Family general dentistry in midtown Sacramento

What general dentistry covers

General dentistry is the broad category of dental care that keeps a healthy mouth healthy and catches problems while they are still small. It is what most people need at most of their visits, and it is what we spend the majority of our time doing at Sacramento Dentistry Group. Think of it as the foundation that everything else is built on. Cosmetic work, implants, orthodontics, and full mouth rehabilitation all start with strong general care underneath.

When patients ask what we treat, the honest answer is most things you would think of when you picture a dental visit. Cleanings, exams, X-rays, oral cancer screenings, cavities, broken teeth, sensitivity, gum bleeding, mild jaw pain, sleep grinding, lost fillings, knocked out crowns, and the routine maintenance that prevents most of those things in the first place. We are a full service practice, so when something more specialized comes up, you do not have to be sent across town. Our in house periodontist, sedation dentist, and implant team handle advanced cases together with the doctor who knows your history.

The goal of general dentistry is simple: fewer surprises, fewer expensive treatments, and a mouth that does not hurt. Everything below is in service of that.

Preventive care and cleanings

Roughly two out of three visits at our office are preventive. A typical recall appointment runs about 45 to 60 minutes and includes a professional cleaning, a doctor exam, and any imaging that is due. A registered dental hygienist removes plaque and hardened tartar above and below the gum line, polishes the teeth, and finishes with fluoride if appropriate. We also screen for the early signs of decay, gum disease, and oral cancer at every recall, even when nothing is bothering you.

Most adults are on a six month cleaning interval. Patients with a history of periodontal disease, heavy tartar buildup, smoking, dry mouth, diabetes, or pregnancy often benefit from a three or four month schedule. We set the recall based on what your mouth actually needs rather than a one size fits all default. If you are due for a deeper periodontal cleaning instead of a routine prophy, we will explain why and how the visit will be different before we begin.

Preventive care also includes the small interventions that protect teeth between visits. Sealants on the chewing surfaces of permanent molars are an inexpensive way to dramatically reduce decay risk in children and teenagers. Fluoride varnish strengthens enamel for both kids and adults at higher cavity risk. Custom night guards protect against grinding damage. Laser bacterial reduction can supplement gum therapy when indicated. None of these are upsells. They get recommended when they actually move the needle on your long term outcomes.

Comprehensive exams and digital X-rays

A comprehensive exam is more than a glance in the mirror. Your doctor reviews your medical history and any medications, checks every tooth for decay and existing restorations, evaluates the gums, screens the jaw joint, palpates the lymph nodes, and looks inside your cheeks, tongue, and throat for any abnormal tissue. We document everything in your chart so we can spot subtle changes year over year, which is how early problems get caught.

Digital X-rays use a fraction of the radiation of older film systems and let us see between teeth, under existing fillings, and around the roots and bone. Standard practice is bitewings every 12 to 24 months and a full mouth or panoramic series every 3 to 5 years, adjusted for your individual risk level. We use iTero digital scanning in place of goopy impressions for crowns, Invisalign, and night guards, which is faster, more accurate, and far more comfortable.

If something on a scan or X-ray needs attention, you will see it on the screen with us. We will not point at a fuzzy black and white image and tell you to trust us. Patients consistently make better long term decisions when they understand what they are looking at.

Routine restorative work

When prevention is not enough, restorative dentistry repairs what is broken. Most everyday restorative work is straightforward and can be done in a single visit.

• Tooth colored fillings. We use composite resin that bonds to the tooth and is shaded to match the surrounding enamel. No silver mercury amalgam. Learn more about fillings.
• Crowns. When a tooth is too damaged to hold a filling, a custom crown protects what is left. We design with digital impressions and use modern ceramics that are strong and natural looking. See our crowns and bridges page.
• Bridges. A fixed bridge replaces a missing tooth by anchoring to the teeth on either side. It is a faster alternative to an implant when an implant is not possible or not preferred.
• Root canals. When decay or trauma reaches the nerve, a root canal removes the infection and saves the tooth. Modern endodontics is far more comfortable than the procedure earned its reputation for. More on root canals.
• Simple extractions. When a tooth cannot be saved, we can usually remove it in office and walk you through replacement options the same day.

Gum health and periodontal care

Gum disease is the most common reason adults lose teeth, and it is also one of the most under treated conditions in dentistry. Early gum disease, called gingivitis, is reversible with a routine cleaning and better home care. Once it advances into periodontitis, the supporting bone around the teeth begins to disappear and the damage becomes harder to undo.

We screen for gum disease at every exam by measuring pocket depths around each tooth and checking for bleeding, recession, and bone loss on X-rays. When we find early disease, the next step is usually a deeper cleaning called scaling and root planing, sometimes paired with localized antibiotic therapy or laser treatment. For more advanced cases, we have a board certified periodontist on staff who handles surgical and regenerative work in the same building, so you do not get bounced to a stranger across town. Read more about gum disease treatment.

What a first visit looks like

New patients usually plan on about 90 minutes for a first visit. Here is what to expect.

1. Paperwork. You can fill out new patient forms ahead of time online, or arrive 15 minutes early to do them in the office.
2. Insurance verification. Our front desk verifies your benefits before you arrive so we can give you accurate cost estimates the same day.
3. Imaging. Low dose digital X-rays and an iTero scan of your bite, depending on what you are due for.
4. Comprehensive exam. A thorough doctor exam including an oral cancer screening.
5. Cleaning. A routine cleaning if your gums are healthy. If we find significant tartar or active gum disease, we may recommend rescheduling for a deeper cleaning so we can do it properly.
6. Findings and plan. We sit down with you, walk through what we found, and build a treatment plan in plain English. You leave with a written estimate, not a sales pitch.

Read the full new patient guide or request your appointment online.

Cost, insurance, and financing

We try to be unusually transparent about cost. Before any treatment, you get a written estimate showing what insurance is expected to pay and what your share will be. No surprises after the fact.

We are in network with most major PPO plans, including Delta Dental, MetLife, Cigna, Aetna, Guardian, and others. We file claims directly so you do not have to chase reimbursement. See the full list of accepted plans. If you do not have insurance, our self pay pricing is straightforward and we offer financing through Cherry payment plans, which include 0% APR options for qualified patients. Cost should not be the reason you avoid care, and we will work with you to find a path that fits your budget.