General Dentistry
Diet and dental health
Diets low in certain nutrients reduce resistance to oral and dental infections, that is, periodontal disease (gum disease) and decay. We feel a healthy immune system is essential to controlling periodontal disease.
Counseling in the Four Basic Food groups will improve dental health and general health. The consumption of sugar, especially in sticky forms or in a baby bottle while sleeping, contributes to the rapid development of dental decay.
The trace nutrient fluoride in water will reduce the incidence of dental decay by more than 60%.
Together, a balanced diet, daily use of fluoride, effective brushing, and sensible eating habits can reduce the risk of, or even prevent, infectious dental disease.
Please don’t hesitate to call us if you need more information on diet or fluoride supplementation and its relationship to dental health at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak)
Watch our video blog post here ““The Best Diet To Keep Your Teeth Healthy Naturally””
Dental decay – cavities
Fluoride has been a great benefit to patients of all ages in helping prevent dental decay. Regular brushing and flossing lowers the chance of developing “cavities.”
At our Toorak Dental Surgery we know that the most decay-prone areas of teeth are the grooves and depressions on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, which require further preventive care.
To prevent decay, a plastic-like coating called a sealant should be painted on the chewing surfaces of all the back teeth. Studies have shown that sealants can reduce tooth decay by as much as 90% to 100%.
The Australian Dental Association recommends, and our Toorak Dentist agrees, that sealants be placed as soon as the first adult back teeth come in at age 6 or 7. Sealants should continue to be used as each adult back tooth comes into the mouth. All back teeth that need to be sealed are present by age 13. Sealant application is simple, fast, and painless.
Please call us with any questions you may have about the benefits using a sealant in preventing dental decay at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak).
Mouth guards
While mouth guards are not mandatory equipment in all sports, their worth is indisputable. Mouthguards cushion blows to the face and neck. A mouth guard should be part of every athlete’s gear, no matter the sport. Even adults or weekend athletes need to protect their smile and preserve their health.
Do: At our Toorak Dental Clinic we feel that you should wear a mouth guard at all times when playing sports. Wear a mouthguard custom-fitted by a dentist, especially if you wear bridges or braces.
Don’t: Wear removable appliances like retainers when playing sports.
There are two types of mouth guards:
- Custom-made: Designed by a dentist and made on a cast of your teeth. These cause very little interference with speaking or breathing. They provide the best protection and fit over braces and fixed bridges. They also cost more.
- Ready-made: Purchased at most sporting goods stores. They are the least expensive, the least effective, and least comfortable.
Please call our office if you would like to “play it safe!” and wear a comfortable mouth guard and protect your teeth on (03) 9826 2220.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Replace silver fillings with white tooth fillings
Many people in the Melbourne area have had silver fillings placed into their teeth because they had “cavities”. These silver fillings are called amalgams. Amalgam fills the space where the decay in the tooth has been removed. However, over time, the amalgam corrodes and leaks which blackens the silver, and many times the tooth. This is easily seen as soon as a patient opens his or her mouth and is usually a source of embarrassment for the patient.
At our Toorak Dental Office we can provide you with composite fillings that are made of a porcelain-like material that actually bonds to the tooth for a tight seal. They are strong and stain-resistant, and they are Colour-matched to the natural tooth, making them “invisible”.
Composite fillings also lack the sensitivity that is often associated with silver amalgam fillings. They are especially suited for smaller cavities and for patients who may be allergic to metal fillings.
Please don’t hesitate to call at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist) with any questions you may have about the benefits of replacing silver amalgam fillings with invisible composite fillings.
Cosmetic dentistry fixes cracked, worn, discoloured or broken teeth
For over 100 years, dentists have been using silver-mercury amalgam fillings to restore decayed or broken teeth. The only other alternative was gold and that was too expensive for most people. Now there is a new and economical way to restore teeth using tooth-coloured resin fillings. The resin is made up of glass particles in a plastic matrix. At our Toorak Dental Office, your dentist bonds the putty-like material to the tooth with a high-intensity light. This hardens the material and allows it to be shaped and polished for immediate use.
