SMILE PLANNERS dental services
1.
General and Preventive Dentistry
Our general and preventive dental services aim to educate our patients about their oral health habits and prevent dental problems from occurring.
At SmilePlanners, we believe that good oral health is the foundation of one’s overall well-being. You and your family’s health is our number one priority, and we offer a wide range of dental services that are designed to meet your needs.
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Although our focus is on preventive care with regular cleans and examinations every six months, we also offer more complex treatments when necessary. We welcome patients of all ages, from babies to grandparents.
Routine dental check-ups
Dentists recommend regular check-ups to review your oral health and to diagnose any conditions that may be occurring at an early stage. They also prevent the onset of any tooth related disease or infection that may lead to acute pain or discomfort if not treated on time.
Teeth Cleans
At SmilePlanners,we use the Airflow EMS Prophylaxis Master, a unique solution for caries and gum disease prevention and maintenance.
This innovative device is characterised by high precision, compliance with highest hygiene standards and patient comfort.
Fillings
Despite our best efforts, sometimes teeth will chip or develop cavities.
When teeth are decayed or broken, your dentist will place a filling to replace the decayed or broken tooth. In the past, dentists would regularly place metal fillings called amalgam fillings. Nowadays, tooth-coloured composite fillings are placed instead.
Other Uses for Tooth-Coloured Fillings
The composite material is sometimes used cosmetically to make small repairs to teeth. If you have a small chip or gap, we might be able to fix it with this non-invasive treatment that can typically be completed in one appointment.
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Called cosmetic bonding, we can use this procedure to repair issues such as:
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Small gaps or spacing between teeth
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Chips and fractures on the tooth surface
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Size discrepancies between teeth
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Roots exposed because of gum recession
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Misshapen or stained teeth
Caring for Tooth-Coloured Fillings
There is no difference from amalgam fillings when it comes to caring for your tooth-coloured restoration. Right after you get the filling, you can eat and drink whatever you’d like. You can also brush and floss as usual.
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Some patients have some sensitivity right after we fill the tooth, but this is not unusual or anything to be alarmed about. If the sensitivity continues after several days, just give us a call. In the meantime, you can try a desensitising toothpaste until the feeling has dissipated.
Fissure Sealants
Some teeth have deep grooves and pits which allow bacteria to live and grow.
To prevent these bacteria from causing decay in teeth and the need for subsequent fillings, a thin coating (fissure sealant) is placed.
Fissure sealants are commonly placed for children who have healthy teeth with deep grooves and pits.
Mouthguards
Mouthguards are custom-made for children and adults who engage in direct contact sports to prevent teeth from fracturing.
2.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Are you unhappy with your smile? A smile makeover consultation with our Dentist will show you how you can achieve your perfect smile.
The goal of Cosmetic Dentistry is to improve your smile and boost your confidence. There are many ways by which we can improve your smile and our expert Dentist will find the right solution for you.
Dental Veneers
Are you looking to change the size, shape, colour or position of your teeth? Here at SmilePlanners, we have the answer.
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What are Dental Veneers?
Veneers are like tooth-coloured shields that go across the front of your teeth to conceal flaws, which may include:
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Short or worn teeth
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Discoloured teeth
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Spaces between teeth
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Disproportionate tooth sizes and shapes
Veneers can dramatically enhance the appearance of your smile. They allow the dentist to restore fractured or misshapen teeth and re-align inset or crooked teeth.
To improve your smile further, veneers can be used in combination with Teeth Whitening.
Teeth Whitening
If your teeth are yellow or discoloured, professional teeth whitening is a common cosmetic dentistry procedure that could whiten and brighten your smile. Professional teeth whitening can get rid of the stubborn stains on your teeth and give you a smile that sparkles.
Causes of Yellowed or Stained Teeth
If you are like many people, you might enjoy a cup or two of coffee in the morning and perhaps a glass of red wine at the end of the day. These popular beverages are two of the biggest causes of stained and discoloured teeth.
There are foods that can stain your smile as well, including curries, tomato sauce and berries. Avoiding these foods and drinks can help keep your smile whiter.
There are other contributors to yellowing teeth, such as ageing and some types of medications, that are not so easy to circumvent. But others, such as the use of tobacco products and poor oral hygiene can be avoided with lifestyle changes.
Professional Teeth Whitening
There are many over the counter and do-it-yourself whitening options available, but why put your teeth at risk with unknown treatments? Professional teeth whitening under the care of your dentist is often safer and more effective. In just one visit to our dental clinic, we can provide an in-chair treatment to help promote the brighter and whiter smile many people desire. With this option, we apply and reapply our prescription-strength gel to your teeth at timed intervals.
