Restorative dental hygiene involves a variety of procedures to repair teeth, oftentimes fixing visual imperfections and providing patients with a confidence boost. That being said, the effects of restorative dental hygiene go far beyond cosmetics. Disease prevention will be your principal objective after dental hygienist training. Through restorative procedures and chairside patient education, you can promote improved oral health, which helps protect patients from serious ailments like heart disease and, in severe cases, sepsis. Keep reading to learn about some of the duties you’ll carry out after training which will help foster better oral health.
Performing Occlusal Adjustments Will Facilitate Oral Hygiene
Many of us don’t have perfectly straight smiles, which is not always a cause for concern; however, when a patient has a significantly misaligned bite or malocclusion, many issues can arise. For example, bruxism (teeth grinding), bone recession, and the worsening of periodontal (gum) disease are only a few symptoms that can appear when misalignment goes untreated. In addition, malocclusion can make it difficult to clean teeth properly, resulting in oral infections.
Occlusal adjustments correct a misaligned bite through the reshaping of a tooth’s biting surface, tooth reconstruction, and corrective orthodontic treatments like braces or retainers. As a bonus, this sort of restorative hygiene procedure also fixes underbites and overbites, giving patients appealing cosmetic results.
Place and Finish Amalgam to Prevent Decay After Dental Hygiene Courses
Fillings are one of the most common types of restorative hygiene treatment. During your dental hygiene courses, you’ll learn that cavities caused by tooth decay should be treated immediately since, when left untreated, bacteria can spread and cause complications like painful abscesses, halitosis, and in the worst case, an oral infection that spreads. To prevent further damage, the decayed tissue is removed before filling the hole. Contrary to popular belief, fillings require monitoring and replacement with time, as in some cases, decayed tissue is missed and continues to spread underneath the filling. Placing fillings helps patients find relief from pain and safeguard their long-term oral health.
Educating Patients is an Impactful Way to Prevent Oral Disease
Chairside education is one thing that patients take with them long after their appointment. In addition to answering questions about restorative hygiene procedures in a simple, accommodating way, take every opportunity to explain proper hygiene techniques and the reasons behind them. Many restorative dental hygienists find it useful to have visual aids readily available to increase the quality of their patient education.
Restorative hygiene is the perfect career progression for dental hygienists looking to upskill. Our program will provide a profound understanding of common dental conditions and the techniques used to treat them. In addition to theoretical knowledge, you’ll leave fully equipped with the practical experience you’ll need to prevent oral disease on the job.
Are you ready to begin a dental hygienist diploma program?
Contact CADH to learn how you can get started.