General Dentistry Services You Can Trust

Although the stakes aren’t as high as other dental services, general dentistry (also referred to as family dentistry) is one of the most important areas of treatment. You may need dentures or implants once in your life, but visiting your family dental practice should be an activity that you and your family take part in two times per year.

Because of the relative frequency of visits to your general dentist, it’s important to ensure that the practice you use is one where your family can feel comfortable and one where you trust each and every member of the team. You can find this peace of mind at Rockford Dental Care.

What Is General Dentistry, Anyway?

General dentistry describes the services you get when you make a regular appointment for teeth cleaning. First, you schedule an appointment with your dentist, usually pretty far in advance. When your appointment rolls around, you get a thorough cleaning and tooth detailing performed by a hygienist. Afterward, the dentist comes in to inspect your bite, teeth, and gum health, while diagnosing the need for any other services, either during your appointment or to be scheduled for a future visit.

Why Is General Dentistry Important?

At Rockford Dental Care, our general dental practice consists of three services—maintenance, prevention, and diagnosis.

Maintenance

The cleaning, flossing, and polishing services, usually performed by a dental hygienist, are considered to be maintenance. Basically, these oral hygiene actions should be the same things you do at home on a regular basis, just more in-depth because it’s being carried out by professionals.

Prevention

Prevention includes dental hygiene services, as well as your dentist making recommendations about how to improve your oral health. Cleaning teeth thoroughly prevents tooth decay, cavities, and other oral health problems in the future. Plus, your dentist’s recommendations about how to proceed are a continuation of this goal.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis involves anything done during your regular dental appointments to treat an issue with your oral health. X-rays are considered to be diagnostic because they take a picture of your bite. X-rays give your dentist a look at whether or not you may need teeth straightening services, whether there are cavities forming, or if there are issues with your wisdom teeth that should be fixed.

When a dental issue is diagnosed, one of the family dentists at Rockford Dental Care will give you instructions on what to do next. Since our state-of-the-art dental practice is home to expert dentists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, and cosmetic specialists, for most diagnoses, we can handle corrective procedures right here in our office.

Finding a Family Dentist You Can Trust

You should always be able to find a dentist you really trust, but if you have kids, your family dentist needs to be more than just a dentist. At Rockford Dental Care, our general dental team has years of experience making every member of the families we serve feel comfortable and at home during the procedures we offer. With us, you don’t have to dread the prospect of making a dental appointment for your children.