Great oral health is the foundation of a gorgeous smile. As part of improving your smile, we want to make sure you have healthy teeth and gums. Our general dentistry services focus on your basic and ongoing dental needs, so that you can enjoy a comfortable bite and teeth free from painful problems.
To arrange your next checkup and cleaning, please call our Aurora and greater-Denver general dentistry practice at 303-751-3321.
- What Is General Dentistry?
- Signs You Should Visit the Dentist
- Tips for Great Dental Hygiene
- Reconstructive Dental Treatments
- Dentistry for All Ages
- Scheduling Your Next Checkup
What Is General Dentistry?
General dentistry focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of common dental problems. The following services fall under this category.
- Family dentistry: These treatments focus on the dental health of all ages, from children to seniors. We know the value of accessing your entire family's dental care under one roof, and our experienced dentists are trained to care for patients of all ages.
- Tooth-colored fillings: When a tooth forms a cavity because of decay, a dental filling protects and restores it. Tooth-colored fillings match the natural color of your enamel.
- Wisdom tooth extraction: The third molars are unnecessary and often do not have enough room to grow. They may stay buried under the gums, where they can cause problems. Extraction is a surgical means of removing these teeth.
- Endodontic treatment (root canal therapy): A severely decayed tooth may need to have the root chamber cleaned, which is the portion of the tooth beneath your gums. Endodontic treatment restores the health of the tooth.
- Gum disease treatment: Inflammation and infection of the gums is gum disease. Our dentists can provide treatment to restore healthy, strong gum tissue.
- Gum grafting: Gum recession arises when the gum tissue pulls away, or recedes, from the teeth. As a result, the tooth roots may be exposed, which can lead to sensitivity. Grafting gum tissue to the teeth can permanently reverse this problem.
- Dentures: Missing teeth can be replaced with dentures, which can be designed to replace multiple missing teeth or a complete upper or lower arch.
- Dental implants: A replacement for missing teeth, dental implants are embedded in the bone beneath your gums, like having an artificial tooth root. Implants are durable, secure and provide an ideal bite for chewing, laughing and speaking.
- Dental bridges: Dental bridges are another option for the replacement of missing teeth. They are made up of a row of dental crowns supporting a replacement tooth.
Our experienced dentists are personally committed to your best oral health. Rely on us for straightforward answers about your treatment options.
Signs You Should Visit the Dentist
You should always go to your regular checkups and cleanings. This type of preventive care helps you maintain good health while avoiding tooth decay and other dental problems. If you haven't been able to see a dentist in a while or if you notice discomfort or an issue that concerns you, contact our Denver-area practice. Our staff and dentists will help you get back on track.
If unusual symptoms such as the following arise, give our dentists a call:
Puffy, swollen, tender gums. These symptoms could be signs of gingivitis, which is an early stage of gum disease. Infected gums may also be deep red and irritated, and they may bleed easily when you brush and floss.
You're embarrassed to show your smile. If you feel embarrassed to show your smile, then you should consider visiting our cosmetic dentists to learn about your options. You deserve to feel confident and self-assured every time you smile.
Jaw pain, clicking or tenderness. Popping, clicking, tenderness and swelling around your jaw can be symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ/TMD), for which our dentists provide effective treatments.
Teeth sensitivity to hot or cold. Tooth sensitivity may be a sign of a problem such as exposed tooth roots, worn tooth enamel or damaged tooth restorations. Our experienced general dentists can determine the cause of your tooth sensitivity and all of the options for alleviating the discomfort.
You have a health condition that makes you more vulnerable to gum disease. Diabetes, HIV and cancer treatment are a few of the health conditions that can make you more susceptible to gum disease. Let our dentists know about your health history so we can make the most effective recommendations for your dental care.
Your mouth feels dry constantly. Chronic dry mouth may be an indication of a certain underlying condition. Or you may be experiencing dry mouth as a side effect to medication. Whatever the cause, dry mouth can make you more susceptible to decay and other dental issues. Our experienced dentists will determine the cause and work to restore your mouth to a comfortable status.
You have a persistent mouth sore. A sore that won't go away may be a symptom of several different dental problems. Our dentists will determine the cause and the most effective treatment.
You have persistent bad breath. Chronic bad breath may be caused by poor dental hygiene, gum disease, dry mouth, smoking or other issues. Our dentists can help you determine how to keep your breath fresher.
