Understanding Common Dental Procedures: A Comprehensive Guide

We all hope that a trip to the dentist won’t result in a diagnosis that requires further treatment. But there are a number of dental procedures that are quite common, and knowing what they involve may help you if you ever need one of them yourself.

Here’s a look at some common dental procedures and what they entail.

Introduction to common dental procedures

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in the U.S. for people of all ages.¹ So the most common dental procedures involve treating it. Some of the most common dental procedures include:

• Preventive dentistry, like dental checkups, dental X-rays, cleanings, and sealants^2,3
• Fillings to repair tooth decay or damage
• Root canals to remove infection and save the affected tooth
• Crowns to support or replace damaged teeth
• Teeth whitening

These and other dental procedures can prevent more serious oral health issues or help you feel more confident in your smile, reduce pain and discomfort, boost your overall health, and more.

Dental procedures by age

The types of dental procedures you may need can vary by age, although each individual’s needs will, of course, be different. For instance, children may have no permanent teeth, or a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth, and their jaws are still growing and developing. So their dental care may focus on preventing serious issues and setting good oral hygiene habits for life.⁶

In older adults, dental problems could result from difficulty maintaining oral hygiene physically, dental disease that have existed over many years, or other factors.⁷

Making sure you are getting the proper dental procedures to maintain good oral health is important for you overall health as well. Poor dental hygiene could be connected to inflammatory health issues, like diabetes and heart disease.⁸ Untreated gum disease could cause increased inflammation elsewhere in the body.⁸

Preventive dental care

Preventive dental care, such as daily brushing and flossing, is important to your dental hygiene. Keeping up with preventive care can help you avoid possibly more extensive or costly dental work in the future.⁹ Beyond that, poor dental hygiene could be connected to inflammatory health issues, like diabetes and heart disease.¹⁰

Preventive dental care includes dental checkups (also known as exams), X-rays, and dental cleanings. Exactly how often you should get dental cleanings, X-rays, and other dental care will depend on your overall dental health and your likelihood of developing dental issues.

Typically, adults and children will need a preventive care exam every six months.² The American Dental Association says your dentist is the best person to determine the frequency of care.¹¹ Your dentist can also determine whether you need x-rays. If you have dental insurance, you may get full coverage for preventive care (often with treatment frequency limitations).

Be sure to check coverage for preventive care, and any other treatments you may need, when you compare dental insurance plans, discount dental plans, or other plan you may be considering.

Cosmetic dental procedures

You need your teeth to chew and speak clearly, but you also want a nice smile.

Cosmetic dentistry addresses the aesthetic side of oral health, using techniques to improve your smile’s symmetry, color, and overall appearance.

How teeth whitening and dental implants can enhance your appearance

Two popular cosmetic dental procedures are teeth whitening and dental implants.

Teeth whitening:

• Removes stains from the surface of your teeth to make them appear whiter in color
• Can be performed at home or at your dentist’s office
• ·Uses peroxides to lighten the appearance of your teeth
• Can cause tooth sensitivity or gum irritation¹²

Dental implants:

• Are surgically installed in the jawbone where the root of a tooth would be
• Hold replacement teeth, like dentures, crowns, or bridges, in place
• Eventually grow together with bone in a process called osseointegration¹³
• Can prevent issues with chewing, keep the rest of your teeth stable, protect your jawbone from bone loss, and preserve the aesthetics of your smile¹⁴

Other common cosmetic dental procedures include:

• Dental bonding: Using a resin material to change the shape of your existing teeth to better fit your smile or hide cracks/discoloration of your teeth^15,16
• Veneers: Strong ceramic caps that a dentist places over your teeth to give you a more even smile
• Tooth and gum contouring: The removal of tooth enamel or gum tissue to change the shape of your teeth or gums to meet your aesthetic preferences¹⁷

Trends in cosmetic dentistry

Technological advances could make cosmetic dentistry easier and more effective. Recent trends in cosmetic dentistry include:

• AI-driven smile design: Smile design, or the projected plan for altering your teeth for cosmetic purposes, traditionally used drawings and plaster casts to demonstrate what your teeth would look like at the end of your treatment. But advancement in AI and deep learning make it possible to get a clearer picture of what your results will be like.¹⁷
• Robot-assisted surgery: Though not widely available, this involves a robot arm that can be used in the placement of dental implants, and it offers significantly more precision and fewer mistakes.¹⁸
• Computer-aided design and manufacturing of veneers: These veneers are significantly more affordable than traditional veneers, and they can offer similar quality, durability, and outcomes.¹⁸

If you’re considering undergoing cosmetic dental procedures, make sure you’re aware of the risks and potential pitfalls — talk to your dentist or specialist before your procedure.

Also make sure you understand whether a cosmetic dental procedure is reversible or not. Veneers, for instance, are permanent, since the enamel removed to fit the veneers is gone forever. They also may need to be replaced every 10 to 20 years.

