FAQs
Home Care
A beautiful, healthy smile that lasts a lifetime is our ultimate goal for you. Your personal home care plays an important role in achieving that goal. It starts at home by eating balanced meals, reducing the number of snacks you eat, and correctly using the various dental aids that help control the plaque and bacteria that cause dental disease.
Tooth brushing – Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially before going to bed at night) with an CDA approved soft bristle brush and toothpaste.
- Place the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums and gently brush using a small, circular motion, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
- Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth.
- Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside of your front teeth.
- Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.
Electric toothbrushes are also recommended. They are easy to use and can remove plaque efficiently. Simply place the bristles of the electric brush on your gums and teeth and allow the brush to do its job, several teeth at a time.
Flossing – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gum line.
Flossing cleans spaces, and prevents plaque colonies from building up.
Take 12-16 inches (30-40 cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) of floss between your hands.
- Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a gentle sawing motion.
- Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gum line. Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth.
Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.
Rinsing – It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and also after meals if you are unable to brush. If you are using an over-the-counter product for rinsing, it’s a good idea to ask your dentist or dental hygienist whether it’s right for you.
Other dental aids may be recommended by your dentist or dental hygienist:
- interdental brushes
- rubber tip stimulators
- tongue cleaners
- irrigation devices
- fluoride
- medicated rinses
What causes improper bites?
Most bite problems are genetic in origin. Some cases are caused or worsened by thumb sucking, prolonged pacifier use, poor oral hygiene and poor nutrition, or injury.
Why straighten teeth?
The benefits of proper jaw and teeth alignment go far beyond appearance.
In general, straight teeth are easier to clean, lessening the risk of decay and other dental problems. Recent studies have repeatedly shown a link between orthodontic treatment and a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease. A proper bite allows proper chewing, which lessens the risk of digestion problems.
Veneers and Similar Treatments
Many patients have asked about the benefits of veneers when compared to Invisalign. While veneers are certainly an option for improving your smile, they only cover up certain dental imperfections, rather than correct them. This means that some existing periodontal problems could still remain. Applied to the front side of the teeth only, veneers also require the removal of the surface enamel of each tooth – an irreversible procedure. Often considered a quick fix, veneers
typically need to be replaced every 5 to 10 years – this can become very expensive in the long run. Coffee, tea and red wine need to be avoided to prevent discoloration, and care must be taken to prevent chipping or breaking the veneer. So while the surface look of the teeth may improve with veneers, the underlying tooth and gum problems could still exist.
Of course, there’s always the option of not seeking treatment at all. Ultimately, the choice is yours, but do keep in mind that, if left untreated, many orthodontic issues can often lead to more serious dental and health issues. Click here to learn more about the health benefits of straighter teeth and a proper bite.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is that branch and specialty of dentistry which is concerned with and includes the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of disorders, diseases, injuries and defects, involving the functional and aesthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial regions and related structures.
What is a prosthodontist?
Prosthodontics is the branch of dentistry involving the restoration of natural teeth and the placement of natural-looking substitute or prosthetic teeth. Prosthodontics is one of the dental specialties recognized by the Canadian Dental association. A prosthodontist’s professional education includes several years of additional training after dental school in an accredited advanced dental education program.
Fixed Bridges
A fixed bridge is a dental restoration to that is fixed to surrounding teeth. The bridge fills (bridges) the gap left by the missing teeth, preventing the surrounding teeth from moving into the gap and becoming misaligned.
A fixed bridge is a less invasive treatment than a dental implant. In cases where the surrounding teeth are strong enough to support the bridge, it is an excellent solution to maintain alignment and create a beautiful smile. Your dentist can craft a bridge that perfectly matches the color of the surrounding teeth, shaped to enhance your smile even more than the teeth it replaces.
Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening is a dental surgery to expose more of the tooth surface by reshaping the gum tissue.
There are several reasons your dentist may recommend crown lengthening. It may be performed to prepare for restoration of teeth that are broken or damaged below the gumline. If you have a crown that extends near the gumline, crown lengthening may be performed to increase the space between the crown and the gum tissue to prevent the crown from damaging the tissue. It is also performed for cosmetic reasons, to achieve a more balanced, appealing look if a patient’s smile is ‘gummy’.
Root Canal Therapy
If the nerve within your tooth becomes infected, successful root canal treatment can keep you from losing the tooth while treating the infection before it causes health complications.
Properly performed, a root canal is no more uncomfortable than having a cavity filled, though the procedure is more complex. It is the removal of infected or dead pulp (the inner nerves and blood vessels) from inside the tooth, and the filling and sealing of the resulting space.
An infected (abscessed) tooth causes discomfort in the form of swelling and toothache. It can also cause severe health complications, because the bacteria from the infection can enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body.
One way to treat the infection is to remove the tooth and disinfect the area. However, tooth loss creates a gap between surrounding teeth that often necessitates a dental implant or bridge. It is preferable to save the tooth if possible through root canal (endodontic) treatment.
The dentist begins by applying local anesthesia and isolating the area with a rubber dam. Then they drill an opening in the tooth to access the infected pulp, and remove it and clean the area with specialized tools. The dentist fills the root space with a filling material. Finally the dentist must seal the surface of the tooth with a crown to prevent further infection and restore the function and appearance of the tooth.
The root canal treatment is typically performed in one visit. A second visit may be required to complete the crown restoration.
Composite Fillings
When decay rots away enamel, the resulting space is called a cavity. Left untreated, the decay will eventually cause extensive damage to the tooth, and potentially cause the root to be infected. However, if the cavity is caught early, your dentist can treat it with a simple filling, typically in one appointment.
Your dentist will first apply a local anesthetic, then use a drill or laser to remove the decay. Then they will apply filling to prevent further decay, and to prevent the sensitive inner layers of the tooth from cold, heat or pressure. The filling is applied in layers and hardened with a special light. The final layers are shaped and polished to restore the tooth’s appearance and function.
Composite (plastic resin) is the modern filling material of choice in most cases. We consider it superior to the silver amalgam fillings commonly used in the past. Silver amalgam fillings contain small amounts of mercury, while composite fillings are completely free of mercury. Composite fillings are also less likely to result in sensitivity to heat or cold, since the material does not expand or contract as much as silver amalgam. And since the composite material closely matches the color of the tooth, fillings are nearly invisible.
Contact us today!
Directions
Is Invisalign right for you?
