We provide a full range of dental treatments and advice
Good oral hygiene habits leave your mouth looking, feeling and smelling healthy.
- Your teeth are clean and free of any traces of food;
- Your gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you floss and brush;
- You never worry about bad breath.
If you’re concerned about tender or bleeding gums or unsure about the freshness of your breath, contact a dentist as soon as possible.
Our hygienist will show you how to improve your techniques to get your mouth and teeth as healthy as possible.
Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak clearly.
Daily preventive care, including correct brushing and flossing, can prevent many problems and is much less painful and costly than treating neglected teeth.
In between regular visits to your dentist, there are simple steps that you can take to reduce the risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease.
- brushing thoroughly twice a day;
- flossing on a daily basis or using interdental brushes;
- eat a balanced diet and limit sugary snacks between meals; and
- consider using dental products that contain fluoride, such as toothpaste
Fillings repair areas of tooth damaged through decay or trauma, restoring normal function and shape.
When required, a section of your tooth is removed. The area is thoroughly cleaned and filled with an appropriate filling material. Many small fillings can be done without the need for local anaesthetic.
Different materials are used for fillings. The most commonly used nowadays is composite resin which matches your tooth colour and can be contoured and manipulated. Composite is essentially glued into place to restore the tooth form and function.
There are other materials used less frequently these days. Sometimes situations arise where they are superior to composite for restoring a tooth, and occasionally we suggest them.
Not one type of filling suits everyone or every situation. Your dentist will offer you the best options for your situation, and guide you through the process of choosing what’s best for you!
There are a number of reasons for extracting a tooth: it may be badly broken or decayed; or the problem could be gum disease or an abscess in the surrounding tissues.
Occasionally, a tooth is in the wrong position. Removal improves the appearance and can be recommended by an Orthodontist as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Minimising discomfort
Your comfort and well-being are our primary concern during an extraction which can be a stressful procedure. There are various methods for removing teeth and we make every effort to perform the procedure in a relaxed, painless and stress-free way.
Post-operative care is vital. You will receive detailed instructions regarding looking after your mouth after an extraction, and what to do in the event of any complications.
An extraction is a surgical procedure, and some discomfort and swelling is normal for around 48 hours. Simple pain relief using over-the-counter medications and applying a cold pack to the side of your face will help.
It is important to keep the area clean to prevent infection following the removal of a tooth. For the first 24 hours, you should not smoke, vigorously rinse your mouth or brush close to the site of extraction.
Things to watch out for include increasing pain, increased swelling a relapse of bleeding. Please contact us if you experience any of these.
To save an infected or diseased tooth
Root Canal Therapy aims to save a tooth with a nerve that is irreversibly inflamed or dead. Causes include decay, trauma or a stress fracture of the tooth. Occasionally having a very large filling can cause the nerve to react this way.
This delicate procedure involves firstly the removal of the nerve from inside the tooth. The nerve (or root) canals are cleaned and shaped to accept a root filling material. The aims include removing unstable (painful) and infected nerve tissue, cleaning away bacteria and sealing the canals.to prevent re-infection. Great care is taken to ensure that the tissues are well anaesthetised during the procedure.
Stories from the past cause concerns around root canal therapy. With proper care and methodical treatment, the procedure can be carried out comfortably and with a 90 – 95% success rate of saving the tooth.
The nature of root canal therapy requires removal of tooth tissue and a strong restoration is required to protect the remaining structure from breakage. After the procedure a crown, or cap, made in the laboratory is generally recommended for the long term survival of the tooth. Other suitable options will be discussed.
Not all teeth are suitable for root canal therapy, so careful preoperative assessment is required. Sometimes the structure of the tooth is too complicated or too compromised and referral to an Endodontic Specialist may be necessary.
The cost of root canal therapy depends on the number of canals within the tooth. As a rule of thumb, front teeth have a single canal increasing to three to four for the back teeth. For a general guide please see our associated fee schedule.
To replace missing teeth
A crown, also known as a ‘cap’, is a covering made to fit over a prepared tooth. They are used when a tooth is broken or cracked or a large filling in place causes a risk of breaking. (For example a previously root filled tooth) Crowns are also used for aesthetic reasons, for example improving the appearance of a discoloured or poorly shaped tooth. They are always used to cover dental implants.
Crowns can be made from a variety of materials. Modern porcelain or ceramic crowns will match your natural tooth colour and are extremely strong. However, gold and metal alloys are sometimes used for extra strength on back teeth.
All of our crowns are locally made to extremely high standards and use only TGA approved materials. We have a great working relationship with our laboratory, and offer a truly dependable service with warranties in place.
Getting a crown or bridge usually requires two appointments.Your first appointment could be quite a lengthy appointment and involves:
- taking an impression to make a temporary crown or bridge
- reducing the size and changing the shape of your natural tooth
- in the case of a bridge the two teeth either side of the missing tooth are prepared
- taking impressions for the crown or bridge to be ‘made to measure’
- making a and fitting a temporary crown or bridge; and
- the impression is sent to the dental technician to be made which usually takes 10 working days
Your second appointment involves:
- removing the temporary crown or bridge and cleaning the tooth
- placing the crown or bridge and confirming correct shape and colour
- permanently cementing the permanent crown or bridge; and
- checking the occlusion or bite
With proper care crowns and bridges should last for many years. As with natural teeth it depends on good oral hygiene, oral health and the forces applied to your crown or bridge. To prevent damage to your new crown or bridge, avoid chewing hard foods, ice or other hard objects.