Restorative dental care

While cosmetic dentistry focuses on the aesthetics and appearance of your smile, restorative dental procedures aim to improve the function of your teeth and jaw, often by fixing or replacing broken or lost teeth.¹⁹

The most common restorative procedures include:

• Fillings: A composite material is used to fill in the hole after the decayed portion of a tooth is removed¹⁹
• Crowns: A partial artificial tooth that fits over an existing damaged tooth or a dental implant²⁰
• Bridges: An artificial tooth (or several teeth) with crowns on either side that fit to your natural teeth²²
• Implants: A medical device that attaches to your jawbone and holds an artificial tooth in place
• Dentures: A full or partial set of replacement teeth that usually just rests on top of your gums, but can also be attached via implant²²
• Orthodontics: Dental work that aims to align your teeth and jaws optimally for function and aesthetics, typically via braces and/or aligners

How dental crowns and orthodontics help restore oral health

Dental crowns can help strengthen a tooth that’s been weakened by a large cavity and/or a filling that is failing, restore a misshapen tooth, or attach a bridge or dentures to your existing teeth.²³ Replacing or supporting missing or weak teeth can improve your chewing function, speech, and the aesthetics of your smile.

The goal of orthodontic care is to correct malocclusion, which is the misalignment of jaws and/or teeth. Malocclusion can cause difficulty chewing and eating, issues with speech, gum disease (since crooked teeth are difficult to clean), and enamel loss.^21,22,23 Orthodontic care can prevent the onset of or resolve these issues.

Choosing the right dental crown materials

Dental crowns can be made from a variety of materials, including metals (like gold and nickel), porcelain fused to metal (PFM), pressed ceramic, porcelain, and resin.⁵

There are pros and cons to each type of material, and the one used will depend on which tooth needs a crown, the cost, and aesthetic concerns.²⁴ Your dentist will advise you of your best options.

Factors to consider include cost, appearance, and strength. For instance:

• All-metal crowns resist breakage the best and last the longest, but they tend to be more expensive (depending on the metal used) and less aesthetically pleasing
• Ceramic and porcelain look more like natural teeth, but can be more fragile

PFM crowns look like teeth and have the strength of metal, but can wear down enamel more quickly than other types of crowns⁵

How MetLife supports common dental procedures

MetLife dental insurance coverage can help you afford a wide range of common dental procedures:

• Preventive procedures: Cleanings, exams, and X-rays
• Restorative procedures: Dental crowns, root canals, inlays and onlays, fixed bridges, implants, implant-supported prosthetics, periodontal surgery, and surgical extractions
• Pediatric procedures: Sealants, fluoride treatments, orthodontics, etc.

The types of coverage you have will depend on the MetLife plan you have from your employer, but plans typically cover in-network preventive care at no cost to you. Plans could also include coverage for preventive, basic, restorative, and major dental procedures, and orthodontic care. Keep in mind that treatment frequency and age limits may apply. Like with most dental insurance, cosmetic dental work is not covered.

MetLife has a large network of thousands of dentists and other dental care providers. You can find a provider with MetLife’s Find a Dentist tool. In addition, in the MyBenefits portal,  you’ll find an extensive network of providers, including those with the SpotLite on Oral Health designation. This designation is given to in-network providers that meet certain criteria for preventive oral health care.

Dental care for kids

Taking care of your kids’ teeth when they’re young helps them develop the good habits that could lead to a lifetime of good oral health.²⁵ Also, just like with adults, preventive dental care can help you get ahead of more serious problems.

Dental procedures for kids

You should bring your child for their first dentist appointment once their first tooth appears. If they turn one before the first tooth, you should bring them in after that birthday.²⁶

Dentists are qualified to treat both adults and kids, but there are specialized pediatric dentists as well.² These dentists go through additional schooling in child psychology and child development.⁶

Some common dental procedures for kids are preventive treatments, including:

• Dental cleanings: Regular cleanings can prevent tooth decay and gum disease in both baby teeth and permanent teeth
• Fluoride treatments: Dentists can cover baby teeth with a fluoride varnish a few times a year that can prevent tooth decay²⁷
• Sealants: Dentists can paint a child’s permanent molars with a protective film that has been found to prevent up to 80% of cavities in the first two years³

Parents can set a foundation for lifelong dental health for their kids by instilling them with positive oral health habits. Start with daily tooth brushing as soon as a baby’s first tooth appears. Some experts recommend cleaning your baby’s gums with a cloth before the first tooth even erupts.²⁸

Though baby teeth eventually fall out, parents should still help their children take good care of them. Baby teeth play the important role of making space for a child’s adult teeth to grow in — as well as helping them chew and talk.²⁹

Oral health tips

For many people, a few minutes per day, plus a dental exam every six months or so, can help prevent or catch serious dental issues. Make sure you:

• Brush your teeth each day, twice per day, for two minutes each time³⁰
• fluoridated toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush, and make sure you reach each side of each tooth. Try to hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to your gums to remove plaque.¹¹
• Brush your tongue when you brush your teeth³³
• Floss at least once per day

