The field of general dentistry focuses on preventive dental care, the aesthetics of your smile, and maintaining the health of your teeth. Many patients visit a general dentist for routine checkups and cleanings. At T. Kirk Crane, DDS, these appointments allow our dentist to monitor your oral health and diagnose any potential problems before they become more significant.

Visiting our general dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning can help keep your mouth healthy and avoid the need for more painful procedures. Regular preventive care visits can often prevent plaque buildup, gum disease, and other common oral health problems. 

During your visit, our dentist will also take X-rays and perform a comprehensive examination to check for oral diseases and other issues. They will also professionally clean your teeth to remove plaque and tartar from their surfaces, helping remove bacteria and brightening your smile.

Dental Cleanings & Exams

Visiting the dentist regularly can help prevent cavities, gum disease, and other serious issues. During these appointments, our dentist will use special tools to remove plaque and tartar buildup from your teeth. Even if your smile looks healthy, these deposits can cause irritation and inflammation over time. Regular cleanings can also remove stains from coffee, wine, soda, and more.

During your appointment, our dentist will also examine your teeth and gums for signs of damage or disease. These problems can often be caught in their earliest stages before progressing significantly. These regular visits can help you avoid costly dental procedures in the future as well. If our dentist can identify and treat issues like tooth decay early or before they become too severe, you can avoid the discomfort and cost of more advanced procedures. 

Digital X-Rays

Dental X-rays help dentists detect underlying disease, infection, or bone damage. Dental X-rays also help them evaluate the health of the teeth and jaw.

Before, when a dentist had to take an X-ray of your teeth, they had to use film to expose your dental structure to the radiation energy of the X-ray machine. This exposed you to some amount of radiation. Our dentist uses digital imaging so they can skip the chemical processing of the film and avoid exposing you to radiation directly. Instead, they can view the image instantly on the computer screen. 

Emergency Dentistry

An emergency dentist is a dentist who provides care for your teeth and mouth in the event of an emergency, such as a cracked tooth or a lost filling or crown. When a tooth becomes damaged, it can bleed and become infected. Our emergency dentist treats these emergencies as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of further complications. 

Intraoral Cameras

Intraoral cameras allow you and the dentist to see the inside of your mouth. The device consists of a wand connected to a camera placed inside your mouth. The images are transferred on a nearby monitor, allowing you to see your teeth up close. The camera gives our dentist a clear view of your teeth, which can help prevent tooth decay or catch any early signs of decay. The camera can also help our dentist check for signs of oral cancer, periodontal disease, and other dental issues. 

Laser Dentistry

Laser dentistry can be utilized in a variety of dental treatments, including the detection of tooth decay. Gum disease can also be treated with dental lasers. Lasers can sometimes be used to assist in eliminating soft tissue folds from ill-fitting dentures. Lasers also help to expedite in-office teeth-whitening procedures. 

Laser Gum Disease Treatment

Laser gum treatment is a method that uses a powerful laser to eliminate inflammatory tissue. Because diseased tissue is often darker, lasers can discriminate between healthy and diseased tissue. As a result, the laser can simply and precisely eradicate diseased gums. It also aids in sterilizing the area, which can assist in avoiding future gum disease or infection. When the laser is delivered to the infected gums, healthy gum tissue can regenerate, improving gum stability and preventing tooth loss. 

Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer is a type of mouth cancer that affects the lips, tongue, gums, cheeks, roof of the mouth, and floor of the mouth. Early detection is crucial to treat it effectively. If left untreated, it could spread to other body areas and lead to health problems such as difficulty speaking, chewing, swallowing, and breathing. 

A thorough dental screening is the safest way to detect signs of oral cancer early when it is most treatable. Our dentist will examine your mouth for sores, lesions, lumps, and other abnormalities. They’ll use visual clues and feel for abnormal tissue in your mouth. If any suspicious areas are noted, our doctor may perform a biopsy to examine cells under a microscope to determine whether treatment is necessary.

Root Canal Therapy

A root canal is necessary when tooth decay reaches the inner pulp of a tooth. When this happens, the pain and discomfort are usually excruciating, so most patients report needing immediate relief from the toothache. During a root canal treatment, the dentist will remove the infected tooth tissue and disinfect the area to prevent further decay. Once the infection is removed and the cavity is filled, the tooth should no longer cause pain.

Sleep Apnea Treatment

For patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, the treatment will depend on the severity of the case and how responsive the patient is to treatment. Three general types of sleep apnea treatments are available, namely lifestyle changes, oral appliance therapy, and surgical treatments.

Tooth Extractions

An extraction may sometimes be necessary to remove a tooth that is impacted, severely damaged, or causing pain. The tooth is gently removed from its socket in the jawbone. If the teeth are impacted, they are removed in pieces rather than in one piece. This minimizes the force needed to remove the teeth and prevents damage to surrounding teeth and tissues.

Visit T. Kirk Crane, DDS, at 104 Exchange Pl, Suite A Lafayette, LA 70503, or call (337) 232-3873 to learn more about regular examinations and professional cleanings and how general dentistry can enhance the beauty and overall health of your smile.