A Healthier Smile For A Healthier You
Taking care of your oral health and your smile are two of the best ways to maintain your confidence and your overall health. Oral health issues may go on to affect the rest of your body, so your smile needs regular upkeep, not just so you feel confident, but also so you can stay healthy and strong. At DiBartola
Dental, our Bridgeville dentists, alongside our dental staff can help you achieve and maintain a beautiful, healthy smile through general dentistry services.
What is General Dentistry?
General dentistry is the foundation of modern dentistry. It involves providing a broad range of dental services to help improve oral health and prevent oral health issues in the future. A general dentist may also be referred to as a family dentist, because they provide necessary dental services and maintenance to patients of all ages. Keep reading to learn more about our general dentistry services and how you can benefit.
Dental Exams
A good dental exam forms the bedrock of any effective dental treatment plan. By taking part in biannual dental exams (or once every six months), your Bridgeville dentist will gain an understanding of your level of oral health. They’ll be able to identify any problems or potential developing problems and draft a treatment plan based on
what they discover. Oftentimes, regular exams can lead to early treatment, which can better protect your oral health and prevent the need for more costly, invasive procedures down the line.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Like most cancers, oral cancer has a much higher survival rate the sooner treatment takes place. As part of our routine dental exams, our Bridgeville dentists will check for signs of possibly cancerous tissue. If they believe they’ve found possible signs of cancer, they’ll refer you to a specialist as soon as possible, so you can get the most effective treatment.
Possible Signs of Oral Cancer
Possible signs of oral cancer your Bridgeville dentist will check for include:
- Persistent sore throat
- Feeling that something is caught at the back of the throat
- Unexplained bleeding in the mouth
- Bleeding sore on the face, neck, or mouth that doesn’t heal within two weeks
- Unexplained loss of feeling, pain, or numbness in the face, neck, or mouth
- Ear pain
- Lumps, bumps, or rough spots on the gums, lips, or other parts of the mouth
- Red, white, or speckled red and white patches in the mouth
- Difficulty chewing, speaking, or swallowing
- Changes in the way your teeth or dentures fit together
Tools commonly used for oral cancer screenings include the standard visual/tactile exam, biopsy, special dye used in combination with light, and X-rays.
Dental Cleanings
Dental cleanings are a great way to keep your smile bright and prevent the build-up of bacteria laden plaque and tartar. During a professional dental cleaning, we’ll use special tools to remove plaque from places that a tooth brush and floss often can’t reach. Then, we’ll polish and floss your teeth followed by the application of a flouride treatment. Not only will this process leave your smile looking healthier, it will help prevent issues such as tooth decay and gum disease.
Laser-Assisted General Dentistry
Laser dentistry involves the use of narrow, super focused beams of light to treat and prevent oral problems. Patients often prefer the use of lasers in their treatment because they offer benefits like:
- Better healing
- Reduced swelling
- Drastically reduced bleeding
- Often prevents the need for sutures
- Less post-treatment discomfort
- Greater accuracy
Laser Dentistry Procedures
Your dentist can make use of specially made dental lasers as substitutes for more traditional dental tools during certain procedures. Some of the general dentistry procedures your dentist may use lasers for include:
- Crown lengthening (“gummy smile” treatments)
- Frenectomy and tongue-tie release
- Periodontal disease treatment
- Ulcer reduction
Gum Disease Treatment
What Is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease (or gum disease) refers to an infection of the gum tissue. While the early
stage of gum disease (gingivitis) is often easy to treat and reverse, without proper care it can progress to periodontitis. At this stage the infection begins to attack the vital structures of your mouth and the damage gets worse the longer the infection goes untreated.
Health Risks Associated with Periodontal Disease
Gum disease doesn’t just affect your oral health, but also it can make you more vulnerable to more serious health issues such as:
- Diabetes
- Pneumonia and respiratory disease
- Preterm labor
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack
Periodontal Disease Treatment
It’s important to have your periodontal disease treated as soon as possible. Our Bridgeville dentists offer laser-assisted periodontal disease treatment, to more effectively eliminate infection and decayed tissue. Besides removing infection, laser-assisted periodontal disease treatment preserves your healthy gum tissue, drastically reduces pain and discomfort, and improves the healing process.
24 Hour Emergency Dentistry
Dental emergencies by their very definition, they tend to happen at the worst times. That’s why DiBartola Dental offers 24 hour emergency dentistry services. When you’re dealing with sudden oral pain, discomfort, or broken restorations, you can call us at any time, and we’ll do our utmost to see you as soon as we can.
Common Dental Emergencies
Common emergencies our Bridgeville family dentists can treat on short notice include:
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Loose or detached teeth
- Loose or detached dental crowns
- Broken fillings
- Denture problems
- Abscessed teeth
- Toothaches
- Bleeding/swelling
- Broken Jaw
Weekend Availability
To better accommodate our patient’s busy schedules, we’re also open one Saturday out of every month. Utilizing our weekend slot can help you better navigate your daily life while still getting the quality dental treatment you need, when you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between cosmetic dentistry and general dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry is more focused on improving the aesthetics of your smile by offering services such as teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. Many cosmetic dentistry services overlap with restorative services such as dental crowns and implants, so they might also improve your oral health. General dentistry is first and foremost focused on improving and maintaining the health of your smile through means such as consistent maintenance and prevention.
How much do general dentistry services cost?
While general dentistry is focused on prevention, which usually makes it highly affordable, the exact cost of your general dental treatment will depend on multiple factors. Factors that influence the cost of your general dentistry service include your level of existing oral health, which services you require, and your insurance coverage.
We encourage you to call your insurance provider ahead of time to ask them which costs they can cover. To help ensure our patients have access to affordable general dentistry services, DiBartola Dental offers flexible financing options and patient specials on dental cleanings and dental exams.
Does DiBartola Dental offer general dentistry services to children?
General dentistry is designed to help patients of all ages improve and maintain a healthy smile. Parents can bring their child as early as the eruption of their first tooth or by their first birthday. The sooner they see us, the sooner they can start reaping the benefits of a better smile.
Are general dentistry services painful?
Some general dentistry services, such as exams and cleanings, are procedures which are normally painless. Laser dentistry helps make general dentistry services such as gum disease treatment almost completely pain-free. Rest assured that your dentist will use anesthetic as needed and can even offer sedation dentistry to keep you relaxed.
Enjoy A Better Smile & Better Health With General Dentistry!
Our family dentists have the skill and the means to effectively maintain your smile and improve your health. We offer general dentistry services to patients of all ages near our Bridgeville location and surrounding areas such as Heidelberg, Carnegie, & Upper Saint Clair, PA.
If it’s been a while since your last exam, or you’re looking for a general or family dentist near you, then contact DiBartola Dental by dialing (412) 221-9440. You can also request an appointment online and one of our friendly team members will get back to you shortly.