Braces used to be the only way to straighten teeth affected by malocclusion (a bad bite). But now, we have a system called Invisalign that allows us to straighten your teeth without using  conventional methods.  Invisalign system uses a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually reposition teeth. We've chosen to offer the Invisalign system because the aligners are more visually appealing than braces. They're also removable, which makes it easier to clean your teeth after eating. The aligners are smooth and comfortable, and they don't irritate your gums, cheek, or tongue.

We first take impressions of your teeth, bite registrations, photographs, and x-rays. We send these materials, accompanied by a treatment plan, to the laboratory. The lab then creates the aligners-a set of precisely customized, clear molds. Each aligner is worn for about 2 weeks, and you'll remove them only to eat, drink, brush. .

About every 2 weeks, you will replace the aligner with the next one in the series. Your teeth will move, a little at a time, until they are straightened to the desired position. About every 4 to 6 weeks, you'll visit us so that we can ensure that your treatment is progressing appropriately. It typically takes 9 to 15 months to complete orthodontic treatment with Invisalign, during which time 18 to 30 aligners are used.

The time it takes to complete treatment is specific to each circumstance.
After a thorough exam and a review of your health history and lifestyle, we'll be able to determine if Invisalign is right for you.

 

A dental implant is now the treatment of choice to replace a single missing tooth or even multiple teeth. It can be thought of as an artificial root made of titanium that is surgically placed in your jaw. Once in place it is allowed to heal and the bone in your jaw forms a connection at the cellular level with the implant. Once the implant is integrated in the jaw it can be restored with an artificial tooth thereby replacing the missing tooth or teeth. A dental implant is an ideal way to replace a missing tooth without having to rely on the adjacent teeth, especially if the teeth on either side of the gap are healthy and have never been restored. Also, it is much easier to clean around an implant as compared to a bridge because it is not ?connected? to other teeth and can be treated like any other tooth. There is a misconception that implants are very expensive and may not be very successful. The improvement in materials and techniques has led a very high success rate with dental implants, generally between 92-98%. Moreover, while it is true that dental implants can be very expensive in the short term, statistically in the long term they are less costly when compared to bridges and dentures and more and more dental plans are now covering dental implants. So why not ask your dentist if dental implants are right for you.

A crown is placed over the metal abutment to produce a very natural and aesthetic result.

 

Preventative dentistry deals with managing certain conditions and monitoring others that may become problems in the future. During your check up we not only clean your teeth and check for cavities but we also do a complete evaluation of your mouth, monitor your gums for signs of gum disease AND do an oral cancer screening.Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is a serious infection of the tissue that supports your teeth. Even in the cleanest mouth as many as 100,000 bacteria can be present on each tooth surface, but when plaque is present, as many as 1 billion bacteria may be growing on each tooth. Have a look inside your mouth the next time you brush your teeth. The bacteria in your mouth form a sticky film on your teeth that over time results in the build up of plaque and tartar. With time, plaque can spread and advance below the gum line. The bacteria in the plaque produce toxins which not only irritate the gums but affect the bone that supports your teeth resulting in the formation of pockets. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Left untreated, this process can result in teeth becoming loose and having to be extracted.

Did you know that the same bacteria that is associated with gum disease has also been linked to heart disease.

 

Teeth naturally darken somewhat over the years and lose some brightness because they accumulate stains from foods and beverages. Years of exposure to cola, coffee, tea, red wine, and smoking stain teeth and make them appear dull. There are several safe and effective options available to brighten your smile without harming your teeth. By far the fastest and safest whitening options are offered by your dentist. The most popular choice is an at-home bleaching procedure. This requires a dental visit, where you'll be fitted for a customized bleaching tray to hold the whitening gel against your teeth. Before any bleaching is performed the dentist will do an exam to ensure that your gums are healthy and your teeth are cavity free. While you can get over-the-counter whitening kits, they usually aren't as effective as professional whitening procedures. Because the over-the-counter trays are not custom fitted, the whitening agent may irritate the tissue.

