The year has barely begun. There’s plenty of time to start the year off productively with a commitment to that smile you’ve always wanted. If you’re one of those people who’ve put off a dental visit for a long time, you have nothing to fear and everything to gain when visiting a dentist to correct your dental issues. In fact, the dentist will commend you for grabbing hold of your courage and making an appointment.

Depending on how long it’s been since you’ve seen a dentist, expect to visit the office several times to achieve your gleaming new grin. Dentists start with the basics and work their way up to the look you want for your teeth. Healthy gums and firm jaw structure are the foundations on which your teeth rest, so the dentist starts there. Here’s how.

Your Dentist Evaluates Your Teeth and Gums

There’s a reason why dentists recommend routine brushing and flossing. Bacteria and mucous in your mouth work together to create a sticky, infectious mess on your teeth called plaque. If you don’t wage war on plaque soon after you eat, the goo becomes a destructive force called calculus — a.k.a. tartar.

However, a lot of people don’t do a great job of addressing plaque. If you’re over 30 and have some form of gum disease due to plaque, you’re one of 47 percent of the U.S. adult population with this dental condition. Join the club, right?

Tarter can seem as hard as concrete when it attaches to teeth. You may see it in the spaces between your front teeth or molars. You wonder why it doesn’t budge after a rough scrubbing with your toothbrush. It’s there to stay, causing damage to your teeth above and below the gum line.

Your dentist will evaluate your gums to see whether this damage — called periodontal disease — is eating away at your teeth, roots, or jawbone structures. X-rays, thermal imaging, and visual inspection with dental tools are some of the methods the dentist may use to determine the best course of treatment for you. Before treatment begins, your dentist explains the options in your case.

Your Dentist Cleans and Scales Your Teeth

Your dentist starts out by cleaning the base for your new smile. When there is serious or chronic gum disease, root planing and scaling are the recommended first treatments.

Scaling is the word used for scraping the tartar off the teeth above and below the gums. Root planing smooths out rough spots on your teeth’s roots and cleans up remaining bacteria. Some dentists use lasers in this phase.

Your dentist may prescribe various medications to speed healing and provide antimicrobial protection after the cleaning. Drugs may take the form of:

• Medicated mouthwash
• Oral antibiotic
• Topical gel or disc

Some prescribed medications include drugs that reduce the size of pockets under the gum line. Periodontal pockets can fill with bacteria and become infected, causing future dental damage, so it’s important to nip those pockets in the bud.

Your Dentist Repairs the Damage

After your teeth and roots are clean, the dentist sees more clearly how to get your smile back in shape. Even in cases of moderate and chronic gum disease, there are effective treatments available, so keep calm and let your dentist clue you in on the options. You may be offered restorative or regenerative treatment to build up the base of your teeth.

Flap surgery is one type of restorative surgery. The gums are reattached to the base of your teeth and tightened. This surgery makes it easier to keep the area clean.

In regenerative surgery, your dentist may use bone grafts and other materials to build up the jawbone. Regenerative therapy helps strengthen the jaw for later treatments, including implants, bridges, and crowns.

Contact the friendly, compassionate team at Town Center Family Dental to schedule a full dental exam, and get started on a great new smile for a great new year.