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In an ideal world, you and everyone in your family would visit a dentist twice a year. A regular routine of dental visits can help prevent serious dental issues like dental decay and gum disease.
However, this isn’t the reality for a lot of people. Coordinating medical, dental, and extracurricular appointments for everyone in your family – in addition to differing work and school schedules – can be difficult and overwhelming.
Thankfully, you can cut a lot of stress out of your life by booking your family’s dental appointments with a Santa Barbara family dentist.
Family dentistry is a type of dentistry in which the dentist serves the dental needs of patients of all ages – from children's to geriatric patients.
A Santa Barbara family dentist provides preventative, restorative, and cosmetic treatments. What sets them apart, though, is that they are well-trained and experienced to help patients who may struggle with dental procedures. These include very young children, patients with developmental disabilities, and elderly patients that have dental anxiety, as well as health conditions and dexterity issues.
Family dental services in Santa Barbara can help patients improve their oral health and then maintain it once they’ve achieved it.
There are many dentists in Santa Barbara that are able to provide high-quality dental care. Why should you choose family dentistry instead? Here are just a few reasons.
As we mentioned, you have a lot on your plate. You’re doing your best to keep track of everyone’s schedules – from school and work to sports and piano recitals. How are you supposed to keep track of all that and multiple dental appointments with a variety of dentists?
With a family dentist, you don’t have to worry about that. Scheduling with a Santa Barbara family dentist is more convenient because you can schedule everyone’s appointments on the same day. And you only have to worry about seeing one dentist.
Another perk of going to the same dentist for years is that they know and understand your dental history. They can see patterns between family members, including those pertaining to:
Understanding these similarities can help you and your dentist be proactive with oral healthcare and certain dental treatments, like orthodontics.
A family dentist can serve entire families for years, sometimes decades. That means you only have to get to know one dentist and over time, your trust in your dentist grows. You know that your dentist has your best interests at heart and that they’re going to provide you with the best treatment plans and services. There’s nothing like trusting someone so much that you and your kids feel comfortable in their company.
Not every person who decides to become a dentist is physically, mentally, or emotionally able to care for patients of all ages. Some people have a knack for caring for kids. Others, not so much. Only someone who loves kids and gets along well with elderly patients is well-equipped to become a family dentist.
Going to the dentist can feel scary for kids. They don’t know the person. There are pointy instruments that they want to put into the child’s mouth. It’s all really scary, which can make a child feel anxious during a dental visit.
It takes a special type of person to know how to calm a child and keep them calm throughout an entire dental procedure. If you can find that kind of person, you can be sure that your child’s dental fears will soon dissipate. And that is a blessing for parents and kids alike!
Most family dentists offer general dental services, which include preventative, as well as some restorative and cosmetic procedures. Our Santa Barbara family dentist also provides emergency care for every member of your family whenever they need it.
Preventative services include:
Every member of the family benefits from these services. They are a vital step in preventing decay and gum disease, as well as identifying early markers of dental diseases, which allow your Santa Barbara family dentist to treat problems as early as possible.
Emergencies happen from time to time. You could end up with a broken tooth or a toothache. Or someone in your family can have an accident that results in a knocked-out tooth.
Family dental services in Santa Barbara include an emergency examination (including x-rays) to evaluate the emergency. In some cases, a referral to a medical or dental specialist is necessary. In other cases, your family dentist can perform palliative treatment to reduce pain and then reschedule you for a permanent treatment, such as:
Restorative family dental services in Santa Barbara are those that restore a tooth after it’s been damaged. Damage can occur in cases of trauma or dental decay. Damage can include:
To restore a tooth, your family dentist can perform:
Depending on their skills and specialties, your Santa Barbara family dentist can also offer cosmetic and orthodontic services.Depending on their skills and specialties, your Santa Barbara family dentist can also offer cosmetic and orthodontic services.
Cosmetic services improve the aesthetics of your teeth but aren’t necessary for healthy function. They’re considered elective treatments. Some examples:
Orthodontic services can be considered cosmetic but in many cases, braces or Invisalign clear aligners are needed to restore the teeth to proper function. A misaligned bite can result in chronic pain and headaches, as well as increase the risk of tooth damage like cracks, chips, and fractures.
A Santa Barbara family dentist that performs orthodontic procedures can treat patients of any age – from your young child to your grandparents. There is no age limit for orthodontic treatment!
In addition to helping you achieve optimal oral health through restorative services, your Santa Barbara family dentist’s ultimate goal is to help maintain your health. With regular preventative cleanings and exams, you and your family can have beautiful smiles that last a lifetime.
Ready to get started? Contact our team to schedule a new patient examination today!
