General Dentistry Services for Dental Checkup in Northcote

Looking for the best clinic for dental checkup in Northcote? Visit Northcote Family Dental today. From routine check-ups to advanced treatments, we’re dedicated to your oral well-being. Enjoy a healthy, confident smile with our expert general dentistry services. Book your appointment today!
 

CHECK UPS

For healthy teeth and gums, we recommend attending the surgery for a checkup at least every six months. This allows us to detect any problems before they become major dental issues. All checkups include a scale and clean and a fluoride treatment to ensure the good health of your teeth.

CLEANING

For the continuing good health of your teeth and gums, we recommend a scale and clean every six months. As the best dental clinic in Northcote, we offer a simple, painless procedure that takes less than half an hour. We can also advise you on areas of your brushing that may be inadequate and need attention. The cleaning process involves removing the buildup of plaque, calculus, and stains from the teeth. This leaves you with that incomparable “just cleaned by the dentist” feeling.

FILLINGS

Northcote Family Dental is an amalgam free practice and we use composite (white) fillings when repairing cavities. White fillings are a more desirable alternative to amalgam fillings. They are suitable for repairing both front and rear teeth. Teeth filled with composite fillings combine strength and durability with the perfect natural look.

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dental implants have proven to be revolutionary in the field of affordable cosmetic dentistry — and our patients at Northcote Family Dental love what dental implants do for their smiles. As your trusted Northcote dentist in High Street, we replace missing teeth roots with titanium posts, making permanent crowns possible. These look, feel, and function just like your original teeth, if not better.

Dental implants are surprisingly economical for the value they bring to your life. Our patients who receive dental implants at our dental clinic also typically report that the placement of these implants is quite comfortable overall, producing only mild and manageable swelling or sensitivity in the treated area.

MOUTH GUARDS

Dental injuries are the most common type of oral-facial injury sustained in sports. Every person, regardless of age, playing sports that involve contact or the possibility of falling should wear a mouthguard.

A mouthguard is usually a flexible piece of plastic that fits into the mouth, usually to the upper teeth, and should be worn during all recreational and athletic activities to protect the mouth and teeth from serious injury. This is especially important for activities where you might bump your mouth, like sports or playing outside. In particular, mouthguards should be worn during the following sports:

•  football
• soccer
• rugby
• wrestling
• baseball
• softball
• lacrosse
• field hockey
• ice hockey
• martial arts
• boxing

Many recreational activities such as skateboarding and bicycling also pose a risk of injuring the mouth and teeth. Exercise caution during these activities.

You may be familiar with the type of mouthguard that is formed by boiling and biting, but you may not know that by using “boil and bites” you’re only getting little or no real protection. That’s because “boil and bites” are formed using low temperatures and as you bite down, most of the material between your teeth is displaced. Which is where the cushioning is needed most.

Only a proper custom created mouthguard can give you the protection your teeth needs.

Fissure Sealants

Fissure sealants are tooth coloured protective coatings that are applied in order to cover and protect the deep grooves (fissures) in our teeth and prevent dental decay. These fissures are most commonly located at the chewing surfaces on back teeth (molars and premolars). The grooves are at high risk for decay as they can be deep and narrow and collect plaque bacteria and food that cannot be accessed by toothbrush bristles

1)The tooth is thoroughly cleaned and dried before applying the sealant.

2)The liquid sealant is placed onto the surface of the tooth and flows into the pits and fissures. The sealant is light cured.

The pits and fissures are now sealed and the tooth surface is smooth and easy to keep clean.

Occlusal splint  for teeth grinding

Bruxism or tooth grinding is caused by reasons such as stress, bite problem or simply just a bad habit. Constant grinding will cause problems like worn teeth, loose teeth, chipped teeth, jaw muscle and joint soreness as well as headaches.

To prevent further wear or grinding of teeth, we make a mold of teeth and lab designs a hard or soft occlusal splint (night guard). The splint must be made carefully to ensure it doesn’t exacerbate any mandibular joint issues. Splint is designed for long term however it may need regular replacement depending upon the severity of grinding nature. In mild cases of mandibular joint issues, splint is helpful however there are other treatment options for joint pain or headaches.

