Routine dental care is important for your oral health in San Antonio, TX. Regular cleanings and check-ups can help avoid bigger dental issues and the need for more complex treatments. Dr. Bassam Abazid focuses on keeping your teeth and gums in great shape with top-quality care. Our office uses the latest techniques and technology to offer thorough cleanings and general dental services.
At Smile Land Family Dental, our general dentistry services help prevent tooth infections, dental injuries, and other common problems. Preventive care includes cleanings, X-rays, and exams during your regular visits. By staying on top of these treatments, you can avoid worries about gum disease or tooth infections.
General Dentistry in San Antonio, TX
Our general treatments are part of preventive dentistry. Regular dental care helps stop problems before they become serious and expensive to fix. By treating common issues like tooth decay and cavities, we can prevent infections and save your natural teeth.
At our office, we offer various general dental treatments to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Our common preventive care services include cleanings and exams, dental fillings, and root canal procedures.
Tooth Cavity Treatment: Dental Fillings
Dental cavities are common, and fillings are a natural way to treat them. Cavities form when harmful bacteria grow, usually in hard-to-reach places.
These bacteria feed on food left in the mouth and create plaque, a sticky film. The bacteria also make acids that start to break down the tooth’s outer layer, called enamel. If you have tooth decay, you might notice soft enamel or holes in your teeth.
When bacteria reach the inside of the tooth, they attack the dentin, which is the layer below the enamel. Dentin has sensitive nerves that send pain signals if there’s a problem. If a cavity is too large, it can damage these nerves.
If Dr. Abazid finds a cavity, he will clean it out and fill it to protect the tooth. We use white fillings made from a tooth-colored material that blends in with your teeth. Unlike metal fillings, these white fillings are less noticeable. Composite resin fillings are a great choice for small cavities.
Root Canal Therapy
If you have toothaches and sensitivity that won’t go away, you might need a root canal. When an infection reaches the nerves and blood vessels inside a tooth, it can cause severe pain and spread to other teeth and gums if not treated.
Infections can kill a tooth and damage your mouth. A root canal can save the tooth and stop the pain. Root canal treatments are not painful and will help with the discomfort you are feeling.
Dr. Abazid will start by numbing your tooth. He will then remove the infected pulp inside the tooth and clean it out. After cleaning, he will fill the tooth with a special material and place a filling or crown on top. You might feel some discomfort for a few days, but it will soon feel better.
Finally, we will replace the temporary filling with a permanent one, called the core. We might also add posts to help support and strengthen the tooth. Then, Dr. Abazid will put a protective crown over the tooth.
Emergency Dentistry
Our emergency dental services are for patients who need urgent care. Dental emergencies are sudden issues that require immediate attention. Common emergencies include severe tooth pain, a broken tooth, or a lost dental restoration.
In our office, we’ll assess your emergency and suggest the right care. If you have a dead tooth, we might recommend a root canal or tooth removal. For other problems, we may need more time to prepare. If we can’t fix or replace damaged or missing teeth, we might suggest implants or crowns.
To learn more, see Emergency Dentistry.
Custom Mouthguards
Dr. Abazid offers custom sports mouthguards for patients of all ages. Wearing a mouthguard during contact sports can protect your teeth from damage, prevent tooth loss, and avoid injuries to your mouth and gums. We also make special mouthguards for patients with braces. Custom mouthguards stay in place better, so you won’t need to clench your teeth to keep them secure during sports.
To learn more, see Custom Mouthguard.
Sedation Dentistry
Do you feel anxious or scared about going to the dentist? Dental sedation can help if you need a lot of work done or if you’re nervous about the dentist. It makes sure you stay comfortable during your treatment. With sedation, you’ll feel relaxed and happy but won’t feel any pain.
Most dental sedation options don’t make you sleep. Instead, you’ll be in a relaxed state and might not remember much afterward. Our team is trained to keep you safe throughout the process.
To learn more, see Sedation Dentistry.
What Happens During a Dental Cleaning?
In our San Antonio dental office, we suggest getting regular cleanings along with other general dental services. Routine cleanings help stop dental problems that can harm your oral health.
Our dentist recommends visiting us every six months. However, if you have ongoing gum issues, you might need to come in more often. We’ll set up a schedule that works best for you.
Regular visits to Dr. Bassam Abazid keep your smile healthy. We can remove buildup that brushing and flossing alone can’t get rid of. Without these visits, small problems could turn into bigger issues.
Examining Your Teeth and Gums
During your visit, Dr. Abazid will use a small mirror to check for damage or infection. We’ll also look for signs of oral cancer, like unusual patches or sores in your mouth.
If needed, Dr. Abazid might take X-rays to find any hidden problems early. Based on the exam, we’ll suggest any further treatment and create a plan if necessary.
Removing Bacteria
Our dental hygienist uses stainless steel tools to clean your teeth and gums. These tools help get between your teeth and below the gum line.
Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that can build up on your teeth and gums if you don’t clean your mouth well. Over time, plaque hardens into tartar or white deposits between your teeth.
While brushing and flossing can remove plaque, tartar is tougher to get rid of. We use dental tools to carefully scale your teeth, scraping away bacteria from the teeth, gums, and under the gum pockets.
Brushing, Flossing, and Rinsing
Our dental hygienist uses a high-powered brush and gritty toothpaste to clean the remaining bacteria off your teeth. We use fluoride toothpaste to protect your enamel and then polish your teeth to remove stains.
The hygienist flosses between each tooth to get rid of leftover food and bacteria. If you don’t floss often, your gums may bleed more. We suggest flossing at least once a day to keep your gums healthy and less likely to bleed. After flossing, we rinse your mouth to clear out any leftover debris.
Additional Treatments
Dr. Abazid may recommend more treatments after cleanings to prevent problems like cavities and gum disease. These treatments help extend the results of your cleaning.
Fluoride Treatment
After your dental cleaning, we use fluoride to strengthen your teeth. Fluoride is a natural mineral that helps rebuild and protect tooth enamel from bacteria.
Dr. Abazid applies a fluoride varnish, foam, or gel to each tooth. This treatment takes just a few minutes after your cleaning. To let the fluoride work best, wait 30 minutes before eating or drinking.
Sealants
We also offer sealants to cover the molars in the back of your mouth. These teeth are more likely to get cavities, especially in younger patients. Sealants help prevent food from getting stuck in the grooves of your molars. Dr. Abazid recommends sealants for children as soon as their molars come in.
Do you need a dental cleaning? For general dentistry treatment in San Antonio, TX, call Smile Land Family Dental at 210-939-9689. You can also schedule an appointment here.
Our dental office serves Balcones Heights, Woodridge, Oakland Estates, and Leon Valley. If you have more questions about routine care, please call us. We’re here to help!