General Dentistry
Helping our patients maintain a healthy mouth and smile is the main goal of general dentistry. We prefer to provide more minor, preventive care than to see patients suffer with more intensive treatments from a problem that was not managed in time. We want to ensure that your oral health is in its optimal state and positively contributing to the health of your entire body. We are here to brighten your smile and pave the way for a brighter life.
Preventative Dentistry
It is important to brush your teeth at least twice daily to help remove plaque and food particles that get stuck to your teeth. It is recommended that you brush your teeth for two minutes (or longer), though most people rush through this time. You need to make sure that you reach every side of each tooth, including the inside and outside. To help keep your breath fresh, you should also brush your tongue. Then, you can begin flossing.
Cleanings And Exams
Having a dental practice perform a checkup and regular cleaning gives a preventive approach to dental care. These general dentistry treatments help prevent problems with your teeth, gums and jaw bones, or they catch and manage problems before they worsen. During your visit, our doctors will take a picture of the current standing of your dental health and what would be needed to keep your oral hygiene in its best state.
Teeth Whitening
A common request we receive is how to make a smile whiter and brighter. This is a relatively simple and quick treatment option that can be performed periodically. Certain foods and beverages, such as wine and coffee, stain the teeth and contribute to discoloration. The teeth whitening process provides a solution that lightens the shade of the teeth. Additionally, the process actually rids the teeth of plaque and tartar that tend to lead to dental problems.
Fillings
Composite fillings act as a dentistry solution for problems such as tooth decay or cracks. A composite filling is a tooth-colored plastic and glass mixture used to restore decayed teeth. This procedure is also utilized for cosmetic improvements of the smile by fixing any discoloration or reshaping any disfigured teeth.
Root Canals
Root canals are needed when decay and bacteria spread for too long without treatment. At a certain point, this decay makes it to the pulp inside the tooth. This pulp includes nerves, therefore infection generally causes a lot of pain. Since this is happening on the inside of the tooth, you won’t necessarily see the damage. Instead, you could feel it through pain and notice other signs that include bleeding, swelling and bad breath.
Extractions
An extraction is performed to remove a tooth, whether because of disease, crowding, or damage. When extractions are required, the area around the tooth will be numbed and your dentist will remove the tooth. A small amount of bleeding is normal, as your mouth will replace the removed tooth root by forming a blood clot in the area.
Emergency Care
Our highly trained doctors and staff are ready to manage all of your concerns. We have methods to alleviate the pain and help you feel calm during your emergency dental visit.
If you are facing a dental emergency, please don’t hesitate to contact us immediately at (912) 354-9204!
Oral Cancer Screenings
Nobody wants to hear that they may have oral cancer. Although it can be fatal, it is easier to treat the earlier it is caught. For this reason, we are proud to assist our patients with an oral cancer screening. We want to help our patients survive this often fatal disease.
Oral cancer will typically show up as white or red patches or lesions inside of your mouth. You may even notice the lesions on your tongue or on the floor of your mouth. Many people experience a hard time swallowing, bleeding in the mouth, or even swelling in your face or neck.
Sealants
When we apply a dental sealant, we paint a plastic coating on top of your teeth. This makes your teeth smooth getting rid of the rough edges, depressions, and grooves that are commonly found on teeth. It is essentially a protective coating against tooth decay and cavities.
The most common place to paint sealants is on back teeth since they are often irregular. They can also be very hard to reach, even if you brush your teeth regularly. We use it more on children though we do perform sealants on adults too!
Night Guards
It can be beneficial to use a guard, or covering, to protect your teeth from grinding while sleeping. Similar to how a mouthguard protects teeth during sports, this layer prevents damage to the teeth that can occur naturally.
There are a wide variety of different types of mouthguards, ranging from pre-formed pieces to ones that are custom fitted to your teeth and jaws. Some of these can even be formed at home through a boil-and-bite process.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that is often misunderstood and can create multiple health problems if left untreated, especially in terms of dental health. Many people snore and allow their sleep habits to go unnoticed which is one of the reasons that sleep apnea is often undetected unless someone else notices. At Savannah Dental Group, we take time to properly evaluate your condition and can help offer treatment for those who struggle with sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder and serious medical condition that causes interruptions or disturbances in a person’s airflow during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is when sleep apnea is caused by obstructions of the airway such as the tongue rolling back or collapsed soft tissues onto the airway.
If left untreated, sleep apnea can continue to the development of several health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and liver problems.
Common symptoms of sleep apnea can include but are not limited to:
- Extreme drowsiness during the day
- Changes in personality
- Increased irritability
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Snoring
- Morning headaches
- Dry or sore throat after awakening
Sleep apnea treatment will vary depending on the patient and the severity of the condition. If you suffer from mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, our dentists may recommend an oral appliance.
An oral appliance works to treat obstructive sleep apnea by fitting over your teeth and working to keep your airway open while you sleep. It can work by preventing the tongue from blocking the air passage, or by holding your jaw in a position to prevent airway blockages during sleep.