Your Family Dental Home in North York for over 35 years

We can first divide dentistry into two major categories: general and specialist.

• General dentistry is the most common type of dentistry in which a North York dentist offers a full range of routine treatment and dental services. General dentists are everywhere and are responsible for giving a diagnosis, providing dental care treatment, and often offering all kinds of services for your lifetime of oral health and hygiene needs.
• Specialist dentistry, on the other hand, offers specialized expertise in various forms of dental specialties. The American Dental Association (ADA) and National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards (NCRDSCB) currently recognize 12 different dental specialties:
  • Pediatric dentist: providing oral health and hygiene services for children and adolescents.
  • Periodontist: specializing in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of gum disease from mild gingivitis to severe periodontitis (severe gum disease). Dental implant services are also often performed by periodontists.
  • Orthodontist: specializing in using braces, wires, retainers, etc., in correcting your teeth and jaw alignments
  • Endodontist: specializes in treating oral health problems related to the soft pulp inside the tooth, which contains nerve tissues and blood vessels. A root canal is the most common endodontic dentistry treatment.
  • Prosthodontist: handling treatments that involve restoring missing teeth and jaw structures, including dental implants, bridges, crowns, veneers, and treatments of TMJ/TMD.
  • Oral maxillofacial radiologist: specializing in using X-rays, MRI, CT scans, and other forms of imaging for diagnosing and treating oral conditions.
  • Oral pathologist: may not provide direct treatment services but is responsible for using various examination methods (i.e., microscopic or radiographic examinations) to study and research the causes, processes, and effects of oral diseases, acting as a consultant for general North York dentists and other specialists.
  • Dental anesthesiologist: mainly responsible for developing anesthetic plans, administering anesthetics, and monitoring patient's condition before, during, and immediately after oral surgeries or procedures.
  • Oral medicine specialist: provide dental care for patients that require long-term management of oral health care and/or those that require frequent modifications.
  • Orofacial pain specialist: assessing, diagnosing, and managing oral and facial pain conditions such as TMJ (temporomandibular muscle and joint) disorders, neck pain, and so on.
  • Dental public health specialist: responsible for developing strategies to manage public dental/oral health and promote dental health by leveraging organized community efforts.

Even if you've maintained good oral hygiene practices, such as brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day, a regular dental visit is still very important in keeping your teeth and gums healthy for two reasons:

1. There are oral health conditions, especially cavities, that might not be undetectable without a thorough examination. For example, the usage of x-rays may be required to detect cavities hidden between your teeth. Regular visits to the North York dentist at least once every six months ensure that these conditions can be detected as early as possible to maximize treatment results.
2. The regular dental visit will also involve a thorough cleaning of your teeth and gums. Even if you've regularly brushed and flossed your teeth, you can't remove tartar on your own. The North York dentist will use special tools to remove tartar, as well as floss the areas between your teeth.

Yes, as mentioned, there are oral health conditions that might not show any symptoms (and no pain) that, when left untreated, may turn severe.

Also, you can't 100% clean your teeth and gums at home even with a good oral health practice. During your regular cleaning at the North York dentist, for example, the dental professional can use a special scaling tool to remove tartar and plaques in hard-to-reach areas between your teeth and inside your gums.

To summarize:

• Even if your teeth are fine and you don't experience any pain, regular dental visits are still important to help keep your teeth and gums healthy by performing two things:
  • Check-up: thoroughly check your overall oral health to identify problems as early as possible
  • Cleaning: remove any plaque and tartar buildup. When necessary, your teeth may also be polished.

Again, it's recommended to maintain a regular dental visit scheduled, at least every six months or twice a year.

The ideal answer to this question may vary depending on your unique needs and priorities, but here are some key questions to ask:

• Is it close enough to your home and/or office? Remember that you may need to visit the North York dentist during emergencies.
• Is it an accredited dental practice? Not a must, but an accredited practice means this is a high-quality dentistry practice, and the dental professional and/or clinic have worked hard to meet adequate healthcare standards.
• Does the dental office have adequate parking? Is it close enough to public transport? Also, consider the accessibility of the dental office.
• Are their office hours suitable for your preferences? Will you require a North York dentist that opens outside the usual (9 to 5) business hours?
• Will this dentist accept your insurance or participate in government schemes you're eligible in?
• Are you looking for a North York dentist that specializes in a particular area of dentistry or specific treatment?

The general rule of thumb is that you should visit the North York dentist for regular cleaning and check-up twice a year or every six months.

However, at the very least, you should visit the North York dentist once a year even when you don't have any symptoms of oral health problems.

Keep in mind that if you have previous dental issues (i.e., cavities, gum disease, previous abscesses), you should increase the frequency of your regular check-up to prevent future problems, and you might want to get checked out every 3 or 4 months.

For children, the first visit to the North York dentist should happen within six months of their first tooth appearing, and then you should maintain regular visits at least twice a year, not only to prevent future dental health problems (which can be dangerous even for baby teeth) but also to familiarize themselves with dental practices and dental tools.

Regular visits to the North York dentist will also allow the dental professional to check whether teeth are developing normally and detect any problems as early as possible.

The more comfortable your children are with dental treatments from a young age, the more likely they will be able to maintain good oral health and hygiene practices into adulthood.

Here at Smile Centre North York, scheduling a check-up at the North York dentist is very easy:

1. Fill out our online appointment form here, and mention "regular check-up" in the "How can we help you:" field.
2. Pick a date and time that works for you
3. You'll receive an email confirmation once your booking is complete

P.S. If you are unable to book online or you cannot find a time that fits your schedule, please don't hesitate to give us a call toll-free at 416-800-1581, and we will find a time that works!