At Katy Smile Design, general dentists Dr. Catherine Wilder and Dr. Lauren Shepard help patients maintain the health and function of their smiles. General dental services are treatments that we use to prevent future oral health problems. For example, custom sports mouthguards can protect the teeth from injury or loss. Dental sealants are available for patients of all ages and can protect the larger back teeth from decay.
Routine dental care is the foundation of your lifelong oral health and wellness. We welcome you to experience the difference our personalized approach and caring manner can make in your patient experience.
Dr. Wilder and Dr. Shepard use digital x-rays and intra-oral cameras to find dental problems in the earliest stages and determine the best solutions. Modern dental technology is also key in general preventative dental care. Schedule routine appointments at Katy Smile Design so our dental professionals can help you maintain your smile and avoid common concerns such as decay and gum disease.
General Dentistry in Katy, TX
Our general dental treatments utilize preventative care to protect against future oral health problems. Learn about some of the general dental services we provide patients here.
Emergency Dentistry
In our Katy, Texas dental office, we can fix dental emergencies such as a knocked-out tooth, broken dental restoration, or severe toothaches. Our dental team can help replace missing teeth, restore cosmetic damage, and remove pain and infection with emergency care. Contact our office if you notice any sudden changes in your oral health. We can provide you with immediate care.
Family Dental Care
Our family dental care helps patients of all ages get the oral health care they need. Dr. Wilder and Dr. Shepard provide routine oral hygiene, cavity prevention, Invisalign treatment for teens, dental sealants, fluoride treatment, and more. We provide dental solutions for every stage of life. Dr. Wilder and Dr. Shepard provide treatment for every member of your family under one roof.
Laser Dentistry
Dr. Wilder and Dr. Shepard use soft tissue lasers for gum disease and tissue laser therapy for TMJ disorders. Laser dentistry is a safe and comfortable way for patients to address TMJ and gum disease. Dental lasers utilize light and heat but are quiet and painless. Our dentists do not need to use drills or sutures with laser dentistry.
Dental Sedation
Nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, and IV sedation are methods of sedation dentistry that we offer patients at Katy Smile Design. Sedation dentistry can be particularly helpful for patients who have dental fear and anxiety, although we do offer sedation for complex and surgical treatments.
Mouthguards for Teeth Grinding
A custom oral appliance is often the solution for teeth grinding, a common symptom of a TMJ-related disorder. Fitted like a sports mouthguard, a night guard can enable the jaw to rest in a natural, relaxed position while preventing tooth wear and damage from grinding and jaw clenching.
Sleep Apnea
We offer at-home sleep tests and oral appliance therapy for patients with sleep apnea. Patients who experience sleep apnea can have pauses in breathing multiple times at night. Receiving at-home sleep tests allows us to determine which treatment they require. Oral appliances keep the airway open and prevent apnea.
General Dentistry: What to Expect
We perform a thorough dental cleaning and exam when you’re here for your regular dental appointment. The dental hygienist is the first point of contact you have in the appointment room. They’ll discuss medical and dental history, determining if anything has changed since your last appointment. Usually, they’ll do a basic, quick exam of your mouth to see if they notice any problem areas. X-rays are taken to see the entirety of your mouth and oral structures.
Then, the hygienist uses specialized dental tools to scrape plaque and tartar off your teeth. These are especially adept for areas difficult to reach with brushing and flossing at home. When this is complete, we use a special, high-powered toothbrush with gritty polishing toothpaste to polish your teeth. We perform professional flossing to ensure that any debris and buildup between the teeth is eliminated.
The dentist comes in to give an exam when the hygienist is complete. We’ll examine all of your oral structures and things like your neck and throat, checking for anything abnormal. Depending on what the dentist notices, we’ll recommend any further treatment. This includes things like fillings or referrals for orthodontic treatment. We also provide patient education, especially if we notice certain patterns and things you may be predisposed to.
The Importance of Preventative Care
Preventative care provides the foundation of your oral health. You must ensure it happens at home and during regular dental visits. At home, brush and floss at least twice daily. If possible, brush your teeth after every meal. This helps control plaque and tartar, preventing it from building up on your teeth and trapping bacteria. Without cleaning it regularly, it builds on itself and becomes harder to control, increasing your chance of oral health problems.
But just brushing and flossing at home doesn’t take complete care of your smile. There are areas that your toothbrush and floss may not reach. Bacteria buildup is especially common at the gumline and on back molars that are more difficult to reach. Our office has specialized dental tools to access these harder-to-reach places. They’re delicate and precise, ensuring they effectively clean every area of your smile.
Cleanings aren’t the only thing that happens at your regular dental appointment. Thorough dental exams allow us to catch problems before they start. Issues like oral cancer and gum disease have subtle signs you may not always notice. Our training tells us what to look out for regarding these serious issues. We also have diagnostic tools that can show things undetectable by just our vision alone.
Diet and Oral Health
What you eat has a big impact on your oral health. Your mouth is where the digestion process starts. Some of the best foods for oral health include fresh, fibrous fruits and vegetables. They increase saliva production because they require a lot of chewing to break down. Saliva is essential for neutralizing acids in your mouth and washing debris and bacteria away from your smile. The fibrous texture works like a natural toothbrush, cleaning your teeth.
Vitamins C and D, as well as calcium and phosphorus, are essential for oral health. Foods like dairy and lean proteins are excellent sources of these. They replenish certain minerals and strengthen your tooth enamel, making it more effective against bacteria and decay. Anything with antioxidants helps to minimize gum inflammation and keep your gum tissue healthy and strong.
There are also foods you should avoid to keep up with oral health. Anything high in acid or sugar is the primary culprit for tooth decay. Acids erode the teeth enamel, making accessing deeper layers of your teeth easier. Sugar is the main food for harmful oral bacteria that emit an acidic byproduct, contributing to tooth enamel erosion. When you eat things that are high in sugar or acid, try to at least rinse your mouth out with water afterward.
Alcohol and tobacco use both detrimentally impact your oral health. They increase your chances of oral cancer, gum disease, and other oral health problems. The tar and other chemicals in tobacco build up on your teeth, causing yellow and brown discoloration. Both substances decrease saliva production and can impact how your body heals.
General Dental FAQs
Get all the answers you need about general dentistry here. We’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions to help you make more informed decisions about your oral health.
Are tooth extractions painful?
We make every effort to ensure that dental extractions are as comfortable and pain-free as possible for our patients. We use local anesthetic as well as dental sedation for more complex surgical extractions.
Can sports mouthguards treat teeth grinding?
No, sports mouthguards cannot treat bruxism or other symptoms of TMJ disorders. They’re made of thicker plastic to protect teeth on the court or the field. However, our dentists can provide night guards to treat your bruxism and TMJ issues. They stop teeth grinding and protect the enamel from wear and damage much better than sports mouthguards.
Schedule a Dental Consultation Today
Are you looking for a new general dentist? Do you require preventative dental care? Request a dental appointment with Dr. Wilder and Dr. Shepard on our website. You can also call Katy Smile Design today at 281.396.4366. Let our dentists know if you have any questions about your general dental treatment options, and they will be happy to help you.