All the Information You Want about General Dentists

You may have heard about dentists and the various services they provide. You may also have come across dental specialists and general dentists. You undoubtedly would have questions about what services does a general dentist provides? If you are not aware, please continue reading this article to gain more knowledge about general dentistry.

Your teeth experience regular wear and tear regardless of the care you provide. The wear and tear are comfortably repaired when you visit the Bellaire dentist for an oral exam every six months when you also get teeth cleanings from the dental professional. The Southwest dentist is a general dentist near you specialising in providing various treatments needed by most people.

General dentists are the primary dental care providers for all patients. The work in this field includes treatments for tooth and gum disease, dental fillings, dental crowns, full or partial dentures, and various others. The Southwest, Houston dental office may surprise you with the range of treatments they offer to patients whenever they are approached with any dental issue.

Why Must You Visit a General Dentist When Specialists around Are Available?

If you need specialised treatment for a complicated issue, your visit to a specialist is undoubtedly justified. Unfortunately, visiting a specialist means spending more money on a treatment if it indeed is complicated. Requesting an orthodontist to provide partial or full dentures will only get you a referral to a prosthodontist, a specialist in artificial restorations.

You may have a dozen specialists in your neighbourhood working in the field of dentistry but attending to specific issues related to their area of expertise. You retire frustrated when you visit an expert requesting preventive dental care or therapeutic treatments. Dentistry professionals specialising in any field prefer to limit their practice within the scope and refer any patients approaching them for other therapies to a general dentist.

Whenever a general dentist comes across a complicated issue, they do not hesitate to provide a referral to a specialist for the well-being of the patient.

Why Are More General Dentists Available in America?

General dentists are professionals that begin practising immediately after finishing dental school without investing more time and money specialising in a particular field. In America, out of the 170,000 dentists, approximately 80 percent work as general dentists and begin practising soon after graduating from dental school. These professionals look after preventive dental care, restorative care, providing artificial prosthetics, and even performing implant restorations in many situations.

A Southwest general dentist is not a lesser professional merely because they haven’t specialised in any area of dentistry. In reality, they continuously gain an education by working with various professionals to provide a range of dental treatments not available to the specialists.

The description does not mean dental specialists are greedy or trying to cash in on the extra money they spend on education. They have limited clientele and tailor their treatments and charges according to the type of cases they handle. For example, you cannot expect to visit a periodontist for advanced periodontal treatment requiring gun flap surgery and expect to pay the same fees charged by the general dentist.

Who Must You Consider Visiting When Confronting Any Dental Issue?

Your first preference should go to your neighbourhood general dentist to have your condition evaluated. If required, the professional will refer you to a specialist or treat the disease themselves if your situation is not complicated. The choice of visiting specialists or general dentists is entirely at your discretion. Sometimes you may not succeed in getting appointments with specialists unless you have a referral from a general dentist.

When you choose to visit a general dentist, you benefit in both ways. If your condition is not complicated, the general dentist provides treatment at cost-effective prices, helping you to alleviate any discomfort you feel and return home without dental issues concerning you.

Suppose your situation is tricky to receive a referral to a specialist who may provide you an appointment immediately to oblige the general dentist. Either way, you benefit by finding a solution to the problem you confront from a qualified dental professional.

All dental professionals begin as general dentists before separating into different fields in dentistry. Some start specialising in endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, and pedodontics. General dentists prefer practising instead of specialising and provide all treatments that specialists can offer and more. Therefore it would help if you didn’t consider general dentists as lesser professionals in dentistry. They are equals to all other dental professionals and help to care for your teeth and gums adequately and cost-effectively.