Why Family Dentistry?
By Cindy Fulenwider Greene, DMDTime To Care For Your Teeth
From the time you can remember, you probably had your parents challenging you to, “take care of your teeth!”
As you grew up, you learned that there was a reason for that: Strong oral health allows you to maintain best health practices throughout your entire body, as well as allows you to keep your teeth and gums worry free.
Now that you are older, wiser and have children – or perhaps are thinking of having children – of your own, you may catch yourself fretting about their oral health and how you can set them up for a lifetime of success.
First of all, you should follow your parents’ lead and stay on your kids – just as you were constantly reminded – about brushing and flossing. The next, and perhaps most important step, is to choose a dentist that will ensure your kids not only have the best health but also the best experience so that they will want to maintain their own oral health standards.
It is with that in mind that so many young families and parents choose a family dentist approach. And you may even be asking yourself, why family dentistry? Well, let’s take a look at what all this type of practice entails and what that means for your family.
What is Family Dentistry?
While it is true that some regular dentists have experience with and may even be great at treating children, family dentists have specific training that allows them to better treat kids.
Yet, unlike pediatric dentists, they also have the experience and training to handle your child’s oral health as they grow into an adult. In fact, a family dentist can also treat you and your parents just as successfully as your children.
Family dentistry is intended to help you address your oral health needs at every stage of life.
Family dentists know that children’s teeth and oral care is markedly different from your needs. And yet they can equally provide necessary care for all ages. So, family dentists are both specialists while also allowing you to handle all your oral healthcare needs in one place.
Family dentists are trained to provide a gentle, caring approach to dentistry, so they will earn your child’s trust from the get-go. And this will help your child to develop better oral health – because they will not only look forward to going to the dentist but also listen to what that dentist says.
Do Family Dentists Just Offer Basic Services?
No! Family dentists can offer a whole range of specialized and cutting-edge services, including dental implants, restorations, laser dentistry and sedation dentistry.
All family dentists also offer basic oral healthcare, such as:
- Bi-annual, 6-month cleanings and exams – Your entire family will receive the maintenance care that they (and you) need. These visits also allow the dentist to monitor all aspects of you and your family’s oral health, heading off any potential issues before they become serious problems.
- Cavity checks and fillings – If you were like most kids, you probably experienced a cavity or two. That is because cavities are the most common oral health issue faced by children. A family dentist is trained to look for these concerns and ensure that your child gets the best treatment to both cure and prevent cavities. They will also maintain a watchful eye on your mouth.
- Fluoride treatments and dental sealants – Speaking of cavities, fluoride treatments and sealants, properly applied, can do much to help you and your child avoid cavities. A family dentist is trained to deliver these treatments and sealants.
- Gum disease treatment – While cavities is a child’s biggest concern, gum disease is the more common oral ailment for adults. With that in mind, family dentists employ deep cleanings, gum flap surgery, and antibiotics to combat gingivitis and/or gum disease.
- Orthodontics – Family dentists should be able to provide you with an orthodontic assessment, and while they may not be able to offer all of those corrective services in-house, they will have relationships with trusted local orthodontists that will be able to help.
Yet, as previously mentioned, many family dentists offer a much broader range of oral health services, including cosmetic dentistry, crowns and Invisalign treatment.
And being able to do all of this in one place eliminates the hassle of having to make two, three, four or even more separate dentist appointments every six months. Your family will also appreciate the consistency of treatment and approach that a family dentist and their teams can offer.
If you are curious to learn more about family dentistry or have been looking for a family dentist, please do not hesitate to contact BGW Dental Group. Our experienced and cutting-edge team of care providers are dedicated to making your family’s oral health our priority. And our locations in Gainesville and Braselton make it convenient for you throughout northeast Georgia. Please call us today at 678-582-8099 in Gainesville or 470-348-2466 in Braselton to learn more.