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This is the ideal option if you have a life event coming up shortly—wedding, dream vacation or a family portrait. We will also provide you with a take-home tray for top-up treatments when you want to refresh your results.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening for Your Convenience
For our take-home teeth whitening option, we create custom whitening trays for you to take home. With this option, you can brighten your smile when it’s convenient for you. Follow the instructions provided by a member of our dental team, and you can brighten your teeth while reading a favourite book or relaxing at home.
This option may be preferred when time permits and can be repeated periodically to maintain the brightness of your whitened teeth.
Long-Term Results of Teeth whitening
Whitening although there is nothing to be done about the ageing process, you can revise your lifestyle habits to promote white teeth. If you continue to eat foods and drink beverages that stain or keep using tobacco products, your teeth will not typically stay white. This will happen even faster for patients who do not take good care of their teeth at home or adhere to a dental maintenance programme by visiting the dentist routinely. Regular top-up treatments at home will also help keep teeth white.
Professional Teeth Whitening Compared with Shop-Bought
We recommend whitening your teeth under the directions of a dentist or dental professional. We want to be sure that the ingredients you use are safe for your teeth and gums and that the concentrations are effective, efficient but most of all safe for you.
With professional teeth whitening, we can monitor your progress to ensure to get the results you're looking for.
3.
Implants, Crowns, and Dentures
Implants
Dental implants are a treatment option used to replace teeth missing from the mouth. A dental implant can be thought of as an artificial tooth root that looks like a metal screw. The implant is put into the jawbone where the tooth was originally located. Over time, the jawbone that surrounds the implant grows around it to hold the screw securely in place.
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An artificial tooth, known as an implant crown, is attached to the dental implant screw to fill the space in the mouth left by the missing tooth. The implant crown is made to match the surrounding teeth in both shape and colour. This treatment is generally completed three months after the screw has been placed to allow time for healing.
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Implant Bridges
Dental implants can replace more than one tooth at a time. This is done using an implant bridge where two or more implant screws are placed into the bone and are joined together by an artificial bridge made of crowns that are connected side-by-side.
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Implant Supported Dentures
A full denture, which replaces all the teeth in one jaw, can also be held in place by dental implants. This is called an "implant-supported denture".
Dentures
Dentures are a cost-effective replacement option for teeth lost due conditions such as tooth decay, gum disease, or trauma. If you have lost some or all your teeth, it is likely your dentist may talk to you about dentures to replace these teeth. Dentures are artificial substitutes for missing natural teeth and adjacent soft tissues. They can be either a temporary or permanent tooth replacement option for people of all ages. They are typically made of acrylic resin (plastic) or a lightweight metal (mainly cobalt chrome) and are designed to look like your natural teeth
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Types of dentures:
Full Denture
A full denture is worn by patients who have lost all their teeth in either the upper or lower jaws, or both. The denture will replace missing natural teeth and sit on the gum ridges, providing support to the lips and cheeks as well as maintaining the distance between your nose, mouth and chin. By choosing not to replace the missing teeth, the distance between your nose, mouth and chin can become smaller over time.
Partial Denture
A partial denture is used when a person still has one or more natural teeth remaining. The denture will replace the missing teeth and is usually held in place in the mouth by clasps that surround and hold on to the remaining teeth. These dentures may have an acrylic resin (plastic) or metallic cobalt-chrome base. Your dentist may discuss these material options with you when planning for a denture.
Custom made Dentures:
Dentures are custom-made to fit your mouth. However, as with a new pair of shoes, even the best made denture/s can still feel a little irritating at first as you adjust to how they fit and feel within your mouth. You may need to return to your dentist or dental prosthetist for minor adjustments to the denture until it can be worn comfortably.
If you are having teeth removed and need a denture, your dentist may suggest waiting a few months after the teeth have been removed so that your gums can heal. By doing this, it can help to minimise the number of adjustments required for the denture.
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However, if you need a denture immediately after a tooth is removed, an 'immediate' denture may be created and fitted during the same appointment that your tooth is extracted. An 'immediate' denture may require more follow-up appointments for it to be adjusted and may need to be replaced sooner.
General tips and our top dos and don’ts:
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Your dentist or denture specialist is going to show you how to take out and put in your dentures. Make sure you’re comfortable taking your dentures in and out before you leave the clinic.
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Never force your dentures.
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Be gentle and take your time ensuring a good fit.
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Your new dentures might feel strange but take your time with them. You want to be gentle and start with soft foods before you move up to things like steak! Take small bites and be sure to take your time chewing. Try and chew with both sides of your mouth at once if you can.
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Be tender with your dentures and treat them with more kindness than you would teeth.
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Take small bites and make sure you are being gentle with your teeth.
Caring for your dentures and your mouth
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It is important to look after your dentures to keep your mouth healthy.