Once completed, the tooth has a natural appearance and is actually stronger than before due to the strength of the adhesive agent used to bond the resin to the tooth. Resin restorations not only look better, but they are stronger and last longer than the old silver-amalgam fillings.
Please call our office at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist) with any questions you may have about the benefits of resin restorations.
Tooth whitening dentistry to fix discoloured, dark or stained teeth
Tooth bleaching/whitening involves the placement of a bleaching solution on the teeth to eliminate stains and discolouration. The solution is held in place by a custom-made, see-through tray that fits over the teeth – much like a mouthpiece worn by a professional boxer.
Bleaching/whitening is a safe, effective and relatively easy means of producing a whiter smile.
Two bleaching methods are available at our Toorak Dental Clinic: ZOOM Bleaching, done at our office, and At Home Bleaching, which provides for home use (not to be confused with over-the-counter bleaching products available in chemists).
The difference between the two is the strength of the whitening agent and the time it takes to get effective results. ZOOM Whitening usually takes 45 minutes to an hour, while home bleachingtake up to seven to 10 days of daily 20 minute applications.
Sensitive teeth, or those that are chipped, eroded or weakened by cavities, should be repaired or protected before they are bleached.
Please don’t hesitate to call at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) with any questions you may have about the benefits of tooth whitening, zoom whitening or tooth bleaching for a whiter smile.
Cosmetic dentistry painlessly repairs broken teeth with dental bonding
Bonding by our Toorak Dentist is typically painless and can yield dramatic results in a single visit. Essentially, bonding hides any natural flaws through the placement of a thin plastic coating on the front surface of the teeth.
After treating the tooth surface, our Toorak Dentist applies a puttylike bonding material that is then sculpted, shaped and coloured to suit the your needs. A high-intensity light causes the plastic to harden after which the new surface is smoothed and polished.
Bonding can lighten stains, close gaps and even alter crooked or malformed teeth. At our Toorak Dental Office we can even utilize it to change the shape or colour of a single tooth or if necessary to remake your entire smile.
Please call at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist) for a free cosmetic consultation.
Tooth-coloured restorations
For over 100 years, dentistry has restored teeth primarily with a material made of mercury and silver. It has done its job well, although we have had to live with its weaknesses. Those weaknesses consist of cracking teeth due to expansion of the material, and restorations turning black as the silver in the material corrodes.
Now we have many ways to provide tooth-coloured restorations at our Toorak Dental Office . We can use adhesives to bond tooth parts that look and act like teeth. We can provide a bright, healthy and strong smile with these exciting new techniques in adhesion dentistry.
Please don’t hesitate to call us at at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) if you believe you would benefit from these advancements. Together we can help bring a smile back to your face.
Poor self-image, resulting in low self-esteem
The appearance of the teeth has a dramatic effect on both the person’s attractiveness to others and on their own self-image and self-esteem. Studies have shown that a person’s appearance will have a strong effect on their social and career success, by influencing how others perceive them.
While the appearance of the teeth is one of the most important contributors to facial beauty, it is also probably the most often neglected when improvements to appearance are sought. A person with low self-esteem connected to their facial appearance, can often be greatly helped by cosmetic dental procedures.
Dental make-overs at our Toorak Dental Office have become more common, less invasive, and more effective in correcting deformities and cosmetic dental problems. The effect of these procedures can be nothing short of dramatic both in terms of appearance and also in terms of correcting, at least partially, personality deficiencies caused by poor self-image. Ugly teeth are no longer a matter of fate; they are now becoming a matter of choice.
Please call our office at at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) with any questions you may have about the benefits of a dental make-over with us.
Smile with porcelain veneers
Our Toorak Dental Office uses porcelain veneers for the same reasons as bonding (to lighten stains, close gaps and even alter crooked or malformed teeth). They are considerably more durable and stain resistant than bonding.
