General dentistry encompasses a number of dental treatments that are aimed at helping you achieve and maintain optimal oral health for a lifetime. Whether you simply want to schedule your next dental checkup or need more complex restorative treatment, we are here to take care of your smile.

Scale, Clean & Polish – Clean, Scale and Polish is the procedure that is a general clean of the teeth. It de-scales the plaque and bacteria that has built up over time and polishes the enamel of the teeth.

Check-up & X-rays – Check-ups and dental exams are important to determining your overall dental and oral health. Conducting dental X-ray of the mouth assists with diagnosis during the dental exam and helps with later prognosis of treatment.

Fillings (Amalgam & Composite) – An amalgam or gold filling is what is often referred to as ‘mercury’ fillings as some contained mercury. Metal fillings are effective but are very obvious. A composite resin dental filling is coloured to look like a natural tooth and made of a plastic dental resin. These are strong and durable.

A root canal is a tiny canal in your tooth that has become infected, this has lead to the pulp inside the tooth also becoming diseased. Your dentist will remove any infection, fill the canals and either fill or crown the tooth to add strength and protect the the tooth. An untreated cavity is the most common cause for infection. The biggest advantage to having a root canal is that your tooth will not need to be extracted in the future, this is a health procedure rather than a cosmetic procedure.

Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are the teeth that appear right at the back of your mouth during your late teens and early twenties. Often the problem is that there is no room left for them to come through and the teeth fail to emerge properly. A wisdom tooth can come through the gum partly or remain trapped under the gum – this is known as an impacted wisdom tooth.

Impacted wisdom teeth can become a constant source of infection and have the potential for an acute flare up.
Wisdom teeth only need to be removed if they are causing problems, for example:

• They become difficult to clean and are prone to tooth decay, gum disease, and recurring infections
• Cysts and tumors develop in tissue around the impacted wisdom teeth
• If the teeth cause pressure to surrounding teeth by overcrowding

Extractions

Dental extraction is the removal of a tooth from the socket in the bone, generally done if the tooth is broken or has been damaged by decay and cannot be fixed by a filling or crown.
Other reasons for extractions can include wisdom teeth (either being extracted before or after they come in), space needed for other teeth coming in, getting braces and for some medical conditions or procedures that may require teeth extractions.

There are two types of extractions, a simple extraction or a surgical extraction. A simple extraction involves a local anaesthetic injection (with or without anti-anxiety drugs). The dentist will grasp the tooth with forceps and remove it. This is done for teeth that can be seen in the mouth, for teeth that cannot be easily seen in the mouth a surgical extraction is done. Your dentist will cut and pull back the gum to gain access to remove bone or tooth under local anaesthetic, there is also the option of conscious sedation.

Crowns

A crown covers the entire visible surface of your tooth and adds strength and durability to your tooth if it has become damaged by natural age wear and tear, grinding, fillings and by having an improper bite. A crown is the best choice for teeth that are misshapen or darkly stained. There are a few varieties of crowns including gold, porcelain and metal and resin and porcelain.

Bridges

A dental bridge is a false tooth or teeth which are fused between two porcelain crowns to fill the area left by a missing tooth. The crowns on either side of the false tooth are attached to your teeth on either side and thus cannot be removed like removable partial dentures can be.
Bridges can help reduce the risk of gum disease and help correct bite issues and improve speech. Bridges are natural in appearance and last ten years or longer if well maintained with good oral hygiene. You may have some mild discomfort to hot or cold temperatures for a few weeks after treatment.

These differ in price and it is best to discuss with your dentist the best options available.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a titanium post that is inserted into the jaw to act as an artificial replacement root for a missing tooth. The dental implant provides the support for a dental crown, a dental bridge or a denture.

Dental implants have many benefits which make them the optimum form of tooth replacement for anyone eligible to receive them. First, implants are as strong as real tooth roots and create a strong foundation for replacement teeth. Replacement teeth supported by implants have close to the same chewing power as natural teeth. Traditional full and partial dentures provide only minimal chewing power.

Implant-supported individual teeth and dental bridges also prevent the adjacent teeth from shifting position and causing problems with bite alignment or chewing ability. Further, chewing with implant-supported teeth (which includes implant-supported dentures) creates the pressure on the jawbone required to preserve the jaw’s volume and density. Chewing with traditional dentures provides no such pressure and actually accelerates bone loss in the jaw.

