Hey there, welcome back to the Dr. Rose blog! We hope your February went swimmingly and your March is great so far. This week on the blog we just wanted to go over something very basic, and we figured what could be more basic than the most common dental procedures Americans go through every year. Maybe you’re in need of one of these services yourself, or just curious what dentists do the most of. Well, here’s a quick list!

The Routines

When we say routine, we’re talking about cleanings, exams, and x-rays. These are done with just about every visit, whether it’s a check up or the beginning of a much more involved procedure. A cleaning will last about 60 minutes with a hygienist who will remove and plaque or calculus buildup and then polish. This process can include fluoride treatments and flossing depending on necessity. These are recommended every three to six months (if you’re staying on schedule!) they’re fairly common.

Likely a patient will have dental x-rays done about once a year, if not more with particular problems. In an x-ray and exam, most problems are identified. Problems such as cavities, gum disease, or whatever else the patient may be suffering from can be identified, and then a plan of treatment can be developed.

Extraction

Past the routine work, one of the most common procedures done by dentists and oral surgeons everywhere is the extraction. Extractions are performed whenever trauma to the tooth is beyond the scope of repair or if it has not been treated early enough to save. Simple extractions can be handled by your regular dentist using a local anesthetic.  More involved, but no less common, extractions may require an oral surgeon.

We’ll stop there for now as we’re running out of room on this week’s blog. We’ll be back next time with a few more common procedures, such as the different types of restorative work. Till then, keep on flossing!