The veneer is actually a thin piece of porcelain similar in size to a fingernail. Once it is “bonded” onto the tooth it becomes extremely strong. We also blend the veneer in with the remaining tooth structure so that it is unnoticeable to the naked-eye. Once in place, it looks, feels, and functions just like a regular tooth.
At Simply Smiles Dental we can use porcelain veneersto change the shape and colour of a single tooth or if necessary, revamp an entire smile. Porcelain veneers can also be used to correct teeth that have been worn from clenching and grinding.
Please call us at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) for consultation. You may ask any of our professional team questions you have about the benefits of porcelain veneers.
Cosmetic dental crowns
Teeth are often restored with fillings of silver or composite plastics. These materials can often accomplish the aim of replacing the part of the tooth that has been lost in a strong and good-looking manner.
However, there comes a point where the damage to the tooth has removed too much structure to hold a filling. The restoration must be done by a technique that will attach to the remaining tooth, stand up under heavier use and meet more elaborate cosmetic requirements.
The crown is the dental restoration that can strengthen and restore the entire top of a tooth. The crown can also be part of the attachment of a fixed bridge for the replacement of teeth. The tooth is strengthened because it is covered from the outside with a casting of metal or ceramic that will wrap up and splint the tooth.
The chewing of the tooth can be improved because it can be reshaped to match more efficiently with the opposing teeth. A crown can improve cosmetics by the use of modern ceramic processes that produce translucency and colour that is more naturalthan has ever been possible.
Please call our office at at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) for a cosmetic consultation.
Replace unsightly silver-mercury fillings
For over 100 years, dentists have been using silver-mercury amalgam fillings to restore decayed or broken teeth. The only other alternative was gold and that was always too expensive for most people.
Now at our Toorak Dental Surgery there is a new and economical way to restore teeth using tooth-coloured resin fillings. The resin is made up of glass particles in a plastic matrix. Our ToorakDentist bonds the putty-like material to the tooth with a high-intensity light. This hardens the material and allows it to be shaped and polished for immediate use.
Once completed by our Toorak Dentist, your tooth has a natural appearance and is actually stronger than before due to the strength of the adhesive agent used to bond the resin to the tooth. Resin restorations not only look better, but they are stronger and last longer than the old silver-amalgam fillings.
Please call us at at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) with any questions you may have about the benefits of resin restorations.
Gum Disease
Gum disease during Pregnancy
Many mothers have experienced gum disease, dental pain and/or tooth extraction during or shortly after their pregnancy. This is often seen as being a “normal” side effect of being pregnant. However we feel that dental disease, which is an infection of the teeth and/or gums, is not “normal” for any patient. There are three basic events that happen during pregnancy which make the patient more susceptible to dental disease. First, hormonal changes may make the gums more susceptible to gum disease.
Second, pregnant women tend to eat smaller, more frequent meals, exposing their teeth and gums to sugars and acids more often. Third, cravings for “junk foods” and inadequate oral hygiene pose an increased threat to the teeth and gums. Pregnant women are advised to schedule a dental evaluation and receive preventive dental care at our office. Personalized oral hygiene instruction by our Dentists and/or Hygienists will be given to fight disease and promote overall good health for the mother and her baby.
Please call Simply Smiles Dental on (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) for a complete evaluation of your potential gum disease.
What is Gum Disease?
According to the Australian Dental Association, over 75-80% of all adults, have or will have some form of gum disease.
Gum disease, or more correctly called “periodontal disease”, is a bacterial infection in the gums and supporting structures of the teeth. It can be divided into several categories.
The first stage is called “gingivitis” and is characterized by gum tissue that is red, puffy, and bleeds easily when touched with a toothbrush, floss or dental instrument. The second, third, and fourth stages are initial, moderate, and advanced “periodontal disease”, respectively. These stages are different from gingivitis because the infection has destroyed the bone supporting the teeth, causing eventual tooth loss. At our office the treatment is more involved at these stages, usually consisting of a special cleaning with anesthesia and sometimes gum surgery.