Crowns and bridges require regular flossing and brushing, with extra attention around the margins where decay is more likely. Special floss called super floss and floss threaders are also advised. Your dentist will show you have to clean and maintain your crown or bridge correctly.
Replacement of a missing tooth requires consideration of important questions: Why, What, When and Who ?
Why ?
It’s important to realise that while we can pretty much replace all teeth, not all missing teeth need replacing. We replace teeth for aesthetic and functional reasons. If the replacement is not going to improve either of these factors then there is no point.
What ?
So you want to replace a missing tooth to improve function and/or aesthetics the next question is: with what ? There are three basic choices: dentures, bridge or implant, or possibly a combination of two of these.
Dentures are removable “false” teeth relatively simple to provide when dealing with only one or a few teeth. The more teeth that are missing the more complex they become. A custom-made framework or structure, fabricated from either metal or acrylic, has the teeth built in. This can be a relatively inexpensive way of replacing a number of teeth with little or no involvement of the remaining teeth.
Many people wear dentures very successfully and are very happy with them. Others would choose not to avoid them if possible and we consider other options.
Bridgework involves the preparation of the teeth either side of a missing tooth. Two crowns are then fabricated with a prosthetic tooth (known as a pontic), linking the two crowns to create a three tooth structure which is cemented onto the two prepared teeth. This is cemented permanently and is designed not to be removed. Whether or not this is a suitable treatment option depends on a number of factors:
Do the teeth either side of the gap require crowns?
And are they sufficiently strong to withstand the extra load of the pontic?
What is the likely lifespan of the bridge? It has to be able to survive the rigors of the function of environment and function of the mouth.
Again like crowns bridges can be made of a variety of materials; small three unit bridges can be and all ceramic construction, but as the bridges get bigger so we tend to advise porcelain bonded to a metal sub structure which provides greater strength and good aesthetics.
The final option for the replacement of missing teeth is an implant.
This is a titanium screw type structure which is placed into the jaw to replace the root of the tooth. The screw then undergoes a process called osteointegration where the bone and the implant integrate to form a firm join. Once this has occurred a crown is made to sit onto the implant, replacing the missing tooth. Placement of implants is a surgical procedure which can be done under local anaesthesia. It requires careful planning and assessment to make sure that the implant can go in a position where there is adequate bone to support it, and no other anatomical structures will be damaged by its placement.
When conditions are favourable, implants are a very successful way to replace a missing tooth because the adjacent teeth are not compromised in any way.
When ?
For teeth in the smile line, with considerable aesthetic considerations, we try to replace as soon as possible. In emergency situations, even within a few days some form of temporary replacement can be arranged. Once the initial healing has occurred, long-term future options can be considered.
If the tooth is not of aesthetic importance then we generally recommend allowing healing to take place prior to constructing a long term replacement. However planning can be done during this period and if an implant is being considered then extraction techniques and bone preservation methods should be considered.
Who should replace your missing teeth?
At CJ Carter dental we can carry out all of these services. However not all situations are the same, and there are varying degrees of complexity to be considered. Sometimes a referral to a specialist practitioner may be necessary, but an initial assessment is always advised as some aspects of the ultimate treatment plan may not be carried out by the specialist.
We have a fantastic service provided by our specialists here on the Sunshine Coast and rarely have the need to refer to Brisbane.
Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt in the normal developmental sequence. Sometimes they don’t erupt or just don’t develop in the jaws. They can become impacted by erupting at odd angles or getting stuck against other teeth causing pain, swelling, or damage to other teeth. An isolated and temporary episode of discomfort could just be a phase in the eruption process which will pass and does not necessarily mean the teeth have to be removed.
Careful assessment is required to determine the exact problem and plan its management. X-rays will be required to determine the root shape and tooth position, and how to proceed with its removal if necessary. Normally the procedure is straightforward and uncomplicated, with only a few days of postoperative soreness as following any surgical procedure.
Dr Carter has over 20 years of experience, and offers removal of wisdom teeth under local anaesthesia, with or without sedation. General anaesthesia can be arranged if required. In especially difficult cases we refer to specialist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
We believe it is vital to establish good habits for maintaining healthy teeth and gums at a young age. Such routines will help to prevent complicated and expensive treatment in the future. Building great relationships with our younger clients helps to instill these habits, which will help them to look after their teeth throughout life.
Another reason for a child to regularly visit the dentist is to ensure their teeth are developing normally. Early identification often simplifies the management of these problems.
Currently we have the Child Dental Benefit Scheme (CDBS) in place, which is a Government scheme designed to support good habits and give basic dental treatment to children between the ages of 2 and 17.
Eligible children receive up to $1000 worth of treatment over a 2 year period. Eligibility depends on whether you receive a relevant government payment such as Family Tax Benefit A
Custom-made mouth guards are the best way to protect your teeth during contact sports. Their exact fit allows them to distribute the force of impact over a much wider area. They should be snug and not require ‘biting together’ to hold them in place.
The importance of a properly fitted mouth guard in contact sports is well documented. We also recommend them for other ‘non-contact’ sports such as basketball and water polo, where stray arms and elbows can cause a lot of damage.