A dentist does everything that concerns the oral hygiene of the patients. The most common types of procedures a dentist offers are:

Fillings and Repairs

This is s procedure to repair teeth whose state has been compromised by trauma or tooth decay (cavities). Tooth trauma is caused by breaking or cracking of a tooth. A dentist uses several methods to determine presence of trauma or tooth decay. Filling is a method to repair a tooth usually using composite filling materials made from tooth colored resin that feels and looks like natural teeth. A dentist lisle IL should be able to inform a patient the best material for specific needs.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening are a procedure of making the teeth white again after darkening. Teeth get darker with age. It is mostly caused by:

• Smoking cigarette
• Taking beverages like black tea or coffee
• Taking foods like berries
• Trauma to teeth
• Drugs like tetracycline

Filling is one of most effective cosmetic dental procedures for improving discolored or stained teeth.

Extractions

Tooth extraction is removal of tooth from the socket in the bone. Extracting permanent teeth is one of procedures a dentist offers because of several reasons. The most common reason is a damage caused by severe decay or breaking. A dentist usually tries to use other methods like fixing teeth with crown, filling or other treatment procedure to save a tooth and only goes for extraction as a last resort.

Dentists may also settle for extraction if a patient has extra teeth blocking others from growing. Other people who require teeth extraction are those who are in the process of getting braces and there is a need to create more room for teeth that will be moved into place.
Dental Crowns (Caps)

Crowns are some dental restorations for protecting damaged, broken or cracked teeth. Dental crowns also called caps sit over entire part of a tooth. They lie above gum line. Crowns are made from metal, porcelain or combination of materials. Crowns help to cover cracked, severely stained or damaged teeth in order to hold the dental bridges in place. The reason for placing crowns over visible part of tooth is to improve appearance and enhance strength.

Root Canals

Root canal treatment also referred to as endodontics is removing of thread like tissue at the center of a tooth called tooth pulp. A dentist cleans shapes and fills the remaining space soon after removing the dead, damages or diseased pulp. The pulp is the section of a tooth containing nerves, veins, arteries and lymph tissue. When tooth decay advances nears or in the pulp, it increases risk of infection and usually will begin to ache. Root canal treatment seals off root canal after removal of infected pulp to prevent building up of pus at root tip at the jawbone.
A dentist can perform some of the above procedures or choose to specialize in specific areas.