General Dentistry

Maintaining good oral hygiene is vital for your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth enable you to look and feel good while at the same time making it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is essential to your overall well-being, and daily preventive care combined with regular visits to our Oral Hygienist’s office will prove to be much less painful, expensive and stressful than treating conditions that had been allowed to progress.

A filling is used to repair a tooth that had been damaged by decay. At our dental practice, we only use composite resin fillings to avoid problems associated with metal amalgam fillings. Composite resin fillings are white, or tooth coloured, making it near invisible to detect by an untrained eye. Because composite fillings are bonded to your teeth, problems related to thermal expansion and contraction are eliminated.

Root canal treatment (or endodontics) is used to save the tooth when the blood vessels and nerve in the centre of the tooth (the pulp) become infected by decay or fractures of the tooth. If left untreated, the pulp could cause a dental abscess that results in moderate to severe pain, swelling and infections of the jaw bone. The only alternative to root canal treatment is to have the tooth removed. However, it is advised that you try to keep as many natural teeth as possible.

Bruxism is a condition in which you subconsciously grind, gnash or clench your teeth. Since grinding or clenching your teeth is a subconscious behaviour, it often takes place while you are asleep, making it a sleep-related movement disorder, that might be accompanied by snoring and pauses in breath (sleep apnoea). Because you may have sleep bruxism, you might be unaware of it until complications arise. Therefore, it is important to look out for these symptoms: Frequent and severe pain in the jaw, headaches in the morning when you wake up, and damaged molars. For patients who have bruxism, a special mouth guard may be created to prevent tooth damage.

Mouth guards are coverings worn over the teeth to protect it from injury. Mouth guards are usually worn to cover upper teeth only, but in instances where you have had previous orthodontic work, a covering over your upper and lower teeth could be recommended. An effective mouth guard should be comfortable, tear resistant, durable, easy to clean and should not confine your speech or breathing. For patients who have sleep bruxism (a condition whereby you grind or clench your teeth while sleeping), a special mouth guard may be created to prevent tooth damage.

Although snoring is not life threatening, nothing is worse than waking up to the sound of snoring (whether it is your own or that of your partner) and being unable to sleep through the noise. Not only does snoring affect the quality of your sleep, but it also has adverse effects on your overall health. In some cases, snoring could even result in relationship problems. The best way to put an end to snoring is by using an anti-snoring device, available in our practice.

Dentures are removable replacements for missing teeth. Although dentures take some getting used to, it is natural looking and more comfortable than ever. There are two main types of dentures: partial dentures and full dentures. To determine which one is best for you, we will need to establish how many teeth will have to be replaced. Full dentures are placed after any remaining teeth are removed and the gum tissue has healed. Partial dentures rest on metal frameworks that are attached to your natural teeth. In some cases, crowns are placed on your natural teeth to serve as an anchor for the denture.

Ceramic crowns are dental crowns that are made purely from ceramic and no other material, unlike other crowns that are porcelain fused to metal or gold. A popular feature of ceramic crowns is that the translucent material it is made of blends naturally with the rest of your teeth. It is also very durable and has the potential to last for many years. Ceramic crowns are ideal for people who prefer something with a natural appearance. It also presents no risk of an allergic reaction or sensitivity to hot or cold foods.

Ceramic inlays and onlays are the preferred to the traditional amalgam fillings. The tough ceramic material resembles a natural tooth, making ceramic crowns attractive to view. With onlays and inlays, the ceramic material is inside or over the surface of a decayed or damaged tooth.

Ceramic porcelain veneers can create a healthy, natural-looking smile. It is often recommended to enhance aesthetics, restore tooth structure and function, and correct orthodontic problems. Improvements in veneer technology have led to greater predictability and success rates, as well as lower costs. This combination of quality and low costs have sparked patient interest.

Dental bridges are ideal for closing gaps in your mouth left behind by missing teeth. Gaps can cause teeth to shift towards the gap, resulting in a crooked smile. A dental bridge is made up of an artificial tooth between two or more crowns that are used to anchor the artificial tooth onto the natural ones. These artificial teeth are called pontics and can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. Dental bridges are supported by natural teeth or implants.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is placed into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Dental implants may be an option for people who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason. Dental implants are intimately connected with the gum tissues and underlying bone in the mouth. Since periodontists are the dental experts who specialize in precisely these areas, they are ideal members of your dental implant team. Not only do periodontists have experience working with other dental professionals, but they also have the specialized knowledge, training and facilities that you need to have teeth that look and feel just like your own. Your dentist and periodontist will work together to make your dreams come true.