Composite filling can be an alternative to amalgam filling. They are made of a plastic material mixed with small glass particles and are tooth coloured, rather than silver. They are suitable for repairing both the front and the back teeth.
After preparing the tooth, your dentist will place layers of the composite filling into the area to be repaired. Each layer of the composite material is hardened by exposure to a special light.
Once the cavity or defect is filled, your dentist can trim the composite to fit the tooth and then polish it to reduce discolouration or staining.
Your dentist or endodontist will examine the tooth and take a radiographic (X-ray film). A local anaesthetic will usually be given to block pain. A thin sheet of latex, called rubber dam, is used to isolate the tooth and keep it clean and dry during treatment.To reach the pulp, an opening through the tooth is made with a dental drill. Using special instruments called files, your dentist or endodontist will remove the inflamed or infected pulp.Each root canal is cleaned, enlarged and shaped. Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial medicines may be put inside the root canal to help stop the inflammation and infection. If a severe abscess has formed as the root tip oral antibiotic tablets may be needed to help treat the infection.You may need to make several visits to the dentist or endodontist to complete the treatment. A temporary filling will protect the inside of the tooth between visits.Pain or discomfort, if any, usually lasts no more that a few days, and will not be experienced by every patient. Some people may want to take a mild pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol.
Your dentist or endodontist may take several radiographs to check the shape and length of the root canals and the success of the treatment.
After the pulp has been removed, the tooth is not “dead”. The tooth can survive without the pulp because it is nourished mostly by tissues around it.
Removal of the root end: in a small number of cases. The end of the root may need to be removed to help treat an abscess. This is called a root-end resection or apicectomy. Rarely, a major portion of the root may need to be removed, which is called a root resection.
If you need a root-end resection or a root resection, your dentist or endodontist care provide more information about this treatment.
What is Gum Recession?
Gum recession is when the gum tissue starts to pull back or wear away from the tooth, thereby revealing more of the tooth or its roots. When gums start to recede, pockets and gaps can occur between the gum line and the teeth which can allow for bacteria to build and disease to accumulate. Gum recession can be caused by the following factors:
Hormonal changes
Smoking which can cause sticky plaque on the teeth
Teeth clenching or grinding that puts too much force on the teeth
Poor dental care that allows for plaque and tartar to build up
Aggressive brushing of the teeth that wears away enamel
Genes can make patients more predisposed to gum disease
Periodontal diseases that destroy gum tissue
If gum recession is left untreated it can cause severe loss of bone structure and supporting tissue which eventually leads to tooth loss.
Acid erosion, also known as dental erosion, is a type of tooth wear. It is defined as the irreversible loss of tooth structure due to chemical dissolution by acids not of bacterial origin. Dental erosion is the most common chronic disease of children and adults , although it is only relatively recent that it has been recognized as a dental health problem. There is generally widespread ignorance of the damaging effects of acid erosion; this is particularly the case with erosion due to fruit juices, because they tend to be seen as healthy. Erosion is found initially in the enamel and, if unchecked, may proceed to the underlying dentin.
Sealants or better known as fissure sealants, is a treatment that aims to fill pits and grooves (or fissures) in children and adult teeth to help prevent tooth decay. Teeth have recesses on their biting surfaces and these are most vulnerable to tooth decay, particularly when food sticks to them and they are hard to clean areas. Dental sealants are a plastic material placed in the pits and grooves to provide a smooth surface that is easily accessible for both our natural protective factor, saliva and the toothbrush bristles when cleaning our teeth.
Fissure sealants is a minimally invasive procedure and can be done in one visit. Dental sealants are mainly used in children who are at higher risk of tooth decay, and typically they are placed as soon as the adult molar teeth come through. Fissure sealants facilitates prevention and early intervention, in order to prevent or stop the dental cavities and to help promote good oral hygiene in both adults and children.
Regular scale and clean is essential to good oral hygiene. At the Dental & Facial Clinic we recommend you regularly visit for a scale and clean to avoid the build-up of tartar. The purpose of cleaning and polishing is basically to leave the surfaces of the teeth beautifully clean and smooth so that bacteria are unable to stick to them, and to prevent gum disease.
Our scale and cleanings involve removing plaque (a soft, sticky layer of bacteria, food & saliva) and hard tartar (calculus) deposits that have built up on the teeth over time to give you a clean, fresh feeling at the end of the treatment. If large deposits of tartar have settled on your teeth, it can take some time to remove these, just like trying to remove baked-on grime on a stove that has been left over a long time. So your first cleaning may take longer than future cleanings, which is why we recommend keeping a regular routine of scale and cleans.
Once all the surfaces are smooth, we will then polish your teeth to remove surface stains so that we can give it that nice clean, shiny look.
At the Dental & Facial Clinic, we recommend taking the following steps for the best oral hygiene:
Step 1 – Brush
Choose a soft toothbrush with a small head and always use fluoride toothpaste. Hold the toothbrush at an angle of 45°, facing upwards and aim at the gum line. Jiggle the brush in small, half tooth movements. Finish with a gentle back and forth motion on the biting surfaces of your back teeth. You should brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day.
Change your toothbrush every two months to maintain the bristles, which ensures:
That you always get a proper clean.
Harmful bacteria don’t build up on the bristles.
Step 2 – floss
Flossing removes food particles between your toothbrush misses. Use enough floss so you can hold the ends comfortably in your hands. Wind it around your index fingers and support it across your thumbs (which should be held closely together). Run the floss between the teeth and move up and down on each tooth- If your teeth are on each spaced closely together, waxed floss or dental tape may be better.
Step 3 – Rinse with Listerine
Keeping your gums healthy is important, after all they are home to your teeth.
2 out 3 Australians have gingivitis, an early from gum disease. Even a trace of blood when brushing can be sign of gingivitis.
Rinsing with Listerine antiseptic mouthwash every time you brush, kills millions of gingivitis causing germs that brushing leaves behind. Listerine is the only daily use mouthwash proven to reduce gingivitis and maintain healthy gums.
Listerine is available in all supermarkets and pharmacies in: original, Cool Mint, fresh burst and Tartar Control.
Step 4 – visit your dental professional regularly
It is recommended that you visit your dentist regularly for a professional clean to remove tartar build up. This will help to ensure, in combination with the above steps, that your teeth and gums remain healthy for life.
For further information
Give us a call Monday – Friday 9am – 4.30pm
- (02) 9809 7479