Loose teeth or missing teeth. Missing teeth and loose teeth can lead to discomfort, pain and bite problems, as well as difficulty chewing and speaking. Our dentists offer dental implants and other tooth replacement options to restore your bite and your smile.
These problems can be uncomfortable and distressing, but we are here to help. Our team of dentists has been serving patients in Aurora for more than 40 years, and we are personally committed to continuing to provide care for you and your family.
Tips for Great Dental Hygiene
Regular checkups and cleanings are one half of taking care of your teeth. Your at-home care is the other half. Here are our tips for great at-home hygiene:
Brush Your Teeth Properly
From a very young age, we all learn the importance of brushing our teeth twice a day, but many children and adults still don’t get optimal results for their efforts. To make the most of your toothbrush, consider the following:
- The best way to brush your teeth is at a 45 degree angle to the gums
- Using a soft-bristled brush that fits comfortably in all areas of your mouth will give you the best results
- You should replace your toothbrush every three to four months, or even sooner if your bristles are frayed
You need only use a light touch while brushing, and brush for two minutes each time. Some people benefit from using a timer to get a feel for two minutes of brushing.
How to Floss
While brushing regularly will keep your teeth clean, flossing is the best way to remove plaque and food stuck between your teeth in spaces where your toothbrush can’t reach. When we don’t floss, this leftover plaque can cause cavities or eventually harden into tartar causing gum disease. To make the most of your daily floss, consider the following:
- Flossing should not be painful. Though it's normal to feel some discomfort in the first weeks you begin flossing, this feeling should go away.
- It's okay to set your own schedule. Whether you want to floss before you brush your teeth or after, in the morning or at night, it's important to do it at some point.
- Use a clean section of floss for each tooth. You may need to use a long strand in order to do so. Curve the floss around the contour of each tooth, down to the gum line.
- Ask our dentists about floss options. Some people have an easier time flossing with an interdental cleaner or water-based flossing device.
If you have any questions about cleaning your teeth, our dentists provide personalized answers. We can help you improve your technique to maximize effectiveness.
Reconstructive Dental Treatments
Part of what our general dentists do is restore full function to teeth that are damaged, decayed or missing altogether. This reconstructive aspect of dentistry rehabilitates poor dental health and a bad bite. Services may achieve one or more of the following:
- Repair broken or damaged teeth
- Replace missing teeth
- Restore damaged dental work
- Correct any imbalances between your teeth and jaw joints
Using state-of-the-art restorations, such as white fillings and tooth crowns, our dentists restore the structure of the teeth and the alignment of the bite. If you are missing teeth or have damaged teeth, talk to our dentists about full mouth restoration.
Dentistry for All Ages
Lifelong oral health is important. At Aspenwood Dental, we don't only provide services for children and adults, but also senior adults who may have special dental health concerns or simply want a dentist who understands the dental needs of adults age 65+.
Oral Health Concerns for Older Adults
Dentistry is faced with a population that is getting older and keeping more of its natural teeth. Smiles show physical and esthetic signs of aging. Advances in the area of cosmetic dentistry now offer the dental profession new opportunities in conservative and esthetic restorative procedures that have the potential to reverse the signs of dental aging, thereby making patients appear younger.
Although anyone is vulnerable to common dental problems, people in their 60s, 70s and beyond might be more likely to experience:
- Missing teeth
- Poorly fitted dentures
- Tooth discoloration
At our practice, our dentists can help you treat all of these oral health issues, as well as others. We treat patients of all ages, and we care about achieving the very best dentistry results for each one of our patients.
Dental Care for Seniors
Our dentistry services are comprehensive and customized to allow you flexibility in your choice of treatment. Some of the most common treatments for the dental problems in the list above include:
- Full dentures
- Partial dentures
- Dental implants
- Dental bridges
With any of these treatment options you will be able to chew and speak better, and feel more comfortable.
Our patient-centered practice is committed to providing each of our patients with healthy, beautiful teeth at any age.
What People Say About Us!
"I had somewhat of an emergency situation the other day. Aspenwood Dental was able to get me in for an evaluation even though they were heavily booked. They then got me in to the specialist a few hours later who was also able to work me into to his busy schedule. It was the best I could hope for. Good job Aspenwood!" - Wayne E.
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Scheduling Your Next Checkup
To schedule your next appointment with our experienced Aurora and Denver-area general dentists, please call Aspenwood Dental Associates and Colorado Dental Implant Center at 303-751-3321.