FAQs

Dental implants are the standard of care for tooth replacement. They integrate with the bone to provide support for crowns and dentures.

Almost anyone who is missing a single tooth, multiple teeth, or all teeth are candidates for dental implants.

Dental implants can last a lifetime and can improve your appearance, your confidence, and your ability to eat the foods you like, and participate in an active lifestyle, without worrying about your teeth. Dental implants are made of titanium and can never get dental decay!

In many cases, implants can be placed and a temporary tooth can be made at the same time as the tooth is removed. In other cases, the implants are placed and have to heal for several months before placing the final tooth. The dental implant procedure usually takes 2 to 6 months.

Your jawbone begins to shrink from lack of stimulation. Losing your teeth will affect your smile and change the shape of your face, causing you to look prematurely aged. 

Implants can last many years if cared for properly

Yes, dental implants are an excellent and smart long-term solution for children who have lost permanent teeth due to injury or accident. It’s advisable to consult with a dental implant expert as soon as possible after the teeth are lost. However, in most circumstances, the dentist will wait to perform the procedure until your child’s facial growth and development have been completed. Generally, this occurs around age 16 for girls and age 18 for boys.

Although implant failure is considered rare, it can occur. In these cases, the failed implant can be replaced with another.

Dental cosmetic procedures are safe. 

Consultations should take place at least three to six week prior to the wedding.

Are only aesthetic aspects taken into consideration during smile design?

Although the purpose of smile design is to create an aesthetically harmonious smile, it should never interfere with the functionality of the teeth. It is the task of the dentists to always keep this aspect in mind.

A smile makeover combines multiple cosmetic services into a single treatment plan. The goal of using multiple services is to provide patients with more comprehensive results while focusing on your unique treatment goals.

Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. A bad bite can also cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, difficulty in chewing and/or speaking, and excess stress on supporting bone and gum tissue. Without treatment, many problems become worse and can require additional dental care later in life.

Patients with orthodontic problems can benefit from treatment at nearly any age. An ideal time for placement of braces is between 10 and 14 years of age, while the head and mouth are still growing and teeth are more conducive to straightening.

You are not in constant pain and discomfort while you are wearing braces. However, you might feel some discomfort right after the orthodontist first puts the braces and when you get the wires tightened.

If your teeth are severely crowded because your mouth is too small to properly accommodate all of them or if you have impacted teeth (teeth that are trapped beneath the gum line by other teeth) then extraction may be necessary. In the case of younger patients, early treatment may make extraction unnecessary.

Treatment time obviously depends on each patient’s specific orthodontic needs. In general, treatment time lasts from 6 months to 30 months and varies based on individual treatment complexity, needs, and personal treatment goals.

Yes — you should pass up the types of foods that could damage or become trapped in your braces. Some of these include raw vegetables, hard candy, caramel

It depends on what’s being done, and how often you need to be monitored. During active treatment, you’ll typically visit the clinic once every 4 to 10 weeks.

Yes, Keeping teeth free of plaque (and potentially, decay) can be challenging when you’re wearing braces. Your dentist can help you avoid these problems with frequent cleanings and exams.

If you don’t wear a retainer, your teeth can rapidly shift out of position — and then all the effort put into your treatment is lost! Your retainer helps you maintain that good-looking smile for a lifetime.

For all fillings, your tooth needs to be prepared by the dentist. Typically your dentist will create a space to receive the filling. In the case of Amalgam, and Composite, your filling will be placed immediately after the tooth is prepared. These fillings usually can be done in one visit. 

If cared for properly, a typical filling will last 5-10 years before it needs to be replaced.

Normally, your tooth will remain sensitive to heat and cold for about 2 days after the filling. This pain is normally very mild. You should feel no pain and be back to normal in three days.

Dental fillings have been used for generations to treat cavities and tooth decay. The materials used are safe and approved for oral care and tooth repair. 

