General Dentistry

Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment (also called ‘endodontics’) is needed when the pulp inside your tooth becomes infected through tooth decay or is damaged by an injury to your mouth. Infection may spread through the root canal system and could eventually lead to an abscess, causing a great deal of discomfort. If root canal treatment is not carried out, the tooth may need to be taken out.

Root canal treatment involves the following:

Local anaesthetic will be administered to ensure no discomfort is felt during treatment.
A rubber dam is placed to isolate the tooth and
the tooth will be prepared with a drill, allowing access to the root canal system.
The root canal system will be thoroughly cleaned out to remove all infection and pulp.
The root canal system is then filled and sealed temporarily with a crown.
The tooth is checked at a later visit and when all the infection has cleared the tooth is permanently filled.
Root canal treatment is a skilled and time-consuming procedure and most courses of treatment will involve two or more visits.

Benefits of Root Canal Treatment

Preservation of remaining healthy tooth structure.
Prevention of infection spreading any further.
Restoration of tooth to its natural look and feel.

Wisdom Teeth Extractions & Oral Surgery

In cases of advanced gum disease and tooth decay, teeth may need to be extracted. Some patients may also develop impacted wisdom teeth, which can cause intense pain and need to be removed. This is alleviated by having them removed surgically.

Tooth extractions typically involve the following:

Before the procedure you will require an x-ray of your teeth.
Depending on your particular case and the severity of your problem, you may be given a local anaesthetic and offered sedation if you are anxious.
Dentists have the right equipment and sterile environment to extract teeth with the utmost care and your recovery can be surprisingly quick.
In case of some wisdom teeth extractions, we may need a CT scan to assess any risk of nerve Injuries.
You may have some swelling after the procedure and discomfort that can be eased with over-the-counter painkillers.
In cases of large infections or facial swellings antibiotics will be prescribed to reduce the risk of further infection.

Benefits of Extractions & Oral Surgery

Reduced pain levels
Sustained good oral health

Emergency Dental Care & ACC Treatments

If you have chipped or broken a tooth as a result of an accident or injury, it is very important that you see a dentist as soon as possible. The same goes for any teeth that may have been knocked out. The sooner you are seen by a dentist the better the chances that the teeth can be re-implanted, depending on the severity of your injury.

Unfortunately accidents can happen at any time. No matter how small or large the injury to the teeth or gums is, it is important to have the injury assessed and registered with ACC as soon as possible. This means that in the future if there is any problem relating to the injured tooth, treatment is covered mostly by ACC. We are registered provider for ACC dental treatments. Our team are highly experienced in dealing with all forms of dental trauma and emergency care. Treatment under ACC is often free of charge for children below 18 years except for complex treatments and adults can have an additional surcharge.

Here are some of the steps an emergency dental appointment will cover:

A thorough examination of the injured area will be undertaken. This may include dental x-rays to determine the extent of the damage.
Depending on the severity of the pain, the area will be numbed with local anaesthetic.
The injured area will be sterilised to reduce the risk of infection.
The damaged teeth will be restored temporarily or permanently, depending on the case.
In severe cases the affected tooth may require extraction and implant treatment will be discussed.

If you require emergency dental treatment, you should ask to see a dentist as soon as possible. At our practice we offer appointments for all dental emergencies from toothache to lost or broken crowns, chipped teeth and fillings to abscesses, trauma, avulsed teeth and facial swelling. We can take care of your injuries to ensure you heal quicker, helping to ensure that you avoid additional dental problems and complications in the future.

Benefits of Emergency Dental Care

Preservation of as much of the remaining tooth structure as possible.
Reduced risk of infection.
Improved long-term oral health overall.

Sleep Dentistry

Conscious sedation is a technique which makes treatment more pleasant for those patients who suffer from Dental phobia or Dental Anxiety. A strong sedative drug (Eg Midazolam) Is injected into a vein in the arm .The drug induces a state of amnesia (forgetfulness) It is used before surgery or any unpleasant dental procedures. It causes drowsiness, decrease anxiety, and reduces your memory of the surgery or procedure. You will be awake, be able to talk, but more importantly will be very relaxed and happy. The onset of action is usually with in 5 minutes and may last up to 1 hour depending on the dose.

It is very effective, predictable and very safe.

Our patients have chosen to have dentistry performed under sedation for a number of reasons including:

Have had traumatic experiences in the past and as a child
Hate the noise of dental drills and/or smells associated with dentistry
Dental phobia

It can be offered to most patients, however, if you are not in good health or are taking any medications we need to be aware of those so that the sedative drug and dosage can be altered.

On completion of the treatment the patient rests for a short while before being escorted home. While you may feel very much normal after treatment, the sedative agents are not completely eliminated from the body for at least 4 hours - so you must arrange for an escort to take you home. Driving is prohibited for the next 24 Hrs at least as you may feel drowsy. No food or drink should be taken for some hours before the sedation treatment session. Our team will provide you with detailed instructions upon seen by a dentist for a consultation appointment.

The major side effect is a drop in your respiratory rate. This is caused by relaxed state of the body caused by the drug. We will place a monitor on your finger which measures the level of oxygen in your blood and your heart rate. The monitor will indicate us immediately if your breathing rate is lowering than normal. This is simply corrected by asking you to take some deep breaths as you will remain very responsive to our verbal commands during the procedure.

IV sedation is a very safe procedure due to the nature of the drugs used and the monitoring systems in place. In the unlikely event of complications developing the sedative effects can be reversed by administering another drug (Flumazenil).