We provide a full range of professional dental services:
Regular dental appointments are an important part of maintaining not only a healthy mouth, but also a healthy body.
As with all medical treatment there are lots of technical terms, and sometimes things are referred to differently in everyday terms. For this reason we have added some of the other names for the treatments below. If you have any questions about any of this - please don't hesitate to ask.
Examinations
Examinations are also known as dental consultations or check-ups
Don't leave it too late. By the time you can feel a dental problem some lasting damage may already have been caused. Our full mouth consultations will ensure your teeth are kept in the best of health and we'll deal with any minor issues before they become major ones.
Hygiene treatment
Also known as hygienist appointments, cleaning, and scaling
If you want to keep your gums in top order, maintain a bright smile, and even have fresher breath, we're experts in cleaning your teeth and helping you gain the knowledge and tools you need to achieve and maintain healthy gums.
Preventative Dental Care
Prevention is a very large part of caring for your mouth, and we are active in providing all our patients with care, advice, products and support to help prevent dental problems. Prevention really is better than the cure.
Fillings
Fillings and restorations
Fillings can be required to fill a new cavity, replace or repair an aged or otherwise damaged filling, or to replace a filling which doesn't look nice in your smile. There are various filling material choices and we can provide tailored advice as to the best option for any filling. Our modern white filling materials and up-to-date techniques provide long-lasting repairs that look like the natural tooth structure.
Extractions
'Extraction' generally refers to the removal of teeth
If a tooth has been broken or damaged we generally try to fix it with a filling or crown, or another treatment. Sometimes removing the tooth is a better option, for example if there is too much damage for the tooth to be repaired, or where your mouth is overcrowded with teeth. Where this is the best course of action, we provide pain-free extractions.
Crowns
Crowns and caps
If your tooth is very badly damaged it might not be possible or effective to place a filling in the tooth in which case a crown can be made to cover part or all of the tooth. Modern tooth-coloured materials can be used to retain as much of the existing tooth structure as possible and give a very natural looking result which, when needed on front teeth, can transform your smile. A crown made for a weakened tooth is also very useful for protecting that tooth from the chance of fracture.
Onlays and inlays
An inlay is usually an indirect restoration (filling) consisting of a solid substance fitted to a cavity in a tooth and cemented into place.This means we prepare the restoration outside of your mouth (using dental impressions) rather than placing a soft filling into the prepared tooth and letting it set.
An onlay is the same as an inlay, except that it incorporates a replacement for a tooth cusp by covering the area where the missing cusp would be.
By comparison, crowns cover all surfaces of the anatomical tooth crown.
Whatever you need - onlay, inlay or crown - we can take care of it for you.
Plastic partial and full dentures
Acrylic dentures
If dentures are your best option, we can provide comfortable, natural looking dentures that fit well to optimise function. There are several types of plastic dentures suitable as short and medium term tooth replacement, and they can be made to replace all teeth or as few as one or two. A plastic denture sits closely on the gum and sometimes has wire clasps to hold it in place. It is removable, and you take it out to clean it; it is also best removed from your mouth overnight, each night. Plastic dentures can be made and inserted immediately after a tooth or teeth have been removed as we take all measurements required in a preliminary visit.
Metal partial dentures
A metal partial denture rests on existing teeth and fits very precisely with clasps around some teeth, and is usually a closer fit in your mouth than an acrylic denture. Like the plastic denture it too is removable, and you take it out to clean.
Bridges
Dental bridges are so called because they literally bridge the gap caused by one (or more) missing teeth. The artificial tooth replacing the missing tooth is joined to crowns made to fit over the neighboring teeth. The bridge, made up of three crowns, is supported by the teeth on either side of the gap, and can be a great long-term solution to filling in gaps.
Implants
A dental implant is a metal rod that is surgically placed in the jawbone to hold a false tooth in place. This is usually made of titanium, a metal that is well tolerated by the body. Over several months, the bone fuses with the metal implant.
A small attachment (called an abutment) is left protruding through the gum, and an artificial tooth (crown), denture or bridge can be screwed or clipped onto this attachment and the resulting false tooth looks and feels like a natural tooth. One implant can support one or more false teeth.
It is possible to have a collection of implants to replace multiple missing teeth, and these can also be used to complement other dental treatments like dentures and bridges.
Bite splints
Bite splints, night guards, biteplanes
Bite splints are worn at night to eliminate grinding of teeth, and in turn prevent or minimise teeth wear and jaw pain.
Mouth guards
Sportsguard
Mouth guards have been proven to dramatically decrease the chance of damage to teeth and jaws during sports impact injury, and we can provide custom made mouth guards for all ages. Custom made mouth guards are much more comfortable than off the shelf varieties.
Root canal treatment
Root fillings, endodontics
We are very keen to save teeth where possible and this treatment is used to save teeth that would otherwise need to be removed as a result of the tooth nerve becoming infected. Root canal treatment cleans the root canals of all infection then seals them. We use modern treatments with advanced equipment.
Desensitising sensitive teeth
We can help you with the common complaint of sensitive teeth by first identifying or ruling out any underlying causes of your tooth pain. Once tooth sensitivity is confirmed we can apply various materials to the tooth surface to cover the sensitive area or decrease the tooth’s sensitivity.
Bleaching
Bleaching, tooth whitening
Teeth naturally darken with time due to the aging process and external staining from many of the things we eat. We can improve your smile by gentle removal of staining, and lightening teeth with a bleaching process, on single or multiple teeth.
Periodontal (gum) treatment
Periodontal treatment deals with diseases of the structures that support the teeth including the gums and bone. This involves a combination of specialised cleaning of the teeth at regular intervals and daily meticulous home care of the mouth.
Oral surgery
Oral surgery, removal of wisdom teeth etc
We provide a wide range of dental surgical procedures. This can range from removing one tooth to multiple teeth, to surgical removal of impacted wisdom teeth, and teeth requiring removal for orthodontic reasons.
Biopsies
A gum biopsy is sometimes necessary to diagnose causes of abnormal gum tissue. We take a small sample of tissue from your gums and send it to a University of Otago laboratory for analysis. This determines whether there is anything suspicious in the sample, and guides future treatment options.
ACC dental treatment
If you need dental treatment because of an accident or injury, ACC may help with the cost. We can assist you with ACC dental registration forms for a broken or damaged tooth. You are usually required to make a part payment for all ACC-related treatment, but ACC will pay a large portion of the total cost for any dental claim they accept.
Insurance treatment
Some medical insurance policies will cover the cost of some dental care, and the insurance company will either reimburse you for your claim or pay us direct. We are more than happy to provide dental care which might be covered under your medical or dental insurance.
Referrals for orthodontic treatment
We routinely search for 'clues' in all our routine examinations. Sometimes this will alert us to the need for orthodontic treatment, for example. Early identification of orthodontic problems can prevent more severe teeth and gum problems and interventions in the future. Where desirable, we will refer you to an orthodontist for further consultation and follow-up.
Quotes for treatment
We can provide you with an estimate of costs for your dental work. Again, just ask us and we can tell you more.
Referrals to hospital dental department
All hospital dental care is accessed by a referral from a registered health practitioner. If you require a referral for a more complex oral condition or because of a complex medical condition(s) we will take care of this in a streamlined manner for you. People with a Community Services Card can sometimes access basic dental care at the hospital dental department and we are able to assess this for you and provide a referral where appropriate.
X-rays
Dental x-rays are very important in diagnosing and monitoring your dental health, and our digital x-ray system allows for high quality images which are processed promptly.
Questions?
Do you want to know more about any of these treatments, or discover how we can help you? Please don't hesitate to get in touch today.