November 8, 2024

The Difference Between General and Cosmetic Dentist in San Luis Obispo

General dentistry focuses on treating and preventing dental disorders during cosmetics with enhancing facial appearance. 

Still, you should know that some aesthetic procedures have numerous health benefits, which means that a general dentist can perform several different options.

After entering here, you will know more about cosmetic procedures you can take. 

Understanding the difference between these two dentistry aspects is vital, which will help you out with the process.

General Dentistry

If you feel pain or discomfort, the first thing you should do is visit a general dentist. You will be able to undergo numerous procedures, including fillings, extractions, and root canal work, among other things.

Some of them can offer gingivitis treatment, gum inflammation and other conditions you may experience, including gum disease or periodontitis. 

The primary consideration is to adopt preventive care, which is why you should conduct regular examinations at least once in six months to undergo oral cancer screening and professional cleaning.

At the same time, it will provide you with sealants and mouthguards and fluoride treatments. Some of them will perform teeth whitening.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Since cosmetic oral health procedures focus on appearance and how your teeth look, you will get numerous procedures such as teeth whitening, inlays and onlays, composite bonding, and veneers 

We can differentiate a few aspects where cosmetic and general are almost the same. For example, veneers are part of aesthetical perspective because they mask stained or cracked teeth. 

Still, we can consider it a restorative process that will protect the tooth’s surface and your mouth. At the same time, tooth bonding is a cosmetic procedure to repair a decayed tooth with resin.

Different enhancements can help you fill gaps in your mouth to boost your appearance, while they are effective for treating numerous problems, including slurred speech and biting difficulties.

Implementing bridges and replacement teeth will help you restore your appearance and smile. However, it is also an effective way to prevent teeth from shifting and correcting bite functions.

Implants are alternative to bridges and dentures, which will provide you with aesthetics and functionality. Another area where they overlap are extractions.

Since it is a restorative procedure, the process will affect your appearance if you have a decayed tooth. Therefore, you may need to replace it with an implant.

When it comes to restoring your general appearance and smile, you should know that cosmetic oral health profession is a combination of science and art. 

Even though these procedures are not a specialty, experts must undergo extensive training to reach the best design possible.

According to the ADA or American Dental Association, this particular profession is not a specialty, which means that these professionals have an aesthetical approach to care compared with other specialties.

By visiting this site: https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/cosmetic-dentistry you will learn more about cosmetic dentistry. 

Should You Visit Cosmetic or General Oral Health Professional?

Since general dentistry focuses on treating and preventing potential oral issues, while cosmetic deals with aesthetic appearance, you should determine the best course of action.

The first step is to understand the difference between the two, which will help you further with the process.

Remember that both professionals come with skills to treat various procedures. It would be best to visit a general expert first to determine whether you have an issue or an aesthetic problem.

If you wish to boost your appearance, we recommend you find the closest professional.

They need to have either DDM or Doctor of Dental Medicine or DDS or Doctor of Dental surgery degrees. Therefore, both are oral health professionals, but the cosmetic ones are more likely to help you with appearance than others.

Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry

  • Boost Your Appearance – Having a fantastic look comes with numerous benefits, mainly because we will feel much better about ourselves. That way, we can interact with others appropriately and improve our confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth. If you have discolored and stained teeth, that will prevent us from smiling, so you should undergo either teeth whitening procedure or choose veneers to get the same results. Since you will have only one chance at first impression, you should find ways to boost your appearance and smile, which is something you should remember.
  • Perfect for Confidence – We have mentioned above the importance of confidence, which is how we measure ourselves in society. When we smile, we wish for teeth to reflect our outside. Therefore, self-esteem affects every single aspect of our lives including professional careers and personal relationships. That is why cosmetic treatments can help you ensure cracked and chipped teeth get better, which will affect your confidence levels.
  • Ensure Proper Diet – If you do not have several teeth in your mouth, chew food properly and eat solids will become challenging. That way, it will affect the way we consume food. An uneven bite can prevent us from chewing, which will make digestion problematic. Remember that minor issues can affect our daily intake. Having a healthy diet can improve our mental and physical health. Both general and cosmetic dentistry can help by ensuring your oral health and appearance are perfect. Therefore, undergoing cosmetic treatments by implementing onlays and inlays will help you improve your ability to chew and strengthen bites.
  • Boost Dental Health – Apart from affecting the way you look; you should know that cosmetic oral health care is perfect for preventing future problems. Having damaged teeth means you should add a crown, which will protect them against further decay. Implants will prevent damage to bone and gums.