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Dental Cleaning – What to expect

Have you every gotten your invoice after your dental cleaning and wonder what the heck it all means? What on earth is prophylaxis… or root planning? What am I paying for?!

Recall/Recare exam

This exam is performed by your dentist – they will check any areas of concern noted by your hygienist, check your oral tissues, look at past x-rays as compared to your current ones, and check any other functional or aesthetic problems you wish to discuss.

Scaling

When using an ultrasonic scaler, a vibrating metal tip on the tool chips tartar off of your teeth above your gum line. Then, a water spray on the scaler washes away the tartar and flushes plaque from the gum pockets. Or, your hygienist will use a manual (not powered) hand scaler and scraping device to remove small remaining pieces of tartar.

Root Planning

Root planing is like tooth scaling except it takes place on the roots of your teeth that sit below your gum line.During root planing, your hygienist will use a tool to gently push aside your gum tissue and expose the surface of the roots. Then uses the same tooth scaling tools to chip tartar from the roots, making them smooth.

Prophy/Prophylaxis

This is what most people call “polishing”. A slow speed dental drill with a rubber cup attachment is dipped in a slightly abrasive polishing paste and used to clean and polish the teeth. It moves in a rotational pattern and feels similar to brushing your teeth.

Fluoride – Varnish/Trays/Rinse

Fluoride varnish: is a liquid form of fluoride that it brushed onto your teeth at the end of your cleaning appointment. It comes in many flavours and is the most effective form of fluoride application. Though you no longer leave the dentist with that squeaky clean feeling, you’re doing your tooth enamel a world of good!

Fluoride Trays: Your hygienist places a thin ribbon of the fluoride gel into each upper and lower fluoride tray. The trays are seated on the upper and lower teeth and remain in place for 5 minutes. Only a small amount of fluoride should come out of the base of the trays when they are placed, otherwise, there may be too much fluoride in the trays. After 5 minutes, they trays are removed and you spit out the remaining fluoride. It is very important not to rinse your mouth, drink or eat for at least 30 minutes after your cleaning.

Fluoride Rinse: While we do not use fluoride rinse as it is proven to be clinically ineffective, it is used much like a mouth wash (such as Lysterine) and swished in the mouth for 30 seconds and spit out.

Bite Wings/Periapical X-Rays

A bite wing x-ray shows the upper and lower back teeth in a single view and is taken to see how the upper and lower teeth line up, to check for decay, and discover bone loss due to infection and serious gum disease. A periapical x-ray shows your entire tooth, from the crown to the root tip. They are particularly useful when diagnosing abscesses and necessary root canal treatment. X-rays are not taken at every cleaning, but we recommend doing them annually or if you are having a particular problem that needs diagnosis.

Panographic X-Ray

A panoramic x-ray is a two-dimensional (2-D) dental x-ray hat captures the entire mouth in a single image, including the teeth, upper and lower jaws, surrounding structures and tissues. It is taken in a special machine that goes around the head and captures images of your entire mouth, face from the nose down, sinuses, and nerves.

Velscope

A velscope is a wireless handheld device that uses natural tissue fluorescence to enhance our ability to detect abnormalities in the mouth that are often invisible to the naked eye. Unlike regular oral cancer screening, which involves visual examination for red, white, or black spots in the mouth, Velscope uses a superior blue light to excite molecules deep within the layer of our oral mucosal tissues, i.e. the mucous membrane lining the inside of the mouth. These excited molecules then emit their own light in shades of green, yellow, and red. The Veloscope’s proprietary filter makes fluorescence visualisation possible through blocking the reflected blue light and enhancing the contrast between the normal and abnormal tissue. Basically, Velscope allows dentists to detect dysplastic cells or cells that are just beginning to make their transformation into pre-cancerous cells through abnormal fluorescence patterns.

As always, if you have any questions about you bill, please contact our front desk and we’d be happy to explain all charges.

