General Dentistry   |   Pedodontics   |   Endodontics   |   Prosthodontics   |   Oral Surgery   |   Orthodontics   |   Periodontics   |   Cosmetic Dentistry

General Dentistry (Complete Dental Check-Up & Teeth Cleaning)

Even if you take excellent care of your teeth and gums at home, you still need to see a dentist regularly. The dentist can check for problems that you may not see or feel. Many dental problems don't become visible or cause pain until they are in more advanced stages.

During the check-up, the dentist will examine all parts of your mouth:

•  The teeth will be checked for decay, faulty fillings, cracks and wear.
• The gums will be checked to ensure that they are healthy. Bleeding gums are signs of gum disease.
• Dental X-rays will be taken if the dentist thinks they are needed. They can be very helpful in detecting dental problems which may not be apparent during the clinical examination.

Regular visits allow the dentist to find early signs of disease. Problems can be treated at a manageable stage. On average, seeing a dentist twice a year works well for most people. A few people can get away with fewer visits. People with a high risk of dental disease might need to visit every three or four months, or more. This high-risk group includes:

• Smokers
• Diabetics
• People with recurring gum disease
• People with a weak immune response to bacterial infection
• People who tend to get cavities or build up plaque

If you have a stubborn case of gum disease or excessive food deposits or stains on your teeth, the dentist may recommend a dental procedure called dental scaling.  This will remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and help your gums regain health.

During the teeth scaling process, the dentist will use specialized tools to remove the hardened deposits of plaque build up (tartar) from the teeth both above and below the gum line.  The whole procedure is usually done in a single visit. However, in certain cases when there is excessive build up of deposits, you may be required to come in for two visits.

 

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Pedodontics (Children's Dentistry)

When infants are born, almost all of their primary (baby) teeth already have formed. These teeth are still hidden in the gums. They usually begin to erupt or cut through the gums at about 6 months of age. Some babies get teeth earlier, and some get them later. Your 1-year-old may have a different number of teeth than your neighbor's 1-year-old. Your child should have all 20 primary teeth by the time he or she turns 3 years old.

Baby Teeth usually have spaces between them. These spaces help make sure there is enough room for the permanent teeth. In fact, lack of space between the baby teeth can sometimes mean that adult teeth will be "crowded" or not have enough space to come in.

Take good care of your child's baby teeth. They do eventually fall out. But until they do, your child's baby teeth play an important role by helping your child bite and chew food, and speak clearly. Baby teeth also save space for the permanent teeth, and help guide them into place.

Ideally, your child's first dental visit should be by the first birthday. Children will begin losing their teeth at approximately age 4. They will usually lose their front teeth first and will continue to lose baby teeth until age 12 or 13 when all of the permanent teeth finally erupt. The dentist will check for early signs of decay and orthodontic (teeth alignment) problems. As kids grow older, their bite and the straightness of their teeth can become an issue. The age at which a child needs orthodontic treatment depends on the type and severity of the orthodontic problems that are present.  Some orthodontic problems are more effectively treated at an early age, while others are best treated once the majority of permanent teeth have erupted.  The dentist will be able to tell you more about this.

 

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Endodontics (Root Canal Treatment)

Root canal treatment is the removal of the tooth's pulp, a small, thread-like tissue in the center of the tooth. Once the damaged, diseased or dead pulp is removed, the remaining space is cleaned, shaped and filled. This procedure seals off the root canal. Years ago, teeth with diseased or injured pulps were removed. Root canal treatment saves many teeth that would otherwise be lost. There are several downsides to losing a natural tooth. If a tooth is missing, the neighbouring teeth can drift out of line. They can also be overstressed from chewing. Saving your natural teeth helps you to avoid

 other treatments, such as implants or bridges. 

The most common causes of pulp damage or death are:

• A cracked tooth
• A deep cavity
• An injury to a tooth, such as a severe knock to the tooth, either recent or in the past.

Once the pulp is infected or dead, if left untreated, pus can build up at the root tip in the jawbone, forming an abscess. An abscess can destroy the bone surrounding the tooth and cause pain. 

