General Treatment

Your local family dentist is only minutes away in Geneseo, Illinois! At Wachtel Dentistry you’ll find a team of caring general dentistry professionals who put your oral health first. We are able to offer all types of general dental treatment to you and your family members of any age. From early dental care to implants and crowns, our team of dentists will provide the best service in the Geneseo area. Our families love the convenience and flexibility of bringing all family members to the same dentist and specialists - all under one roof. And we love working with our patients on strategies to prevent tooth decay and keep your teeth healthy.

The Dental Exam

A female patient getting her teeth professionally cleaned at a dentist's office.

When you visit your Geneseo family dentist, Dr. Wachtel will carefully examine your teeth and gums to see if you have any oral health problems. Oftentimes we will also take X-rays of your teeth so we can better see any evidence of tooth decay on all outward surfaces of each tooth. If Dr. Wachtel finds any problems, he will recommend and explain your treatment options and, together, you will develop a plan of action to care for your teeth. 

 

Routine Teeth Cleanings

Visiting your local dentist every six months is an important part of your oral hygiene. These visits for teeth cleanings allow our professional hygienists to eliminate plaque from your teeth using special tools. This is often not possible at home because we are able to reach under the gum line and between the teeth. At the conclusion of plaque removal, we’ll clean your teeth and have you rinse with fluoride for long-lasting protection. Lastly, we will spend some time with you discussing and/or showing you how to best care for your or your child’s teeth - whether that’s brushing and flossing or eliminating any oral habits like thumb-sucking. 

 

Fillings

Fillings are a common, straightforward general dental treatment most patients need at some point during their life. When your teeth are attacked by plaque, tooth decay is not far behind. The decaying tooth creates a cavity, or small hole(s), in our teeth. When this happens, your Wachtel dentist will fill the small hole with a restorative material to keep the tooth from decaying any further. Fillings replace these damaged or decayed areas in your tooth. Drs. Wachtel offer filling materials in several types, including: 

 

  • Silver amalgam:

    Traditional fillings are made of a silver-colored metallic alloy and that is what has been used for generations. They hold up relatively well but are not aesthetically appealing due to their silver metallic color.

 

  • White fillings:

    Thankfully, new tooth-colored materials have been developed that are stronger, longer-lasting and more aesthetically pleasing to our patients. These new tooth-colored fillings bond right to the tooth, making it stronger by restoring most of its original shape. The fillings can even be custom-colored to match your teeth to help give you the most natural-looking smile possible.

 

  • Dental Sealants:

    A resin material is sometimes used in the grooves of back molars to help protect those hard-to-reach areas from bacteria and tooth decay.

 

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns serve as a custom-made cover or “cap” over a permanent tooth that has a significant amount of decay or that has cracked. Crowns can be made from many different materials such as porcelain, gold, acrylic resin or a mix of these materials.

Three examples of what a dental implant, dental crown, and a veneer look like.
If you are scheduled for a dental crown, you can expect the following steps: 

  • Anesthetizing your tooth so Dr. Wachtel can remove the decay in or around it.
  • Re-sculpturing to provide an optimal fit for the crown.
  • Making a physical or digital impression of your teeth in order to create the custom crown.
  • Making a temporary crown out of acrylic resin and fitting it to the tooth while the custom crown is being made.
  • Removing the temporary crown and fitting the custom-made one onto the tooth.
  • Ensuring that the crown has the proper look and fit, and cementing it into place.
  • Due to emerging technologies, your perfect-fitting crown can be made in less time than ever. Once the procedure is completed, make sure you follow care instructions to keep your crown in good condition that will help it last a lifetime! 

Dental Bridges

If you have a gap between teeth due to a tooth that has fallen out, you may want to consider a dental bridge. A bridge is a dental device that fills a space that a tooth previously occupied. A bridge may be necessary to prevent the shifting of teeth, to fix bite problems or to ensure the strength and integrity of the surrounding teeth.

Here are a few different types of bridges your local dentist may recommend depending on your needs:

 

  • Fixed Bridge:

    This is the most popular bridge. This consists of a filler tooth attached to two crowns in order to hold the bridge in place.

 

  • Maryland Bridge:

    This is commonly used to replace missing front teeth. Tooth-colored metal bands are used and bonded to surrounding teeth.

 

  • Cantilever Bridge:

    This bridge uses two crowned teeth that are positioned next to each other on the same side of the missing tooth.

 

Root Canal Therapy  

Sometimes tooth decay can reach through your tooth’s enamel and the dentin layer into its soft pulp. This can cause our patients much pain and, if left untreated, extensive damage to the tooth structure. Patients also may experience serious pain due to trauma to a tooth. These problems can be solved with a root canal.  While some general dentists will refer you to a specialist for performing this procedure, at Wachtel Dentistry, our dentists are experienced in performing hundreds of root canals every year. During a root canal procedure, Dr. Wachtel will extract decayed tissue from inside a tooth, reshape the canal and replace it with strengthened filler. Root canals can typically be completed in one visit, although more extensive cases may require another appointment. You will also be able to drive yourself home after the appointment.

Tooth Extractions

At times, the best solution for your optimal oral health may be complete removal, or extraction, of your tooth. Removing unhealthy teeth that are not able to be saved may be best if: 

  • Your baby tooth is preventing the natural eruption of a permanent tooth.
  • Your tooth cannot be repaired due to extensive tooth decay or serious trauma.
  • You have gum disease.
  • You have what is called an impacted tooth - this happens later in life when your third molars, or “wisdom teeth” don’t have room to erupt in your jaw.

An extraction can be performed surgically or non-surgically, depending on the complexity of your situation. Dr. Wachtel will use mild anesthesia to make sure you are as comfortable as possible throughout the procedure.

 

Make Your Appointment Today For Excellent General Dental Care!

We sincerely thank you for considering our Geneseo general dentistry office to care for your family’s oral health! When you or your child is our patient, you can count on Wachtel Dentistry for the exceptional dental care needed. We are always happy to speak with you so please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. If you are having any tooth pain, or are in need of cosmetic dentistry like teeth whitening, schedule your appointment today by calling 309-944-5191 or request an appointment online. We look forward to having you join our local dentistry family on the road to excellent oral health!