What Is Family Dentistry?
Family dentists provide dental care to their patients from birth through adulthood, if chosen by the patient. That means the dentist can keep a detailed record of the patient’s dental history and needs. This allows the dentist to make better decisions and provides the best care for the patient.
Family Dentistry can also be beneficial to the whole family, by having more time at the dental office. Not only does it mean that everyone will get to visit together at the same time, but it also means the kids can practice proper brushing and flossing.
Family dentists specialize in a wide range of services for patients of all ages, including:
- General Dental Care
- Cavity Fillings
- Fluoride Treatment
- Tooth Restorations
- Sedation Dentistry
- Restorative Dentistry
- Cosmetic Dentistry
What Do Family Dentists Do?
Family dentists typically focus on general and preventative dentistry. As the saying goes, prevention is better than a cure. Preventive care helps keep teeth healthy by making sure that we take the necessary steps to remove issues before they become an issue. This way, it will be much less expensive and time-consuming to fix them.
Some of the most common services family dentists provide include:
Regular cleanings and exams:
Oral health checks are a critical part of maintaining dental health. They check for early signs of tooth decay and gingivitis. The dentist can also recommend ways to improve brushing habits and make other important lifestyle changes.
Fluoride treatments and dental sealants:
Fluoride treatments and dental sealants are both great ways to prevent tooth decay, but they’re not the only ones. In fact, there are several oral care products ranges that can help protect your teeth, ranging from oral hygiene rinses to anti-plaque agents to dental floss.
Cavity checks and fillings:
Dental cavities are one of the most common childhood diseases, yet it is completely preventable. Dental professionals, like family dentists, can help identify and treat cavities. However, early identification of cavities by parents is crucial.
Orthodontics:
Not all family dentists can offer in-house orthodontic treatment. While they do offer orthodontic exams and can provide referrals to outside orthodontists, many dentists simply won’t have the necessary resources to support in-house orthodontic treatment.
Gum disease treatment:
Family dentists often work on the premise that keeping people’s gums healthy, and the overall health of their mouths, is important. This is because it has been shown that gum disease often goes hand-in-hand with other illnesses such as diabetes, heart problems and high blood pressure
While family dentists will most often provide treatment for general issues like tooth decay and gum disease, they may also perform more complex treatments like cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry.
Benefits Of Family Dentistry
If you are wondering if you need to consider a family dentist over the regular dentist, there are a number of benefits that a family dental office can provide.
A Dentist for Everyone
Finding a family dentist can be a hassle. And if you have more than one person in your household, you’ll need to work with a number of different offices for scheduling, billing and more. With a family dentist, you can take care of all your dental needs in one place. You can find your local dentist from here: Search dentist near me.
A Dentist Your Children Can Trust
A lot of kids are afraid to go to the dentist! A visit to your family dentist will set the good example that you will see at work. It is very important for your child to be able to see the value in going to the dentist. It will not only be a better experience for your child, but also for your dentist and other patients.
It’s Easier to Track Your Family’s Dental History
By having all of your dental records in one place, it’s easier to keep track of every member of your family’s dental history. This allows dentists to provide more consistent care.
Dental Care — Life Stages
Babies
The first tooth erupts at 6 months and is recommended to be examined every 4 to 6 weeks by your family dentist. Cavities and tooth decay are common childhood dental problems, but after the first tooth erupts at 6 months, it is recommended to regularly see your family dentist.
It is important to start oral care early on. You want a healthy mouth to lead a long, healthy life. This starts with what a child eats and how he/she is bathed and cleaned.
Early Childhood
Children require specialized dental care as they naturally lose teeth and permanent teeth start to grow in. While they’re growing, they need regular visits to the dentist so their gums don’t become inflamed. Tooth brushing is also a crucial part of oral hygiene for young children.
Tooth brushing is an essential part of oral hygiene. Tooth decay, periodontal disease, and gum disease can be prevented by brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
Teens and Young Adults
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with straightening teeth. Many family dentists also specialize in orthodontics.
A common problem with teenagers is their misaligned teeth, and braces or invisible aligners can fix this for good. Teeth are also susceptible to cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease, but it’s important to get braces or aligners early, especially if you have a cavity or a tooth that won’t budge.
Adults
Adults with busy schedules are often less inclined to keep up with routine checkups and dental appointments. Unfortunately, this means they’re missing out on the early signs of some serious health problems that can arise due to poor oral health. While there are a number of different problems that can affect adults, some of the most common include gum disease, jaw pain, tooth loss, tooth decay, and oral cancers.
Seniors (65+)
There are lots of things that come with getting older including tooth loss. Although you can get to the dentist regularly, it is best to stick to lifelong dental care habits so as to keep your mouth healthy. In fact, doing so could help reduce the risk of other oral health problems like periodontal disease.
Common conditions may include:
- dry mouth,
- attrition,
- oral cancer,
- root decay, and
- serious gum diseases.
Oral health issues tend to increase with age. Some of these concerns can be treated and/or prevented if caught early on. Regular checkups and cleanings are essential to maintaining good oral health.
Family Dentistry vs General Dentistry
When it comes to oral health, dentists are not the only type of dental professionals. If your local dentist is not able to provide you with adequate care, you may want to look at different dental specialists. For example, a family dentist might only see patients one at a time in a single visit. These would be general dentists who also treat kids. On the other hand, a pediatric dentist would treat both kids and adults, but they often see patients multiple times over the course of treatment and diagnosis.
While some general dentists treat people of all ages, they are often more restrictive in terms of the age groups they treat. However, there are family dentists who specialize in treating an entire family. For example, they can help track how a baby’s oral care needs change as they grow into an adult.
Family Dentistry vs Pediatric Dentistry
For many families, it’s difficult to decide whether their child needs general or pediatric dental care. The difference is that while the general dentist handles routine dental work, the pediatric dentist takes care of any problems related to the development and growth of teeth and jaws. The pediatric dentist is also a specialized practitioner that is trained to handle many of the medical and psychological issues related to childhood dentistry.
For parents who prefer to visit the same dentist with their children, family dentistry is the ideal option. Family dentists do not specialize in treating just one age group. They are also well-versed in oral disease treatment for children and adults.