Please call Simply Smiles Dental on (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) for a complete evaluation of your potential gum disease.
Periodontal gum disease – silent and deadly
Periodontal disease can go on for years without pain and without detection unless specific examination procedures are performed.
Visual oral examination by itself (even by a dentist) will not reliably detect periodontal disease until it has reached an advanced stage.
Early detection and adequate diagnosis require measurement of pockets (the crevice between the tooth and gum) with a periodontal probe. At Our Toorak Dental Surgery effective prevention and treatment is available, but the damage caused as the disease progresses is irreversible.
Early detection by dentists in our Office and treatment is critical to prevent tooth loss and disfigurement. Although the procedure is simple, painless and requires only a few minutes, most adults have never had it done.
Some signs of periodontal disease are: bleeding gums, redness of gum tissue, swelling of gums around the teeth, breath odor, receding gums, mobility of teeth.
Please call Simply Smiles Dental on (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) for a complete evaluation of your potential gum disease.
Infections in joint replacements can be instigated by severe gum disease.
Our Toorak Dental Clinic strongly recommends a thorough dental examination for presence of tooth and gum infection is recommended prior to joint replacement.
Periodontal disease is a commonly occurring oral infection of the adult population (80% of adults are affected) destroying the bony support of the teeth. This infection slowly progresses over the lifetime of the patient and is often manifested in the advanced stage in the senior population.
Because of the lack of any discomfort to the patient until total loss of bony support to the teeth, many adults are unaware that they have this infection until they visit us. However, the bacteria from this bone destroying disease, especially in the more advanced cases, have been attributed to possible infection of joint replacements.
Candidates for joint replacements who have not been seen by our Toorak Dentists in over a year should consider a thorough dental evaluation of their teeth and gums before surgery.
Depending on the severity of the infection, treatment of gum infections and tooth abscesses may take from two weeks to two months before the patient reaches adequate health before surgery.
Please call Simply Smiles Dental on (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist) for a complete evaluation of your potential gum disease.
Some dental problems are easy to see – plaque!
One of the easiest problems to spot is a build-up of plaque. Plaque is the soft, sticky layer of bacteria, which is constantly forming on the teeth.
Usually it is invisible to the naked eye, but when a person is not brushing adequately, it can build up to where it appears to be a thick whitish coating on the teeth at the gum line. If not removed, it can lead to gum disease.
Another potential problem, which is easy to spot, is missing teeth. Many patients assume that if they are still able to eat, they are OK.
But very often, losing just one tooth can lead to the loss of support, and teeth begin to drift into the empty space, causing a change in the bite. It also forces the remaining teeth to carry an additional load, sometimes past their ability to adapt. In most cases, when even one tooth is lost, the remaining teeth suffer and are more likely to be lost as well.
Please call Simply Smiles Dental on (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) for a complete evaluation of your potential gum disease.
Gum and bone disease that goes undetected
We feel that prevention is an overused word in our vocabulary but we all know it works. You see it in what you do every day. Who wouldn’t rather prevent a crisis than manage one?
Start your Oral Hygiene Program with us today.
Please call Simply Smiles Dental on (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) for a complete evaluation of your potential gum disease.
Oral disease – gingivitis
Gingivitis is the most common periodontal disease, affecting 90% of the population, including our local Melbourne community. It is an infection of the gums caused by bacteria that form plaque.
In small amounts (when it is newly formed), plaque is invisible and relatively harmless. But when left to accumulate, it increases in volume and the proportion of harmful bacteria grows.
These bacteria release toxins that result in inflammation of the gum tissue. Eventually, the plaque hardens and forms hard deposits called calculus or tartar.
If not properly treated, gingivitis may progress to periodontitis, a periodontal disease in which there is loss of the bone that supports the teeth.
Please call Simply Smiles Dental on (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) for a complete evaluation of your potential gum disease.
Dental Implants
A missing tooth? Dental care implants!
