Oral Cancer Screening

Each year, approximately 33,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed and over 8000 deaths from oral cancer are recorded in North America. At each and every check up appointment, we will carefully inspect your tongue, floor and roof of your mouth and also feel the lymph nodes in your neck area for any abnormalities. If we detect anything unusual, we will conduct further testing to ensure that you receive the appropriate care and follow-up.

Occlusal and Temporomandibular Joint Examinations

If you find yourself constantly experiencing restless sleep, followed by a headache or a stiff jaw on waking, you may be suffering from night time bruxism - commonly known as teeth grinding. The average person can exert up to 200 lbs of muscular force on their back teeth - that’s a lot of pressure! This added pressure can lead to damage to the TMJ (jaw joint). TMJ disorders affect over 10 million North Americans, and are commonly identified after hearing a frequent clicking or popping noise in your jaw. Stress and anxiety are major causes of bruxism; an abnormal bite or crooked or missing teeth are others. If your grinding is due to physical problems with your teeth, we may treat your bruxism by removing the high spots on the problem teeth. In more serious cases, we may need to reshape or reconstruct the biting surfaces of the teeth affected with crowns or inlays. Sometimes, however, we may be able to leave your teeth alone, but intercept the damage by fitting you with a plastic mouthguard that you wear at night, hence, protecting your teeth. While we will usually be able to detect the telltale signs of bruxism during your check up visits, please be sure to mention it to us too, especially if it is causing you discomfort. We can then analyse the cause of your teeth grinding and take steps to fix or diminish the problem - and help you get a good night’s sleep!

Here are 7 telltale signs that indicate a stressed-out smile:

• ground-down eye teeth
• clicking, popping jaw joints
• recurring headaches
• chipped edges on front teeth
• worn cusp tips on back teeth
• broken fillings
• cracked teeth

Periodontal Exam

Gum disease, or periodontal disease is a chronic inflammation and infection of the gums and surrounding tissues. It is the major cause of about 70% of adult tooth loss. The problem is that there are no signs at first. Bacterial plaque, a sticky, colourless film that constantly forms on the teeth, is the primary cause of gum disease. The dangerous effects of periodontal (gum) disease can even go beyond teeth, as recent research suggests that there may be link between gum disease and other health concerns, such as cardiovascular disease, bacterial pneumonia, severe osteopenia and diabetes. There is also an increased risk of delivering pre-term, low weight babies in pregnant women.

Do You Have Gum Disease?

Take this test to see if you are exhibiting signs and symptoms of gum disease

Do you have ...

1. Gums that bleed when you brush or floss?
2. Gums that are red around the base of the teeth?
3. Chronic bad breath?
4. A bad taste in your mouth?
5. A feeling of pressure between teeth after eating?
6. Shiny, red, puffy or sore gums?
7. Loose teeth?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, make an appointment with the dentist to check for gum disease.

The good news is that with proper care, gum disease can often be prevented. Even if it does start, it can usually be treated and arrested if you can catch it in the early stages. In most cases, most treatment involves a special cleaning called scaling and root planning, which removes plaque and tartar around the teeth. Antibiotics or antimicrobials may be used to supplement the effects of scaling and root planning. More advanced cases may require surgical treatment. Remove plaque through daily brushing, flossing and professional cleaning is the best way to get your best smile back - and to keep it - is to visit the dentist.

Prevention of Tooth Decay and Fluoride Treatment

Childhood

• Your child’s teeth will start to appear at roughly 6 months of age.
  Canadian Association recommends your child’s first dental visit by one year of age. By about 24 months of age, your child will usually have all 20 of his/her primary teeth.
  It can be challenging to brush infant's and toddler's teeth, but it is important to do because decay can start easily and develop very quickly in children’s teeth.
• Young children cannot clean their own teeth . Brush "for" them when they are very young and brush "with" them as they grow older.
• Use a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste (the size of a grain of rice) and gradually increase to a small pea-sized amount by age 3.
• Brush for at least two minutes, twice a day, at the gumline.
• Offer water when your child is thirsty. Discourage grazing on foods and sipping on sugary drinks between meals and snacks. This causes ongoing acid attacks on teeth, which can cause teeth to decay.
• Take your child to the dentist regularly.

What factors increase your risk for dental decay?
Dietary factors

• avoid frequent snacks and sweetened drinks that can expose teeth to damaging acids produced by oral bacteria. Beware of "hidden" sugars or starches found in many "health" items.

Tobacco use

• using tobacco products challenges your immune system and increases oral problems.

Dental Factors

• Gum recession: As a result, exposed roots are softer than enamel surfaces and more vulnerable to rapidly spreading decay . Did you know... more than half of adults will have root cavities in their 50's?
• Orthodontic appliance: Difficult-to-clean areas around brackets can be protected from decay or unsightly white spots by proper cleaning and daily use of fluoride.
• Dry mouth: Saliva is essential for cleaning the teeth and neutralizing acids produced by oral bacteria. Lack of saliva puts adults at elevated risk for rapid dental decay.
• Oral hygiene: Many adults do not brush and floss often or long enough. Simply brushing your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day and flossing to remove plaque between your teeth daily can make a real difference.
• Acidic mouth: Stomach juices entering the mouth from acid reflux or frequent vomiting can increase the risk for decay.

