When the time comes for you to choose a dentist for your family, you want to look for someone who has proficiency in all areas of dentistry.

You will want to find a dentist that can treat every member of the family, from your youngest child, to your senior parents.

At Desert Family Dental, we believe we can provide excellent dental care for every member of your family.

Dr. Scott Lee and the staff in our office pay attention to the needs of our patients, and we make sure that we meet or exceed those needs every chance we get. Dr. Lee has practiced dentistry for several years, and attends an average of 40 hours of continuing education courses every year to stay abreast of the latest technology and techniques in dentistry.

The doctor enjoys building relationships with our patients and getting to know their families. As a father of three himself, he knows how to work with children and helps them understand why he performs each procedure. He makes sure every patient knows what will happen during a procedure before he begins performing it.

To learn more about why Desert Family Dental should be your family dental office, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lee, call our Mesa, AZ office today at (480) 838-4185.

What Does a Family Dentist Do?

A family dentist practices all aspects general dentistry for patients of all ages. This means every member of your family will have the opportunity to see the same dentist. As your family dentist, Dr. Lee will perform all basic dental work, such as cleanings, filling cavities, and extractions. The doctor will remove bacteria and plaque from teeth, and check for signs of gum disease and decay.

Choosing Dr. Lee as your family dentist means that you will have no need for specialist referrals when you need procedures like root canal therapy or dental implants because, unlike many offices, we perform all dental procedures right here in our office. Dr. Lee can provide everything from athletic mouth guards for the kids to full mouth reconstruction procedures for the adults in the family.

Benefits of Using a Family Dentist

Bringing your whole family to the same dentist will provide you with some distinct advantages. For instance, you will have the chance to set a great example for any young children in the family, by bringing them with you when you attend your own dental checkups. Watching you walk unafraid into the examination room will inspire the same behavior in them, and may help to alleviate any fears they may have about visiting the dentist.

Choosing one dentist for everyone in the family allows you to schedule concurrent appointments and bring everyone to one office, rather than shuttling small children to a pediatric dental office and teens to an orthodontic specialist. This helps you save time, as well as extra money you would have spent on gas.

Working with your entire family will afford Dr. Lee will the unique opportunity to identify genetic predispositions to tooth decay or gum disease. This allows the doctor to help family members prevent dental health problems before they arise and keep their smiles shiny and bright.

Pediatric Care

Starting your children with a family dentist means that they will have the same doctor maintaining their dental health from their first baby teeth, to orthodontics, through to the arrival and extraction of their wisdom teeth, and beyond. You will not have to worry about introducing your children to a new dentist and having them learn to trust him as they age out of pediatric dentistry.

As a father of three, Dr. Lee has developed a wonderful rapport with children. Working with your kids from an early age, will help him develop a familiarity with their dental habits and oral health, which should help keep them free of decay and gum disease as they grow into adults.

Working with Teens

As your children grow into teenagers, their lives will become very busy, and they may find themselves at a higher risk for dental problems. Many smokers begin the habit as teenagers, which leads to stained teeth.

As their adult teeth begin to erupt, teenagers often suffer from issues such as crooked or overcrowded teeth. These problems generally require orthodontic treatment, whether with traditional bracket and wire braces or Invisalign® clear acrylic aligners. When your children reach their late teens, they may see the emergence of their third molars, or wisdom teeth, which sometimes require surgical extraction.

Dr. Lee will prepare your teens for what lies ahead if they fail to take care of their teeth, and he will discuss any necessary orthodontic treatments or wisdom tooth extractions with you and your child, so you both feel prepared and comfortable with the procedures.

What About My Teeth?

Dr. Lee understands the idea of putting your child’s needs before your own, but wants you to realize that your teeth have just as much importance. As we grow into adulthood, we become more susceptible to certain dental health problems like gum disease and tooth decay. When left untreated, these minor dental issues can develop into major medical problems.

Decayed teeth can cause painful infection, requiring a root canal treatment. If not treated, it can even lead to the loss of teeth, necessitating the placement of dental crowns, bridges, or dentures.

Gum disease will not only ravage your mouth; it can affect your overall health as well. Studies have linked gum disease to heart attacks, stroke, and respiratory problems. Patients with diabetes will find that the two diseases feed off of each other. Diabetes weakens the immune system, leaving patients vulnerable to infections like gum disease. Meanwhile, gum disease increases the level of blood sugars in the body, which puts diabetic patients at risk.

Caring for Seniors

Dr. Lee understands the unique dental challenges facing our senior patients. Whether you, your parent, or your grandparent happen to be in the examination chair, the doctor will take care to check for dental issues that most commonly affect seniors.

Many seniors suffer from a condition known as dry mouth. While not a naturally occurring issue, dry mouth can be brought about as a side effect of certain medications, especially those taken for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, or Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Dr. Lee will typically recommend chewing sugarless gum, drinking more water, or trying an oral moisturizing spray to relieve symptoms. If these fail to work, he may suggest talking to the patient’s general practitioner about changing medication.

Seniors also have a greater chance of developing oral cancers, with the average age for the development of cancers of the lips, tongue and throat, around 62. Doctors also estimate that over 25% of seniors suffer from gum disease.

Dr. Lee works with many senior patients who wear dentures. Traditional dentures rely on adhesives or the natural suction of the mouth to stay in place, and many patients have problems with their dentures wobbling, clicking, and slipping when the talk and eat. Dr. Lee can discuss the option of implant-supported dentures with our senior patients, which provide a sturdier, more secure option for the replacement of missing teeth.

Dr. Lee takes extra special care of our senior patients, ensuring that they remain comfortable during their visit and providing them with top notch dental care.

Call Our Office Today

To learn more about general and family dentistry with Desert Family Dental, contact us online or give us a call at (480) 838-4185.