Losing a tooth by accident or by extraction is not the end of the matter. When a tooth is missing, the resulting gap will allow nearby teeth to tilt or drift from their normal position, and the teeth above the gap will move downward.
Aside from the obvious cosmetic problem, the changed positions of these teeth can lead to severe bite problems causing jaw pain and headaches.
Missing teeth should be replaced to keep other teeth in their normal position. This can be done by ourToorak Dentist with a fixed bridge or a dental implant. Both of these treatments offer a good functional and cosmetic result.
Please call (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) with any questions you may have about the benefits of replacing missing teeth with bridges or dental implants.
Bad Breath
What Causes Bad Breath?
Simply Smiles Dental feels that while bad breath might be a symptom of some other disorder, it most likely stems from dental decay and periodontitis.
Periodontitis is a disease affecting gums and bone that support the teeth, and it results from inadequate tooth brushing and flossing. In this disease, the irritated gums pull away from the teeth and form pockets between the teeth and the gums. These pockets fill with bacteria and pus which give off a foul odor.
Patients with bad breath need a complete dental evaluation by Simply Smiles Dental. If gum disease and/or dental decay is diagnosed, it can be treated readily. The patient will no longer have an infection in his or her mouth, and he or she will no longer have the embarrassment of bad breath.
Please call (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak) with any questions.
Dental Emergencies
Knowing the Proper First Aid
If the tooth is loose, even extremely so, but is still attached in any way, leave it in place; do not remove it.
If it is out of its socket completely and unattached, but still in the mouth, it is best to have the person hold it there, if possible, until Simply Smiles Dental can attempt re-implantation.
If it is out of the mouth, do not let it dry out. Handle it as little as possible. Do not attempt to disinfect the tooth, or scrub it, or remove any tissue attached to it. Call our office at 03 9826 2220 immediately.
If it is recovered from the ground or other soiled area, rinse it off in lukewarm water. Preserve it in milk until Simply Smiles Dental can examine it. If milk is not available, lukewarm water will suffice.
Time out of the socket is critical in the long-term success of re-implantation. After 30 minutes, the success potential begins to decline. However, re-implantation by Simply Smiles Dental is still possible after several hours, so the attempt can still be made even if the tooth has been out for a long period.
Please call (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist) with any questions.
Emergency dental treatment
Many people don’t see a dentist on a regular basis. They go only when they feel they have a problem. At our Toorak Dental Office we call this “crisis treatment” as opposed to “preventive treatment”.
While these patients may feel they are saving money, it usually ends up costing much more in both dollars and time. The reason for this is that most dental problems don’t have any symptoms until they reach the advanced stages.
An example is tooth decay. At our Toorak Dental Clinic we hear, “Nothing hurts… I don’t have any problems”. But tooth decay doesn’t hurt! Until, that is, it gets close to the nerve of the tooth.
Then a root canal and crown are usually necessary, instead of the small filling, which could have been placed several years ago when the cavity was small. Our Toorak Dentists can usually detect a cavity before it may develop any symptoms. It is not uncommon to see a patient with a tremendous cavity and they have never felt a thing!
For more information about how we at Simply Smiles Dental can help you, call us at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak)
Root Canal
Treatment of root canal disease
A root canal procedure limits the infection and keeps it from destroying the tooth. During the root canal treatment procedure, the dentist removes the inflamed or infected tissue, carefully cleans, disinfects, and shapes the root canal space inside the tooth, and then fills and seals this space.
It may take one or more appointments to complete the procedure. A protective restoration should be placed after root canal treatment has been completed in order to restore the tooth to function and help prevent tooth fracture.
At Simply Smiles Dental we think of a root canal as washing the invasive bacteria out of the root, filling it with a biocompatible material that soothes the area, then sealing it back up again. Top it off with a solid filling or a crown, and you’re as good as new.
That means you get to keep your tooth. And that’s a good thing.
For more information about how we at Simply Smiles Dental can help you with your root canal problems, call us at (03) 9826 2220 (Melbourne Dentist in Toorak), we will be happy to talk with you.