A lot of men and women struggle with dental confidence throughout their lives. Some struggles begin in youth when they can't afford braces. The issues continue in their young adult years as yellowing transitions into erosion of enamel, aggressive cavities transition into root damage and tooth loss transitions into nerve damage and infected bone. It takes time to occur but if close attention isn't paid to the health of the teeth and gums, damage becomes easier and loss is inevitable with age. But many people make it a goal to take advantage of the evolving innovations in the field of dentistry so they can first try to salvage their natural teeth and then implement cosmetic enhancements, if necessary, that improve the health as well as aesthetics of their smiles. But they have to work with their dentist to improve the health of their teeth, gums and all supportive soft tissue of the oral cavity first.
A dentist cannot go a week without having to help several patients with some form of dental decay, infection, or loss. They help to remove the problems, clear up the sensitive areas so issues are less likely to return and they work to point those patients in a direction of cosmetic prosthesis that will help to return the form and function of a beautiful smile. They perform all of these tasks by first listening to the patients concerns of sensitivity, pain, swelling, pus, bleeding and discoloration because they are all signs of greater issues that either can be reversed or have to be removed. This brings the dentist to the second step of examination.
The examination includes observing the patient's oral cavity, performing x-rays to view the internal condition of the individual teeth and jaw and they go through each tooth to test its level of decay at and near the gum line. Gum disease is also observed and assessed at this stage. Whether it is gingivitis or periodontitis, immediate action needs to be taken to perform a deep cleaning, polish the teeth to help the gums adhere, treat the inflamed tissue and perform a follow up to make sure the condition is improving. Gum disease not only affects the look of the gums (red, swollen, bloody) but they retract and aid in the decay of the teeth. Speaking of decay, all of it has to either be scraped away or drilled out in order to prevent further spread of the caries that are digesting the healthy tooth. This leaves the patient with indentions and holes that require filling. As far as repairing damage, short of follow up and annual visits, this is where this area of dentistry turns the patient over to a cosmetic specialist who can then help with whitening, alignment, dentures or veneers.
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