Visiting the Dentist: Types of Treatments

Beyond the normal cleaning and cavity filling, here are some dental treatments commonly recommended for or sought by adults:

Adult Braces/Orthodontics — to realign teeth, close gaps in teeth or improve bite patterns
Adult Sealants — permanent plastic coating added to the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars to reduce the likelihood of cavities in those areas
Bridges — replace a missing tooth or teeth and are fixed (permanently cemented into the mouth)
Dentures — a full set of artificial teeth, used when all or most of the natural teeth have been lost to decay, disease or injury
Implants — permanent replacement for a missing tooth that is surgically placed in the bone
Partial Dentures — replace a missing tooth or teeth and are removable
Root Canals — performed on teeth with diseased or damaged nerves; the pulp is removed, the root preserved and a protective crown put over the top
Wisdom Teeth Removal — recommended when the teeth only partially erupt or threaten to crowd other existing teeth
Whitening — professional bleaching procedures to whiten teeth