Most people make a visit to their dentist twice a year for what is considered to be primary dental care. Primary dental care normally consists of a professional cleaning by a dental hygienist, a thorough visual checkup and attention to any issues such as a small cavity. If, during one of these semi-annual visits to their primary care dentists in Chicago IL an issue which is outside the professional scope of the dentist you can expect to be referred to a specialist. This is exactly where the term “primary care” comes in; it means that your regular general dentist is the first point of reference for all your dental care. This dentist may very well be the only dentist you will ever see however, it is your primary care dentist who knows when specialist intervention is required and he or she will arrange it through referral.
Probably the best example of primary care is the twice yearly professional cleaning of the teeth and oral cavity. Dentists in Chicago Il see this as preventative in nature, the intention is to ensure that the patient maintains the expected level of dental hygiene, this in turn makes it harder for decay or other problems to take hold. Even the best oral care cannot stop all dental problems from happening; periodically the dentist will spot a small cavity during the examination or some other dental issue that needs attention. Your dentist will usually attend to the issue during the same appointment or schedule a specific appointment to do the work. Primary care dentistry is extremely important as it affords the dentists in Chicago IL an opportunity to catch any problems in their early stage thus saving the patient money and unnecessary treatment.
If you have just completed orthodontic care the primary care dentist will take over ensuring that there is no adverse movement of the teeth. There are a number of specialties that general dentists in Chicago IL are no involved in, orthodontics can be one but as your general dentist is responsible for maintaining your dental records all future follow-up work or referrals are his or her responsibility.
Many general dentists have expanded their portfolio to include cosmetic dentistry. These dentists in Chicago IL can offer tooth implants, teeth whitening, veneers and dental bonding, etc; these treatments are not necessarily critical in nature, they are primarily designed to whiten and brighten your teeth, enhancing your smile and reinforcing your confidence.