Implant-supported replacement teeth feel, function and look very much like real teeth. Dental implants are by far the most durable, most long-lasting and most lifelike of all tooth replacement options.

Very few people are blessed with perfect teeth, and even fewer people make it into later life without their teeth deteriorating in some way. Our habits, diet, trauma, injury and dental decisions can dramatically change the way our teeth last and look over time. Sometimes it can be hard to remember a day when smiling, chewing and even speaking was simple. With the various capabilities of cosmetic dentistry, you can again become confident in these abilities.

Porcelain Veneers

Veneers are also known as laminates and are thin, custom-made ‘shells’ that get permanently bonded to the front of your teeth. They are usually made of porcelain.

Veneers improve the colour and shape of your teeth and can transform teeth that have been broken, chipped, stained or have large gaps between them. Your teeth won’t loose any strength having veneers and you will still be able to bite and chew normally.
The procedure involves having a small amount of enamel removed from the front of the tooth so that a mold can be taken and sent to a technician who makes the veneer. Your dentist will then use a resin to bond the veneer to the tooth requiring little or no anesthesia as the treatment process is quick.

Porcelain Veneers are a fantastic way to correct slight misalignment of teeth and discolouration in the one go.

Teeth Whitening
There are a variety of methods for teeth whitening and as with any procedure, there are pros and cons. There can be some short-term discomfort with teeth and gums from the whitening solution, there can also be some discomfort from a whitening tray if it has not been fitted properly.
Methods for teeth whitening include teeth bleaching, laser bleaching, and custom fit tray bleaching. Depending on your chosen method for bleaching, your teeth may become 4-8 shades whiter. Your dentist can provide a more effective whitening system for use at home, than the ‘do it yourself’ kits available from the pharmacy or supermarket. Over time your teeth can lose some of their whiteness, you may need to repeat the process occasionally.
Teeth with root fillings can be whitened and are treated by cleaning and placing a bleach inside the tooth.

Full Mouth Rehabilitation

Teeth can become worn down, decayed, fractured or lost over time due to bad habits, injury, gum disease or other factors. If this has happened to you, you don’t have to suffer with broken-down or missing teeth, chewing problems, mouth pain and embarrassment about your smile.

A full-mouth rehabilitation restores full function to your smile and creates a solid foundation for good overall health. When planning a full-mouth rehabilitation, we first conduct a comprehensive oral exam which includes full diagnostic images (X-rays and photos), a review of your medical and dental history and a thorough inspection of the condition of your teeth and gums. We also check the function of your jaw joints and signs of any misalignment in your bite. From all the information obtained, we formulates a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your exact needs. Your procedures will depend on your specific circumstances, and can include such things as crowns, bridges, veneers and implant-supported new teeth. It could also include straightening of misaligned teeth and cosmetic gum treatments.

A complete and beautiful smile can also be a confidence-booster in your personal relationships. A full-mouth rehabilitation will give you an attractive smile you will be proud to show.

Dentures are removable replacements for missing teeth made out of acrylic resin and at times have porcelain or metal for additional support. There are complete dentures that will replace all of your teeth upper or lower, or partial dentures which are designed to correct gaps in your mouth when only a few teeth are missing. You should discuss any potential ongoing fees for care and upkeep with your dentist so that you are fully informed.

Be aware that the very best dentures will only allow you to have 25% of the chewing power you had with all of your own teeth. You will initially feel like you have a mouth full of plastic (and indeed you have). This will take some time to get used to and can take three months or more. Ulcers may develop in your mouth in the first few months from the denture moving whilst eating, ulcers will require the denture to be adjusted.

Want to know a fact? It is incredibly normal to fear or have anxiety when visiting the dentist! At the end of the day, though, the last thing we want is for you to put your dental health at risk because you’re afraid or nervous. We want to make you as comfortable as possible. Conscious sedation is a form of deep relaxation yet you are still able to hear and respond to the dentist although, the sedation is knowing to produce either partial or full memory loss. Only available at our sister practice in Matamata, Applecross House Dentists, we offer two types of conscious sedation for those patients who would rather not be aware of treatment as it happens. Oral Sedation & IV Sedation.

Oral Sedation – A tablet is given to you to be taken an hour before the treatment.

IV Sedation – is administered through an intravenous line inserted into a vein in the arm or hand.

When sedating a patient, it is important for the patient to know they are in good hands in a safe and controlled environment. We constantly monitor the patient whist they are sedated checking their vitals and blood pressure.

We are an ACC Accredited practice.

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