The good news is that the state boasts a large number of dentists (25,000), making it easy for individuals to fulfill not just basic care needs but find excellent restorative dentistry services in California: Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Orange County, San Diego, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Emeryville, the East Bay, cities in the Bay Area and hundreds of other cities of CA. The internet makes it easy for individuals to do their research: you can sit back, relax and read about the services you need, do a dentist search and find affordable dental insurance. All with just a few mouse clicks.

Diagnostic & Preventative Care
Also known as preventive dental treatment, this is part of regular dental check-ups and meant to prevent problems from developing with your oral health. Services in this category include oral exams, X-rays, teeth cleanings and fluoride application. If you have not been to a dentist for a long time, or if your condition warrants it, the dentist may recommend a deep cleaning, where cleaning extends under the gum line to clean out plaque.

It's a good idea to visit the dentist twice a year for preventive care. This allows for the detection of dental problems early on, when the treatment is usually easier, less painful and less costly. Dentists have been able to detect early warning signs for serious health problems like heart disease and diabetes, so regular dental care goes beyond just good oral health.

Restorative Dentistry

Restorative dentistry services would include fillings, bonding, veneers, root canals, crowns, dentures, braces, implants and more. If you have tooth decay or cavities and need fillings done, remember to check with your dentist on the type of treatment and dental filling materials to use and any side effects associated. This is important especially for pregnant women, children and diabetics. A fact sheet regarding the advantages and disadvantages of different fillings can be downloaded from the Dental Board of California website.

If tooth decay has reached the inside nerve area of the tooth, you may need a root canal. This treatment could save a tooth that otherwise would die potentially cause problems for adjacent teeth.

Orthodontic or braces treatment is very popular with children and teenagers, and an estimated 20% of braces patients are adults. What causes crooked teeth? Usually, crowding of teeth in limited space, too much space between teeth, and upper teeth that do not match lower teeth when biting down. Unlike the large metal braces from years ago, today there are more options like clear, tooth colored, fun colored and invisible lingual and invisalign braces. With current technology, braces are better not just for cosmetic reasons, but are also less painful on the wearer.

General Dentist or Specialist Care?

For most preventative and restorative work, a general dentist will be able to help you. If your condition is more serious, your (general) dentist may recommend you to see a specialist, someone who has completed further training in a specialty. For example, Endodontics (root canal treatment), Pediatric Dentistry (children), Periodontics (gums), Prosthodontics (complicated dental reconstruction eg. implant work), Orthodontics (for braces). For regular care, the first step is to visit a general dentist, who will recommend for us to see a specialist if our condition requires additional attention.