News

Wisdom teeth

Posted on 09.18.23 By Alf Le

Wisdom teeth are the very last molars that come through in your late teens or early 20s. Most
people will have four wisdom teeth, while some people will not develop all four, or have no wisdom
teeth at all.
Often wisdom teeth can erupt fully and not cause any problems in the long term. However, some
wisdom teeth can become impacted due to the lack of space, therefore they can be stuck
underneath the gum or only partially appear in the mouth. When wisdom teeth are impacted, they
have the potential to cause pain, food trap, tooth decay, infection, and damage to the adjacent
teeth and jaw structures. If your wisdom teeth are causing you problems, your dentist may
recommend removing them. Wisdom teeth that are causing problems or at a high risk of causing
problems in the future at best removed at a younger age to reduce the likelihood of any
complications.
Signs of wisdom teeth infection:

  • Redness and tenderness of the gums around the wisdom tooth
  • Bad taste and breath
  • Swelling and pain around the jaw
  • Difficulty opening the mouth

The removal of wisdom teeth is not without risks, which will be explained prior any treatment. To
fully assess the probable risks and provide you with the optimal outcome, a 3D X-ray (CT scan) is
often needed. Possible complications following wisdom teeth removal can include:

  • Damage to the nerve supplying the wisdom teeth (lower wisdom teeth)
  • Opening with the maxillary sinus (upper wisdom teeth)
  • Pain
  • Bleeding
  • Swelling
  • Damage to adjacent teeth
  • Dry socket

Wisdom teeth removal can often be performed under local anaesthesia. At Redcliffe Smiles, we also
offer the options for sedation under happy gas (nitrous oxide), as well as being put to sleep under
general anaesthetic to reduce pain and anxiety, providing a more comfortable experience.
You can’t prevent a wisdom tooth impaction from occurring but keeping regular six-month dental
check-ups will enable your dentist to monitor the growth of your wisdom teeth and help intervene
should any symptoms develop.

Veneers

Posted on 07.26.23 By Alf Le

Enhance Your Smile with Dental Veneers – Redcliffe Smiles’ Comprehensive Guide

By Dr Winnie Ma

At Redcliffe Smiles, we believe that a beautiful smile can significantly boost your confidence and leave a lasting impression. One of the most popular cosmetic dentistry treatments we offer is dental veneers.

If you’ve ever desired a flawless, radiant smile, dental veneers might be the perfect solution for you. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into everything you need to know about dental veneers, their benefits, the procedure, and why Redcliffe Smiles is your go-to dental clinic for transforming your smile.

What are Dental Veneers?

Dental veneers are thin, custom-made shells of tooth-coloured material, typically made from porcelain or composite resin depending on your personal preference and budget. They are designed to cover the front surface of your teeth, hiding imperfections and enhancing their appearance. Veneers are perfect for you if you want to achieve a fast smile transformation, especially if you have concerns about the colour, shape, size, and/or position of your teeth.

The Benefits of Dental Veneers

Enhanced Aesthetics: Veneers can dramatically improve the appearance of your smile by correcting various dental flaws such as discolouration, gaps, and misshaped or worn teeth. They can create a natural-looking, uniform set of teeth, giving you that smile you’ve always wanted.

Long-lasting Results: With proper care and regular dental check-ups, dental veneers can last for many years, making them a durable investment in your smile.

Minimal Tooth Alteration: Compared to other restorative procedures, veneers require minimal enamel removal, preserving most of your natural tooth structure and in some instances no preparation is required.

Stain Resistance: Porcelain veneers are highly resistant to stains, ensuring a bright, white smile even after consuming staining substances like coffee or red wine or even smoking.

Boosted Confidence: Dental veneers can significantly improve your self-esteem by transforming your smile and allowing you to feel more confident.

The Dental Veneer Procedure

Step 1: Consultation – Visit Redcliffe Smiles for a thorough dental examination and a consultation with our experienced dentists. We will discuss your dental concerns, assess your oral health, and determine if dental veneers are the right solution for you.

