Frequently Asked Questions
What are dental check-ups and why are they important?
Dental check-ups are regular visits to the dentist to assess the health of your teeth and gums. These check-ups are important because they allow the dentist to identify and treat any dental problems at an early stage. This can help prevent the need for more extensive and costly treatment in the future.
What should I expect during a dental check-up?
During a dental check-up, we will typically clean your teeth, check for cavities, and assess the overall health of your teeth and gums. We may also take X-rays to check for any issues that cannot be seen during a visual examination. If necessary, we may recommend additional treatment, such as a filling or gum treatment.
How often should I visit the dentist?
It is recommended that most people visit the dentist every six months for a routine check-up. However, the specific frequency of dental check-ups can vary based on factors such as age, oral hygiene habits, and any existing dental problems. We can provide personalized recommendations for how often you should visit for check-ups.
Is it normal to be nervous about visiting the dentist?
Many people experience anxiety when visiting the dentist. This is completely normal and can be caused by a variety of factors, such as fear of pain or discomfort. If you are nervous about visiting the dentist, it is important to communicate this to us. We can take all the necessary steps to make you feel more comfortable, such as providing relaxation techniques or discussing sedation options.
What should I do if I have a dental emergency?
If you have a dental emergency, such as a severe toothache or a broken tooth, it is important to seek dental treatment as soon as possible. Contact us as soon as possible and explain the situation. We will be able to provide instructions on how to manage the emergency or see you on the same day.
Why do you need regular dental x-rays?
Tooth decay can be sneaky – it doesn’t tend to show physical signs of its presence or pain early on.
When your dentists perform an examination, they are limited to what they can see in your mouth – they can only see the part of the tooth that sits above the gum. Even then, dentists cannot see clearly between teeth where they touch.
X-rays help the dentist find and treat dental problems early in their progress, which can potentially save you money, unnecessary discomfort, and pain. So just like other x-rays ordered by medical doctors to check for things like broken bones, dentists use dental x-rays to help see inside your teeth and the parts that sit below the gums and in the surrounding bone.
What problems can dental x-rays detect?
Decay that may not be visible with a standard exam, especially small areas of decay between teeth
Identify decay occurring under an existing filling
Reveal an abscess from an infected tooth
For adults- Reveal bone loss that accompanies gum disease
- Reveal changes in the bone or in the root canal resulting from infection
- Assist in the preparation of tooth implants, braces, dentures, or other dental procedures
- Determine if there is enough space in the mouth to fit all incoming teeth
- Determine if primary teeth are being lost quickly enough to allow permanent teeth to come in properly
- Check for the development of wisdom teeth and identify if the teeth are impacted
How often should teeth be x-rayed?
The frequency of getting X-rays of your teeth often depends on your medical and dental history and current condition. Some people may need X-rays as often as every six months; others with no recent dental or gum disease and who visit their dentist regularly may get X-rays only every couple of years
Are x-rays safe?
Regardless of whether you’re a child or an adult, you can have dental X-rays safely taken inside and outside of your mouth. The amount of radiation involved is extremely low, and is equivalent to the sort of exposure you’d receive on a 1-2 hour flight. This means that even if you’re pregnant you can have X-rays taken, although they are generally kept to a minimum during this period.
So why does your dentist leaving the room while the X-rays are taken?
Nothing to worry about there – they’re taking lots of X-rays all day long and stepping out of the room limits their ongoing exposure to radiation.What are fillings made of?
There has been concerns of small plastic molecules entering our cells eg. BPA (bisphenol A) a chemical commonly added to commerical plastic products. These articial molecules are said to mimic the structure and function of the hormone estrogen in our body.
At our clinic, we just as concerned as you are in terms of the safety of materials we use. Therefore the product we use for our white fillings, the most common type of in-chair restoration you get when you visit a dentist, is Admira Fusion from Voco. Unlike all other type of direct dental restorations on the market, it is the world's first purely ceramic-based dental restorative material: pure silicate technology, ie. filler and resin components are based purely on silicon oxide- similar to glass. Excluding the micro thin bond layer, this makes the filling highly biocompatible as it does not contain the clasic monomers (eg. BPA, BISGMA, UDMA, TEGMA, HEMA, etc) commonly found in the majority of other dental filling materials. In addition to this inert characteristic of this composite, the nature of the silicon oxide makes it extremely resistant to discolouration and it has one of the lowest shrinkage when setting compared to other conventional dental restorative composites on the market. This is particularly important in terms of longevity of the restoration.
For more information please feel free to contact us via email or phoneWhat is a dental implant?
A dental implant is a small, screw-like device that is placed in the jawbone to replace a missing tooth. The implant serves as a artificial tooth root, and can be used to support a crown (artificial tooth) or a bridge. Dental implants are a permanent and natural-looking solution for replacing missing teeth. Visit our Dental Implants page to find out more.
Are dental implants safe?
Dental implants are generally considered to be safe. They have a high success rate, and complications are rare. However, as with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks and complications that should be discussed with us before undergoing treatment.
How long does it take to get a dental implant?
The process of getting a dental implant typically takes several months, as it involves multiple stages. The first stage is the placement of the implant in the jawbone, which is done during a surgical procedure. The implant then needs to integrate with the bone, which can take several months. After the implant has healed, we will attach a crown or bridge to the implant.