 

Bonding refers to the process of placing a filling, usually a resin type of filling material and chemically adhering it to your tooth structure. Bonding is an ideal way to repair, alter the shape, or sometimes even the colour of your teeth. This conservative and cost effective approach is commonly used to change or modify the front teeth. This procedure is usually done in one appointment. The first step in this procedure involves roughening the surface of the tooth with an instrument, although this is not always necessary, and then with a gel. A bonding agent is then used to ensure the filling will adhere to the tooth. Finally the filling material, which is carefully selected to ensure the proper shade or colour match is achieved is applied and shaped and hardened with a high intensity light. The final step involves finishing and polishing the filling to make it indistinguishable from your natural tooth structure. This technique allows your dentist to repair small chips or fractures in teeth, close spaces, modify the shape of certain teeth, or even change the colour of your teeth. If you have been unhappy with the appearance of one tooth or even many teeth, bonding can change your appearance.

 

Traditionally a veneer refers to a custom made, fingernail-thin porcelain shell that is bonded to your natural teeth. However, some refer to veneers as any type of restoration that covers the outer surface of your tooth whether it is with resin (see bonding above) or with porcelain. Because of the inherent properties of the material, porcelain veneers can make a dramatic improvement to your smile. Porcelain veneers can improve the color and shape of one or more of your front teeth, giving a life-like and healthy looking appearance. A porcelain veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that is bonded to your tooth, generally covering only its outer surface. This fairly conservative treatment can be used correct misaligned teeth thereby eliminating the need for expensive and lengthy orthodontic treatment, to close open spaces between your front teeth, to alter the appearance of small or misshapen teeth, or to whiten stained and naturally discoloured teeth. This treatment usually takes two appointments (about 2 weeks). The first appointment involves a very minimal amount of tooth reduction, namely the outer surface and usually the edge of the teeth to be restored. Once the appropriate amount of tooth preparation is completed an impression is taken of your teeth that allows us to make precise stone models that duplicate what we have created in your mouth. It is from these models that a highly skilled dental technician creates your veneers to precisely fit your teeth. During the second appointment, your teeth are cleaned and polished and prepared to receive the custom fabricated veneers. Once they are inserted, veneers have a very natural and life-like appearance. The final result can be a very dramatic and attractive change to your smile in as little as two weeks!

 

A crown is one option to restore a severely broken down tooth. It can be thought of as a restoration that covers most of the tooth thereby protecting it structurally and keeping it intact. Fillings generally don?t strengthen teeth, they merely replace the damaged part of the tooth lost to decay or fracture. If there is not enough remaining tooth structure to adequately support the filling then the result is a compromised solution to a problem and the tooth and/or filling may not last a very long time and may fracture if too much force is generated when you chew. A crown on your tooth strengthens it and protects it from fracturing often eliminating the need for more expensive and less predictable treatments.

A bridge is one method to replace one or more missing teeth. Once one or more missing teeth are lost your options to replace them can be limited. Why is it important to replace a missing tooth? Your mouth is a very dynamic environment. When one or more teeth are lost, the distribution of biting forces changes on the remaining teeth. The same amount of biting pressure is transmitted to your remaining teeth thereby putting more stress on those teeth. Another consequence of losing a tooth may the extrusion of the opposing tooth. When a tooth no longer has anything to chew against, it may begin to extrude out of the socket into the extraction site. Replacing a missing tooth with a bridge can prevent a series of problems that not only affects your teeth but also your jaw joint and even possibly your smile. So what is a bridge? A bridge is a custom made restoration that uses the strong teeth on either side of the area of the missing tooth and splints them together.

Both of these treatments require at least two dental appointments, usually a few weeks apart. The first appointment involves some tooth reduction, an amount appropriate to accommodate the new crown or bridge. Once the appropriate amount of tooth preparation is completed an impression is taken of your teeth that allows us to make precise stone models that duplicate what we have created in your mouth. These models are used by a highly skilled dental technician to create your crown or bridge to precisely fit your teeth. During the second appointment, your teeth are cleaned and polished and prepared to receive the custom fabricated restoration. Once inserted, your crown or bridge adds strength to your tooth and in the case of a bridge replaces one or more missing teeth thereby restoring your ability to function.

