The festive season between Halloween and winter holidays is often accompanied by a surge of sugary treats and drinks, especially for children. When sugar mixes with bacteria in the mouth it forms a mild acid that can damage tooth enamel and lead to decay. The longer and more frequently children have sugar in their mouths, […]Read More

Tooth loss following sports injuries, accidents, and periodontal disease has historically been treated with dental inserts or bridges that are placed over the gap and secured to adjacent teeth. Although overall rates of tooth loss have declined over the past few decades, periodontal disease affects nearly half of North American adults and tooth loss is […]Read More

When considering cosmetic dental treatments, the look and brightness of a smile has a big impact on overall aesthetic and confidence. Did you know that a visit to your local dentist can include more than just a lift to your smile? With specialized training in injections and the anatomy of the face, dentists are uniquely qualified to administer cosmetic BOTOX® treatments in the dental office.Read More

When it comes to fillings, dentists and patients have often opted for the cheaper and durable amalgam or “silver” fillings. Silver fillings are actually made of a mix of metals including mercury, silver, copper, and tin. Although silver fillings last a long time, the disadvantages are that they don’t match the natural colour of the […]Read More

A common question that patients are asked when they visit the dental office is, “How often do you floss your teeth?” Although daily flossing is recommended, most people don’t do it. Some people floss occasionally, and up to a third of North Americans actually lie to their dentist about how often they floss. Flossing may seem less important or less rewarding because it doesn’t have the immediate benefits of a clean mouth feel and fresh, minty breath. If you don’t floss, however, you are missing more than one third of your tooth surface where your toothbrush cannot reach. If plaque and bacteria are not removed from between the teeth, the plaque hardens into tartar, which can only be removed with professional cleaning. The bacteria between your teeth is also the leading cause of gum disease.Read More

Questions about wisdom teeth are common in the dental office. What are wisdom teeth? Why do they need to be removed? How can you tell if they need to be removed? To help answers these questions, here are some key facts and guidelines about wisdom teeth. The average adult has thirty two teeth. Front teeth are designed to bite, and back teeth (molars) are designed to chew and grind food. Wisdom teeth are referred to as third molars because they are the last of the back molars to grow in (usually between ages 17 – 21). The trouble is, the average mouth is made to hold only twenty eight teeth, not thirty two. Read More

A fear of the dentist or of certain dental procedures is very common, affecting approximately 20 – 25% of the population. Unfortunately, fear of the dentist leads to avoidance, which means that preventative care is often skipped. Without regular visits to the dentist, minor issues can turn into more complex ones, resulting in the need for more invasive treatments. Surprisingly, the number of people afraid of the dentist does not seem to have decreased, despite advances in dental technology. If you have a tendency to avoid dental treatments, or if there are certain procedures that make you feel uneasy, the best thing to do is to speak to your family dentist about gentle treatment options, including laser dentistry and sedation. Your family dentist can also help you create a preventative treatment plan to avoid serious issues.Read More

Root Canals are performed when an infection in the centre of the tooth, which contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue, has become too severe to be reversed through cleaning, fillings, or antibiotics. The infection causes a severe toothache and can lead to complications such as tooth loss and infection of the blood or surrounding tissue if left untreated. Despite their reputation, modern root canals can be completed in as little as one appointment, and are made comfortable with local anaesthesia (freezing) so that the procedure is not too different than getting a filling.Read More

It is a common concern that exposure to radiation is linked to health concerns such as increased risk of cancer. Dental x-rays are needed to help your family dentist identify issues such as bone loss and dental decay, especially in hidden areas between teeth or beneath old fillings. You may wonder how often dental x-rays […]Read More

The colour of the teeth is one of the first thing people notice about your smile. As evidenced by the number of whitening toothpastes, gums, strips, and other products on the market, a bright white smile is a feature that many people desire. Most teeth are not perfectly white but are a shade of light […]Read More