Our team wants to make sure your entire family can enjoy good oral health and a smile that looks great too. With family dentistry, our team can offer preventive dentistry and oral appliance therapy to address an array of common oral health concerns. In today’s blog, your Virginia Beach, VA, dentist talks about family dentistry.
Dental Checkups and Cleanings
Every member of your family will benefit from a checkup and cleaning visit. During the checkup portion, we will examine smiles of all ages with detailed digital imagery, so we can make a diagnosis with precision and accuracy, identifying common issues in the early stages and providing treatment to protect smiles from cavities, infections, and the impact of gum disease, TMJ disorder, and bruxism (teeth grinding). During the cleaning portion, our team will gently remove all plaque and tartar from the teeth, a process that not only brightens teeth and fights bad breath, but also lowers the risk of cavities, infections, and periodontal disease, so you can enjoy better oral health and a brighter smile. We then polish the teeth, which makes it more difficult for plaque and tartar buildup to adhere to the smile before your next cleaning visit.
Children’s Dentistry
We not only offer checkups and cleanings for kids as young as age two, but we also have preventive treatments to help protect little smiles from issues like tooth decay. For example, during your child’s checkup visit, we will apply a topical fluoride gel to the teeth. The process takes minutes, and then strengthens outer enamel to keep cavities at bay. Our team could also apply dental sealants to the rear teeth, the molars kids often have a hard time reaching when they brush and floss. The sealants help prevent cavities and can stay in place for up to ten years! With both options, application takes minutes and kids just need to avoid food and drinks or about 30 minutes afterward to ensure the material properly cures!
TMJ Disorder and Bruxism Treatment
TMJ disorder and bruxism are two common oral health problems that can lead to a host of painful symptoms, such as headaches, jaw pain, migraines, facial aches, popping or clicking in the jaw, or a toothache or tooth sensitivity that doesn’t fade with time. Bruxism, or teeth grinding, could actually wear down enamel or even chip or crack outer tooth structure! Both can be caused by issues that upset bite balance, such as misalignment, tooth loss, issues with the development of the jaw, problems with jaw growth, or injury to the face or jaw. High stress levels could also be a potential factor. Without treatment, you risk issues opening and closing your mouth, as well as painful symptoms and damaged smiles.
Our team can offer relief with an oral appliance. The device is created based on detailed digital images we take of your smile from multiple angles. We use these to custom-fit an oral appliance that looks like a mouthguard. Worn at night, the device repositions the jaw to ease stress and strain, so you can avoid damaged teeth and painful symptoms. The appliance is then easy to use, clean, and store as well.
Treating Sleep Apnea
If you have sleep apnea, we can offer relief to prevent daytime exhaustion and help you avoid chronic snoring. Sleep apnea happens when people stop breathing briefly as they sleep, which occurs due to collapsed soft tissues. These interruptions could impact your sleep cycle hundreds of times a night, even if you don’t remember this happening. Symptoms include snoring, waking up suddenly gasping or choking for air, headaches, dry mouth, irritability, and daytime exhaustion. If one or more of the symptoms applies to you, then please see us right away for treatment.
Otherwise, the discomfort is linked to a strained immune system and even poor heart health, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Treatment is offered with a comfortable CPAP alternative. The oral appliance we use is fitted for your smile and is worn as you rest, moving the jaw forward to keep airways open and ensure uninterrupted breathing. You then enjoy a good night’s rest and a better overall health.
If you have any questions about our approach to family dentistry, then please reach out to our team today to learn more or to schedule your next visit. We look forward to helping the entire family enjoy good oral health for years to come.
Schedule A Visit for Your Family Today
We offer treatment for your entire family, from the youngest to the oldest. Call Absolute Dental Care in Virginia Beach, VA at (757) 428-7440 to schedule a visit soon!
