have more severe cosmetic issues with their teeth, they may use porcelain veneers to completely transform your smile. Working with the gums is an important part of cosmetic dentistry as well because it impacts the overall aesthetic of the teeth. Gum contouring and shaping is another common procedure that people will go to a cosmetic dentist for.
If you have particularly crooked teeth, cosmetic dentists have a range of different procedures to correct this. Most people know what standard braces look like but you may also be fitted with a retainer or Invisalign products. These products still straighten the teeth, but they are not as invasive as traditional braces. People may not even know you are wearing them!
Cosmetic dentists make an effort to keep up to date with the latest technology as new and improved procedures are always being developed. If you find an experienced cosmetic dentist, they will be able to offer a large range of the most up to date dental procedures to get you the perfect smile.
Knowing Which Type Of Dentistry You Need
In many cases, it’s easy to work out which type of dentistry you need. If you have a pain in your tooth, for example, you need general dentistry. But if you have stained teeth and you want them whitened, you should see a cosmetic dentist.
However, there are some circumstances where there is a lot of crossover between the two branches of dentistry. For example, if you have a decayed tooth that needs to be removed, you may search for ‘dentist near me that carries out routine procedures.’ But after that tooth has been removed, you then have cosmetic issues that you need to get taken care of. You will need to then search for ‘cosmetic dentist near me.’ Once the general dentist has carried out the tooth extraction, you will then need the services of a cosmetic dentist to fit you with a porcelain veneer to replace the missing tooth.
Due to this crossover, it’s best to find a dentist’s office that offers both general and cosmetic dentistry in one place. Otherwise, you will have to book many appointments and deal with two different offices, making it more difficult to manage your oral health.
Here at Patient Empowered Dentistry, we provide a full range of general as well as cosmetic dentistry treatments to patients in the Eastpointe and surrounding areas! We can carry out regular checkups on you and your family and make sure that there are no underlying issues with your dental health while we’re at it. If we do find something that needs attention, we can provide the necessary treatments to get you back into tip-top shape! If those treatments leave you with cosmetic issues or you are just generally unhappy with the way that your teeth look, our cosmetic dentistry team is here to help with that as well!
If you are looking for a comprehensive family dentistry service in the Eastpointe area, get in touch with Patient Empowered Dentistry today to discuss the full range of treatments that we offer. We are always ready to meet new members of our patient family! Contact us to get set up for a consultation today!
