General Dentistry in Roanoke, VA
A healthy smile is foundational when it comes to your overall wellness. Your teeth and gums require regular monitoring and maintenance to ensure that they stay comfortable and disease-free.
We offer comprehensive general dentistry to help our patients enjoy optimum oral health and a comfortable smile.
Preventive Dentistry
We strive to prevent dental conditions, whenever possible. With regular dental exams, cleanings, and x-rays, we can often detect dental conditions in their earliest stages before they pose a serious risk to your smile.
- A comprehensive dental exam will evaluate the health of each tooth as well as look for signs of periodontal (gum) disease. If we find anything that requires treatment, we will let you know right away.
- Our dental cleanings are designed to keep your teeth clean and your gums healthy as well as give you a smooth, fresh smile. Our hygienist will remove all plaque and tartar from the surfaces of your teeth. We will finish up with a polish so that your teeth are completely clean.
- Dental x-rays assist us in the diagnosis of conditions that are not visible through a visual exam alone. This can include dental decay, infection, bone levels, and certain types of cysts and tumors.
We typically recommend a dental exam and cleaning every six months unless you have a dental condition, such as gum disease, that may require more frequent visits.
Restorative Dentistry
Whether you require a dental filling, crown, or dental bonding, we are here to repair your teeth, which protects them and can extend comfortable function.
- Fillings – Fillings are used to repair a tooth after removing decay.
- Crowns – Crowns protect and stabilize a cracked or deeply decayed tooth.
- Bonding – Bonding can fill in small chips and narrow gaps in teeth for cosmetic purposes or to prevent stains or decay.
When providing restorative dentistry, we make sure that the results are both comfortable and long-lasting.
Tooth-Replacement Options in Roanoke
Saving your natural teeth is a priority for us, but sometimes removing a tooth is necessary to relieve your symptoms and protect your health or because restoration is not possible. Having a gap in your smile, however, is not ideal either for your appearance or for chewing and speaking comfortably.
We offer the following tooth replacement options:
- Fixed dental bridges – replaces a missing tooth by anchoring an artificial tooth in place using two healthy teeth
- Dental implants – replaces a missing tooth by surgically implanting a replacement root and placing a dental crown
- Dentures – replaces all teeth on the upper or lower arch with a removable prosthetic
- Partial dentures – replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring a prosthetic to your remaining natural teeth
A comprehensive dental exam will give us the information we need to make a recommendation to restore both your smile and your ability to eat and speak comfortably by replacing your missing teeth.
Contact Us to Schedule a Dental Appointment
Give us a call to schedule your next dental appointment. We look forward to welcoming you!
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I haven't been to the dentist since middle school. But the online booking was really easy, everyone was friendly, and they did great work. 10/10
Frequently Asked Questions
Many people are more health conscious than ever and realize the value of maintaining good health instead of just waiting to treat problems as they arise. General dentistry provides most of the services that patients of all ages require to keep their teeth and gums free from disease.
For optimum oral health, we recommend the following steps:
Brush Your Teeth at Least Twice Daily
Using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, brush your teeth for two full minutes using a small circular motion with the bristles gently angled toward your gumline. Using excessive force to brush will not clean your teeth more effectively and may damage delicate gum tissue.
Floss at Least Once Daily
Using 2-3 feet of floss, floss up and down each side of each of your teeth. Do not force the floss any further than it will comfortably go. Think of your floss as a squeegee that removes plaque. Don’t miss flossing behind your back teeth.
Dental Exams, Cleanings, and X-Rays
Every patient is different. Follow your dentist’s recommended recall schedule to maintain healthy teeth and gums. For most patients this will require a visit every six months. For patients who suffer from gum disease, have some catching up to do, or who have reduced dexterity that makes home care difficult, we may recommend more frequent visits to maintain your oral health.
As a general dentistry practice, we take care of most of the dental needs that arise on a day-to-day basis by supporting good oral health and wellness using preventive, restorative, and teeth replacement dentistry services. Dental exams, cleanings, x-rays, fillings, crowns, bridges, and dentures are all part of what we do here in our office.
We are also here to answer questions about your oral health and to educate patients on the importance of healthy teeth and gums.
Cosmetic Dental Services in Roanoke
In our office, we also offer cosmetic dentistry enhancements to improve the way you feel about the appearance of your smile. We can discuss this with you at your regular dental exam or we can schedule a cosmetic dentistry consultation.
Each patient is different. While we strive to provide most of the care you need here in our office, we want what is best for you and will refer you to treatment with a specialist when necessary.
Contact McDonald Family Dentistry
Our goal is to help our patients maintain good overall health by promoting the health of their teeth and gums. We will let you know if we find any conditions that require treatment, so that you and your dentist can discuss which options will work best for you.
You probably see the words general dentist on local signs and online, but may wonder what that actually means.
Like your primary care physician, your general dentist is your main point of contact for your oral health. General dentists provide most non-specialty services that patients of all ages need to stay healthy.
This includes preventive dentistry such as:
- Dental exams
- Cleanings
- X-rays
- Fluoride treatments
- Dental sealants
- Mouthguards for sports
- Nightguards
General dentists also repair teeth that suffer from decay, fractures, or trauma. Restorative dentistry refers to:
- Fillings
- Bonding
- Dental crowns
Teeth replacement is a big part of general dentistry and is designed to keep your smile looking good and to make sure you can eat a healthy diet.
- Bridges
- Partial dentures
- Dentures
Since cosmetic dentistry is not a dental specialty, most general dentists are the ones who will be designing a beautiful smile and offering enhancements such as:
- Teeth whitening
- Cosmetic bonding
- Tooth-colored fillings and crowns
- Porcelain veneers
If you have a dental question, need help or advice, your general or family dentist will be able to make treatment recommendations for you. If you require a trip to a specialist, general dentists usually have specialists in their professional network that they know and trust.
Meet Our Doctors:
Dr. Ben McDonald DDS
A native of Daleville, VA, Dr. Ben McDonald earned his BS from the College of William and Mary, majoring in kinesiology and health sciences and minoring in biochemistry. Seeking a career that would allow him ...
Dr. Kate McDonald DDS
Dr. Kate McDonald was born in Illinois in the suburbs of Chicago before moving to Apex, NC, where she was raised. She attended Virginia Tech, earning a BS in biological sciences, a Minor in Music, ...