Step 2: Treatment Planning – Our skilled dental team will develop a personalised treatment plan based on your desired outcome. We will discuss the veneer options, material choices, and address any questions or concerns you may have. Our team will design a smile for you to visualise the end results even before you get started. We use computer generated smile designs to help you decide on the perfect smile.

Step 3: Tooth Preparation – In this step, a small amount of enamel may need to be removed from the front surface of your teeth to create space for the veneers. Precise preparation of your teeth will ensure a seamless fit and more natural appearance.

Step 4: Impression and Temporary Veneers – We will take precise scans of your prepared teeth to create custom made veneers that perfectly match your smile. While your permanent veneers are being fabricated, temporary veneers will be placed to protect your teeth and maintain aesthetics.

Step 5: Veneer Bonding – Once your permanent veneers are ready, we will carefully bond them to your teeth using dental cement. Our dentist will ensure proper fit, shape, and colour, making any necessary adjustments for optimal results.

Step 6: Follow-up – After the veneer placement, we will schedule a follow-up appointment to evaluate the success of the procedure and ensure your satisfaction. We will provide you with instructions on how to care for your new veneers for long-lasting results.

Caring for your Dental Veneers

Your Dental Veneers will still need the same care you take into looking after any other tooth. With regular brushing, flossing, and routine visits to the dentist, your dental veneers will last for years to come.

If you are seeking a smile transformation, dental veneers can be an excellent solution to achieve the dazzling smile you deserve. Schedule a consultation with us today at Redcliffe Smiles for individualised plans and take the first step towards your dream smile you have always wanted.

Why are regular visits to the dentist important?

Posted on 11.12.19 By Alf Le

Whether you are a fanatical brusher or not, it is important that you keep up regular appearances at your dentist each year. Seeing your dentist for six monthly check up and cleans is an integral part of keeping good oral hygiene habits. Some of you may be wondering why we suggest that you come and see us regularly, when you already have good oral hygiene or don’t need any dental work.  Well, let’s break it down for you.

Brushing and flossing are important because they remove left over food and debris that builds up throughout the day. However, over time our teeth will get a build up of calculus (solidified plaque) which, if left can cause irritation to the gums and potentially decay in the teeth. If you brush and floss regularly then the build-up of tartar around your teeth should be minimal, however it still needs to be removed by a dentist to prevent any issues occurring.

Our mouths are home to millions of bacteria that thrive and feed off the plaque and tartar we accumulate over time. Your dentist will use specially designed instruments to remove the build-up from your teeth and around your gums, this can help to reduce swollen inflamed gums and prevent decay developing in the teeth. The longer we leave this on our teeth, the more likely we are to develop issues such as gum disease which over time can result in bone loss and the potential loss of teeth.

The dentists here at Redcliffe Smiles recommend getting your teeth professionally cleaned every six months to minimise the damage this build up can do to your mouth. We also suggest brushing and flossing multiple times a day as this promotes good oral hygiene and will make your check-up appointment much more pleasant!

The Redcliffe Smiles Team.

What is an implant?

Posted on 09.13.18 By Alf Le

Dental Implants

Dental Implants have caused a revolutionary change in dentistry. The more advanced our technology becomes, the more exciting our treatment options become. So, what are they, how do they work and why would you want one? Let’s break it down.

What is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a small titanium fixture that is carefully inserted into the jaw bone. This serves as a replacement for the roots of the teeth that have been lost due to injury, disease or decay.

On top of the implant, an abutment and ceramic crown is then placed. Implant retained ceramic
crowns can be impossible to distinguish from natural teeth, both functionally and cosmetically.

Some of the major benefits of dental implant treatment is that they are strong, stable, secure and reliable so you can eat quite normally after treatment is complete.

They provide an aesthetically pleasing result, blending with the adjacent teeth.

When can dental Implants be used?

It doesn’t matter whether teeth were lost through accident, disease or decay, dental implants are an excellent tooth replacement for many patients.

Our dentists will be able to assist and inform you whether you are a good candidate and what option best suits your circumstances.