Restoration Care – Care for your restorations

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR NEW RESTORATION.

Congratulations on your new veneer, crown, or bridge!

By following some simple guidelines you can extend the life of your crown, bridge, or veneer:

PREVENT FRACTURES
While our lab uses the highest quality materials, it doesn’t mean your veneers, crowns, or bridges are unbreakable. Stress can trigger clenching and teeth grinding which puts extreme pressure on your teeth and restorations. This can cause cracks and fractures to your teeth and veneers.
If you grind your teeth at night it is important to discuss this with Dr. Shahriary and have a night guard fabricated. Similarly, it is important to wear a sports guard when participating in contact sports.
Many people use their teeth to break tags from clothing, open packages, bite their nails, etc.

Teeth are not pliers or tools; and using them as such puts you at high risk of breaking your restorations AND your natural teeth.

HYGIENE
You can still develop tooth decay even when you have veneers, crowns, or bridges. The margin where the restoration meets your natural teeth is a particularly susceptible area. Protect your investment by flossing everyday, brushing twice a day, cleaning under your bridge, and having regular cleaning and check ups. Healthy, pink gums are the clearest indicator of a healthy smile.
Always tell your new dentist or hygienist if you have veneers, crowns, or bridges. Lab work has become so detailed that it can be difficult to tell which teeth are restored and which are natural!

Call us today to book an appointment to discuss your dental needs. We want to help you achieve the smile you have always dreamed of!

Gifts Your Teeth will Love

Give the gifts of beautiful teeth this holiday season. Dental products can make a great gift whether your budget is big or small!

Tooth brushes and tooth paste make great stocking stuffers. Especially for kiddos who are still learning how to brush. Bristles can become chewed up and ineffective faster when toddlers are just learning to brush.

Bigger kids may find their brushing technique more effective with a disposable electric brush. These do a better job of cleaning the teeth, even when your child’s brushing style is less than ideal.

Fun flavours of toothpaste encourage good oral hygiene habits and get kids excited to brush every day.

If you have a bigger budget for gifts, electric tooth brushes can greatly improve oral hygiene. Oral B electric toothbrushes have a round head and behave like a dental tooth would in our office – though the can be a touch loud, the brushing technique is highly effective. If the noise of an Oral B brush is too much for you we also recommend Philips Sonicare toothbrushes. They are quieter than the Oral B, though often more expensive.

Do you have a big event coming up in 2022 or do you want your smile to be glamorously white for your New Years Kiss? Treat your self to the gift of tooth whitening. Our office offers Opalescence Go (a more concentrated version of a white strip), Custom Trays made for your teeth that come with take home bleach syringes, or in-office whitening for the fastest results.

Not sure which gifts to pick? Call our office to discuss your specific dental needs!

Iconic Teeth From Your Favourite Movies

Halloween is coming up – this year your costume can be instantly recognizable with some iconic teeth! Movies and TV shows use prosthetic teeth, natural imperfections in the actors teeth, and make up to give their characters a distinct look.

Winifred Sanderson, Hocus Pocus

The oldest of the Sanderson sisters was obsessed with beauty and youth so it makes sense that the costume designers gave her comically large teeth that don’t meet “conventional” beauty standards.

Austin Powers, The Austin Powers movies

Powers’ bad teeth were created by a dental technician named Gary Archer. Mike Myers came to Archer and told him, “I want bad British 1960s teeth”, based on a widely-held stereotype. Archer took pictures and made drawings of British patrons at an English pub that he often visited and the pictures became the inspiration for the final design Archer showed Myers, resulting in his iconic smile.

Lloyd Christmas, The Dumb and Dumber movies

When Jim Carrey was a child he got into a fight, resulting in the chip in his front tooth. The tooth was capped and Carrey had it temporarily removed to portray Lloyd Christmas.

The Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland

Johnny Depp has said the Mad Hatter’s iconic smile was inspired by comedian Terry Thomas’ diastema. In an interview Depp said, “the French call the teeth with the gap in the middle ‘les dents de bonheur’ – ‘the teeth of happiness’,”. A fitting inspiration for the (sometimes) jovial Mad Hatter.

Harry Lyme, Home Alone 1 and 2.

Harry’s gold tooth plays an important role in his identification. When he first enters the McCallister’s house impersonating a police officer, Kevin notices his gold tooth when he smiles. As a result when Kevin is almost hit by Harry and Marv’s van Harry smiles at him again and Kevin notices the gold tooth, blowing his cover as a police officer.

Stu Price, The Hangover

Did Ed Helms REALLY pull out his own tooth for a movie role?! Well, kind of! When Helms was a teenager he had a dental implant placed. Instead of blacking out a tooth for the movie he decided to talk to his dentist to see if he could have the 20 year old implant crown temporarily removed. His dentist agreed to remove it and the rest is movie history!

Belletrix Lestrange, Harry Potter Movies

Though Belletrix’s rotten teeth are never specified in J.K. Rowlings’ book, actress Helena Bohnam Carter felt the gnarly teeth would give her character a feral look. As Bellatrix had spent so much time in prison, Carter felt her teeth should look savage and deranged as she hoped to portray her as such.

Dracula – 1958 Starring Christopher Lee

Vampire fangs have an interesting history in Hollywood as most people associate fangs with Bela Lugosi’s popular 1931 portrayal. Lugosi, however, never wore fangs in his role as Dracula. In the era before microphones actors needed to enunciate for optimal clarity; prosthetic fangs impeded this greatly. Fangs were not popularized in vampire films until Christopher Lee’s iconic portrayal in 1958.

Let us clean up your “fangs”! Call today to book an appointment.

Affordable Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

Nowadays, Cosmetic dentistry is growing at a rapid pace. All thanks to this improving industry which has made the dental procedures more and more affordable for people.

The most affordable cosmetic dentistry procedures THAT  we are going to help you with are:

1-Teeth Bleaching

Do you have discolored teeth? Do you want them to shine bright? If yes, it’s quite a cheap dental process and the best part is that it doesn’t come with any side effects.

2-Tooth Contouring & Reshaping

If you have a misshapen or chipped tooth for some reason, try the tooth contouring and reshaping treatment. It’s one of the painless dental processes that will help you feel good about your teeth and your smile.

3-Dental Crowns

Trying to fix your bad breath? Tired of chips, cracks, and cavities? Try dental crowns!

These crowns are basically dental molds that help by improving the visual quality of your teeth.

4-Composite Dental Bonding

Do you wish to get your tooth’s structure fixed? Or want a treatment that can help in improving your tooth’s strength?

The composite dental bonding is so far the best thing you can try. It’s a cheap process and it will fix almost all your major teeth issues.

Always there are options to fix your teeth and have your beautiful smile back.

If you like to check your options for cosmetic dentistry, don`t hesitate to call us at 604 936-1263 and make an appointment with Dr.Ross.

Healthy Summer Teeth

In Summer to stay healthy and hydrated, there’s no wonder that you need to drink more. Just you need to think more about choosing your beverages.

Some drinks can increase the risk of tooth decay.

Consider sugary drinks especially for children just once in a while to enjoy, and not often. Instead, to beat the heat, offer water.

When you drink acidic beverages, reduce their contact with your teeth by using a straw and finishing the drink quickly, instead of sipping over a long period of time.

Give your kids healthy snack alternatives such as apples, bite-size carrots or other foods that are naturally sweet, and instruct children to avoid candies, chocolate, and other foods that contain refined sugar. Take a break from snacking is also healthy for their teeth. It allows time for saliva to bathe the teeth, wash away leftover food and get stronger.

It’s important for families to consistently brush and floss, which keeps them on track for healthy teeth. Whether your kids are staying up till late, resist the temptation to skip brushing before

a late bedtime or let it slide when they sleep in the next morning.

