General Dentistry By Knoxville Dentist Dr. Gene Sapp at Smile Tennessee

To be honest, there are only a handful of dentists in the world who truly limit their practice only to cosmetic dentistry. At Smile Tennessee, we provide a full range of dental services and referrals for our patients.

Good dental care consists of three main components:

1. Diagnosis
2. Development of a treatment plan
3. Completion of treatment

After completion of active treatment, you will be re-evaluated at regular intervals to gauge treatment success and maintain the dental work. You may also need referral to a dental specialist such as an orthodontist or oral surgeon. This will be spelled out in the plan.

For some, this process may be as simple as a couple of cavity detection x-rays, exam, and a good tooth cleaning. For others, treatment could involve every tooth in the mouth and take a period of months to complete. It's also important to note that immediate problems or emergency situations such as toothache or broken teeth move to the head of the pack. Once the crisis is over, we begin with the diagnostic process and go on from there.

Dental Diagnosis

Diagnosis of dental problems is the most critical and often the most challenging phase of oral healthcare. This is the point where information is gathered and evaluated and decisions are made regarding type and extent of treatment...the rest is just work. Dental diagnosis may be completed at the initial treatment visit or it may take two or three visits to complete. Tools for diagnosis may include:

• Complete medical and dental history
• Complete exam of teeth, gums, and other structures of the mouth
• X-rays
• Photographs
• Study models of your teeth
• Tissue biopsy

Dental Treatment

Once the dentist has all the necessary information, he plans for needed treatment. Dental care is begun and may include the following, usually in this order:

1. Oral surgery, tooth removal, gum treatments, Periodontal treatments.
2. Endodontics(Root Canals)
3. Decay removal and fillings
4. Crowns, Bridges, and other permanent restorations
5. Orthodontics( This may precede #4)
6. Removable dentures.

Preventive Dentistry

After completion of active treatment, it is important to evaluate the oral condition periodically. This is more critical the more work you have in your mouth. Getting your teeth fixed is no guarantee you will be problem free. You can get decay around fillings and crowns, teeth can break, and you can develop gum disease. All good reasons to continue regular check-ups. Note that preventive care is especially important for children.