TREATMENTS AT SAISCH DENTAL CARE
Our treatments involve the highest standard of personalised care. Please click on any of the treatments listed below to find out more information.
Amalgam
The ADA policy remains, on the basis of the research available, that the use of dental amalgam produces no harmful effects.
There has been much publicity regarding the safety of dental amalgam. The World Health Organisation and the International Dental Federation have released a joint statement confirming the safety of dental amalgam as a filling material.
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Bridges
A bridge is an appliance permanently fixed in the mouth to replace missing teeth. It uses remaining teeth to support the new artificial tooth or teeth.
A bridge is made up of two crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap and a false tooth/teeth rigidly attached in between. The bridge can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain or a combination of these materials.
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Bruxism (Clenching or Grinding)
Excessive clenching or grinding of the teeth, known as bruxism, is often caused by physical or psychological stress or a sleep disorder. If untreated, bruxism can lead to excessive wear on the teeth and may cause permanent damage to the teeth and jaw joints.
Treatment involves repairing damaged teeth (such as restorations, crowns, or inlays to replace the damaged tooth surface) and subsequently creating an occlusal splint (night guard) made from hard plastic that fits over the upper or lower teeth, and is worn at night to prevent further wear of the tooth surfaces.
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Checkup
In addition to brushing your teeth at least twice a day and regular flossing, it is important to visit the Dentist every six months for a regular examination and clean. This helps to maintain good oral health and hygiene, and detect and treat problems as they arise to prevent minor problems from becoming larger ones.
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Children's Dentistry
Tooth decay can still be a common problem in infancy and childhood. The most common dental decay problem seen in infants and younger children is nursing decay. Dental decay can affect baby teeth extensively. Teeth normally affected are the top front teeth. The back teeth in top and bottom may also be affected. Bottle and breast-fed babies are both susceptible. Babies left with a bottle as a pacifier and those who are frequently nursed, especially at night, run the danger of bottle or nursing decay due to the prolonged exposure to milk (human milk is no exception) or juice.
Another common decay problem seen in preschool children is due to frequent exposure to sugary, starchy and acidic foods, including all forms of juices, cordials and soft drinks. Snacking generally promotes dental decay, because the mere presence of food in the mouth feed the plaque that produces acid, causing decay.
Get children used to seeing the dentist from an early age. Teach good habits early, as good habits start young for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Cleaning a child's teeth is essential either with a soft toothbrush or by wiping them with a cloth. Do not use toothpaste for children under 18mths and use toothpaste with low fluoride for children aged 18mths to 5 yrs.
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Crowns
Dental crowns (often referred to as 'dental caps' or 'tooth caps') cover over and encase the tooth on which they are cemented. Crowns are used to rebuild broken or decayed teeth, as a way to strengthen teeth and as a method to improve the cosmetic appearance of a tooth. The type of crown will depend on the tooth involved and sometimes on your preference, and include porcelain crowns, porcelain-bonded-to-metal crowns, which combine the appearance of tooth coloured material with the strength of metal, gold alloy crowns and acrylic crowns.
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Emergencies
Toothache:
A very persistent toothache is always a sign that you need to see a dentist as soon as practicable. In the meantime, you should try to obtain relief by rinsing the mouth with water and trying to clean out debris from any obvious cavities. Use dental floss to remove any food that might be trapped within the cavity (especially between the teeth). If swelling is present, place a cold compress to the outside of the cheek (DO NOT HEAT). Take pain relief if necessary, using pain medicines that you know you are safe with. Remember, no pain relief tablets will work directly on the tooth. They must be swallowed as directed. If placed on the tooth, they can cause more trouble (especially aspirin).
Braces or retainers:
If a wire is causing irritation, cover the end of the wire with a small cotton ball or a piece of gauze or soft wax. If a wire is embedded in the cheek, tongue or gum tissue, DO NOT attempt to remove it: Let the dentist do it. If there is a loose or broken appliance, GO TO THE ORTHODONTIST OR DENTIST.
Knocked out tooth:
If dirty, rinse tooth in milk holding it by the crown (not roots). If not available use water (few seconds only) or have patient suck it clean, then put the tooth back in the socket. If the tooth cannot be replanted, wrap in Glad Wrap or place it in milk or in the patient's mouth inside the cheek. Go to a dentist within 30 minutes if you can. Time is critical for successful replanting.
