Preventive Dentistry
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“Prevention is better than the cure.” In
aligning with this, we aim to provide
treatment that firstly identifies the
cause of the dental problem, before
engaging the most optimal way of
treating that problem. This is a much
healthier approach than using the
‘band-aid’ method of just ‘filling a
hole in a tooth’.
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By educating our patients with
documented effective methods for
preventing dental problems, the benefits
achieved by patients employing them long
term will include better oral health, a
reduction in the frequency of dental
pain, an increased self esteem, and a
reduction in dental bills. These
preventive methods are provided to all
patients, and foremostly to children and
adolescents.
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Specifically, our formula for dental
disease prevention includes use of
procedures such as patient education,
dental check-ups, scale and cleans,
fluoride treatments as needed, low dose
x-rays as required, tooth fissure
sealants, and the provision of
mouthguards – all tailored to individual
patient needs. As evident, all the above
mentioned procedures are aimed at
preventing the beginning of dental
disease (such as tooth decay and gum
disease), thereby helping prevent the
need to ‘fix’ future dental problems.
Tooth Whitening
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Teeth Whitening is a very popular and
rapidly increasing mode of dental
treatment offered by our dental surgery.
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This is certainly a consideration for
you if you are not happy with the colour
of your teeth. With this option of
treatment, it is important for patients
to understand that we take great care in
firstly assessing the appropriateness of
your teeth for the whitening process,
and then together deciding whether your
case is better suited to the in-house
teeth whitening procedure, or the usage
of a take home whitening kit.
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Either way, we strictly monitor your use
of these products to ensure an
uneventful and notable result. We are
aware of the short and long-term damage
teeth whitening products can cause, by
them being recommended and used by
untrained and unqualified persons.
White Fillings
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White fillings, otherwise known as
Composite Resin Restorations, have over
the years achieved global recognition.
This is essentially our routine filling
material for both front and back teeth.
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The process of filling a tooth
effectively with these white filling
materials is somewhat long, precise, and
detailed. Before correctly placing a
white filling in a tooth, we consider
many factors such as the colour of the
tooth, the tooth’s shape, its position
in the mouth, bite forces affecting the
filling, and others.
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You will be pleased to know that the
specific composite resin materials we
use, apart from having a wonderful tooth
colour matching ability, comes with
great strength and durability to
withstand bite forces.
Crowns & Bridges
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Sometimes one of your teeth may be
determined as prone to fracture with the
bite forces in normal chewing. Another
patient may have a tooth which we
determine as having a crack. Yet another
patient may have a broken down tooth
which may also be severely worn. In all
these cases we will most probably
recommend that in order to protect the
longevity of the tooth, it is better to
crown the tooth. A crown is like a
thimble over the whole tooth. Of course,
before the recommendation of a crown for
a tooth, we will be doing quite a few
tests and assessments on the tooth using
tools such as x-rays to accurately
determine the future of the tooth with
or without a crown. It is important to
know that crowns can be placed on either
living (nerves intact) or dead (nerves
removed and root canal therapy
completed) teeth.
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We have different styles of crowns to
suit different conditions and situations
in the oral cavity. Even so, our
recommendation to you as to the type of
crown you need is only given once we
have fully assessed the total health of
your teeth and mouth. In determining the
type of crown most suited to your tooth,
factors such as the tooth’s position in
the mouth, the bite forces the tooth
suffers, the requirements for
aesthetics, cost to the patient, and
others are all considered.
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A dental bridge is a method to fill in
the space created by a missing tooth or
teeth, by utilising the teeth either
side of that space as supports. In a
simplified description for a case where
there is a single tooth missing, the
teeth either side of the gap are each
prepared for a crown, and then an
impression taken of this area. The
dental technicians at the dental
laboratory then manufacture a bridge
which comprises of three crowns
connected together, with the middle one
filling the missing tooth being solid.
This one structure (which is three
crowns together) is then ‘glued’ into
position in the mouth; this is termed a
fixed prosthesis.