It is a good idea to make your family check-up appointments during summer before kids are back to school. Call us now and we help you get the appointment time that works best for you.

Have a wonderful Summer

Baby Teeth – When do they come in?

The most common questions we are asked about Baby teeth are “when will they come in?” and “when will they fall out?”. While the answer can vary – we have a general timeline for when we expect these things to occur.

Baby Teeth

Most children will have all 20 of their primary teeth by the time they are 3 years old. By age 21 all of your child’s permanent teeth should have erupted (with the exception of wisdom teeth which may or may not fully erupt.)

Caring for baby teeth can be difficult for parents.

From 1 to 2 years  

  • Brush your child’s teeth daily (using non-fluoridated toothpaste).
  • Check for signs of early childhood tooth decay once a month. Lift your child’s upper lip and look for chalky-white or brown spots on the teeth or along the gum line. If you see any, take your child to a dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist may suggest you start using a small amount (the size of a grain of rice) of fluoridated toothpaste.
  • Switch to a regular cup for all drinks between 12 and 15 months.
  • Limit soother use to nap and bedtime.
From 3 to 4 years old
  • Teach your child “2 for 2,” which means brushing twice a day for 2 minutes each time.
  • Start using fluoride toothpaste, the amount of a green pea, and teach them to spit rather than swallow.  Supervise your child while he/she is brushing teeth.
  • Encourage your child to do some brushing with you completing the job, making sure that all tooth surfaces have been cleaned.
  • If your child continues to suck her thumb as permanent teeth begin to appear, talk to your doctor or dentist.
For all ages
  • Wash your hands before and after brushing teeth.
  • Rinse toothbrushes thoroughly after brushing and ensure that each one can dry without touching other toothbrushes.
  • Replace toothbrushes every few months, when the bristles become flattened with use.
  • Between meals, quench a child’s thirst with water. Do not offer candy, dried fruit (including raisins) and sugared drinks or juices.
  • Take your child for regular dental visits (every 6 months, unless otherwise suggested by your dentist).

To schedule your child’s next cleaning Contact us! (604) 936-1263

What Happens During a Dental Cleaning?

Many people have mild to moderate dental phobias. A lack of understanding about what happens while you’re in the chair for a cleaning can add to this fear.

First Exam

Your hygienist will likely start by doing a quick exam of your mouth, noting and potential areas of concern to discuss with the dentist when they come in to perform a more thorough examination. They will use a small mirror to check your teeth and gums for any signs of inflammation, decay, and other issues.

Removing Plaque and Tartar

The hygienist will use a scaler during your cleaning to “scrape” plaque and tartar build-up around and under your gumline and between your teeth. They may also use a “cavitron” or water scaler in addition to or instead of hand instruments to remove build up.
If this is your least favourite part of your cleanings remember that improved oral health (proper brushing and flossing) reduces the amount of tartar and plaque in your mouth. Less tartar and plaque = less time scaling (scraping).

Polishing

This is when the hygienist uses a high powered electric rotating rubber cup to apply a gritty toothpaste to your teeth. The high-pitched sound can be intimidating but this part of your cleaning is important for removing surface stains.

Professional Flossing

No one is more skilled at flossing your teeth than a hygienist. It might seem silly to have your hygienist floss your teeth during your cleaning if you’ve already flossed that day, but this helps to remove any leftover plaque, polishing paste or debris.

Fluoride Treatment

There are a few different options available for fluoride treatments. (Not all dentists carry all options.) Most common are fluoride trays: foam trays that fit over your teeth and are filled with a flavoured gel or foam fluoride and placed in your mouth for 1 minute. There is also a flavoured paint-on varnish that stays on your teeth until you brush it off at night. Least effective, but a good option for people with a strong gag reflex is a fluoride ride that you swish in your mouth for one minute. Fluoride helps to strengthen enamel and prevent tooth decay. It is an important part of your regular cleaning.

