General Family Dentistry

Comprehensive, personalized dental care for the entire family Heading link

Comprehensive, personalized and preventive care and education to protect and improve oral health.

Through regular examination, cleanings and preventative treatments, our goal is to develop a comprehensive treatment plan to resolve dental issues in the early stages. We provide a wide range of general dental treatments for the whole family.

Exams and preventative care Heading link

Regular dental exams are important for detection and prevention of oral diseases. During the dental exam, we will ask you about any health problems you have or medications you’re taking and discuss how they might affect your oral health. If you have diabetes, for example, you’re at increased risk of gum disease. We verify stability of fillings or other restorations, and evaluate your risk of tooth decay, root decay, and gum or bone disease. We will evaluate need for tooth restoration or tooth replacement, and check your bite and jaw for problems. During the dental exam, we will also look for signs of oral cancer in the mouth and throat areas. We may also take digital X-rays, or perform additional diagnostic procedures to develop a comprehensive treatment plan, which will be reviewed with you at the completion of the exam. Note: more than one visit may be needed to provide a full evaluation and comprehensive treatment plan.

Regular exams allow our dentists to keep your mouth in good shape and monitor conditions that may get worse or lead to problems elsewhere in your body. We can also share recommendations for good nutrition and oral hygiene, and provide counseling on special oral health care needs, such as tobacco cessation. See videos on good oral health here.

Regular cleanings help in removing the buildup of plaque and tartar, both of which can lead to cavities and gum diseases like gingivitis or periodontitis. Our hygienists will remove any stains or deposits on your teeth, and provide instruction on proper brushing and flossing. In addition to the cleaning, we can also provide a fluoride treatment to strengthen the tooth enamel against decay and reduce enamel demineralization.

Veneers

Veneers are a thin layer added to the front of teeth designed to improve the shape and color of your smile. They can also protect damaged tooth surfaces and mask undesirable defects, such as gaps, chips, stains, discolored fillings or damage due to an injury.

Sealants

Sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the teeth most used for chewing to protect the chewing surfaces from decay by keeping bacteria and pieces of food out. Sealants are often applied to children and teenagers, but adults can benefit from sealants as well.

Tobacco cessation

Smoking and other tobacco use are a contributing factor for a number of oral conditions, including cancer, and is also a major risk factor for periodontal diseases. We will provide an assessment of your risk and counseling on tobacco use cessation to improve the outcome of dental treatments and overall health.

Practical Tips for Preventing Dental Problems Heading link

Watch this video to learn how to take control of your oral health, and prevent cavities before they start.

Video: Tooth IQ Gallery Heading link

Dental Restorations Heading link

Fillings

A common treatment for tooth decay are fillings. We will clean the tooth, remove the decay and restore the tooth with filling material to prevent future bacteria from settling in the tooth. In addition to fillings, our dentists may suggest specialty treatment, including dental crowns, root canal therapy, or dental implants.

Dentures and partials

Missing teeth can greatly affect your ability to speak, eat and smile. Dentures (also known as false teeth) are removable prosthetics designed to replace gaps caused by lost teeth. Dentures also help the facial and jaw muscles to work properly so that you can eat, speak and smile normally. Our dentists and prosthodontists can create complete removable dentures and partial removable dentures as well as implant-retained dentures. We will also provide instruction on proper care, cleaning and placement of your new dentures.

Learn more about complete (full) dentures

Learn more about implant supported dentures

Implants

Non-removable dental implants may be a recommended alternative to removable dentures, since they provide a more comfortable, natural option for tooth replacement. Implants are surgically placed to replace missing teeth, and unlike dentures that are normally used to replace several teeth, implants can replace individual teeth. Our dentists and prosthodontists use the latest technology in implant diagnostics and treatment to plan and fabricate implants, crowns and other restorative treatments through digital modeling. For patients this means a more comfortable and time-saving dental experience. Procedures that used to require weeks and an outside dental laboratory are now possible in just a few days, or even on the same day.

Learn more about dental implants

The advantages of dental implants

Crowns and bridges

A tooth that has been structurally damaged by decay or trauma sometimes needs to be crowned or “capped” so that it can look good and function properly again. A crown is a durable covering that is custom-made to fit over the tooth. In some cases our specialists can digitally create your crown in-house using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM). Using these state-of-the-art techniques saves you time while still providing a great looking crown.

Dental bridges, or sometimes called fixed partial dentures, are made of one or more crowns fused together to replace missing teeth. Unlike traditional dentures, bridges are permanent and cannot be removed.

Learn more about crowns and bridges

Appointments and Location Heading link

General Adult Care: (312) 996-7555

Urgent Adult Care: (312) 996-7555

UIC College of Dentistry
General Dentistry Clinics
801 S. Paulina St. 2nd Floor
Chicago IL, 60612

What to Expect as a New Patient Heading link

Your first visit is a screening appointment, where we will assess your overall health care needs and determine if you are a suitable candidate for treatment in our Student Dentistry or Advanced Specialty care options. You may also choose to see a faculty member for your dental care.