Home › Services › Family Dentistry
Family Dentistry
Russellville, AL
Family dentistry involves caring for the dental needs of the whole family - from babies to senior care - we have you covered. Each member of your family is equally important, and so is the maintenance of their oral health.
At Singing River Dentistry, we believe in preventive care. Keeping good oral hygiene at home and having regular dental visits to our Russellville, AL office will keep your mouth, teeth, and gums healthy.
Request an Appointment
What Procedures Does Family Dentistry Provide?
Family dentistry includes all of the preventive procedures you and your family need for maintaining good oral hygiene.
Dental Exams
Most dentists recommend dental exams twice per year, but in some instances more frequent visits may be recommended, depending on the vulnerability. Smoking, pregnancy, living with chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, HIV or dry mouth, and having an existing history of gum infections require regular dental exams to monitor the progress for healthy and strong gums and teeth.
Dental Cleanings
Along with your biannual dental exam, we will perform a dental cleaning. If the dentist finds any problems that require attention during your cleaning, they will advise you on any necessary treatments for further monitoring. Unless you experience any other challenges, six months is a recommendable time span between appointments. Dental cleanings requirements range from one person to another, and you should get advice from the dentist.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Our dentists at Singing River Dentistry advise patients to practice a good dental routine and avoid oral cancer risk factors to maintain the health of their teeth and gums. Oral cancer is the largest group of head and neck cancers. It can begin just about anywhere in your mouth, including your lips, tongue, cheeks, or even at the very back of your mouth near your throat. Treating oral cancer, especially in its earliest stages, is essential for stopping the spread of the disease and improving your oral health. At Singing River Dentistry, we perform oral cancer screenings during your dental exams.
Kids Dentist
Are you wondering when to start dentistry for kids? It takes at least six months for kids to start teething, and by 12 months, they have quite a number of teeth. This is when you should start the procedures for close monitoring, to ensure that their teeth grow strong and healthy. You can contact us at any time for any questions concerning your child's dental needs, or to schedule a kid's first visit!
Kids can experience several dental abnormalities that require attention. Some of the problems include: pediatric gingivitis, teeth sensitivity, tooth decay, and tooth grinding. Like adults, dental problems in kids require early treatment when detected to avoid development into worse stages. We recommend early treatments for kids including fluoride and dental sealants to protect against tooth decay and cavities.
Read More About Dentistry for Kids
Periodontal Care and Maintenance
One major cause of gum disease is poor brushing habits, which see tartar and plaque build-up around your gum line. The bacteria in the mouth continue acting on the deposit, leading to periodontal disease. Periodontal care at Singing River Dentistry can help with the prevention of gum disease, which can manifest in several ways including bleeding, soreness, and pain while chewing. Since gum disease develops in stages, periodontal maintenance is crucial to identify it at an early stage to prevent further damage. We can perform periodontal maintenance during your routine dental exams.
Mouth Guards
When we sleep, our body relaxes, which sometimes causes some of our muscles to tighten up more than others without knowing it. The most common ones for this area are in the jaw and face area and the neck and shoulders. When these muscles tighten up, they can put pressure on the teeth and cause them to grind together. This is usually a subconscious reaction that people have, and it's usually not something they do intentionally. At Singing River Dentistry we offer custom made night mouth guards for our patients that suffer from bruxism ( tooth clenching and grinding).
The most common symptoms of teeth grinding are soreness or pain in the jaw, headaches, and a clicking or popping noise when you open your mouth. If you're experiencing any of these symptoms regularly, it's best to visit us and see if you might be grinding your teeth at night. Additional symptoms can be misaligned or crooked teeth, sensitive teeth that are prone to cavities and gum disease, worn down enamel on your teeth, earaches in the middle of the night, neck pain, and stiffness.
Sports are fun, some people even practice them as a career. They may, however, impose risks on your mouth, especially when it involves contact sports. It is, therefore, advisable to seek a sports mouth guard to ensure maximum protection. There are various types to choose from, depending on your needs. It is crucial to seek advice from the dentist before use, to ensure that you get the right equipment for your mouth. While you can find generic mouthguards in most grocery stores, we recommend custom made sports guards which are made specifically to fit your particular mouth, for a tighter and more secure fit.
Sleep Apnea and Oral Appliance Therapy
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder where breathing stops and restarts repeatedly during sleep. The major signs of sleep apnea are tiredness during the day despite having a full night's sleep and snoring loudly. It is crucial to diagnose the condition early to avoid possible risks such as heart problems, and high blood pressure, among other health problems.
For sleep apnea, one common approach is CPAP therapy. This involves using a machine to deliver pressurized air through a mask that you wear while you sleep. This helps keep your airway open and prevents pauses in breathing. We also provide other oral appliance therapy devices for sleep apnea.
TMD/TMJ Treatments
Particular findings will assist our dentist in evaluating whether you have TMJ dysfunction or not. These may include jaw-locking, making it difficult to open your jaw, facial muscle tenderness, clicking and popping sounds when opening your mouth, and pain while chewing or talking.
Treatment of TMJ disorder requires a symptomatic approach, which requires correcting or improving the condition by treating symptoms.
If your TMJ disorder is caused by bruxism, the same treatment options will be available for you.
However, if your state is a result of other factors, treatment will be aimed at providing relief and correcting and previous damages.
Visit Your Family Dentists in Russellville, AL
For more information on our family dentistry procedures, you can reach us any time at 256-460-4191 or visit us at Singing River Dentistry.
Request an Appointment
|
