Our general dentistry services include:
Teeth cleanings and examinations.
At our Palm Desert dental office, we recommend you have your teeth cleaned at least twice per year. This way, we can remove the plaque that has built up on or in between your teeth. Regardless of how well you brush your teeth, it is difficult to clean hard-to-reach spaces, leading to a buildup of plaque and tartar. Since plaque can increase your risk of getting cavities, removing it can help you to be in better health. These appointments can be completed quickly, and we can attempt to work within your schedule.
Oral cancer detection.
Our general dentistry services include looking for signs of oral cancer while cleaning and examining your teeth. At Portola Dental Group, we understand the important role we play in detecting signs of the disease. It is difficult, if not impossible, to see the inside of your mouth, which makes it difficult to see signs of oral cancer until the disease has spread. While cleaning your teeth, we can look for hard lumps, bumps, red and white spots, and rough patches – all traditional signs of oral cancer. If we see these signs, we can refer you to an oncologist for further testing.
Bad breath treatments.
If your breath is smelly, you do not have to live with it. Call 760-201-4085 to schedule a dental examination and bad breath treatment. Very often, this is caused by a cavity, infection, or gum disease. By cleaning your teeth and your tongue, we can typically remove the cause of your bad breath. If you have another issue, like dry mouth, that is causing the problem, we can discuss further ways to improve it.
Treating gum disease.
In our Palm Desert, CA dental office, we both prevent and treat gum disease. This is one of our most important general dentistry services because if gum disease is left untreated, it can lead to gum recession and tooth loss. We can treat it by removing plaque from underneath your gums. Typically, this will help restore your gums to good health. However, if your gums begin to recede, we can discuss more intensive general dentistry services.
Dental sealant.
If you or your children have deep ridges on the chewing surfaces of your teeth, you should consider dental sealant. Patients can use this procedure as a way to reduce their risk of developing cavities. This is an easy way to protect your teeth, because we can apply sealant in a matter of minutes. It works by acting like a protective barrier so food particles and plaque cannot become trapped, thereby reducing your risk of developing cavities.
Fluoride treatments.
Studies have found that a fluoride treatment can reduce your child's risk of getting cavities by 30 percent or more. If you live in the Palm Desert area, visit our dental office and ask for a fluoride treatment on an annual basis. Fluoride works as a mineral that strengthens your teeth. In between appointments, you can use a fluoride toothpaste to continue strengthening them.
Fillings.
At Portola Dental Group, we can treat any of your cavities and restore the missing tooth structure with a dental filling. We can place natural-looking, tooth-colored fillings, so your tooth looks both natural and beautiful.
Root canals.
If the center of your tooth is infected, you most likely need a root canal. The obvious sign of this is if you have tooth sensitivity or a toothache. To perform a root canal, we will create a small hole in the tooth to remove the infected area prior to cleaning the area, seal it up with a rubber-like material, and then use a filling or dental crown to restore and protect the tooth. We will numb the area to be sure you feel comfortable during the procedure. It will last slightly longer than treating a cavity, but the process is fairly similar. This is one of the general dentistry services we perform to save an infected tooth and prevent the need for it to be extracted.
Restorations.
If you have damaged your tooth, our general dentistry services can restore it in both form and appearance. We have several options for doing so, including dental bonding, dental veneers, and dental crowns. All of these options can look natural and make your tooth function as well as it did prior to becoming damaged.