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You will be reassured to know, that our
crowns and bridge work are manufactured
exclusively by dental laboratories
located in Sydney.
Veneers
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Veneers are an option we provide
patients to vastly improve their smile
by essentially restoring the front face
of a tooth or teeth. Veneers are most
commonly placed on the front teeth for a
variety of reasons, most commonly to
improve a patient’s smile.
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We provide two different types of
veneers. The cheaper and direct
placement option uses highly aesthetic
composite resins (white filling
materials), and are mainly completed in
one appointment. The more expensive
option uses a similar technique to that
of crown fabrication and placement, and
is made in porcelain by a laboratory
technician therefore requiring mainly
two appointments. In each case, a very
thin layer of the front face of the
tooth is removed to allow the new resin
or porcelain material to be placed.
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A somewhat crude analogy to dental
veneers are the ‘false-fingernails’
placed at beauty salons. But it is
important to realise that dental veneers
will last significantly longer than
false fingernails, and require a greater
skill in their manufacture and
placement.
Root Canal Therapy (RCT)
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If your tooth is diagnosed as having
advanced tooth decay where the decay has
eaten into the tooth’s blood
vessel/nerve complex (the dental pulp),
or if the tooth has been damaged by
significant injury, we may recommend the
tooth to undergo RCT to save it. Pain
due to either case may be mild, moderate
or severe dependent on individual pain
thresholds. However, even after we have
discussed with you the advantages and
disadvantages, prior to commencement of
RCT, the extraction of that tooth
maintains as an option.
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In carrying out RCT, we use highly
specialised, fine instrumentation to
remove the infected pulp deep inside the
tooth and its root(s). Once we are
satisfied the root canal(s) are clean
and dry, we then proceed to fill them -
once again using specialised
instrumentation and materials.
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This entire procedure requires multiple
appointments, and is carried out under
local anaesthetic (and if requested,
‘happy gas’). After completion of RCT,
the part of the tooth above the gum
level will be restored to protect it
from fracture – possibly by a crown.
Dental Implants
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This treatment mode is available to
patients who are keen to ‘fill-in’ gaps
created by missing teeth. Dental
implants are most appropriate to those
patients not happy to have the teeth
either side of the gaps prepared to
receive crowns (as required for the
placement of a dental bridge). Implants,
like dental bridges, are another form of
fixed prosthesis. This procedure
involves considerable investigations,
x-rays, explanation, patient input, and
planning. Although this particular
treatment can be very favourable for
some patients, it may not be an option
for others.
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Once you have clearly understood and
accepted the process and procedures
involved with dental implant placement,
the subsequent appointments are spaced
over a certain few months. In general,
the process involves a dental implant (a
screw like post) being surgically
inserted (screwed) into the jaw bone at
the required site. After a given period
of time that allows the body to heal and
‘accept’ and hold firmly the inserted
implant, impressions are taken of the
implant placed area for the manufacture
of a crown; the crown is then inserted
at a subsequent visit.
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These procedures are normally carried
out under local anaesthesia with or
without ‘happy gas’.
Bruxism: Teeth Grinding
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Do you have worn-down looking teeth? Are
your teeth short, chipped and cracked? A
lot of people who do are mostly unaware
they grind or clench their teeth with
great force. A large part of the
population grinds their teeth whilst
sleeping, and are totally unaware of
this (unless they have a sleeping
partner whom may complain). Others may
clench their teeth viciously when in
deep concentration, and similarly be
unawares of this.
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Both these actions not only produce
damage to the teeth, but also put
excessive and undue stress on the jaw
joints, and the facial and neck muscles.
Apart from creating the problem of
shortened, chipped, and fractured teeth,
these actions also give rise to
headaches, head and neck muscle tension
and soreness, and jaw joint clicking,
locking, pain and tenderness.
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So early diagnosis and treatment is
advisable, with treatment options being
bite adjustments, bite plates worn when
sleeping, jaw joint exercises, and
others.
For your convenience, we provide the facility for
health fund rebates to be electronically claimed on
the spot.
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