At Encino Dentist, we have experienced family dentists to care for the oral needs of your family in all stages of life, but particularly for kids and teenagers. Parents are always busy, and scheduling appointments for each member of the family can be challenging. They prefer a family dentistry practice where both children and adults can receive any kind of oral treatment under one roof. If you are wondering what family dentistry is, the benefits of the practice, and how to find a practice for your family, this article will provide the answers you need.

What is Family Dentistry?

Family dentistry is a practice that deals with oral health for both children and adults. Although kids have different oral needs from adults, family dentists can provide comprehensive care for temporary and permanent teeth. It means that you don’t need to look for another practice when your kids turn into teenagers or adults.

Family dentists, just like general dentists, are primarily concerned about oral hygiene and health, but most of their emphasis is on the needs of kids and teenagers.

Keep in mind that although most dental practices today are built on specialty, most family dentistry practices provide multiple treatments under one roof. It is for this reason that parents should choose family dentistry because all the oral needs of your loved ones will be addressed in-house by an expert you already trust.

What Services do Family Dentists Offer?

Reliable family dentistry is one that offers multiple services. Primarily, they focus on general and preventive dentistry. Some of the services you should expect from a general dentist include:

  1. Regular Exams

An excellent family dentist will schedule two appointments annually where they examine your teeth for issues like decay before they get out of hand. The regular exams also help monitor teeth development in kids, and if they are not doing well, the problem can be addressed at an early stage. During these visits is when your teeth are cleaned too.

  1. Fluoride Treatments

Tooth decay is prevalent among kids, which is why family dentists provide dental sealants and fluoride treatment to prevent decay.

  1. Cavity Identification and Fillings

Although tooth decay is common among children, it is still preventable. A family dentist has the skills to check or identify these cavities and fill them. They not only handle tooth decay in children but also in adults, which makes them suitable for tooth decay needs of your family.

  1. Treatment of Gum Diseases

Periodontal diseases are widespread among adults. Family dentists provide periodontal maintenance, deep cleanings, scaling, and antibiotics to treat gum diseases.

  1. Orthodontics

Very few dentists offer orthodontics treatment in-house. However, most conduct orthodontics assessment, and if they find an issue, they refer you to another practice that specializes in the field.

Note that apart from the above services, family dentists provide additional services such as cosmetic dentistry.  When treating children, they take a gentle approach by building a good relationship that not only makes the child comfortable but helps them develop healthy oral habits and eliminates the fear of visiting a dentist.

The Benefits of Having a Family Dentist  

The oral needs of children are different from those of adults. So, it will be logical if you allow your kids to see a dentist who understands their needs and has experience handling children. A family dentistry practice, unlike pediatric dentistry, will take care of the needs of your children as they grow into teenagers and later adults without having to shop around for another dental practice. Below are some of the benefits of family dentistry:

Adequate Care for your Entire Family

Family dentists are equipped with training to handle oral issues for both children and adults. The majority of family dentistry practices begin receiving children from as early as three years. However, the most frequent customers are children and adults because they require regular exams and cleanings. If you have a family dentist, you are guaranteed proper dental care because the regular cleaning and examination help identify and address oral issues before becoming severe. Besides, visiting the same dentist all the time helps you properly manage your appointments.

Establish a Relationship with your Dentist

Both children and adults are faced with anxiety when visiting a dentist. The stress gets even worse if the dentist is new to you, as the absence of trust makes it difficult to stay calm during treatment. Fortunately, with family dentistry, the practice you choose always ensures that you or your family continue seeing the same dentist for the duration that you want. Doing so creates trust among patients because they feel more comfortable when the person treating them understands all their needs.

Seeing the same dentist all the time means you will develop a personal relationship. The dentists will also understand your oral needs and the kind of action to take. And because you trust what the dentist is doing and are comfortable around him or her, it will be easier to open up about your dental needs, thus resulting in better treatment.

Convenience

The majority of parents operate on a busy schedule. They don’t have the time to drive around from one dental clinic to another around Encino for each family member to receive a dental checkup. It will be inconveniencing and time-consuming to do so, which is why a family dentist is the right choice. These professionals have the training and knowledge to deal with people of all ages and with various needs. 

So, if you choose family dentistry, you will not be inconvenienced because all the dental checkups will occur under one roof saving you time and making the schedules manageable. Also, if one family member needs an orthodontics procedure and the other one needs a periodontal, you don’t have to worry about wasting time because all these services will be available under the same roof.

Flexibility

If you are a busy parent who has to balance between work and children, you want to work with a dentist that is highly flexible in terms of schedule. A family dentist will schedule appointments at the time that is most convenient for the parent. In case you are always busy on the weekdays, a family dentist will schedule an appointment during the weekend or holiday when you are free.