Depending on the seriousness of the damage caused to the teeth due to grinding, some patients may need to have their teeth built up to restore the lost height. As a result, normal chewing function is restored. This may mean that most teeth in the mouth need to be restored, typically with crowns or onlays.

Gum disease (Gingivitis and Periodontitis)

Gum disease is a very common cause of tooth loss in adults. Plaque and tartar build up on the teeth cause inflammation, and subsequent damage to gums and bone that support the teeth. If left alone, gum disease will cause bad breath, loosening of teeth, infection, and chronic gum pain.

Treatment of gum disease can stop the disease from worsening, and in some cases, reverse the damage helping to preserve the teeth for longer.

Risk factor for Gingivitis and Periodontitis:

• Poor dental hygiene
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Smoking
• Pregnancy (hormonal changes increase the sensitivity of the gums)
• Misaligned teeth, rough edges of fillings, and ill-fitting or unclean mouth appliances (such as braces, dentures, bridges, and crowns)
• Use of certain medications, including phenytoin, bismuth, and some birth control pills
• Many people have some amount of gingivitis. It usually develops during puberty or early adulthood due to hormonal changes. It may persist or recur frequently, depending on the health of your teeth and gums.
• Immunocompromised patients
• Stress

Symptoms

•  Bleeding gums (blood on toothbrush even with gentle brushing of the teeth)
• Mouth sores
• Red, swollen or tender gums
• Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
• Bad breath that doesn’t go away
• Pus between teeth and gums
• Loose teeth

Treatments

•  Gum disease is treated in phases according to the severity.
• Initial cleaning, scaling, and curettage
• Surgery — if needed for reducing deep pockets that remain underneath the gum after extensive cleaning sessions
• Low-dose oral or topical antibiotics
• Maintenance is done by getting regular check-up and clean done by dentist in every 3-6 months.
• Smoking cessation
• Change of medication if its drug induced

Bad breath treatment

Halitosis (bad breath) is a common condition caused by sulphur-producing bacteria that live within the surface of the tongue and in the throat. The treatment for halitosis will depend on the underlying cause. Poor oral hygiene,  smoking, dry mouth, dental infections and nasal or sinus infections can cause bad breath. Good oral hygiene, including brushing flossing and tongue cleaning, is important. Other treatments may include mouthwashes, nasal spray or antibiotics.

Causes of halitosis

Apart from the sulphur-producing bacteria that colonise the back of the tongue, the other major causes of halitosis are:

• Dental factors – such as periodontitis (infection around the teeth) or poor oral hygiene
• Dry mouth – caused by medicines, alcohol, stress or a medical condition
• Smoking – which starves the mouth of oxygen.
• Less common causes of halitosis include:
• Acid and bile reflux from the stomach
• Post-nasal discharge – for example, due to chronic sinusitis
• Kidney failure, various carcinomas, metabolic dysfunctions, and biochemical disorders, together account for only a very small percentage of halitosis suffers
• Foods – such as onions, garlic or cauliflower, which induce certain odours. However, these effects are only short-lived.

Symptoms of halitosis

The features of halitosis can include:

• A white coating on the tongue especially at the back of the tongue
• Dry mouth
• Build up around teeth
• Post-nasal drip, or mucous
• Morning bad breath and a burning tongue
• Thick saliva and a constant need to clear your throat
• Constant sour, bitter metallic taste.

Having halitosis can have a major impact on a person. Because of bad breath, other people may back away or turn their heads. This can cause a loss of confidence and self-esteem.

Treating halitosis

There is no one treatment for halitosis. The treatment will depend on what is causing the problem. Avoiding dehydration and good oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing, are important. Some mouthwashes, lozenges and toothpastes can assist in fighting halitosis.

Gentle but effective tongue cleaning may also be required. A variety of tongue brushes and scrapers have been produced in recent years. The tongue should be brushed in a gentle but thorough manner, from the back towards the front of the tongue, keeping in mind that the hardest to reach back portion smells the worst.

People with chronic sinusitis may find the regular use of a saline nasal spray helpful. A course of an antibiotic, effective against anaerobic bacteria (such as metronidazole, to reduce the overgrowth of sulphur-producing bacteria), may also help. Speak to your dentist, doctor or chemist to identify the cause of your halitosis and to find the most effective treatment for you.