Clean your dentures in the morning and before going to bed at night. It’s really important to take your dentures out before going to sleep at night. Leaving your dentures out overnight gives your mouth a chance to rest and recover. It also helps to prevent fungal infections.
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Tips for cleaning your dentures:
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Take the denture out of your mouth.
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Brush all surfaces of the denture to remove food and plaque build-up. Use a denture brush with mild soap and water, or denture paste. Toothpaste is not recommended because it can scratch the dentures.
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Hold the denture gently but firmly. Do not hold the lower dentures at the ends as the pressure might cause them to snap.
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Clean dentures over a hand basin half-filled with water or covered with a towel. This means they won’t break if you drop them.
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Rinse well with water.
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You also need to clean any remaining natural teeth while your dentures are out. Use a toothbrush with a small head and soft bristles, and fluoride toothpaste. Don’t forget to gently brush any parts of your mouth that are normally covered by the dentures. This includes your gums and the roof of your mouth.
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Keep cleaned dentures in a clean dry container overnight. Rinse them under fresh cold water before putting them in again. You may also like to rinse them in cold water after meals.
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Keeping your mouth healthy
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Even though your dentures are comfortable to wear, or you may no longer have your natural teeth, it is still important to visit your dentist regularly. They will check that your dentures continue to fit well and remain beneficial to your oral health. As well, your dentist will examine the soft tissues such as the floor of the mouth, tongue, gums and roof of the mouth, known as the palate, for signs of oral cancer or other conditions that can develop due to denture wearing, such as oral thrush. This appointment allows you to discuss any concerns you may have about your general oral health
Inlays & Onlays
Dental inlays and onlays are durable partial coverage restorations that are made in the dental laboratory and are bonded over the prepared tooth surface to restore the tooth’s form, function and aesthetics. These high-strength indirect restorations are typically made from a ceramic / porcelain material or a gold alloy. Inlays and onlays that are visible will be colour matched to your natural tooth shade allowing you to retain an aesthetically pleasing smile.
Anyone whose dental damage exceeds what a filling can correct, but is not substantial enough for a full crown may be eligible for an inlay or onlay. Inlays fit between the cusps on the biting surface of a tooth, and onlays cover one or more cusps and may extend down the side of a tooth. Why not just place a crown? The more natural, healthy tissue we can preserve, the better. Nothing can exactly replace healthy human tissue, so we opt for conservative procedures whenever possible and practical.
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The Placement Process
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Like a dental crown, inlays and onlays require two appointments. At your first appointment after diagnosis and treatment plan acceptance, the doctor will prepare your damaged tooth for the restoration. We will take an impression of the prepared tooth and opposing teeth, and the doctor will record shading information so that your final restoration matches the tooth in which it will reside. You will wear a temporary inlay or onlay until the permanent restoration is fabricated in a dental lab.
The second visit will entail removal of your temporary and permanent attachment of the custom-made inlay or onlay. We use permanent dental cement to securely hold inlays and onlays in place. After placement, the dentist will evaluate how your upper and lower teeth fit together, a relationship called occlusion. If necessary, we will make slight alterations to your inlay or onlay so that your occlusion is healthy. Your restoration should look, fit, and function like healthy, natural tooth structure.
Caring for your Inlay or Onlay
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Practice regular home oral care, brushing twice and flossing once a day. You may also use a tongue scraper and antibacterial mouth wash to reduce the amount of bacteria and plaque in your mouth, for good health and fresh breath. No special care is required for inlays and onlays. Attend checkups and cleanings twice a year, and in the absence of injury, your restoration should endure 20 years or longer.
4.
Orthodontic treatment (Invisalign)
Invisalign - A very popular orthodontic treatment which focuses on straightening your teeth over a series of clear plastic aligners that are custom designed and fitted to you. Overall the treatment is fast, comfortable and a convenient alternative for straightening your teeth, since the aligners are virtually invisible and require no obstructive metal appliances.
What Is Invisalign?
Invisalign aligners are made of thin, clear plastic. The aligners are uniquely created for each patient at an off-site Invisalign lab. Your treatment plan will consist of a series of aligners designed to gradually shift your teeth into proper alignment. Every two weeks, you’ll discard your current aligner and move to the next. Unlike traditional braces, you will have the freedom to remove your aligners whenever you want. Simply take them off for brushing and flossing, when eating, or for special events. However, expect to wear the aligners for 20-22 hours a day, to stay on track with your treatment plan.
Many patients report forgetting that they are wearing aligners, because they are comfortable and unnoticeable. You will not have to endure poking metal wires and brackets or painful rubber bands. Even better, you will not have adjustments that cause a sore mouth for days.
Why Should You Choose Invisalign?
