The case for preventive care

People normally elect to address their dental concerns by either making regular periodic visits to the dentist or by seeking treatment only when they have pain or discomfort. Many people mistakenly believe that the "fix it when it hurts" approach will save them money. It won't. It will cause a greater number and more severe dental problems. These dental deficiencies will only become more severe as you become older. The most likely outcome of poor dental preventive care is loss of your teeth and considerable expense at every step along the way.

The other approach is to visit your dentist on a periodic basis. Once every six months is sufficient for most people. Have an exam and cleaning done. This will permit me to address dental problems while they are small and remove built-up plaque that causes tooth decay and gum disease. Additionally, preventive (and minor restorative) care is considerably less expensive than repairing major problems as they cause pain.

Preventive care will permit you to maintain functional utility and a healthy smile for most of your life while costing you much less than repairing painful dental problems as they occur.

Periodic dental visits are important. I encourage every patient to address their dental health in this manner.