Everyone wants to have healthy teeth and a great-looking smile, and maintaining a regular dental care routine is the best way to get them. General dentistry includes all the exams, procedures and treatments you and your family members need to enjoy a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums, from preventive care like cleanings, checkups, and gum disease treatments, to state-of-the-art restorations like crowns, bridges, and fillings aimed at preventing serious issues and helping your smile look its best at every age and every stage of life.
Crowns
Designed to surround the entire visible portion of a tooth, today’s dental crowns have plenty of applications in dentistry, from hiding deep discoloration and large, dark fillings to providing strength and protection for damaged teeth and the teeth used to support a dental bridge. Custom-shaped and tinted, crowns can be fitted in just two dental appointments, and with proper care, they can last for a decade or more. At Palmetto Family Dentistry, our crowns are made and fitted using the most advanced techniques and materials for durable, natural-looking restorations designed to provide long-lasting protection while improving your smile aesthetics.
Root Canals
Root canals are special procedures designed to remove the central pulp portion of the tooth that travels from the middle of the tooth down to the jawbone through narrow channels or “canals.” When the pulp becomes damaged or infected, the entire tooth can become compromised, and without a root canal, the tooth can eventually break apart or simply fall out. Root canals remove the pulp and restore the tooth using special fillings and crowns, helping patients avoid tooth loss and extractions. Plus, today’s root canal procedures use advanced pain management techniques to help patients stay comfortable and relaxed throughout.
Bridges
Dental bridges can be a great solution for patients missing one or several teeth, providing greater security and convenience compared to partial dentures. Bridges use a strong underlying framework to secure one or more durable crowns shaped and tinted to blend perfectly with your own natural teeth. Once your bridge is custom-made at a leading dental laboratory, we carefully fit and adjust your bridge so it feels comfortable and secure — more like your own natural teeth. Bridges are attractive, comfortable, and easy to care for, making them an ideal option to help men and women feel more confident and attractive following tooth loss. With proper care, a bridge can last 10 years or longer.
Fillings
Fillings are an important part of preventive and restorative dentistry, providing strength and protection to teeth damaged by decay or trauma. Today’s tooth-colored fillings are designed to blend beautifully with your natural tooth material, correcting damage and protecting your tooth while helping you maintain a flawless smile that looks completely natural. Plus, tooth-colored composite resins create a strong bond with the natural tooth material, helping to prevent future decay. And unlike metal fillings, tooth-colored fillings contain no mercury or other metals, and they won’t turn dark over time.
Oral Exams
Routine dental checkups and oral exams provide a comprehensive evaluation of your teeth and gums, identifying problems in their earliest stages when treatment is usually simpler — and less costly. At Palmetto Family Dentistry, we use state-of-the-art techniques to perform in-depth examinations aimed at diagnosing simple and complex oral health issues, so patients can feel confident they’ll receive the best care based on their unique needs. In addition to examining your teeth and gums, we provide oral cancer screenings, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and home care guidance to help patients of all ages maintain optimal oral health.
Professional Teeth Cleaning
Professional teeth cleaning is one of the best things you can do to prevent gum disease and the tooth loss it can cause. Plus, it’s a great way to make sure your teeth look great. At Palmetto Family Dentistry, we perform “regular” teeth cleaning services as well as specialized treatments for patients with mild, moderate, and severe gum disease, removing plaque and tartar and destroying disease-causing bacteria, so teeth and gums stay healthy. Plus, we help patients learn how to improve their own brushing and flossing techniques so they can keep their teeth and gums healthy between professional cleaning appointments.
Dental X-Rays
Dental X-rays provide plenty of important information about teeth that can’t be gleaned during a regular dental checkup. Specifically, a dental X-ray provides an in-depth look at the portions of teeth located below the gums, including the tooth roots, and it also provides information about the jawbone that surrounds and supports the tooth roots. Today’s digital X-rays use far less radiation than traditional X-rays — up to 90 percent less — while providing far greater detail. Plus, the X-ray images can be viewed immediately on a high-resolution monitor, so you and your dentist can review your needs and get started on treatment right away.