Broken tooth:
Try to clean debris from the injured area with warm water. If caused by a blow, place a cold compress on the face next to the injured tooth to minimize swelling. Try to find all the bits that are missing and bring them to the dentist, keeping them moist. Some broken bits can be bonded back onto the teeth almost invisibly. Go to the dentist as soon as practical.
Bitten tongue or lip:
Apply direct pressure to bleeding area with a clean cloth. If swelling is present, apply cold compress. If bleeding doesn't stop readily or the bite is severe, go to the dentist or hospital.
Objects wedged between teeth:
Try to remove the object with dental floss. Guide the floss in carefully so as not to cut the gums. If unsuccessful, go to a dentist.
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Extractions
An extraction is a procedure consisting of the removal of a tooth, whilst the patient is anesthetised by local anaesthetic.
Often teeth which require extraction are severely damaged by tooth decay or fractures and cannot be saved by other dental treatments such as endodontics (root canal treatment).
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Fillings (restorations)
A filling is an artificial material used to replace parts of the tooth that have been damaged by tooth decay or have fractured.
The treatment involves removing all the decay, filling the cavity and shaping the filling to match the original tooth contour and the bite.
Teeth are restored using tooth-coloured fillings such as composite resins and glass ionomer cements. Metallic (amalgam) fillings are slowly being phased out by most Dentists.
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Fluoride
Fluoride treatment involves applying a fluoride solution to the teeth to prevent decay starting. This concentrated fluoride acts by interfering with the bacteria in plaque, altering the structure of tooth enamel to make it more resistant to acid attack, and by helping to regenerate and repair enamel which has started to decay.
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Gum Disease
Gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults.
Gum disease is an infection and inflammation of the gums caused by plaque, a bacteria that builds up on teeth. The most common symptoms of gum diseases are bleeding, red, swollen gums, recession of the gum and bone, persistent bad breath, abscesses between teeth and gums, increased spacing between teeth, loose teeth, sensitivity, and pain (in advanced cases).
Gum disease can be prevented, and treated, by visiting your dentist regularly for a scale and clean, together with good oral hygiene which includes brushing with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day, flossing regularly, and over short periods, the use of mouth rinses and gum massagers.
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Implants
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root submerged into the jawbone. The bone grows and bonds to the implant, making the implant very strong. Implants are often used to replace missing teeth, gaps, and even poorly fitting dentures.
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Mouthguards
Dental injuries can often be prevented by people wearing a mouthguard whilst participating in any sport where there is a reasonable risk of a knock to the face. Typically, mouthguards which cover the upper teeth, cushion a blow to the face and minimize the risk of broken teeth and injuries to the soft tissues of the mouth. Injuries such as a chipped or broken tooth, internal damage to a tooth, tooth loss, and in severe cases, a broken jaw or a concussion, can lead to long and potentially expensive treatment to restore the teeth and mouth back to normal function and appearance.
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Pregnancy Dental Care
Regular visits to the dentist both before, and during pregnancy, is recommended to ensure that your gums and teeth are healthy. As many women experience bleeding gums during pregnancy, visiting your dentist regularly for a scale and clean, together with good oral hygiene which includes brushing with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day and flossing regularly, is imperative.
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Root Canal Treatment (Endodontics)
Root canal or endodontic treatment is a process whereby inflamed or dead pulp is removed from the inside of the tooth, enabling a tooth that was causing pain to be retained.
Dental pulp is the soft tissue in the canal that runs through the centre of a tooth. Once a tooth is fully formed it can function normally without its pulp and be kept indefinitely.
After removing the pulp, the root canals are cleaned, sterilised and shaped to a form that can be completely sealed with a filling material to prevent further infection. The treatment can take several appointments, depending on how complex the tooth is, and how long the infection takes to clear.
Subsequently, a crown or complex restoration to restore or protect the tooth may be a necessary recommendation, as a tooth after undergoing treatment may be more likely to fracture.
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Teeth Whitening (Bleaching)
Whitening (or bleaching) improves the colour of a patient's teeth by using a special bleaching gel.
The procedure for home bleaching involves taking impressions of a patient's teeth, which are then made into custom-made trays known as bleaching trays. A bleaching gel is then placed inside the trays, and worn by the patient over the course of approximately one week, depending on the current shade, and the desired shade, of the patient's teeth.
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Veneers
A veneer involves bonding an adhesive tooth-coloured material, or facing, to the surface of a tooth.
Dental veneers are applied for a variety of reasons such as improving the appearance or aesthetics of a tooth, or to restore the enamel on a tooth which has been damaged by decay, fractures or abrasion.
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Information used above has been sourced from the Australian Dental Association