Dental Implants can be used when:

  • A single tooth is missing
  • Several teeth are missing
  • All teeth are missing

So basically, if you are missing one or more teeth then an implant may be an option for you.

How does it work?

After detailed consultation and examination, a treatment plan will be prepared by your dentist. Only once you are happy with the plan, will your dentist perform surgery to place the implant.

Following the placement of your implant, an integration period of between 6-16 weeks is required. This to allow for your bone to fuse to the implant through a process called osseointegration.

When your dentist is satisfied with the stability of your implant fixture, the final restoration can take place.

Care and maintenance

With long term studies over more than three decades and over a million patients treated, implants are highly successful- with a 95% success rate. With good oral hygiene and regular check-ups this will help ensure a long lasting solution.

Let’s recap! An implant consists of three parts, the implant fixture (screw), the abutment and the crown.

The implant fixture is placed in the jaw and acts as a root, the abutment and the crown are attached to this to form a fully functional tooth replacement.

Pretty cool stuff, right? Implants can be used to replace single, multiple or all missing teeth depending on the patient. With the correct care and maintenance they are an excellent treatment option for those with missing teeth, as they have an excellent long term prognosis.

This is why so many people are now opting for this as a solution to their missing teeth.

This is all of your basic information regarding dental Implants, however if you believe that this may be a good option for yourself and would like to know more then please don’t hesitate to contact us on 3203 7177. We love to answer any questions you may have and assist you in any way we can.

What is a crown?

Posted on 02.25.17 By Alf Le

A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers a damaged or weak tooth and fully encases the visible portion of the tooth. Crowns restore shape, size, strength and appearance whilst protecting the tooth from damage.

A crown may be needed for a number of reasons, these reasons can include:

  • To protect weak teeth
  • Restore a broken tooth
  • To cover and support a tooth with a large filling or minimal tooth structure
  • To hold a bridge in place
  • Cover a dental implant
  • Or for cosmetic modification

There are many different uses for crowns and there are also different types of crowns that can be used. There are metal, porcelain fused to metal, resin, all porcelain and ceramic crowns. Each type of crown has different benefits for each person and can be chosen depending on the situation and the tooth.

Metal (gold alloy, other alloys or a base metal alloy)

Metal crowns require less tooth structure to be removed during the prepping process, the wear to opposing teeth is minimal and they can withstand biting and chewing forces well, lasting the longest in terms of wear. Metal crowns rarely chip or break although aesthetically are not ideal, especially for anterior teeth.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal

These crowns are colour matched to the adjacent teeth, making them a good choice for both anterior and posterior teeth. They do however cause more wear to opposing teeth compared to metal or resin crowns. These crowns look most like a normal tooth, although the underlying metal can show through as a dark line especially around the gums and can also chip or break off with time.

All-resin

All-resin crowns are less expensive than other types, they can be colour matched to adjacent teeth and are good for front teeth. They do however wear down over time and are more prone to fractures compared to other materials.

All-ceramic or All-porcelain

These crowns have a better natural colour match than any other type of crown material. They are most suitable for people with metal allergies, however, are not as strong as porcelain-fused-to-metal. They will wear down opposing teeth more than metal or resin crowns but are a good choice for anterior teeth.

 

There are two visits involved in the making of a crown, the first visit is to prepare the tooth and the second visit is the placement of the permanent crown.

The first visit is very important, it is where the dentist will prep the tooth for a crown to be fabricated to fit around the prepared tooth. Your dentist may want to take some x-rays to check the roots and also the vitality of the tooth. This also helps to identify whether there is any extensive decay or if the tooth is at risk of infection, if this is the case your dentist may need to perform a root canal treatment before commencing with the crown.

The tooth will be numbed so there will be no pain or sensitivity for the patient, the tooth will then be filed down along the chewing surface and the sides. The amount of tooth structure removed will be dependant on the type of crown material used as the thickness varies between materials.  

 

How Pregnancy affects your teeth and gums

Posted on 11.5.16 By Alf Le

Pregnancy causes hormonal changes that increase your susceptibility to developing gum disease. Here are some important things to keep in mind before, during and after pregnancy.

