General Dentistry at Smiles By Mia
At Smiles by Mia, we provide regular dental treatments for patients of all ages. Our general dentistry keeps your teeth and gums healthy to prevent future problems. Good oral hygiene and regular check-ups are key parts of this care.
During your regular dental visits, we offer cleanings and exams to patients of all ages. We also treat tooth decay, a common but serious issue, with treatments like root canal procedures and fillings. Continue reading to learn more about our dentistry and why you should visit our Burke dentist.
Custom Mouthguard
If you or your child needs a custom sports mouthguard, contact Smiles by Mia today! Our dentists use dental impressions to make custom mouthguards that protect your teeth and braces during sports. Custom sports mouthguards are important for contact sports like basketball, soccer, and hockey. To learn more about our custom sports mouthguards, see Custom Mouthguards.
Family Dentistry
Our family dentistry focuses on full oral care for everyone in your family. This includes preventive, restorative, and cosmetic treatments. At Smiles By Mia, our family dentist is highly trained to provide quality care for patients of all ages.
We understand each person’s needs and aim to create a comfortable environment for everyone. Our dental team works together to improve your oral health and prevent future dental problems.
As a family-centered dental office, we help patients of every age. For kids, we offer sealants and fluoride treatments to prevent cavities. As they grow up, they can get restorative and cosmetic treatments at our office. To learn about our family dental services, see Family Dentistry.
Laser Dentistry
We use the LightWalker laser for sleep apnea treatment and the WaterLase iPlus laser for gum therapy and root canals. Laser dentistry offers comfortable and efficient care. The WaterLase iPlus uses water and heat to clean root canals, remove infected gum tissue, and fix gummy smiles. The LightWalker uses heat to tighten the tissues in the back of the mouth.
To learn more about dental lasers, see Laser Dentistry.
Sedation Dentistry
Dental sedation is for complex or long dental procedures. We also recommend it for patients who are anxious or have special needs. We can help you get the care you need if you have a strong gag reflex, or can’t sit still. With sedation, patients feel very relaxed and don’t feel any pain.
Dental sedation is safe for patients of all ages. To learn more about our dental sedation options, see Sedation Dentistry.
Sleep Apnea
If you or your partner snore or wake up at night to breathe, you might have sleep apnea. Our dental team can treat sleep apnea using a LightWalker laser. The laser heats the tissue in the mouth to open the airway. Many patients with sleep apnea use laser therapy and wear an oral appliance at night to help with sleep apnea symptoms.
To learn about your sleep apnea treatment options, see Sleep Apnea.
Tooth Extraction
A tooth extraction is always a last resort service for damaged teeth. The dentist needs to take out the tooth if they can’t save it with a root canal and filling. Extractions also help with badly impacted or overcrowded teeth. This can save other teeth from infections, damage, and impaction.
We also remove wisdom teeth. Many people need their wisdom teeth taken out to prevent overcrowding and injuries to their natural teeth. To learn more about tooth removal services, see Tooth Extraction.
Why Preventative Care Is Essential
General dentistry focuses on keeping your smile healthy and strong. Preventative care is key to this. By brushing and flossing regularly and visiting the dentist, you can avoid serious dental problems in the future. It’s important to take care of your teeth at home and visit the dentist.
At home, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss once a day. It’s best to do both after each meal to remove food bits and prevent plaque and tartar from building up. Plaque and tartar can cause tooth decay and gum disease. The longer they stay on your teeth, the harder they are to remove.
Even if you take great care of your teeth at home, you can still be at risk for dental problems. Some parts of your mouth are hard to reach with regular brushing and flossing. We have special dental tools that can clean these tricky areas. Without regular cleanings with these tools, you might get plaque and tartar buildup without even knowing it.
Every time you visit our office, we do a thorough check of your mouth. Some early signs of oral health problems, like oral cancer and gum disease, aren’t painful and can be hard to spot on your own. We are trained to see these signs and use advanced equipment to help us. Finding problems early means treatment can be less invasive and more affordable.
A Diet for Oral Health
Your doctor may have already told you about the importance of eating well for your overall health, but diet is also key for keeping your mouth healthy. Your teeth play a crucial role in good nutrition.
To maintain a healthy mouth, avoid eating too many starchy foods, sugars, and acidic foods. Starches break down into sugars, which bacteria in your mouth use as food and produce acidic substances. These acids can wear down the protective enamel layer of your teeth, making it easier for cavities to develop.
Fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber are some of the best foods for your teeth. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. If they have a fibrous texture, even better! These foods require more chewing, which stimulates saliva production and helps balance the acidity in your mouth.
Dairy products are great for keeping your tooth enamel strong. They can even help strengthen worn-down enamel. Drinks like black and green tea are packed with vitamins and antioxidants that reduce inflammation in your mouth, boost saliva production, and promote overall health. Eating these foods can keep your mouth in good shape.
Water is the best and our drink of choice. It rinses away plaque and bacteria and lowers your risk of getting cavities. If you drink tap water, it likely contains fluoride that strengthens your enamel. Stay away from sugary or acidic drinks like soda, especially if you sip them for a long time.
General Dental FAQs
As a dentist in Burke, we enjoy giving clear answers to our patients’ questions. The following FAQs will help you understand common concerns about general dentistry and our services. We aim to provide information that helps you decide what’s best for your oral health care and treatments.
Are dental extractions painful?
While some patients worry that extractions are painful, they actually help stop pain from tooth decay, overcrowding, or impaction. For simple extractions, we use a local anesthetic to numb the area. If the extraction is more complex or takes longer, we may use dental sedation to make sure you don’t feel pain during the procedure.
Do I have sleep apnea if I snore?
Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. However, snoring is a common sign of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is an issue if you or a loved one have morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, or are waking up to gasp for air. Contact our office, and we will look at your symptoms to suggest the right treatment.
How safe are dental lasers?
Dental lasers are safer than traditional tools like drills. The WaterLase laser we use combines laser energy with pressurized water to treat your mouth. Traditional tools can cause more bleeding afterward, but lasers reduce bleeding and help healthy tissue heal faster.
Contact Our Burke Dental Office Today!
Schedule a dental appointment at Smiles by Mia online or call (571) 789-1265. We serve patients from Springfield, Fairfax, and the surrounding areas. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns at your next dental visit. We are always here to help our patients get the dental care they desire.