 

Most of us may cringe when we hear that we have to have our wisdom teeth extracted. Although it is true that this process can be uncomfortable, the vast majority of cases are actually pain free if they are managed properly before they become a problem. Third molars, also called wisdom teeth, are the last of your permanent teeth to erupt. They typically erupt between the ages of 18 to 23. Because they are the last teeth to come in there is often little room for them to erupt properly and into the correct position.

When a wisdom tooth develops in your jaw and doesn't have room to grow in properly it becomes impacted. If it becomes impacted several problems may develop at the time the tooth is supposed to erupt or many years in the future even after it has been problem free. If jaw pain or swelling develop around the time the wisdom teeth are supposed to erupt it may mean that you have an infection which may cause difficulty opening and closing your mouth. A cavity can develop in your wisdom teeth making them more difficult to extract or they may even cause cavities on the adjacent perfectly healthy and erupted second molars. Sometimes un-erupted impacted wisdom teeth can develop cysts which can damage other teeth and your jaw bone and you may not even be aware of any pathology. This is why it is important to have your dentist make an early assessment of your wisdom teeth so that these potential complications can be addressed before they develop into problems necessitating emergency treatment. There are many advantages to the early removal of wisdom teeth, so talk to your dentist today before they become a problem

 

A denture is often a good choice when considering the replacement of several missing teeth. Dentures can either replace all of the teeth in the jaw (a complete denture) or several missing teeth (a partial denture).

A partial denture is almost always more stable than a complete denture. Existing teeth are used to anchor and support the denture. This will allow you to function more normally and have a healthier diet and mouth. A partial denture can prevent neighboring teeth from shifting and can provide a more balanced bite. This can mean better chewing function and eliminate potential jaw joint problems. In addition to functional benefits, a partial denture can add support to your cheeks and lips, helping you speak clearly and provide good facial structure making you look and feel younger. This all sounds great but there are several disadvantages to having a partial denture. The clasps that are used to anchor the denture in place may show when you smile. Also food may collect under and around the denture requiring meticulous cleaning of your mouth and the denture. A complete denture is the most common choice to replace your teeth when all of the teeth in the jaw are missing. Some people think that removing all of their teeth eliminates future dental problems, but this is far from reality. When you lose all of your teeth some dramatic changes occur in your mouth. The bone in the upper and lower jaw starts to shrink. This is why if you wear a denture, over time the denture will start to get loose and floppy. When this happens, your denture will have to be relined to make it fit again or possibly have to be remade. This process may have to be done every few years, particularly in the lower jaw were these changes occur more rapidly. A complete upper denture, although usually more retentive, also has problems. An upper denture completely covers the roof of your mouth thereby, most of the taste buds on the palate. This makes tasting and enjoying your food more difficult.

Losing all of your teeth can be a very difficult situation, especially in your later years, when having a well balanced and healthy diet is very important to continued good health and quality of life. Given the choice, keeping your natural teeth is the preferred option. You'll not only feel better and look better but you will enjoy your food more and have greater confidence.

 

Once upon a time, if you had a tooth with a diseased nerve, you'd probably lose that tooth. Today, with a special dental procedure called a root canal therapy you may save that tooth. Inside each tooth is the pulp (composed of nerves and blood vessels) which help the tooth grow and develop, it runs like a thread down through the root. When the pulp is diseased (by deep cavities) or injured (by fractures or cracks), the pulp tissue dies. If you don't remove it, your tooth gets infected and it could spread to the underlying bone and surrounding tissues. A small opening in the tooth is made to access the root canal system. After we remove the pulp, the root canal is cleaned using very fine instruments and sealed off with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha. Then, a crown is usually placed over the tooth to protect it. Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure with little or no discomfort involving one to three visits. Best of all, it can save your tooth and your smile!