Before you get pregnant

preg-dentIf you are planning a pregnancy it is important to see your dentist for a professional clean and an oral health check. This way any problems you may have with your teeth can be treated in advance and prevent any major issues during the course of your pregnancy.

At Redcliffe Smiles, we will always endeavour to ensure that your oral health is in optimal condition before planning your pregnancy.

During Pregnancy

 It is still important to continue your routine maintenance visits, which can be performed at any point during your pregnancy.

Make sure to inform your dentist that you are pregnant. Provide a list of any medications, supplements or prenatal vitamins as well as the dosage that you are taking and any specific medical advice your doctor or obstetrician has given you. We may need to slightly alter your treatment plan based on this information.

Emergency procedures are still undertaken during pregnancy, to minimise the risk of transmission of infections to your baby. However, elective treatment is generally postponed until after delivery. There are nevertheless exceptions to this, feel free to get in contact with us if you have any questions.

You are still able to get dental x-rays during pregnancy. At Redcliffe Smiles, we will venture to minimise the use of dental X-Rays, especially whilst pregnant and use extreme caution to safeguard you and your baby. Our Surgery uses very low dose modern dental imaging technology, that exposes you to about 1/10 of the radiation of the traditional film X-rays.

Make sure you don’t skip your regular check-up because you are pregnant! They are even more important than usual, as the hormonal changes during pregnancy can put you at an increased risk of periodontal (gum) disease. It is not uncommon that a condition called pregnancy gingivitis can affect you during this time.

It is important that you pay particular attention to any changes in your gums during this time. If tenderness, bleeding or gum swelling occurs at any time. Please don’t hesitate to contact our team if you are unsure of anything.

Morning Sickness

If you are unable to brush your teeth throughout the day, then it is recommended to change to a bland tasting toothpaste, ask your dentist what they recommend. It is also good to rinse your mouth with water or a mouth rinse after vomiting to help wash away the acid on your teeth.

Diet

We all know cravings can be a pain during pregnancy but it’s good to avoid sugary snacks. The more frequently you snack, the greater the chance of developing tooth decay. A healthy, balanced diet is the key, as your baby’s first teeth begin to develop about three months into the pregnancy. Diets containing dairy products, cheese and yoghurt are a good source of these essential minerals and are good for babies developing teeth, gums and bones.

After Birth

If you experienced any dental problems during your pregnancy that haven’t been attended to or remain outstanding, see your dentist soon as possible after delivery. At Redcliffe Smiles, we want nothing more than for you to be able to keep your smile for life.

Child Dental Benefits Schedule continues to operate

Posted on 05.25.16 By Alf Le

On 23 April 2016, the Australian Government announced its intention to close the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) from 1 July 2016. As the legislation was not passed by Parliament before the Government entered into caretaker arrangements on 9 May 2016, the CDBS remains open.

The CDBS provides individual benefits for a range of services including examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions. Benefits are not available for orthodontic or cosmetic dental work and cannot be paid for any services provided in a hospital.

The total benefit entitlement is capped at $1,000 per child over a two calendar year period. The CDBS has a means test, which requires receipt of Family Tax Benefit Part A or a relevant Australian Government payment.

Free Kids Dental Scheme to Stop June 30 2016!

Posted on 05.12.16 By Alf Le

Closure of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS)

The Australian Government has announced it’s intention to pass legislation to close the Child Dental Benefits Schedule from 1 July 2016.

Eligible children will need to receive dental treatment before 30th June 2016 if they wish to access benefits under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule before it’s intended closure.

If you would like to book in before this date to use any money on this scheme you may have then please get in touch.

Click here for more details

Why is a professional clean so important?

Posted on 01.29.16 By Alf Le

Here at Redcliffe Smiles we are passionate about sharing valuable information about preventative dental care. This helps ensure that our patients have the best possible understanding on how to maintain good oral hygiene in between dental visits.

