Before the advent of modern dentistry, people commonly suffered toothache and tooth loss from their youth on.
Many were disfigured by dark, crooked, or missing teeth.
Toothless senior citizens suffered malnutrition because they weren’t able to chew properly.
Today, most dental patients can be free of toothache, keep their teeth throughout their life, and have a pleasing smile.
How do modern dentists achieve these feats?
Preventive dentistry, emphasizing education and regular checkups, has been a key factor in avoiding toothache and tooth loss.
Nevertheless, many people avoid the dentist.
Some neglect dental treatment out of indifference, others are deterred by the expense, still others are afraid.
Whatever your circumstance, it is worth asking: what can the dentist do for me?
Today’s dentists can restore your ability to chew or make your smile more attractive by fitting a denture to replace missing teeth, or provide a fixed bridge that caps a tooth at each side of the gap and holds one to replace missing teeth.
An increasingly popular option is an implant.
A titanium anchor is inserted into the jawbone where the tooth used to be, and when the bone and gum have grown back into place, the dentist attaches an artificial tooth to the anchor.
Crooked teeth can be embarrassing and hard to clean, making them prone to disease.
If teeth do not come together properly, they may be painful and make chewing difficult.
These problems can usually be corrected with braces.
If visiting a dentist makes you especially anxious, your dentist will want to help you to cope with your fear, so tell him how you feel.
Most dentists have an interest in speaking kindly to their clients.
If the expense of dental treatment is your biggest fear, having a regular check-up and cleaning now may help you avoid problems and expensive treatment later.
