Dentist Spokane WA

General dentistry is the term given to the dentist you see for your routine checkups. Sometimes you will hear general dentists called family dentist. They offer routine procedures for patients, such as x-rays, checkups, cleanings, fillings, root canal treatments, and general instruction about keeping up with your oral health.

If you take care of your teeth, you should only need to see a general dentist and possibly an orthodontist throughout your life. Going to a general dentist twice a year for your cleaning and checkup is a good way to maintain good oral health, and over time you will get to know your dentist as you see him year after year. Routine visits to your dentist are important, because part of your dentist’s job is to screen you for the possibility of problems, such as gum disease, that would require further treatment from a specialist. In other words, keeping your routine dental appointments will often saving you from needing painful, expensive dental surgeries later on.

Sometimes your general dentist will determine that you have a problem or disease beyond his or her area of expertise. When this happens, you will be referred to a specialist in the particular field that you need. Your family dentist should explain why you need to see this specialist, and should send your records along with you to save time and money when you get to the specialist’s office. Some treatments, such as a root canal, can be done at your general dentist’s office.

One type of dental specialist you may need to see is an oral surgeon. An oral surgeon is a dental professional who has been trained to do surgeries on your mouth. If, for example, you need to have your wisdom teeth extracted through a non-standard surgical procedure, you will have to see the oral surgeon. Oral surgeons also work on deformities of the mouth, such as a jaw deformity that affects your ability to eat and speak. An oral surgeon is sometimes called a maxillofacial surgeon.

An oral surgeon typically has around fourteen years of education in order to become certified to perform this type of dentistry. The doctor will have four years of undergraduate school, followed by four years of general dentistry training. After that, the doctor will have a residency that last between four and six years. Once this is done, the doctor can choose to follow fellowships that give them a specialty in a specific field.

When you hear the term orthodontist, you probably have immediate pictures in your mind of a young teen with a mouth full of metal braces. An orthodontist has the general dentist education plus two to three years of orthodontic residency. Many dentist offices employ and orthodontist for their patients’ convenience.

An orthodontist is a dentist who is trained in designing and applying appliances, such as braces, that are designed to correct crooked teeth. While most people consider braces to be something teenagers wear, many adults turn to the orthodontist when they need to correct a deformity in their teeth. Today’s braces can be clear, so they no longer have to have the look of the metal versions of bygone years. Of course, most teenagers still use the metal braces because they are affordable and durable.

Because dental appliances, such as braces, require frequent adjustments to get the teeth to position correctly, you will get to know your orthodontist well during the time you are wearing an appliance. Remember that when you have braces, you still need to pay close attention to your oral hygiene. While braces can be annoying, the end result is a straight, perfect smile!