Get Preventive Dental Health Care

Consistent visits to a family dentist ensure oral problems are identified at an early stage and addressed. During these visits, the dentist performs oral exams, x-rays, and uses computer modeling to predict when you are likely to experience dental issues. Some of the problems that can be identified at an early stage include grinding and malocclusions. If these issues are spotted and treated early, they prevent tooth loss or other dental problems. Things like teeth cleanings and exams twice a year help get rid of tartar and plaque, thus preventing periodontal disease and staining.

Restores a Flawless Smile

A family dentistry practice provides treatment for all ages, which means they will be available to fix any oral flaws or defects that occur at any stage. One major dental imperfection common among older kids and teenagers is misaligned teeth. Such a fault can be corrected by the use of Invisalign. For adults, tooth staining, chips, and blemishes are common. These smile flaws can be fixed by a family dentist through teeth whitening, bonding, and veneers.

Restore Missing and Damaged Teeth

Tooth loss is another common issue that family dentists address. Although the majority of patients assume that replacing missing teeth is a cosmetic procedure, it is essential to note that tooth loss can result in other significant problems. One of the issues is that it might result in the shifting of teeth adjacent to the open socket. The other problem is that loss of teeth causes a reduction in jaw bone density, which affects the structure of the face.

Similarly, loss of teeth can cause eating and speech problems. Another common problem with teeth loss is poor oral hygiene because brushing and flossing teeth when some are missing becomes difficult. Your family dentist will assess the structure of your mouth, periodontal disease, and the state of other remaining teeth to devise a plan to replace the lost teeth. There are multiple options the dentist can use to address your missing or damaged teeth, such as bridges, implants, and dentures.

Education and Updates on How to Enhance your Overall Oral Health

When you and your family visit a family dentist, apart from addressing your oral issues, he or she will also educate you on how to care for the teeth. The experts will also give tips on the diets to avoid, how to pick the best toothpaste and other things that you can do to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

In case there are any new developments in the industry on technologies and techniques that can promote the overall oral health of the family, the dentist will update you on this issue too.

You should also take advantage of the excellent relationship you have with the dentist and ask questions regarding how to keep teeth surfaces clean during regular brushing. Also, if you have braces that make it difficult to brush and floss teeth, you can request for tips on how to maintain oral hygiene while having braces.

Comfort During Appointments                              

It is common to feel anxious when visiting a family dentist because most oral procedures are associated with discomfort. However, this shouldn’t mean that you experience extreme pain or anxiety. Family dentistry practices understand that they deal with families where both adults and children come for appointments. For this reason, they have put all the necessary measures to ensure you stay relaxed and comfortable during your visit. For people with anxiety, there are measures in place that can help them relax, such as watching TV or listening to music.

For complicated procedures like a root canal, they have various pain management strategies like the use of local anesthetic or mild sedatives. Make sure you discuss these options with the dentist and inform them if you struggle with anxiety so that they can take the necessary steps to keep you comfortable.

Remember that understanding what a family dentist does and the benefits of their services is a crucial step towards maintaining healthy and functional teeth.

How to Find the Right Family Dentist

Not all family dentistry practices out there are equal. This means that not every person claiming to provide these services can deliver what you want. But how do you find the right family dentist? Sometimes, the most vital aspect to consider is the location. At the Encino Dentist, we have made it easier for Encino residents to find us because our location and contacts are on our site.

Other times, you may want to make more considerations and perform background checks on the practices that you are considering. Below are some pointers that can help you pick the right family dentistry practice:

  1. Evaluate your Needs

The first step towards finding the right family dental service is by knowing your oral needs and those of your family. You have to consider if it’s the adults or the kids that need dental care. Besides, any previous oral health issues in the family should be discussed because you want someone who can handle all your problems.

  1. Set Criteria

You need to come up with a list of things you need your dentist to have. Some of the crucial things that you should consider in a family dentist are education, the atmosphere of the facility, and the cost of services.

Pick a dentist with the right credentials, training, and one who takes part in continuing education programs. Also, make sure their work environment is appealing and comfortable. You can learn more about the atmosphere by talking to people who have visited the clinic before. The other important thing is the price. Choose a dentist who offers uncompromised services at reasonable prices.

  1. Do Some Online Research and Schedule an Appointment

You should also do some online research about family dentistry practices in your locality, and if you find a few, you should call and arrange a meeting. Your experience during the session is what should decide the expert to pick.

Find the Right Family Dentist Near Me

If you are willing to learn how experienced family dentists can take care of the oral needs of your family, contact Encino Dentist today at 818-650-0429 to arrange an appointment. Our family dentistry experts treat patients of all ages and will establish a long-term relationship that will result in a happy family with healthy and functional teeth.