Emergency Care
If you are experiencing dental pain such as a toothache, chipped or broken teeth or lost fillings, please call us right away.
Space Maintainers
Baby teeth act as natural space maintainers. Each baby tooth acts as guide for the permanent tooth that replaces it. When a baby tooth is lost prematurely due to decay or trauma, the permanent tooth loses its guide and may grow in the wrong position. This may cause more teeth to do the same. A space maintainer may be made to hold the space until the permanent tooth grows in.
Complete or Partial Dentures
Complete or partial dentures are an option to replace all or some missing teeth. Every effort is made to achieve proper comfort, function and esthetics. If the remaining bone structure and gums are not suitable to provide a proper fit, options to improve retention, such as dental implants, will be discussed.
Extractions
There are circumstances that exist in which teeth need to be removed from the mouth. Some reasons that a tooth cannot be saved are: severe decay, advanced gum disease, has broken in a way that cannot be repaired, is poorly positioned (crowded) or to prepare the mouth for braces. For any extraction that appears to require additional care, a referral will be made to an oral surgeon.
Bridges
A missing tooth or teeth can be replaced with a bridge. It is a prosthesis that connects artificial teeth to adjacent natural teeth or implants. When a tooth is lost, the biting forces change on the teeth next to the space and they begin to shift. The teeth that bite with the missing teeth also begin to move and may result in added tooth loss. As the bite changes, chewing becomes less efficient which affects the jaw joint. It is more difficult to clean teeth that have shifted and the bacteria that accumulates in the hard to reach areas may result in gum disease, decay and permanent bone loss.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is used to replace one or more missing teeth without affecting adjacent teeth. A dental implant is a titanium post that is placed in the bone of the jaw where the missing tooth was. The bone bonds with the titanium creating a strong foundation for crowns, bridges or dentures. Dental implants can prevent bone deterioration which can maintain facial structure.
Crowns
Crowns are used to restore teeth that are structurally compromised. They are placed on teeth that have large cavities , root canals, large fractures or fillings, discolouration or improper shape. Different types of materials used for crowns are porcelain and gold.
Fillings
Fillings are used to restore missing tooth structure back to its previous shape and function. They are placed in teeth that have cavities (decay), fractures, or to replace previous, old fillings that are not sealed anymore. A filling closes the space where bacteria can enter and cause further decay. If the part of the tooth to be replaced is so large that a filling is not enough to restore it, a crown is necessary. Various filling materials are gold, porcelain, tooth coloured composite resin and amalgam (silver).