Why is a professional clean so important?

tidy-teeth-1-1425487 (1)Brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day it important but this alone will not completely care for your teeth. Food and debris can become trapped under your gums where your toothbrush and floss cannot reach. If left untreated, over a period of time this can cause problems such as decay or periodontal (gum) disease.

Signs of bleeding while brushing and flossing are indicators of unhealthy gums. The gums become inflamed and irritated. This is caused by a build-up of bacteria in the crevices and gaps surrounding your teeth and beneath your gums.

To avoid gum problems and cavities it is recommended that you see a dentist once every six months for a professional clean and evaluation.

At Redcliffe Smiles we use specialised tools designed to remove plaque and bacteria above and below the gums. This helps to maintain optimum oral health and minimise the potential for expensive dental procedures in the future.


How can I care for my teeth after my professional clean?

Are you aware that there is a correct way to brush? Brushing correctly takes at least two minutes, most of us don’t even come close to that time. Tilt the brush at a 45 degree angle against the gum line, flick away from the gums and use short, gentle strokes. Make sure to pay extra attention to the gum line itself and hard to reach areas in the mouth (such as back teeth, crowns or any other restorations).

  • Clean the outer surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
  • Clean the inner surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
  • Clean the chewing surfaces
  • Don’t forget to brush your tongue to remove bacteria and to freshen your breath.

What Type of Toothbrush Should I Use?

Choosing the right toothbrush is extremely important, a soft-bristled brush or powered toothbrush is best for removing plaque and debris from your teeth. Small-headed brushes are also preferable, since they can get the hard to reach areas of the mouth.

How important is the Toothpaste I Use?toothpaste-1-1414249

If you look in the shops for a toothpaste you will notice there is a wide variety to choose form. Each may be designed for specific uses including, cavity protection, protection from gingivitis, whitening, stained teeth and sensitivity.

During your general check-up and clean our dentists can assess your mouth and can recommend the best toothpaste option based on your dental needs.

How Often Should I Replace My Toothbrush?

It is recommended that you replace your toothbrush when it begins to look worn or every three months, whichever comes first.

By maintaining a consistent oral health regime, practising proper cleaning techniques and visiting us for your regular clean and oral evaluation, you’ll be well on the way to maintaining a healthy smile and keeping your teeth for a life.

Now Open!

Posted on 10.23.15 By Alf Le

Redcliffe Smiles wishes to formally announce our opening and are welcoming new patients to the practice.

Front of Redcliffe SmilesFrom what began as a simple plan about a year ago has now grown into something we are all very proud to be a part of.

It has only been made possible with the hard work of our team members and the support we have received.

I personally would like to thank all of those who have helped us along the way.

  • To Crystal, Justin, Sarah and Tony from the Dolphins Redcliffe Leagues Club. Thank you for your ongoing support and guidance.
  • Damien from Fortis Design for all your web expertise.
  • Adian from Adkel Electrical, The guys from Dentec, Romesh from Sirona, and everyone that worked on the construction of the practice.
  • To Iveta and Zdenko from T-Travel Photography. Your Beautiful Photos have really finished off the practice perfectly.

To all my staff that have been involved since the early planning stages, thank you for all your tireless efforts. You have embraced it as if it were your own. I’m truly grateful and love the environment we have created, with a focus of continual improvement. I honestly I couldn’t ask for a better team.

Waiting roomMy biggest thank yous though go to Kelly and Peter, my guardian angels, who have gone above and beyond. Thanks for the countless hours and many late nights fine-tuning and for putting up with my fussiness. I really can’t articulate just how appreciative I am.

To our partners, Vanessa and Grant for standing by us. We’ll have our lives back soon.

To anyone else who has helped along the way. I extend my thanks and gratitude.

Finally, I could not have envisaged how welcoming everyone in Redcliffe has been to us. It is a privilege to be part of your community and I’d like to thank those especially who have entrusted us with their dental care thus far.

Check out our website regularly for our promotions and community initiatives. We’ll also keep you updated on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Looking forward to meeting you all soon.

Regards

Alf

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