General Dentistry Solutions for Your Family

In Virginia Beach, VA, Dr. Santos, Dr. Folck and the rest of the Smile By Design team provides general dentistry services for you and your family. We offer comfortable, comprehensive dental care to patients of all ages! General dentistry covers a wide range of procedures, from x-rays to wax molds for replacement teeth. We offer these and a multitude of other general dentistry services to get your smile bright and beautiful.

What Does General Dentistry Include?

General dentistry is a vast topic with a lot of working parts. It involves the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of conditions, disorders and diseases affecting the teeth, gums and maxillofacial (jaw and face) area of the body. It’s considered preventative dentistry, and the American Dental Association recommends that you receive a checkup at least once every six months to ensure proper oral hygiene and functionality. It’s common sense: regular checkups and oral health maintenance prevent the development of serious dental problems that can require expensive treatment.

In terms of treatments, these are a few common general dentistry services:

·        Fillings – teeth are filled with a variety of materials ranging from gold, amalgam, mercury, porcelain and composite resin.

·        Crowns – artificial teeth or “caps” which can be fitted over broken or damaged teeth.

·        Bridge – contains an artificial tooth or “pontic” which is anchored to a couple of crowns.

·        Root canal treatment – performed when the tissue or “pulp” within a tooth becomes infected.

·        Dentures – basically a set of false teeth.

·        Dental cleaning – takes the form of a “scale and polish” or advice on brushing and flossing.

·        Bonding – a procedure in which a type of resin is used as a “glue” to stick a material, such as a veneer, to a tooth.

·        Oral and Maxillofacial treatments – technical term used to describe procedures for the mouth, face and jaw.

We’ll work with you to create a beautiful smile using these and other services that we offer.

Schedule an Appointment

We strive to provide quality, comfortable family dentistry for all of your loved ones. If you are ready to achieve the smile you have always wanted, give us a call and make an appointment at our Virginia Beach, VA office. We are happy to extend our fantastic dental services to our neighbors in Lynnwood, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Salem, Chesapeake and beyond.

Kids, Candy and Cavities: The Case for Children’s Dentistry

For kids, Halloween is nothing but fun. Costumes, candy, games and parties. For parents and the other people who care about kids, Halloween can raise a few concerns. Of course, you take every precaution to make sure your children are safe on that night of trick-or-treating. But how about protecting their teeth? This is the perfect time of year to be mindful of your children’s oral health. Dr. Stephanie Santos and Dr. Vinita Folck at Smile by Design in Virginia Beach, VA, make children’s dentistry an integral part of their family practice.

Children’s Dentistry: A Partnership among Dentists, Parents and Kids

At home, you know what you should do to help your children build a foundation of good oral health. Brush and floss at least twice a day, usually in the morning and at night. This practice should begin as soon as that first little white tooth shows up in your baby’s gum. Just take a soft washcloth or gauze pad and wipe the tooth with warm water after feeding. As more teeth grow, you’ll want to use a soft child’s toothbrush and pea-size amount of toothpaste. Help your children brush their teeth until the age of seven or eight, when they have the coordination to do so themselves.

That foundation for good oral health continues when you bring your children to Smile by Design. Your child’s first visit to the dentist should happen between the ages of two and three, or certainly earlier if you suspect a problem. Our dentists and their staff will do their best to make sure your child’s time in the office is relaxed and inviting. Then, as they grow and mature, they will be comfortable with routine dental procedures such as cleanings, fluoride treatments and the occasional x-ray. We recommend bringing your children to the dentist twice per year, so that we can spot concerns before they become problems.

Contact Our Office Today

Keep your little ghosts and goblins smiling brightly with children’s dentistry at Smile by Design in Virginia Beach, VA. Schedule an appointment today. We conveniently serves patients in the surrounding communities of Fort Story, Portsmouth, Sandbridge and Norfolk. 

The Benefit of Family and Children’s Dentistry

Even though regular dental care is important for adults and children, you don’t want to have one doctor for yourself and another doctor for your little one. What you want instead is a place that can help your whole family—where you might even be able to schedule back-to-back appointments, for convenience.

That’s what you’ll find at Smile by Design in Virginia Beach. With the family and children’s dentistry we offer, we’re helping patients of all ages have healthy smiles.

Visit Us Twice a Year for Better Oral Health

Every patient should see a dentist at least twice a year. Why? So Dr. Santos and Dr. Folck can look for changes in you or your child’s oral health. Catching things like gum disease and tooth decay early are important for providing care.

During a family or children’s dentistry appointment at our Virginia Beach office, we’ll thoroughly examine your smile for signs of the most common oral health issues. Then, we’ll complete a dental cleaning to get your teeth cleaner than is even possible with the best brushing and flossing routine. For children, we can also add a fluorite treatment to the appointment. Fluoride strengthens teeth against decay, which is something that all smiles—but especially young smiles—need help with. If Dr. Santos or Dr. Folck finds anything during your appointment, we can put together a treatment plan to help you or your little one reclaim optimal oral health.

Has it been more than six months since your last appointment? Call Smile by Design today for an appointment with Dr. Santos or Dr. Folck. We’re proud to serve patients from Virginia Beach, Fort Story, and Northeast Virginia Beach.