General Dentistry

Check Up

Generally your initial consultation, your dentist will begin with a clinical examination which will involve an oral examination of your teeth, previous restorations, your gum and soft tissue. They might also recommend you take 2 diagnostic x-rays and 1 panoramic x-ray, to examine early lesions/caries, injection in the jaw which may not be visible to the naked eye, and which at an early stage may not have developed symptoms.

Scale and Clean

Your dentist will generally do a preventive cleaning, to remove built up amounts of calculus (also know as tartar), plaque and stains from the teeth surfaces. If you do not remove plaque and calculus routinely, it create an acidic, toxic environment around the teeth which will cause decay on the tooth and may possibly lead to gum disease/bleeding gums.

How often do you need to see your dentist for a check-up and clean:
Prevention is always better than cure, and thus it is generally recommended that you visit the dentist every 6 months, to maintain optimum oral health.

Fillings/Restorations

Dental fillings are used to restore worn or damaged teeth and treat tooth decay
There are two types of restorations

  1. Metal Restorations / Amalgam
  2. Tooth Coloured / Composite Restorations

Your dentist will recommend the best type of filling for you, which will depend upon the condition of your tooth.

For more information regarding the procedure you can click the following link:
http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Articles/Oral-and-Dental-Health-Basics/Checkups-and-Dental-Procedures/Fillings/article/Fillings-the-Basics.cvsp

Extractions

If your tooth has been destroyed beyond the point of restoration, your dentist may recommend it be removed or extracted. For a simple extraction, your dentist will use a local anaesthetic to numb your tooth and then if needed loosen it with the help an elevator, before extracting it with dental forceps. It is important to follow your dentists post-operative instructions, which will include avoiding spitting, drinking alcohol and smoking for at least 24 hours. The following day it is also recommended that you rinse your mouth with warm salt water.