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PREVENTIVE

DENTISTRY

Dental Examination

Your first dental visit typically involves a comprehensive examination of your teeth, gums, and the other structures in and around your mouth. You will be asked by your dentist if you have any specific concerns or questions about your own oral health.

 

We usually take 2 small radiographs x-rays and bone level. Further x-rays may be taken if there are specific presenting concerns, or areas of suspicion picked up by your dentist.

 

Following your initial checkup, we will formulate for you a treatment plan should any further treatment be required.

 

Children's Dentistry

Here at Livingston Dental Care, we are dedicated to ensuring your entire family has a great dental experience, especially the little ones!

We always feel extra privileged to be a part of your child’s health care team, and enjoy speaking to mums and dads about the best tips and tricks to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.

Did you know that the Australian Dental Association recommends that your baby has his/her first dental visit when the 1st tooth becomes visible, or when they reach 12 months of age! It is a great opportunity for your child to meet the team, have a good look around and for you to have a chat about any topics of interest, such as:

* Teething and how your child bites
* Brushing, flossing and prevention of decay
* Habits like thumb sucking and teeth grinding
* Healthy eating, drinking and snacking habits

Baby teeth fall out and are slowly replaced overtime by adult teeth and the timing varies from child to child. At your next visit, speak to us about the importance of looking after your child’s baby teeth and how they can affect their adult teeth in the future!

Scale & Clean

We highly recommend a scale and polish of your teeth every 6 months unless otherwise advised. During this procedure, calcified plaque is removed from along and above the gum line and your teeth are polished to remove surface stains. Regular professional cleaning allows your dentist to educate you on areas you should pay more attention to when cleaning and discuss different tools and techniques specific to your cleaning concerns. Regular maintenance appointments also allow us to pick up on any signs of developing disease or decay in your mouth.

 

Deep Cleaning / Periodontal Treatment

When calcified plaque (tartar build up) has been left without cleaning for extensive periods of time, it continues to gather at an accelerated rate. The inflammation caused by this build up is detrimental to both the gums and underlying bone and must be removed as soon as possible by your dental clinician.

 

When gum disease has advanced to this stage, brushing and flossing alone will do little to remove the source of the problem.

 

Your dentist will speak to you about ‘deep cleaning’ or ‘periodontal treatment’, which involves cleaning out the build-up underneath the gum line. We will also go over recommended techniques for your personalized home care routine. Your dentist may perform the treatment in our clinic, or refer you to a periodontist (gum specialist) depending on the severity of the disease.

 

Mouthguards

Minimize your risk of traumatic dental injuries by wearing a custom made mouthguard while playing and training for sports, whenever there is a possibility of face contact. Having a mouthguard made is a simple two-step process:

 

  1. An impression (mould) is taken of your upper teeth and sent to the lab for fabrication

  2. The mouthguard is inserted and checked for fit; care instructions are given

 

Mouthguards purchased over the counter do not provide adequate protection against injuries to your jaw, mouth or teeth. They are not custom fitting and made of less ideal materials- as a result, they cannot provide maximum protection. Custom mouthguards are significantly more comfortable and can even be personalized if you wish for a small additional cost.

 

Information for parents:

Wearing a mouthguard is recommended even for children playing sports. Traumatic dental injuries at any stage of dental development can result in severe and costly future consequences. These injuries and consequences may be heavily lessened or even eliminated by wearing suitable protection.

 

It is important to note that as children grow, their teeth and jaws also continue to develop and change. This means that they are likely to need more frequent replacement of their mouthguards than adults.

 

Splints

Occlusal splints, also known as nightguards or grinding guards are custom made, hard, protective plastic plates which are worn over your teeth as protection from grinding while you sleep.

 

1 in 20 adults will clench or grind his/her teeth. 3 in 20 children will also experience the same. Stressful gnashing of the teeth exerts thousands of pounds of pressure on the teeth, gums and jaw joints.

 

You may not even be aware that you are grinding your teeth, but some common signs and symptoms are:

 

  • Headaches and jaw aches when you wake up

  • Migraines

  • Lack of good quality sleep

  • Worn teeth (Flattened appearance, chips, cracks, fracture lines)

  • Movement of teeth

  • Sensitive or sore teeth

 

Some of the benefits you may experience with wearing a night guard:

 

  • Relief the stresses on your jaw joints

  • Protect the structure of your teeth, prevent further mechanical damage

  • Protect new fillings or dental work

 

If you feel you may be grinding or have been told by your partner about hearing grinding noises while you sleep, please speak with your dentist to see if this is a suitable treatment for you.

 

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