Root canal treatment consists of several steps that take place in a single visit or over several office visits, depending on the situation. These steps are:

• First, an opening is made through the back of a front tooth or the crown of a molar or pre-molar.
• After the diseased pulp is removed (a pulpectomy), the pulp chamber and root canals are cleaned, enlarged and shaped in preparation for being filled.
• If more than one visit is needed, a temporary filling is placed in the crown opening to protect the tooth between dental visits.
• The temporary filling is removed and the pulp chamber and root canal permanently filled. A tapered, rubbery material called gutta-percha is inserted into each of the canals and is often sealed into place with cement. Sometimes a metal or plastic rod is placed in the canal for structural support.
• In the final step, a crown is usually placed over the tooth to restore its natural shape and appearance. If the tooth is very broken down, a post may be required to build it up prior to placing a crown.

 

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Prosthodontics (Crown & Bridges, Dentures, Implants)

If something unfortunate happens to your teeth, it is important to take early steps and consult the dentist to minimize the impact on your entire mouth. Missing teeth can allow the surrounding teeth to become displaced. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Cracked or damaged teeth should be fixed to save as much of the tooth as possible. By taking care of dental problems immediately, you minimize the risk of future problems.

Crowns fix and protect teeth that are so damaged or diseased that they need more support than a simple filling. A crown is used to entirely cover or "cap" a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth.

The dentist may recommend a crown to:

• Replace a large filling when there isn't enough tooth remaining
• Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
• Restore a fractured tooth
• Attach a bridge
• Cover a dental implant
• Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
• Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment

Bridges can be used to replace a small number of missing teeth if the neighboring teeth are sufficiently strong. The number of missing teeth, condition of the neighbouring teeth, condition of the supporting gums and bone are all important factors which need to be assessed prior to making a bridge. A bridge stabilizes the bite of a patient who has one or more teeth missing. Bridges prevent the surrounding teeth from moving or shifting in the mouth. A missing tooth that is not replaced may cause surrounding teeth to become unstable and require removal, compromising oral health or change the shape of the face and diminish the beauty of a smile. Unlike partial dentures, bridges are permanent; patients need not remove them. The missing tooth is replaced with an artificial tooth connected between two crowns (caps), which are permanently cemented or bonded on the adjacent teeth.

Implants are metal posts or frames that are surgically positioned into the jawbone beneath your gums. Once in place, they allow the dentist to mount replacement teeth onto them. Because implants fuse to your jawbone, they provide stable support for artificial teeth. Dentures and Bridges mounted to implants won't slip or shift in your mouth — an especially important benefit when eating and speaking. This secure fit helps the dentures and bridges — as well as individual crowns placed over implants — feel more natural than conventional bridges or dentures.

For some people, ordinary bridges and dentures are simply not comfortable or even possible, due to sore spots, poor ridges or gagging. In addition, ordinary bridges must be attached to teeth on either side of the space left by the missing tooth. An advantage of implants is that no adjacent teeth need to be prepared or ground down to hold your new replacement tooth/teeth in place.

To receive implants, you need to have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant. You must also commit to keeping these structures healthy.

Dentures are replacements for missing teeth that can be taken out and put back into your mouth. There are two main types of dentures: complete and partial. Complete dentures replace all of the teeth, while partial dentures fill in the spaces created by missing teeth and prevent other teeth from shifting position. The dentist will help you choose the type of denture that's best for you based on whether some or all of your teeth are going to be replaced and the cost involved.

 

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 Oral Surgery (Extraction & Impaction)

If a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, the dentist will try to fix it with a filling, crown or other treatment. Sometimes, though, there's too much damage for the tooth to be repaired. In this case, the tooth needs to be extracted. A very loose tooth also will require extraction if it can't be saved.

• Some people have extra teeth that block other teeth from coming out.
• Sometimes baby teeth don't fall out in time to allow the permanent teeth to come out.
• People getting braces may need teeth extracted to create room for the teeth that are being moved into place.

Wisdom teeth are the last molars on each side of the jaws. They are the last teeth to emerge, or erupt, usually when a person is aged 16-20. Since wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to come through, or erupt, there is often not enough room left in your mouth to accommodate them. This can lead to impacted wisdom teeth: teeth that are trapped beneath the gum tissue by other teeth or bone. If teeth are impacted, swelling and tenderness may occur. They need to be removed if they are decayed, cause pain, have a a cyst or infection or if they get stuck in the jaw (impacted) and do not come out. This can irritate the gum, causing pain and swelling and in some cases butt against the adjacent healthy tooth and thereby weakening it. Partially erupted wisdom teeth can also cause problems because it would cause food deposits to accumulate and eventually cause caries. In such cases, it is recommended that the wisdom tooth be removed. The dentist will usually take an X-ray to determine the severity of impaction and recommend the appropriate procedure. Removal of wisdom teeth due to crowding or impaction will not affect your bite or oral health in the future.

