Misconceptions in Dentistry Explained by a Dentist in Albuquerque

As a dentist in Albuquerque, we believe in the value of education.  By educating our patients on what they can do to stay in good oral health, the chance of our patients getting cavities or an infection is decreased.  Staying healthy is a team effort so while completing a dental cleaning, our patients will commonly ask us things about dental procedures and dental health, in general.  Through these conversations, it is clear that there are plenty of misconceptions surrounding dentistry, a few of which we want to shed light on.Here is what you should know:

• It is rare that teeth have to be pulled.  Cartoons and movies seem to always depict a dentist pulling teeth.  This is far from the reality of dental care in 2015.  In most cases, a dentist can save a tooth that has become damaged or infected through a dental restoration.  For example, a tooth with a major crack can be saved with a dental crown.
• Dentistry is comfortable.  As a dentist in Albuquerque, we offer sedation dentistry to help our patients relax and experience pain-free dental care.  We understand that millions of adults have some form of dental anxiety and whether this is caused by a previous bad experience or horror stories heard as a child, modern dental care is not what it one was.  The tools that we use are more gentle and effective than they used to be, and sedation ensures that you won’t feel any discomfort during the procedure.  If you have put off visiting the dentist due to anxiety, call our office to experience how enjoyable dental care can be.
• Restorations aren’t permanent.  As much as we would like them to be permanent, most dental restorations need to be replaced eventually.  Just like natural teeth will wear out over time, restorations can as well.  If the surrounding teeth and gums start to get infected the risk of restorations becoming damaged increases, so it is important to keep teeth in good oral health overall.  Additionally, if you suffer from teeth grinding or clenching you will be putting your restorations at risk so wearing a night guard is recommended.
• General dentistry is more than teeth cleaning.  Some people think that a general dentist is only there to clean teeth and treat cavities.  The mouth is far more complicated than that.  Managing oral health requires advanced training and years of dental school.  As a dentist in Albuquerque, we treat both teeth and gums.  Our job is to help them to stay healthy, treat them if they become infected and restore teeth that become damaged or fall out.  We can do all of this while helping your teeth to look beautiful and making restorations appear natural.  After all, a general dentist is a highly trained medical professional that can improve your overall health.

If you have questions about dentistry in general or a specific procedure, we invite you to call our office and schedule an appointment to discuss the facts and your treatment options.

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