General Family Dentistry

General Family Dentistry

Oral Hygiene

It is important to visit an oral hygienist every six months to have your teeth cleaned professionally, more often if you have a high risk of periodontal disease.

An oral hygienist will usually do the following:

  • Remove dental plaque and tartar from your teeth to prevent cavities, gum disease, pain and eventual tooth loss.
  • After scaling, teeth are polished to remove exterior stains. Your teeth may require a fluoride treatment if any areas are decalcified or exposed.
  • Dental sealants may be necessary to protect fissures and grooves in your teeth. These could trap food and cause tooth decay.

Gum Disease

We diagnose and treat gum disease or periodontal disease, which is characterised by tender, swollen or bleeding gums. Both early and advanced periodontal disease can be treated with surgical or non-surgical therapy.

Dental Fillings

Filling materials are used to repair damaged or decayed teeth, or minor fractures. Filling materials bond to the tooth structure. The modern, advanced materials that we use are aesthetically attractive and mimic the tooth structure very well. When more than half the tooth requires a filling, a porcelain restoration is recommended.

Root Canal Treatment

The nerve of a tooth can be damaged and become infected. Infected tissues in the tooth pulp may cause severe pain and eventually lead to tooth loss. We treat effected teeth with root canal treatment, which is designed to remove the nerve with the goal of saving the tooth. The tooth will be medicated and filled over one to two visits.

Tooth Extraction

A tooth is only extracted when it has been irreparably damaged and cannot be restored. Once this has healed, other restoration options such as bridgework or implants will be recommended to restore function and aesthetics.

Dental care for children

It is especially important that children are as comfortable with the family dentist as possible. We therefore strive to provide a safe and comfortable environment for children. Visiting a dentist can be a difficult experience for a young child, which is why we invite parents to bring their children along for routine care visits.

Paedodontics or dental care for children includes general preventative dental care and education. In more complex cases treatment in theatre may be recommended.

Mouth guards and Bite plates

In order to protect your teeth against accidental mouth trauma in sports, we recommend customised mouth guards.

Bite plates treat the symptoms of excessive grinding due to stress, occlusal interferences and TMJ dysfunction. They help limit wear and tear on the teeth and should generally be worn at night only.

Dentures

Dentures are removable appliances that replace missing teeth and help restore your smile. If you’ve lost all or some of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, replacing missing teeth will improve your appearance and your health. That is because dentures make it easier to eat and speak better than you could without teeth. These are things that people often take for granted.

When you lose all of your teeth, facial muscles can sag, making you look older. Dentures can help fill out the appearance of your face and profile. They can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth so that your appearance does not change much. Dentures may even improve the look of your smile.

Types of dentures:

Conventional: This full removable dentures are made and placed in your mouth after the remaining teeth are removed and tissues have healed, which may take several months.

  • Immediate: This removable dentures are inserted on the same day that the remaining teeth are removed. We will take measurements and make models of your jaw during a preliminary visit. You don’t have to be without teeth during the healing period, but may need to have the dentures relined or remade after your jaw has healed.
  • Overdenture: Sometimes some of your teeth can be saved to preserve your jawbone and provide stability and support for the dentures. An overdenture fits over a small number of remaining natural teeth after they have been prepared by your dentist.
  • Implant Supported Overdentures: These are similar to overdentures but instead of using the teeth to support dentures, 2-4 implants may be placed to support the dentures.

New dentures may feel awkward for a few weeks until you become accustomed to them. The dentures may feel loose while the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place. It is not unusual to experience minor irritation or soreness. You may find that saliva flow temporarily increases. As your mouth becomes accustomed to the dentures, these problems should go away. Follow-up visits are generally needed after dentures are inserted in order for the fit to be checked and adjusted.

We offer all types of complete dentures listed above as well as Cast partial dentures and the flexible Valplast partial dentures.

We also provide all types of denture repair services and most of the time can have the dentures back to you in 24 hours.