General Dentistry

General Dentistry in Centralia, WA

In a similar way to how you have a general practitioner you visit for your yearly health checkups and get referrals to specialists, the majority of your dental health needs will be handled by your general Centralia dentist. We might refer you to an orthodontist, endodontist, or periodontist if you need complex or uncommon treatment in those areas. 

Our General Dentistry Services

At Roberts Wellness Dental, we offer a wide range of essential general dentistry services, including:

• Dental Bridges: a replacement for a missing tooth in which the two surrounding teeth (or implants) support a crown to “bridge” the gap. This prevents the neighboring teeth from shifting towards the gap and restores appearance and function.
• Dental Cleanings: as important as brushing and flossing at home are, there will almost always be plaque an tartar buildup that can only be removed by the hygienist.
• Dental Crowns: after root canal therapy or a large cavity, it may be necessary to replace the entire above-the-gums portion of the tooth with a crown that matches your surrounding natural teeth.
• Dental Sealants: these are a quick and easy way to prevent cavities developing in the chewing surfaces of molars and can be done in the space of a normal dental visit.
• Digital Impressions: this technology allows us to take impressions of the shape and position of your teeth without relying on unpleasant trays of putty.
• Enamel Shaping: this is a process in which we carefully sand away small amounts of tooth enamel and polish the area to correct minor cosmetic or orthodontic issues.
• Fillings: when a tooth has been damaged by decay, we carefully restore it to its original shape and function with fillings.
• Fluoride Treatments: after your cleaning appointment, you have the option to add a fluoride varnish, which provides your teeth with a supply of minerals to keep their enamel strong.
• Neuromuscular Dentistry for TMD relief: if you are experiencing jaw pain or other TMD symptoms, we help make the hard and soft tissues around the jaw work together more comfortably.
• Occlusal Disease Treatment: a bad bite can cause a wide array of problems, but we can address the issue with simple orthodontic treatment or by reshaping or restoring the affected teeth. 
• Sedation Dentistry: we offer this option for patients who struggle with dental fear or anxiety, to ensure a comfortable and stress-free visit.
• Tooth-Colored Fillings: gone are the days of silver amalgam fillings; we can restore a decayed tooth with a filling that blends in perfectly with the tooth’s natural surface.

General Dentistry FAQs

1. How often should I visit the dentist?

We recommend two dental visits a year for patients with good oral health. Patients fighting gum disease might need to increase that to four visits a year until things improve. These regular visits allow us to discover a problem while it is still small and easy to treat or sometimes reverse. Not visiting the dentist brings a serious risk of a problem going undetected until it has had time to become both painful and expensive.

2. How can I overcome my dental anxiety?

Many patients struggle with fear of the dentist, often because of a previous bad experience or simply because of society’s (largely outdated) attitude towards us, and we understand that it can feel very vulnerable to be lying down with a stranger’s hands poking around in your mouth. That’s why we work very hard to create a comfortable environment for our patients, and we offer sedation options that help calm your anxiety if you need it.

3. What should I do if I haven’t been to the dentist in a long time?

The best time to visit your Centralia dentist is six months after your last visit, but the second-best time is now! Dental problems do not go away on their own, so you will be doing your mouth a huge favor by scheduling your next dental appointment now.

We’re Proud to Serve as Your Dental Home

Regular visits to Roberts Wellness Dental for these services are a major investment in your oral health, making it much less likely that you will ever need advanced treatment from a specialist. We look forward to being your partners in dental health and working together to keep your teeth and gums looking, feeling, and functioning their best.