Medical factors

• Certain medications and medical conditions can increase your risk of tooth decay.

What are the benefits of using fluoride?

• Prevents and slows down cavity formation.
• Penetrates tooth surfaces to reharden or remineralize areas that have been weakened by oral bacteria. You might say that fluoride reverses small "beginnings" of decay.
• Fluoride reduces tooth sensitivity, which can be the result of teeth whitening, acidic foods and recession.
• Fluoride lessens the damaging action of certain oral bacteria.

Dental Sealants

A dental sealant is a thin plastic film painted on the chewing surfaces of teeth to prevent cavities. A cleaning solution is applied to the surface of a newly erupted permanent tooth, then the solution is thoroughly rinsed away with water and dried. The sealant is then applied to the tooth and a special curing light is used to harden it. Sealants should last five years, but can last as long as 10 years. Chewing surfaces of a child’s teeth are most susceptible to cavities. Therefore, children, with newly erupted permanent teeth, receive the greatest benefit from sealants.

Sports Guards

Many types of tooth and mouth injuries are avoidable simply by wearing a properly fitted mouth guard. Ask us about the right protective dental equipment for the athletes in your active household.

Restorations Including Metal-Free Fillings

There are basically four types of filling materials available: Composite, Porcelain, Amalgam and Gold (metal). All of these materials have advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered depending on the tooth in question and the size of the decay that needs to be treated. Estimated life span, cost and aesthetics also need to be considered.

Generally:

• The natural properties of gold makes it ideal as a filling material.
• Porcelain, like gold, is a more expensive option, but it offers excellent aesthetics.
• Composite (white filling), tends not to last as long as the other options but is often the preferred choice for teeth that are in your smile line.
• Amalgam tends to last longer than composite, is less expensive. Health Canada’s recommendations and position have not changed since 1996 when they issued a statement that "current evidence does not indicate that amalgam is causing illness in the general population and that there is no justification for a ban on its use."

We are here to help you make an informed decision on your restorative needs.

Porcelain Veneers Including Lumineers

Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain placed over the front teeth to change the colour or shape of your teeth. Veneers are also used on teeth with uneven surfaces or are chipped, discoloured, oddly shaped, unevenly spaced or crooked teeth. Lumineers is a porcelain veneer that can be made as thin as a contact lens and is placed over existing teeth with minimal or no removal of healthy sensitive tooth structure in most cases.

Metal-Free Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are restorations fabricated in the dental laboratory after the dentist has prepped and impression taken of the tooth. They are stronger restorations than fillings and can be done when sufficient tooth structure remains.

Crowns and Bridges Including the Restorations of Implants

• A crown fits over the entire tooth. Crowns are customarily indicated for teeth that have sustained significant loss of structure of to prevent it from breaking off and having to be extracted such as could be the case after a root-canal has been performed. Crowns may be placed on natural teeth or dental implants.
• Bridges are crowns that are "connected" and are used to replace missing teeth. Floss or interdental cleaners (specially shaped brushes and sticks) are important tools to remove plaque from the crown or bridge area where the gum meets the tooth to prevent dental decay and gum disease.
• A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. Implants do not rely on adjacent teeth for support and they are permanent and stable. Care for implants are the same as for natural teeth. Since implants require surgery and are more involved, they cost more than traditional bridgework.

Teeth Whitening

Generally, 90% of patients respond to whitening, though it may not be an option for everyone. Consider tooth whitening if your teeth are darkened from age, coffee, tea or smoking. The dentist will determine whether you are a candidate for tooth whitening and what type of whitening system would provide the best results. Most patients choose dentist - supervised at-home whitening, which is more economical and provides very good results. The active ingredient in most of whitening products is carbamide peroxide; when water comes into contact with this white crystal, the release of hydrogen peroxide lightens the teeth. Typically, whitening at home with custom trays takes two to four weeks, depending on the desired shade you wish to achieve. Lightness should last from a few months to a year or longer, depending on your personal habits such as smoking and drinking coffee and tea. At this point you may choose to get a touch up - the treatment time and cost are much reduced, as original custom made whitening trays can be used in most cases.

Root Canal Therapy

Inside the tooth is an area of soft tissue called the pulp, which carries the tooth’s nerves and blood vessels. Root canals are very small, thin divisions that branch off from the pulp chamber down to the tip of the root. A tooth has between one to four root canals in most cases. When the pulp becomes infected due to a deep cavity or fracture or trauma, it can die. As a result, pain is felt when biting down and apply hot or cold foods and drinks. Root canal therapy cleans the diseased pulp and reshapes the canal(s). The canal is then filled with a rubber-like substance called gutta-percha or another material to prevent recontamination of the tooth and then permanently restored with a post and/or a crown. This enables patients to keep the original tooth.