Crooked teeth and wide spaces between teeth can make a person feel self-conscious when speaking and smiling. It’s not unusual for dental imperfections to cause embarrassment, to the extent that you may try not to smile. If this describes how you feel, you probably do not want to wear unattractive wire braces for years to improve your smile. Invisalign offers an appealing alternative, with similar results.
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Many patients invest in Invisalign because of its inconspicuous appearance. Your peers and coworkers will hardly notice your aligners, if at all. At the end of treatment, which usually lasts 12-18 months, you can expect drastic improvements to your smile. Your straight, perfectly aligned teeth will boost your confidence in all aspects of daily life – at home, work, and play.
5.
Wisdom teeth extractions
Dentists make every effort to preserve your teeth and encourage regular check-ups to diagnose conditions requiring treatment. When teeth are unable to be saved due to untreated decay, cracks, gum inflammation or other reasons, the problematic tooth may require removal. The most common tooth requiring extraction are third molars (also known as wisdom teeth).
In some cases, there isn’t enough room at the rear of the jaw for wisdom teeth to come through, resulting in the tooth becoming wedged-in or impacted. In these situations, it can cause problems such as infection, crowding, pain, cystic changes, ulcer, food traps and resorption cavity of adjacent teeth. These are all symptoms you want to avoid before the problem becomes serious.
Regular check-ups with our dentists will help you prevent this and deal with the issue before it becomes a major concern. When frequent problems do occur we recommend that you have your wisdom teeth removed Some common replacement options for extracted teeth include implants, dentures and bridges, which will be discussed with you during your consultation.
Impacted wisdom teeth
For many people, wisdom teeth are unable to move from under the gums and into the mouth as the rest of the teeth do. Most people do not have enough space in their jaws for wisdom teeth to easily push through the gums. If there is not enough space, the wisdom tooth will become impacted. This means they are either stuck under the gum or may have been able to only partially break through the gum and a small portion of the tooth can be seen in the mouth. A wisdom tooth may be sitting at an angle that is causing it to bump into the tooth in front which stops it from moving into the mouth.
If impacted wisdom teeth are causing problems, your dentist may recommend removing them.
6.
Emergency and walk-in appointments
Toothache and dental emergencies can cause great stress when they occur.
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We make every effort to be available and provide relief for our emergency patients the same day at Smile Planners. If you are in pain, have a broken teeth or other dental emergency, feel free to walk-in, call or book online.
Is Your Situation an Emergency?
This is sometimes a difficult question to answer. Some emergencies require immediate attention whilst others can be managed at home or during normal business hours. If you uncertain, please feel free to call (08) 6498 7020.
As a general guide, if you have a toothache, have bleeding, your tooth was knocked or loosened or have suffered any injury to your mouth or jaw – it is an emergency. If you suspect a broken jaw or have been in a car accident, please call 000 or 112 from your mobile and go to hospital immediately.
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The following situations, whilst are uncomfortable, are unlikely an emergency and we can schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible.
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A lost crown or filling
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Sensitivity
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Gum disease treatment
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Root canal treatment
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Fixing broken teeth
7. Other services
Children’s dentistry:
Your little one might fuss during their dental visit. This is the same as when they might fuss at a restaurant, or the hairdresser, or anywhere else you’d rather they were quiet.
Don’t worry, this is completely normal and the dental team is trained to make sure your baby is as comfortable as possible during their exam. Crying and screaming doesn’t mean your baby is in pain and the dentist will always be as gentle as possible.
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Just remember - this is a momentous occasion! It is a milestone in your life as a parent and should be remembered, just like a first hair cut or their first day at school. Take photos and write about the experience.
As parents it is your responsibility to use the first dental visit to become well informed about your child’s oral health. Your dentist will take a full medical history and look at factors such as your child’s overall health and development. Your dentist may discuss;
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• Teething
• Brushing techniques
• Bite (how your child’s teeth will come together)
• Soft tissues such as gums and cheeks
• Habits such as thumb sucking
• Risk of decay and how to prevent it
• Prevention of trauma to your child’s mouth
• Nutritional advice
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Listen to this advice and follow it. Your dentist has your child’s best interests at heart and wants to make sure that good habits are formed early
Sedation
Many of our patients are quite anxious about seeking and receiving dental treatment. It may lead to some people avoiding dental care completely until excruciating pain gives them no choice. Here at Smile Planners we are able to provide alternatives to control a patient’s anxiety and to assist them to receive treatment.
In-wheel-chair treatment
Our chairs are wheel-chair friendly for patient’s convenience. Look no further than Smile Planners when you need a wheelchair accessible dentist. We make it easier for people with limited mobility to access and receive the dental health care they need. Our goal is to reduce the number of people who choose to forgo professional dental care because of the physical difficulties that are often required to access it.
