subject: Dentist - 5 Services That Can Benefit You [print this page] Having pearly whites is something to be proud of. Yet if your smile is lacking in a few areas, then a dentist can help you get on track. Explore a few of the services this skilled professional can offer.
Fillings
When you have a cavity, it can cause a lot of pain. A dentist can help alleviate the pain by first giving you an antibiotic if the gums are infected; then he or she will fill in the cavity so that you don't experience discomfort anymore. The doctor will use a local anesthetic to numb the area, then he or she will use a special tool to perform the filling. The filling can be a silver color or you can choose a bone-colored filling so that it will look more like the natural color of your tooth.
Whitening or bleaching
Having yellow or stained teeth can be really annoying as well as embarrassing. You can brush morning and night, but if the teeth are discolored from coffee, tea, red wine or smoking, then you're not going to have any luck by using just toothpaste. A dentist can help give you whiter teeth fast. This means you will get special trays made for you teeth. In addition, you'll get a gel that can bleach your teeth in record time. As a result, you'll have a noticeably whiter smile in just a few days. And depending on how long you use the bleach and the trays, your teeth will get whiter with each use.
False teeth
Sometimes, if the teeth are in such bad condition that they cannot be saved, then you will lose them. Instead of suffering with no teeth in your mouth, a good dentist will suggest false teeth. You have an array of options when considering false teeth; it just depends on your situation. Also, some people lose a tooth by accident and only need one false tooth to fill in the spot. This is usually when the doctor will give the patient a bridge. Furthermore, if the situation is really bad, but the patient doesn't want to deal with false teeth, then he or she can get implants surgically inserted.
X-rays
Whether you're getting a checkup or are experiencing pain due to a cavity, the only way a dentist will truly pinpoint the problem is by doing an x-ray. This way he or she will be able to see what's causing the problem. You could have an infection, cavity or wisdom teeth that are coming in. Once the doctor does the x-ray, then he or she will have a clear direction on how to proceed and you'll be feeling better fast.
Braces
Crooked teeth can make anyone extremely self conscious. And if you're a kid or teenager, you're really frustrated. A good dentist can examine your mouth and either provide you with braces or refer you to an orthodontist if you need more extensive work. Best of all, there are new advances that include clear braces so you don't have to endure the embarrassment of metal braces.