Post-Cleaning Exam

Your dentist will then come in and review any notes your hygienist has made, and perform their own exam with the help of a small handheld mirror. In this time they may find spots of potential decay and recommend x-rays to be certain. Other concerns your dentist is looking for is bite/jaw issues, the need for orthodontic referral, or referral to a periodontist if your gums have deep pockets around the teeth.

Contact us today to schedule your next cleaning and check up! (604) 936-1263

Pregnancy and how it affects your oral health.

While keeping your mouth healthy is important, it becomes even more so during pregnancy. As your hormones change you may face oral health issues such as gum and bone disease. The following preventative measures will help keep your smile healthy and reduce risks such as low birth weight and pre-term delivery.

Morning Sickness

One of the most problematic symptoms you can experience in pregnancy is morning sickness. Repeated exposure to stomach acid can wreak havoc on your enamel causing tooth decay and erosion. These steps should be taken following any episodes of vomiting:

  • Rinse your mouth with water or fluoride mouth wash (if you can stand it) immediately following the episode
  • After rinsing your mouth, wait for at least 30 minutes to further reduce the acid in your mouth
  • Brush your teeth

Preventative Measures

Daily:

  • Floss
  • Brush your teeth at least twice per day with a fluoride toothpaste using a soft bristled toothbrush
  • Drink fluoridated water where available

Schedule a checkup and cleaning in your first trimester to assess the current state of your oral health.

Bleeding Gums

Your hormone changes can affect your gums. They may be more sensitive and they might bleed easily, even if you have good oral hygiene.

“Pregnancy Gingivitis”

Between months 3 and 9 gestation, you may experience pregnancy gingivitis. This is when your gums become swollen, red, and/or irritated from bacteria along your gumline. It is important to see your dentist during pregnancy as gingivitis may turn into periodontitis. Most pregnancy-related gum issues will resolve themselves after giving birth, however, if they do not it is important to schedule an appointment with your dentist.

Visiting Your Dentist

If you do need dental work during pregnancy – the best time to have your work completed is during your second trimester. It is a good idea to avoid X-rays while you are pregnant. X-rays of your mouth should only be taken in an emergency. If you need an X-ray, make sure you are covered with a lead apron to protect your baby from the radiation.

Contact us today to set up your next appointment!

I Just Had a Filling – Why does my tooth still hurt?

So your dentist recommended you have a filling done, but now a tooth that didn’t bother you before is hurting! Yikes!

Before you start panicking there are a few reasons this could happen. Firstly – is the pain you are experiencing upon biting or chewing? or is it a constant ache?

Pain with biting/chewing

If the pain/sensitivity is with biting or chewing, chances are your filling needs a slight adjustment! When the dentist checks your bite after performing a filling, sometimes you’re so frozen it’s hard to get a good idea if your bite feels “normal” or not. Even the slightest bit of filling material being too high, or left over bonding agent can cause sensitivity with biting if you have a “tight” bite.

Typically, we can see you the same day for a quick appointment (that requires no freezing) to adjust the filling.

Constant Ache

If your pain is more of a constant ache there are two possible issues. Your pain may be associated with the injection site for the anesthetic. Some people are very sensitive to freezing and can experience and ache/bruised feeling in their jaw from the anesthetic – especially in the lower jaw. The best course of action is to wait a day or two to see if the ache gets better.

The other possibility with a constant ache is that the decay was much deeper than expected. While we always try our best to prevent a tooth from needing a root canal, sometimes the decay is so deep we have no choice. When Dr. Ross performs a filling where the decay is deep in the tooth, he will often place a medication to desensitize the tooth and help it “calm down”.  If this doesn’t work, a root canal may be the best course of treatment to fix the tooth.

Whatever the problem may be – we’re here to help you fix it. Call or email us today! https://austindentalgroups.com/contact/