General Dentistry in DFW
Dental Depot DFW provides complete general dentistry services for patients of all ages.
Maintaining good oral health helps maintain good overall health, and routine dental care is an important part of that. Adults to kids, cleanings to cosmetic, our fully staffed teams of dental hygienists, doctors, and specialists help make sure that all of your family’s dental needs are cared for at one convenient location.
General Dentistry Procedure Videos
Single Crown (CAD/CAM)
Filling Versus Crown (Impression)
Twice-yearly checkups and cleanings are crucial for ensuring your oral health. Regular visits to your dentist can identify any current or potential problems with your teeth or gums, address them early, and avoid costly procedures later on. Routine checkups are especially important for young children as their teeth and jaws grow and develop.
An oral examination—as well as routine x-rays—gives your dentist insight into any changes or shifts that may be occurring in your mouth or jawbone. Teeth that shift, receding or diseased gumlines and tooth decay are all problems that can happen at any age and can worsen over time if untreated. Regular screenings give your dentist time to intervene and prevent further damage.
Your teeth and gums are ideal locations for bacteria, plaque, and tartar buildup. Brushing and flossing twice a day can help keep that buildup in check, but there are areas that not even your toothbrush or mouthwash can reach. Routine cleanings by Dental Depot DFW’s excellent hygienists can clear out those hard-to-reach places and reduce your risk of developing gum disease, cavities, or other problems.
Regular cleanings also serve as an opportunity to develop a rapport with your dentist and hygienist. A good, familiar relationship can help all of you feel more comfortable discussing your oral health and encourages better continuity of care, such as monitoring areas of concern or following up on an issue from the previous visit.
Preventative Dental Treatments
Dental Sealants and Fluoride Treatments
Your teeth are protected from cavities by an outer layer of mineral deposits called enamel. Although enamel is incredibly strong, frequent exposure to acidic drinks and foods, age, and poor dental hygiene can cause it to erode.
Routine fluoride treatments are a fast, easy way to maintain your enamel’s health and strength. Ideal for the developing teeth of small children, fluoride helps restore the lost mineral content in the enamel and provides an added layer of protection to what’s left. During a fluoride treatment, a fluoridated varnish or gel is applied—or “painted on”—to the teeth, where it stays even after your appointment. As the gel dissolves, it is absorbed into your teeth.
Dental sealants are another way to help reinforce your teeth’s defense. The biting surfaces of your teeth, especially the back molars, contain deep grooves and pits that are susceptible to developing cavities and decay. Dental sealants are made of cavity-resistant material and applied to the surfaces of teeth to fill in these areas, effectively “sealing off” your teeth from cavities.
Even with routine dental care, good oral hygiene, and a healthy diet, cavities and tooth decay can still find their way into your mouth. Small areas of decay can be treated with a filling. A filling, as the name suggests, fills in a part of the tooth that has developed a cavity and protects the tooth from further decay.
When an area of concern is identified by your dentist, he or she will clean out as much of the decay as possible and replace it with a silver or composite resin material. Fillings do not affect the appearance of your smile or the function of your teeth; they only serve to stop existing decay and permanently protect against future damage.
Tooth extractions—a procedure in which the entire tooth, including the roots, is pulled out—are generally a last resort, but they are not uncommon and can be recommended for several reasons. Teeth may need to be extracted if they are damaged or diseased beyond repair. In children, baby teeth may be slow to fall out and must be extracted to create enough room for the permanent teeth trying to push through.
Wisdom teeth are another instance that may require extraction. These “third molars” usually erupt during adolescence or young adulthood and can, in many cases, cause a variety of oral health issues like TMJ (temporomandibular) disorder, infections, facial pain or headaches, and misalignment of the teeth and jaws. Wisdom teeth are often extracted as a preventative measure.