General Dentistry at Smiles By Mia
At Smiles by Mia, we offer regular general dental treatments for patients of every age. General dentistry focuses on maintaining the teeth and gums to prevent future oral health complications. Oral hygiene and routine dental visits are a large part of preventative dental care. At regular dental appointments, we offer dental cleanings and exams to patients of all ages. Root canals, dental fillings, and other preventative treatments treat tooth decay, a common but highly damaging dental problem.
Custom Mouthguard
If you or your child needs a custom-made sports mouthguard, contact Smiles by Mia today! Our dentists use dental impressions to create custom mouthguards to protect your teeth and orthodontic equipment during sports. Patients need custom sports mouthguards 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 providing comprehensive oral healthcare for the entire family. It involves preventive and restorative care, as well as cosmetic procedures. Your family dentist at Smiles By Mia is a highly trained professional with the knowledge and skills to provide quality care for our patients of all ages.
We understand the unique needs of each individual and strive to create a comfortable environment for everyone in the family. With our combined expertise, our dental care team can help improve your oral health and prevent future dental problems.
As a family-centered dental office, we are dedicated to helping patients of every age receive dental care. For younger patients, we offer sealants and fluoride treatment to prevent cavities. Younger patients can benefit from restorative and cosmetic treatments as they grow up. To learn about our family dental services, see Family Dentistry.
Laser Dentistry
We use the LightWalker for laser sleep apnea treatment and the WaterLase iPlus laser for periodontal therapy and root canal treatment. Laser dentistry offers comfortable and efficient treatment. The WaterLase iPlus laser uses water and heat to clean the root canal, remove infected gum tissue, and even address gummy smiles. The LightWalker adds heat to the tissues in the back of the mouth and tightens the tissue. To learn more about dental lasers, see Laser Dentistry.
Sedation Dentistry
Dental sedation is a treatment method for complex or lengthy dental procedures. We also typically recommend sedation for anxious or special needs patients. Under sedation, patients feel completely relaxed and do not feel any pain. Sedation is a safe treatment option for patients of many ages. To learn more about our dental sedation options, see Sedation Dentistry.
Sleep Apnea
If you or your partner snore or often wake up at night to breathe, you most likely have sleep apnea. Our dental team can treat sleep apnea using a LightWalker laser. The laser heats the tissue in the mouth to open up the airway. Many patients with sleep apnea use laser therapy and wear an oral appliance at night to curb sleep apnea symptoms. To learn about your sleep apnea treatment options, see Sleep Apnea.
Tooth Extraction
We must extract the tooth if we cannot save a tooth with a root canal and dental filling. Dental extractions also remove severely impacted and even overcrowded teeth. Ultimately, tooth extractions can save other teeth from infections, damage, and impaction. We also provide wisdom teeth removal services. Many patients often need to remove their wisdom teeth 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 maintaining the health and function of your smile. Preventative care is the main way we do this. If you brush and floss your teeth regularly and routinely visit the dentist, you’re less likely to incur more severe dental problems in the future. However, you have to be diligent about your oral health at home as well as visiting the dentist.
At home, you should brush your teeth at least twice daily and floss at least once daily. Preferably, you should do both after every meal. This reduces the debris left behind by your meals and helps prevent plaque and tartar from building up. Plaque and tartar lead to tooth decay and gum disease. The longer it’s left on your teeth, the harder it is to get it off. Tartar is a harder substance that shields the bacteria feeding on your teeth.
But even if you’re taking great care of your teeth at home, you can still be at high risk for these conditions. Certain areas of the mouth are more difficult to reach for the tools you have available at home. We have specialized dental tools designed to get into these hard-to-reach areas. Without regular cleaning with these tools, you’re still prone to plaque and tartar buildup in those areas, and you may not even notice it.
We also do a comprehensive oral examination every time you’re in our office. The early warning signs of certain oral health problems, like oral cancer and gum disease, aren’t painful and may be hard to notice on your own. We have extensive training in these signs and know what to look for. Our office also utilizes advanced diagnostic equipment. Finding issues at the early stages ensures that treatment remains less invasive and more affordable.
A Diet for Oral Health
Your doctor has probably told you that you need to eat a healthy, well-balanced body for your overall health. But diet is especially important for the health of your mouth. Your teeth are crucial to having good nutrition. Avoid too many starches, sugars, and acids to keep your mouth healthy. Starches break down into sugars, giving bacteria food and fuel for their acidic byproducts. Acid wears down the hard, protective enamel layer, making it easier for decay to burrow through the softer layers inside the tooth.
Fresh fruits and vegetables with a high fiber content are some of the best things you can eat for your teeth. They’re filled with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. If they have a fibrous texture, they’re even better. They require more effort to chew and break down, meaning more saliva. Saliva is crucial to balance out the acidity in your mouth, and it rinses away food debris and bacteria so it doesn’t linger on your teeth.
Dairy products are good for keeping the enamel on your teeth strong. They even help to remineralize your teeth when you’re experiencing some enamel erosion. Things like black and green tea have many vitamins and antioxidants. They help to minimize inflammation in the mouth, increase saliva production, and keep your mouth healthier. Eating a diet rich in these things ensures you stay healthy.
Regarding beverages, water is the most important one you should focus on. It helps wash away plaque and bacteria and also helps reduce the risk of cavities. If you’re drinking tap water, it’s most likely fortified with fluoride. This helps strengthen your enamel. Beverages high in sugar or acid — like soda — are the worst for oral health. Especially if you drink them over a long period of time, they’re constantly exposing your teeth to danger.
General Dental FAQs
As a general dentist, providing comprehensive answers to our patients’ questions is key. The following FAQs will give you a better understanding of common questions about general dentistry and our services. We hope this information will help you make informed decisions about your oral health care needs and available treatments.
Are dental extractions painful?
Although many patients may think that extractions are highly painful, they relieve pain caused by tooth decay, overcrowding, or impaction. We also use a local anesthetic for simple extractions. We will also use dental sedation for more lengthy or complex extractions so patients will not feel any pain during treatment.
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 may be an issue if you or a loved one have morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, or waking up to breathe properly. Contact our office, and we will consider your symptoms to recommend the right treatment.
How safe are dental lasers?
Dental lasers are often safer than traditional dental tools like drills. The WaterLase laser we use harnesses laser energy and pressurized water to treat the smile. Sharp dental tools can lead to more bleeding post-treatment. Lasers minimize bleeding and also regenerate healthy tissue.
Contact Our Dental Office
Are you looking for a local dentist? 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.