Award Winning Family Dentistry in Leesburg, VA

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As adults, we may not feel the urge to visit the dentist as often as we should. It is recommended to visit your dentist every six months in order to prevent any issues that may require larger procedures in the future. Many patients often forget that having a family dentist for their family is just as important as having a regular health doctor. In fact, a family dentist can be a great preventative way to catch any issues before they are in need of major procedures. It’s no secret that many adults still have anxieties about visiting the dentist; these types of anxieties may still come into play when it comes to finding the perfect family dentist. We can help with that!

When looking for the best family dentist, you are looking for someone who can make you feel comfortable and confident in your smile, along with ensuring the overall oral health. This dentist should also be able to provide all of these options mentioned above to patients of all ages, including infants. A family dentist can also be called a general dentist, but should also provide proof of experience in pediatric patients (children) as well. After all, if a child visits a dentist who doesn’t have much experience in pediatric patients, it can make the child feel extremely uncomfortable and cause trauma for any future dental visits from then on out. You can feel extremely comfortable knowing that a family dentist can take care of the health of your teeth and your children’s teeth as well.

6 Things to Look for when choosing a family dentist

General dentistry has become an oversaturated industry, which can make finding the perfect dentist for you and your family extremely hard. When looking for a good family dentist, you should look for the services listed below as a starting point to ensure the family dentist can do many services needed. If you are in need of anything a bit more complicated, like an oral surgery, your family dentist should be able to recommend a surgeon for that specific procedure.

Deep Cleanings/Check-ups

Every general dentist will be expected to provide bi-annual cleanings. As mentioned above, it is recommended to visit your dentist every six months for a deep cleaning and checkup. This same rule of thumb goes for pediatric patients as well. In fact, children’s primary teeth are softer than adult teeth. Therefore, they are much more susceptible to getting cavities and bacteria build up, and will need to have them treated immediately. Any issues can be caught early on if every patient visits the dentist twice a year for a dental cleaning and checkup.

Root Canal Therapy

If the patient has a cavity, it basically means the pulp of the tooth has become infected. It will need to be removed and filled with a dental filling. A root canal therapy procedure is done to try to save the natural tooth from becoming fully decayed. If the tooth cannot be saved through root canal therapy, it will need to be extracted in order to stop the spread of bacteria. Children are much more susceptible to getting cavities because their teeth are softer than adult teeth, and many issues can arise because of this.

Dental Sealants

Some children are more susceptible to cavities even with regular brushing. Dental sealants can help protect their teeth and reduce the risk of decay and future root canal procedures. A sealant is a thin resin that is brushed on the outside of children’s teeth that can protect them from getting cavities or prevent them from spreading bacteria or decay. A sealant is a step that many patients choose to skip because of the extra cost. However, this extra cost can prevent bigger price tags and a future appointment that triggers larger issues. Think of sealants as vitamins for your teeth; they are especially good for children’s teeth!

Dental Fillings

Dental fillings are typically used during the root canal therapy procedure to fill in the tooth after the infected pulp has been removed. There are multiple variations of fillings: either a composite filling or a metal alloy material. A metal filling is typically only used during the root canal procedure, while a composite filling can be used for both a root canal procedure as well as to repair a cracked or chipped tooth ( as it is a tooth-colored material). If you have a crack in your tooth and it hasn’t flowed below the gum line just yet, it is important to have this tooth repaired immediately using a composite filling. This crack is left unrepaired; it can worsen by cracking below the gum line and providing a space for bacteria to crawl into. In some extreme cases, the tooth will need to be extracted!

Dental Crowns

If you have a deep crack in your tooth but a dental filling is not enough to keep it together, then your dentist may recommend a dental crown. A dental crown is typically made of either porcelain or ceramic, and it is a tooth restoration that is placed over the top of your tooth to cover it from all sides above the gum line to seal and protect your tooth. A dental crown can also be used as an added layer of protection after a root canal therapy procedure. A dental crown can also be used to cover a tooth that is badly discolored and cannot be whitened using professional tooth whitening procedures.

Tooth Extractions

Wisdom tooth extractions are extremely standard in the dental industry. You may be quick to assume a dental oral surgeon may be needed for a wisdom tooth extraction if the tooth has not grown past the gum line just yet. However, general dentists are well-trained and can perform the extraction of wisdom teeth, whether they are above or below the gum line. It can be beneficial to you as the patient to find out exactly what forms of sedation or local anesthetics are used in order to numb the patient from pain. Some dentists do not offer any form of sedation for wisdom tooth extraction, so you need to be educated on your family dentist's procedures, so you do not run into this issue when it is needed.

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Meet Dr. Tracey Nguyen

Dr. Tracey Nguyen received her Doctor of Dental Surgery, Magna cum laude, at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Nguyen is trained in all phases of implant dentistry, and has received extensive training in cosmetic dentistry. She is also a manuscript/review editor for the Academy of General Dentistry.

More About Dr. Nguyen

We are located in Leesburg, VA but proudly serve Lansdowne, Reston, Broadlands, Ashburn, Sterling, and all neighboring communities.