Use an alcohol-free mouthwash each day¹⁰

Lifestyle choices that affect your oral health

Beyond your daily dental habits and keeping up with your preventive care, there are a few lifestyle choices that could hurt your teeth and gums:

• Smoking and the use of other tobacco products, like chewing tobacco, can cause gum disease, oral cancer, and other dental health problems. Quitting these habits can have a profound impact on many areas of your health.¹⁰
• Eating foods or drinking beverages that are high in sugar — like sodas and juices — can cause cavities.³¹
• Acidic foods, like citrus and tomatoes, can cause the enamel on your teeth to break down over time. Eat them as part of a meal rather than on their own to mitigate this effect.³²
• Long-term stress can lead to mouth sores, teeth grinding, and tooth decay/gum disease from unhealthy coping habits like eating unhealthy foods and smoking or drinking alcohol.³³

The best products for maintaining oral hygiene

For the most part, any soft-bristled toothbrush and floss will keep your smile healthy as long as you’re using them correctly and daily. But there are other tools you could consider using:

• Electric toothbrushes were found to be slightly more effective at removing plaque than manual toothbrushes.³⁴
• While dental floss is considered the best way to remove plaque from between your teeth and below the gum line, a water flosser is an acceptable alternative if you prefer it^35,36

Understanding gum disease and treatment

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is the inflammation and infection of gum tissue.³⁷ It’s an incredibly common phenomenon — nearly half of American adults have some form of periodontal disease.⁴⁰

Some people are more prone to gum disease than others due to genetics, autoimmune conditions, hormonal changes, an unhealthy diet, smoking, or other factors.³⁸ But it is can also be caused by a lack of dental hygiene.

Day to day, a bacteria-filled film called plaque builds up on your teeth. The main point of brushing and flossing is to remove plaque.

If you don’t remove plaque frequently, it can harden into tartar, which you’ll need to get a dental cleaning to remove. Plaque and tartar buildup can cause infection underneath your gums that can spread to the bone and cause bone loss.³⁹

The early stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis, is characterized by swollen, red/purple gums that bleed.^42,40 With treatment at home and by a dentist, you can cure gingivitis with no lasting effects.⁴⁰

But if it’s left untreated, the infection can progress to periodontitis:

• Mild periodontitis: The bacteria from plaque and tartar start to affect your teeth and jaw, and can settle in pockets in your gums.
• Moderate periodontitis: You may start to feel pain and develop bad breath as the bacteria damage ligaments, tissue, and bones beneath your teeth.
• Advanced periodontitis: Bone loss worsens, eventually causing looseness and tooth loss.⁴⁰

The latest treatments for gum disease

There are many different treatments for gum disease, and they all fall under the umbrella of periodontal therapy.⁴¹

Your dentist or periodontist can help design a treatment plan that fits your particular case and how advanced it is. Your periodontal care may include:

• Scaling and root planing: A deep cleaning of the roots of your teeth below the gumline and of any pockets in your gums⁴²
• Pocket reduction surgery: A dental procedure that removes plaque and tartar from deep under the gums and then closes the pockets⁴⁰
• Laser-assisted new attachment procedure: A less-invasive — but possibly less effective — alternative to pocket reduction surgery, where a laser treats only diseased gum tissue⁴⁰
• Bone and gum grafts: Your periodontist removes gum from the roof of your mouth to cover exposed tooth roots or adds bone grafting material to encourage your body to grow new bone where gum disease eroded it⁴³
• Platelet-rich fibrin and platelet-rich plasma therapy: After a surgical treatment, the periodontist will take a sample of your blood, isolate the plasma, and apply it to the incisions to speed up tissue regrowth and healing.⁴⁰
• Tray delivery systems: A tray made to fit your mouth is used to apply medication to affected areas of your gums⁴⁵

How periodontal therapy contributes to overall oral health

Periodontal therapy can help heal gum disease and keep it from getting worse over time. That means you can avoid gum recession, bone loss in your jaw, and losing teeth.⁴⁰

Periodontitis also causes inflammation throughout your body, and the bacteria can even spread to other parts of your body through your bloodstream. Gum disease has been connected with heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, stroke, respiratory illness, and pre-term birth/low birth weight.^40,41

Common dental procedures and your health

Maintaining good dental hygiene starts with preventive care: brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash each day. Routine visits your dentist at the intervals they recommend is also important; ask him for any oral health tips he can share. Regular cleanings will keep your teeth free of the tartar that could lead to gum disease, and regular exams will allow your dentist to get ahead of any potential problems.

Your dentist may recommend dental procedures beyond the usual cleanings if they see evidence of gum disease, infection, damaged teeth, cavities, or another issue. Be sure to ask any questions you have about a procedure prior to treatment.

And keep in mind: Good oral health may help your whole body stay healthy. Germs that develop in the mouth could enter other areas of your body, and possible lead to disease.³⁰