 

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 Orthodontics (Braces & Teeth Alignment)

Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that corrects teeth and jaws that are positioned improperly. Crooked teeth and teeth that do not fit together correctly are harder to keep clean, are at risk of being lost early due to tooth decay and periodontal disease, and cause extra stress on the chewing muscles.

If you have any of the following, you may be a candidate for orthodontic treatment:

• Overbite, sometimes called "buck teeth" — where the upper front teeth lie too far forward (stick out) over the lower teeth
• Underbite — a "bulldog" appearance where the lower teeth are too far forward or the upper teeth too far back
• Crossbite — when the upper teeth do not come down slightly in front of the lower teeth when biting together normally
• Open bite — space between the biting surfaces of the front and/or side teeth when the back teeth bite together
• Misplaced midline— when the center of your upper front teeth does not line up with the center of your lower front teeth
• Spacing — gaps, or spaces, between the teeth as a result of missing teeth or teeth that do not "fill up" the mouth
• Crowding — when there are too many teeth for the dental ridge to accommodate

Many different types of appliances, both fixed and removable, are used to help move teeth, retrain muscles and affect the growth of the jaws. These appliances work by placing gentle pressure on the teeth and jaws. The severity of your problem will determine which orthodontic approach is likely to be the most effective.

 

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 Periodontics (Gum Care)

Periodontal disease is an inflammation of the gums that can progress to affect the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth. It is caused by the bacteria in plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. If not removed through daily brushing and flossing, plaque can build up and the bacteria infect not only your gums and teeth, but eventually the gum tissue and bone that support the teeth. This can cause them to become loose and fall out.

Gum disease can occur at any age, but it is most common among adults. If detected in its early stages, gum disease can be reversed so see the dentist if you notice any of the following symptoms:

• Gums that are red, puffy or swollen, or tender
• Gums that bleed during brushing or flossing
• Teeth that look longer because your gums have receded
• Gums that have separated, or pulled away, from your teeth, creating a pocket
• Pus coming from between your teeth and gums
• Constant bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth

A professional cleaning by the dentist is the only way to remove plaque that has built up and hardened into tartar. The dentist will clean or "scale" your teeth to remove the tartar above and below the gumline. By scheduling regular checkups, early stage gum disease can be treated before it leads to a much more serious condition.

 

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 Cosmetic Dentistry (Teeth Whitening & Tooth Jewellery) 

Whitening is the process of correcting tooth discolorations to restore the teeth as close as possible to its natural color. Some people are born with teeth that are more yellow than others. Others have teeth that yellow with age. Your natural tooth colour can also be affected by many factors. Surface stains (called extrinsic stains by dentists) and discolouration can be caused by:

• Tobacco (whether smoked or chewed)
• Drinking coffee, tea, or red wine
• Eating highly pigmented foods such as cherries and blueberries
• Accumulation of tartar deposits, which result from plaque that has hardened

Internal stains (called intrinsic stains by dentists) can be caused by:

• Treatment with the antibiotic tetracycline during the time when teeth are forming
• Yellowing or greying of the teeth as part of the ageing process
• Trauma to the teeth that may result in the death of the tooth's nerve, giving the tooth a brown, gray or black color
• Ingesting too much fluoride when teeth are forming (from birth to age 16), which gives teeth a "mottled" look

Thorough cleaning by a dentist will remove most external staining caused by food and tobacco. If stains have been present for years, you may need to have your teeth professionally whitened to remove these more stubborn external stains. Not everyone is a candidate for whitening. Bleaching is not recommended if you have tooth-colored fillings, crowns, caps or bonding in your front teeth - the bleach will not change the color of these materials, making them stand out in your newly whitened smile. Visit the dentist to find out if you are a good candidate for teeth whitening.

Tooth jewellery is a new craze which intends to add a 'sparkle' to your smile. Tooth jewellery usually comes in the form of small gems and stones, which are fitted to the teeth to give them a unique look. The application of teeth gems and stones is likened to having an orthodontic bracket applied to the teeth, with no need for drilling. The procedure to attach jewels to the teeth is very simple and quick, sometimes as little as ten minutes. The gems and stones are fixed to the teeth using a strong adhesive. Having gems attached to your teeth should not damage the existing tooth structure. The gems will last as long as the patient wants them to. Some people want jewels for a specific event or celebration, while others want them as a long-term addition to their look. 

 

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