General Dentistry: Common Treatments & Procedures
General Dentistry primarily encompasses basic dental and oral health care, disease prevention, and treatment. Below are common dental treatments and procedures to help you understand how different issues are addressed.
1. Routine examination and cleaning (dental cleaning)
Purpose: To prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease, and maintain oral health.
Application: It is recommended to conduct it once every 6 months.
Treatment content:
Dental examination: Inspect teeth, gums, and occlusion, and screen for dental caries, periodontal disease, etc.
Dental scaling: Remove dental plaque and dental calculus to prevent gingivitis and periodontitis.
Polishing: Make the tooth surface smooth and reduce plaque adhesion.
X-ray examination (when necessary): to inspect the internal structure of teeth, bone density, concealed caries, etc.
2. Dental filling (treatment for dental caries)
Objective: To repair decayed teeth and prevent further deterioration.
Application: For teeth with black spots, cavities, or sensitivity to heat and cold.
Treatment method:
Removal of decay: Remove the decayed parts.
Filling material:
Composite resin (most commonly used): aesthetically pleasing, suitable for anterior or posterior teeth.
Silver amalgam (less commonly used): strong but unsightly in color.
Glass ionomer (for children or temporary restorations): Contains fluoride, which can prevent tooth decay.
3. Root canal therapy (pulpectomy)
Objective: To save severely decayed or infected teeth and avoid tooth extraction.
Application: Pulp infection (severe pain, gum abscess, tooth discoloration).
Treatment steps:
Open the pulp chamber and remove the infected pulp.
Sterilize the root canal and fill it with biocompatible materials.
Wear a dental crown for protection (to prevent tooth fracture).
4. Tooth extraction
Objective: To remove teeth that cannot be retained (such as severely decayed teeth, impacted wisdom teeth, retained deciduous teeth, etc.).
Postoperative care:
Bite on the gauze for 30 minutes to stop bleeding.
Avoid rinsing your mouth, smoking, and using a straw for 24 hours.
Eat soft food and avoid irritating the wound.
5. Dental crown (dental veneer) restoration
Objective: To protect teeth with severe defects or after root canal therapy.
Common types:
All-ceramic crown (aesthetic, suitable for anterior teeth).
Metal-ceramic crown (durable and commonly used for posterior teeth).
Full metal crown (high strength, but unsightly color).
6. Periodontal treatment (management of gum disease)
Application: Gum bleeding, bad breath, and loose teeth (periodontitis).
Treatment method:
Subgingival scaling (deep cleaning of the root surface of teeth).
Periodontal surgery (in cases of severe bone resorption).
7. Teeth whitening
Application: Yellowed or stained teeth (caused by coffee, tea, cigarette smoke, etc.).
Common methods:
Dental whitening in the consultation room (cold light whitening, effective within 1 hour).
Home whitening (dentist-customized tray + whitening gel).
8. Common treatments in pediatric dentistry
Fissure sealing (preventing tooth decay in children's molars).
Dental filling/root canal treatment for deciduous teeth (to avoid affecting the development of permanent teeth).
Early correction (treatment for underbite and crowded teeth).
When do you need to see a dentist?
✅ Tooth pain or sensitivity
✅ Bleeding and swelling of gums
✅ Loose or cracked teeth
✅ Persistent oral ulcers that do not heal
✅ Missing teeth need to be restored
Regular check-ups (every 6 months) can detect issues early and reduce the need for complex treatments!
Your message must be between 20-3,000 characters!