Dr. Jessica Christy, your dentist in Hendersonville, NC, and her dental team provide comprehensive and comfortable dental services to patients. We emphasize the importance of general dental care and routine visits for a healthy and stable smile at Orchard Hill Dental.
Keeping the teeth and gums healthy is the focus of general dentistry and preventive dental care. Our dentist in Hendersonville and the professional dental team take the time to get to know each patient. Then she can provide dental care personalized to your unique needs and goals.
General Dental Care in Hendersonville, NC
Dr. Christy and her team are here to help you maintain healthy teeth and gums. We offer a variety of general dental services in our office. These treatments can prevent future dental problems, address common dental concerns, and ensure you get urgent dental care.
Custom Mouthguard
Do you play contact sports? Custom sports mouthguards can help protect you from sports-related injuries and prevent teeth from chipping or cracking. A custom mouthguard can also reduce stress on the neck, protect the jaw from trauma, and allow the user to speak and breathe properly. We offer mouthguards for kids and adults who play sports.
Dentistry for Seniors
We can begin to experience multiple oral health problems like dry mouth, root decay, darkened tooth enamel, tooth loss, and gum disease as we age. These problems impact not only the health of our teeth and gums but also our physical health. Orchard Hill Dental offers dental services for seniors, specific to each patient who visits our office, regardless of age.
Emergency Dentistry
Our professionals can help treat your dental emergency, whether you chipped or lost a tooth, need a replacement crown, or need relief from tooth pain. Call our office for emergency tooth extraction, restorative treatment, periodontal therapy, or root canal treatment.
If you have any questions about your treatment options, our dental staff will be happy to help. Dr. Christy will work with you every step of the way for effective and comfortable treatment.
Laser Dentistry
Dental lasers use heat and light to remove tissue. Our dentists use the latest in laser dentistry to provide gum disease treatment and contouring. We use a soft-tissue diode laser to remove bacteria from gum pockets. We also treat patients who want to address their “gummy smiles.”
Sedation Dentistry
Does dental fear or anxiety keep you away from the dentist? Sedation dentistry is a simple way to have a pain-free and stress-free visit to the dentist. Dr. Christy can treat minor or complex dental concerns with sedation for all types of patients.
Tooth Extraction
Teeth may be extracted due to overcrowding, extensive tooth decay, impacted wisdom teeth, or periodontal disease. Tooth extraction can help remove oral health problems at the source in severe cases where teeth are no longer healthy. Restorative solutions like dental implants, dental bridges, dentures, and partials can replace missing teeth after extraction.
The Importance of Preventative Care
Preventative care is a crucial part of your oral health. You must perform it both at home and with regular visits to your dental office. If you only participate in one of these parts, you’re still at high risk for oral health conditions.
At home, brush and floss your teeth at least twice daily. This prevents food particles and bacteria from building up on your teeth. If possible, do this after every meal.
But even if you do everything right at home, you can still be at high risk. There are areas in your smile you can’t clean with your at-home tools. Specialized dental tools are the only thing that can reach some places in your teeth. Regular dental cleanings allow us to clean these places. We scrape off any plaque and tartar buildup in those hard-to-reach areas.
Cleaning isn’t the only service you get at regular office visits. We also perform a thorough oral exam. Our team looks for early warning signs of like gum disease and oral cancer that you can easily miss at home.
Our dental team uses their training and diagnostic tools to catch these issues. Early dental care means less expensive and less invasive patient treatment.
We also monitor your mouth’s progress and development. Young adults have their wisdom teeth growing in, and many want to correct crooked teeth. Regular checkups allow us to keep track of any new developments and ensure you’re happy with your smile.
General Dentistry FAQs
General dentists perform preventative healthcare services to keep your smile healthy. Learn more by reading the answers to these common questions.
Can a regular dentist pull a tooth?
Yes, a regular dentist can pull a tooth. A tooth extraction is one of the most common procedures that dentists perform. We may refer you to an oral surgeon based on the complexity of the extraction. But in most cases, a regular dentist can handle tooth extractions without referring to an oral surgeon.
In most cases, tooth extraction involves numbing the area with a local anesthetic. Then we use special instruments to loosen and remove your tooth. After tooth extraction, our dentist will provide aftercare instructions to help you heal and reduce discomfort.
Can a general dentist do root canals?
Yes, a general dentist can perform root canal procedures. Dentists perform root canal treatments to treat or save a tooth that has become infected or inflamed in the pulp. But Dr. Christy may refer you to an endodontist (a specialist in root canals). An endodontist diagnoses, prevents, and treats diseases and injuries of the tooth’s pulp and surrounding tissues.
Is sedation dentistry safe for senior citizens?
Yes, dental sedation is generally safe for older adults, but Dr. Christy needs to evaluate you first. She’ll review your overall health, medications you take, any medical conditions, and what dental procedure you need.
The type of sedation used depends on your health. Some seniors may need a lower dose or a gentler form of sedation than younger patients. Certain medical conditions might make some sedation options unsafe. Follow Dr. Christy’s instructions and have someone accompany the patient to and from the appointment.
What does a dentist classify as a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is a situation that requires immediate dental attention. Common dental emergencies can include:
- Severe toothaches
- Painful infections
- Trauma (such as a fractured tooth)
- Severe bleeding
- A lost or loose filling
If you experience any of these problems, call Dr. Christy right away. Getting prompt treatment prevents worsening problems and more serious damage to your mouth.
Are lasers in dentistry safe?
Yes, lasers in dentistry are incredibly safe because of the advanced technology dentists use. Lasers are minimally invasive and allow for more precise treatment than traditional dentistry methods. They remove less tissue and result in fewer complications.
The American Dental Association approves the use of lasers for some dental procedures. Laser therapy often results in faster recovery times and reduced need for anesthesia compared to other dental treatments.
How long does it take to recover from a tooth extraction procedure?
Recovery time after a tooth extraction procedure can vary based on the individual and the complexity of the extraction. It takes 3-7 days for the initial swelling to subside. Then it takes 7-10 days for the extraction site to heal. It’s also common for patients to feel some pain and discomfort for a few days after the procedure.
Please follow our post-operative instructions. We recommend taking medications and eating soft foods. You also want to avoid brushing near the extraction site.
Contact Your Dentist in Hendersonville, NC
Do you need a sports mouthguard? Maybe you’ve noticed your gums bleed when you brush your teeth. Call Orchard Hill Dental for professional dental solutions like mouthguards and gum disease treatment, at (828) 247-7001. We’ll work with you every step of the way so your treatment is comfortable and runs smoothly.