Comprehensive General & Family Dentistry in Alhambra & San Gabriel
Dr. Stephen M. Dang and our experienced team are pleased to provide comprehensive general and family dentistry to meet all of your goals for a healthy, beautiful smile. Our tranquil island-themed office provides a relaxing atmosphere for all ages, and we cater to the needs of each patient to ensure that everyone receives the service they deserve.
If you are searching for a dentist, who can deliver exceptional general and family dentistry in Alhambra, contact Main Street Dental today.
CALL US: (626) 281-1536 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
What is General Dentistry?
General dentistry includes the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide variety of conditions and diseases that affect the teeth, gums, and jaw.
Main Street Dental provides a variety of services related to the general maintenance of your oral health. Our philosophy is that ideal dentistry is centered around preventative treatments. We recommend that you and your family visit us at least once every six months to ensure optimal oral hygiene and functionality.
Our primary services include:
Why Consistent Preventive Dental Treatment Matters
General and family dentistry combines treatments that are designed to help your family achieve and maintain optimal oral health for a lifetime. Whether you are bringing your child for a simple dental checkup or you need a more complex restorative procedure like a root canal treatment, we can help.
We work with you to develop a customized dental hygiene plan that includes a detailed examination, professional cleaning, digital X-rays, and the use of other advanced diagnostic equipment. The objective is to prevent, reveal, or treat any dental health problems as early as possible.
We incorporate a variety of restorative procedures to repair the effects of tooth decay, trauma, defect, or disease. Regular checkups and oral health maintenance with our experienced and reliable team prevent the development of serious dental issues that can require more extensive, costly treatment.
Depending on your individual dental needs, you may need to come to our office more often. If you notice any type of dental pain or damage, or if you experience a dental emergency, we urge you to contact us as soon as possible to receive the high-quality dental care you need.
Protecting Your Dental Health with Preventive Strategies
We emphasize the importance of ongoing hygiene treatment, and the most effective approaches combine at-home oral care with chair-side procedures and counseling by our experienced team of professionals.
Here are the top in-office and home care activities we recommend for children and adults.
At-Home Oral Hygiene: Brushing and flossing at least twice a day (or after every meal) removes the film-like coating that forms on your teeth called dental plaque. When plaque builds up, it creates tartar, a hard, sticky substance full of acid-producing bacteria. Untreated tartar buildup leads to tooth decay and gum disease.
Fluoride: The use of fluoride can strengthen teeth and prevent decay. We offer professional fluoride treatments in our office and also recommend using fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse at home. Be sure to ask the dentist about the appropriate level of fluoride for your child’s smile.
Sealants: A thin composite coating placed on the chewing surfaces of your permanent back teeth can prevent debris from getting lodged into the deep crevices. Sealants are especially helpful for children who may not have the best brushing habits yet.
Education: When you understand the results of poor dental health, you are more likely to protect your teeth by visiting our office for preventive treatments and practicing effective home care. We provide the information you need to develop excellent oral hygiene habits that will significantly improve your dental health.
Diet: Eating a balanced diet is essential for maintaining optimal dental health. Foods high in sugar and carbohydrates feed bacteria, and low calcium can increase your chances of developing gum disease.
Professional Cleanings: Dental cleanings are recommended every six months to remove stubborn dental plaque and stains that regular brushing and flossing can’t handle. It’s also the best time to check for signs of decay, helping you avoid the stress and expense of major procedures.
Mouthguards: Custom-made mouth guards should be worn during any sports activities to protect your teeth and gums from trauma. Mouthguards can also help with teeth grinding, also called bruxism. If left untreated, this condition can wear down teeth and lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
Avoid Pitfalls: Avoid smoking and drinking. Not only can these activities negatively affect your oral health, but they can also cause tooth discoloration, plaque buildup, gum disease, tooth loss, and even oral cancer.
Most dental conditions are painless at first, so if you don’t visit your dentist regularly, you may not be aware of a problem until it causes significant damage. Consistent dental care is essential for stopping or reversing harmful effects and restoring your oral health. We can also perform oral cancer screenings to check for signs of abnormal tissue or other chronic diseases.
Comprehensive Dental Treatment for Your Entire Family
Oral health management is especially important for children. Regular visits and X-rays help us see dental problems that are not visible to the naked eye, like cavities between teeth and decay below the gum line. We also check oral growth and development and can advise you if early orthodontic treatment is needed.
