What Is Family Dentistry Care?

What is Family Dentistry

Everyone deserves a healthy smile, and if you’re new in town to the Allen or Fairview, TX area, or you’ve become new parents, it’s important to find a new dentist near you who is qualified in family dentistry to take care of your dental health. If you’ve never heard of the term family dentist, you might wonder what’s the difference between a general dentist and a family dentist. Continue to read below to find out more about family dentistry.

What is family Dentistry

Family dentistry provides comprehensive oral care to children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. A benefit to seeing a qualified family dentist is that if you have children, your dentist focuses on the unique needs of children, and they will be able to provide care for every stage of life into adulthood. By combining quality general dentistry services with pediatric dental care, a family dentist can help families combat oral health issues before they become serious problems.

Dental Care - Life Stages

A family dentist treats—and often prevents—dental problems in children and adults.

Babies – Your baby’s mouth is susceptible to a number of oral diseases such as cavities and tooth decay during primary dentition (baby teeth), but there are a few steps you can take to limit the risk. As soon as the first tooth emerges, it is important to visiting a family dentist. Good habits start early, and your baby will establish these good habits if you practice good oral care both at home and by seeing the dentist.

Early Childhood – As children lose their baby teeth and the permanent teeth start to grow in, it is recommend to see a dentist to ensure everything is OK. During this transition, it’s important to establish good dental health habits and get regular teeth cleanings. This helps prevent cavities, tooth decay, and other serious dental conditions.

Adults – As adults, it’s easy to put off routine dental visits, but preventative dental care is just as important for adults as it is for children. After age 35, teeth become more vulnerable to decay and gum disease as we age. Oral cancer, the breakdown of cavity fillings, and TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder) problems are also common in adults.

Seniors – As you get older, you may experience changes in your mouth, especially after the age of 65. These can include dry mouth, tooth loss, and gum disease. By maintaining healthy habits such as flossing at least once a day, if needed – replacing removable dental restorations every five to seven years and visiting your dentist twice a year, you can reduce your risk of serious oral conditions.

What kind of Services does Family Dentistry Offer?

A family dentist can provide a range of dental services and treatments. They may diagnose oral hygiene and preventive dentistry needs, but they can also offer orthodontics, oral surgery, dental crowns, or dental implants. Additionally, some family dentists are equipped with cosmetic dentistry so that you will have your smile looking its best in no time! The most common services include:

  • Regular 6-month cleanings and dental exams – The American Dental Association (ADA) to see your dentist every six months to ensure your mouth and teeth are in good standing. During your visit to the dentist, your dentist will monitor your oral health, check for cavities, and performs a dental cleaning. For kids especially, 6-month exams are an opportunity to ensure they’re up on their brushing skills—and make sure there aren’t any signs of cavities!
  • Fluoride treatments and dental sealants – Fluoride and dental sealants are two effective ways to fight cavities in children. Fluorides come in toothpaste, mouthwash, or through drinking water and help fight tooth decay by making it less likely for bacteria to grow. Dental sealant is a thin layer of coating applied by the dentist on teeth at risk for tooth decay.
  •  Orthodontics – If you’re looking for straight teeth, your local dentist may be able to get you straight teeth with clear braces or clear aligners by Invisalign
  • Gum disease treatment – Periodontal maintenance and scaling help prevent gum disease, and if left untreated, it can cause tooth loss.

3 amazing benefits of having a family dentist

Getting your family’s dental care is easier than ever when you see a family dentist. One of the many perks of seeing a family dentist is that they can set your dental appointment for your entire family on one phone call! Plus, it’s not only easy to make appointments but also convenient and saves you time. No longer the need to call and drive around town to multiple offices to get your quality care. Let’s explore 3 additional benefits of seeing a family dentist.

Your Family Dentists Know Your Family Dental care History

The advantage of having a lifelong family dentist is that your previous dental history is stored and easily available in one location. If you were to switch dentists, the new dentist might have access to your x-rays, but typically notes about dental treatments and diagnosis are not transferred with the x-rays. At a family dentist, your notes will be kept up-to-date due to being seen from the very beginning and by the same dentist.

Another benefit is that when you visit your family dentist, they will notice any new symptoms before the problem worsens. What’s more, they’ll be able to recognize genetic symptoms after examining other members of the same household. When it comes time to treat orthodontic issues or other common conditions like cavities, a diagnosis can happen much faster without having to wait until something bad happens!

Family Dentistry Means a Lasting Relationship

Having a trusting relationship with your dentist is important for many reasons. When you trust your dentist, it’s easy to be honest and open about what you’re going through, which helps the doctor accurately diagnose your dental concern. We know you want to feel confident and supported when it comes to your smile, so we’re here for you.

Your Best Option For Emergency Dental Care

If a dental emergency occurs, your family dentist should be the first to call. They know your history, you have a trusting relationship, and they are more likely to go the extra mile for you. At Sloan Creek Dental, we will help you restore your smile to its former glory. We will do this by using our experienced professionals and modern dental technologies to ensure that the treatment we provide you is of the highest dental care.

How to pick the right Family Dentist

Finding an excellent dentist can be difficult with so many to pick from. To find one, you’ll need to look for someone who exhibits sufficient skill and knowledge, and compassion in treating their patients. Here are some tips on how to find the right family dentist.

  • Ask for referrals – The best place to look is by asking for referrals from your friends and family. They usually know someone who they think is the best dentist in the area. If you’re new to the area, search for “best dentist near me” on the internet, and review the testimonials to see which one fits you best. 
  • Choose a dental practice with a warm, inviting atmosphere – You want your kids to have the best, most positive dental experience possible. Choose a practice that creates an environment for children and will instill good oral hygiene habits early on so they can develop healthy teeth and habits.
  • Choose a dentist that offers comprehensive services – It’s important to pick the best family dentist who can take care of your dental needs. Such as services ranging from regular dental cleanings, cosmetic dentistry services for the perfect smile you want, sedation dentistry for those moments you need to feel relaxed during treatment, and orthodontics to straighten those teeth all in one location. 
  • Ask if there is a pediatric dentist on-site, or if not, see if the current dentist sees young children. 

Looking for a New Family Dentist?

Sloan Creek Dental is a family dental practice where Dr. Tina Feng provides patient care for young children, teens, adults, and seniors. She understands the importance of keeping your teeth healthy, and instilling quality dental care habits at home. If ready to find out how qualified family dentists can care for the oral health of your entire family, please contact Sloan Creek Dental.

Have questions about our comprehensive services such as routine care, regular cleanings, x-rays, dental implants, dental emergency, clear braces, learn more about a certain dental procedure, or schedule a dental appointment at our office, please contact our dental office 972-468-1440, or leave us a message.  

Our practice is located in Fairview, Texas, and our patients visit us from across the surrounding areas, including Allen, Plano, McKinney, and Lucas.