A bad bite, also called malocclusion, can prevent normal eating and speaking. Correcting an improper bite with orthodontics can be done as early as seven years old. Early treatment lets you get out ahead of the issue and limits the possibility of future complications.
Oral Health Care Necessities for Infants & Children
We encourage you to bring your children in early on and let them get used to our office and staff. When they are familiar with the tools and procedures, they will experience much less anxiety when it is time for them to sit in the “big” chair. When you bring your child to visit us by at least age one we can help you establish long-term dental hygiene and make it a fun experience!
Fluoride treatment is important for all ages; however, children require the correct balance of fluoride treatment. Fluoride alters the molecular structure of the tooth, making it more resistant to acid attack and decay, but too much fluoride could lead to fluorosis. Avoid this overexposure by using water without fluoride until approximately six months of age.
Do Babies Need Dental Care?
Even infants can benefit from a good oral health routine. You can clean your baby’s gums with a soft washcloth or gauze after every bottle or meal. When those baby teeth finally erupt, soak a small-bristled child-sized toothbrush in warm water and apply a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to brush the teeth gently.
When they are coordinated enough, encourage your children to brush their teeth. Parent-assisted dental flossing should start when two teeth erupt next to each other. Independent flossing should start by about six years old, and rinsing with mouthwash is usually recommended by age seven.
Our entire team loves working with kids of all ages and getting them excited and motivated to care about their oral health.
Supporting Oral Health for Teenagers
Tooth decay can spike during the teen years due to poor diet and inconsistent dental hygiene. At Main Street Dental, we take the time to educate teenagers on the benefits of preventive care and encourage habits that will help their smile last a lifetime.
4 Tips for Protecting Your Teen’s Dental Health
- Encourage Brushing: Teens listen more than we think they do, and parents can make a big difference in the consistent practice of good oral health habits. So go ahead, be a pest, and ask them every night, “Did you brush?”
- Limit Energy Drinks and Sodas: If you don’t keep high-sugar drinks and snacks in the house, it won’t guarantee they won’t consume them, but it can decrease how much they get.
- Explain the Dangers: Share photos and information about what smoking, drinking, and gum disease can do to their smile. With older children and teens, they are more likely to believe it if they see it.
- Keep Supplies Handy: Slip dental floss into their backpack or purse and make sure you have their favorite toothpaste in the cabinet.
Give Your Teen A Confident Smile
Crooked, misaligned and crowded teeth are common in adolescence, leading them to be self-conscious about their smile. We offer the most popular treatments for teens, including Zoom Whitening and Invisalign®.
Orthodontic treatment is necessary to correct crowding problems and ensure proper oral health and function. It is much easier for teens to brush and floss effectively when their teeth are straight.
Zoom Whitening treatments are a great way to brighten your teen's smile and create confidence. When they like how their smile looks, they will be more motivated to spend the time taking care of it properly.
We work with you and your teen to create a positive attitude about oral health. The more encouragement and preventive dental care we can provide early on, the less risk they will have of needing more invasive treatment in the future.
Dental Care Treatment for Seniors
Seniors are more likely to suffer from oral health issues resulting from the natural aging process. They have unique considerations and are more likely to experience inflammation of gum tissue, dry mouth syndrome (often caused by medications) or oral thrush. Additionally, the supporting bone structure for the teeth, including the jaw, can shift with age, causing bite problems and contributing to tooth decay.
The team at Main Street Dental is highly experienced in all the treatments that are especially important for seniors, including:
Dental Hygiene Tips for Seniors
Aside from brushing and flossing regularly and visiting us for routine exams, seniors need to be more aware of any symptoms they may be experiencing that can lead to serious oral health complications. Look out for warning signs that indicate a problem needs to be addressed right away, including tooth sensitivity, mouth sores, swelling, loose teeth, and dry mouth.
When you visit our office, we can provide additional information about the tools and products to help resolve these symptoms. Toothbrushes that can reach difficult areas, effective mouthwash brands, and side effects of medications are just a few of the topics we can help you with.
With our professional assistance, you can keep smiling with confidence for many more years.
Your Dental Health is Important to Us
We value the dental health of your entire family and provide dedicated service to assist you in attaining and maintaining overall oral health. We support you by cultivating a long-term relationship and creating a positive environment all focused toward satisfied and confident smiles.
Your smile is one of your most valuable assets and the biggest gift you can give to others. Remember that it is much easier to prevent health problems than to repair them, so contact our skilled Alhambra team and schedule a visit today!
CALL US: (626) 281-1536 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
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