A Cavity Filling Tooth fillings usually last for many years before they need to be replaced. But tooth fillings can wear out over years of chewing. If you clench or grind your teeth, you may need to have tooth fillings replaced sooner. If you notice signs of wear on your tooth fillings, such as cracks or worn areas, see your dentist to have the filling replaced as soon as possible. Continuing to chew with a damaged filling can cause the tooth to crack and require additional repair that is more expensive and more complicated than a simple cavity filling. If additional tooth decay develops around a filling, whether or not the filling is damaged, your dentist may choose to repair the tooth with a crown instead of a second cavity filling.

Many people opt to replace older silver fillings with tooth-colored composite resin restorations. Speak with your dentist in order to determine whether updating old metallic fillings is an option for you.

New dentures may feel awkward or uncomfortable for the first few weeks or even months. Eating and speaking with dentures might take a little practice. A bulky or loose feeling is not uncommon, while the muscles of your cheeks and tongue learn to hold your dentures in place. Excessive saliva flow, a feeling that the tongue does not have adequate room, and minor irritation or soreness is also not unusual.

Yes, you can wear your dentures at night but it is preferred that they are removed. You should remove your dentures at night and this will give your gums and bone a chance to relax from the pressure of the denture during the day. If you need to wear your dentures for social reasons or to prevent your jaws from over closing, you should find time during the day to properly clean your mouth and your prostheses. You should never wear your dentures 24 hours a day without performing proper oral hygiene. Dentures should be cleaned at night and stored in water during the night.

Adjusting to dentures takes time and patience, but you’ll get used to them before you know it. We explain best ways to get used to biting and chewing with your new dentures.

Getting dentures for the first time is an adjustment, to say the least. You may experience some lisping at first, but it shouldn’t take long to re-teach your tongue and lips where they go to regain your original speech patterns.

Over time, adjusting the denture may be necessary. As you age, your mouth naturally changes, which can affect the fit of the denture. Your bone and gum ridges can recede or shrink, resulting in a loose-fitting denture. Dentures that do not fit properly should be adjusted by your Dentist. Loose dentures can cause various problems, including sores or infections. See your Dentist promptly if your denture becomes loose.

Over a period of time, your denture will need to be relined, remade, or rebased due to normal wear. Rebasing means making a new base while keeping the existing denture teeth. Also, as you age, your mouth naturally changes. These changes cause your dentures to loosen, making chewing difficult and irritating your gums. You should visit your dentist annually for a check-up.

Here are tips for caring for your dentures:

• When handling your dentures, stand over a folded towel or basin of water. Dentures are delicate and may break if dropped.
• Don’t let your dentures dry out. Place them in a denture cleanser soaking solution or in plain water when you’re not wearing them. Never use hot water, which can cause them to warp.
• Brushing your dentures daily will remove food deposits and plaque, and help prevent them from becoming stained. An ultrasonic cleaner may be used to care for your dentures, but it does not replace a thorough daily brushing.
• Brush your gums, tongue, and palate every morning with a soft-bristled brush before you insert your dentures. This stimulates circulation in your tissues and helps remove plaque.
• Visit your dentist if your dentures break, chip, crack or become loose. Don’t be tempted to adjust them yourself — this can damage them beyond repair.

Symptoms of gum disease can include bleeding gums, receding gums, bad breath, and drifting teeth.

Causes include smoking and poor dental hygiene. There are also risk factors you might not be able to control, such as genetics, age and underlying diseases like diabetes or heart disease.

Periodontitis can cause tooth loss and serious infections. In rare cases, the infection can spread. There are also indications that dental infections can cause heart problems or exacerbate the symptoms of diabetes. 

In recent years gum disease has been linked with general health conditions such as diabetes, strokes, cardiovascular disease, poor pregnancy outcomes, and even dementia. More research is needed to understand how these links work but there is more and more evidence that having a healthy mouth and gums can help improve your general health and reduce the costs of medical treatment.

Plaque is the sticky, colourless film that constantly forms on your teeth. Bacteria live in plaque and secrete acids that cause tooth decay and irritate gum tissue. This irritation causes an inflammatory reaction by your body that can eventually lead to gingivitis and periodontal disease. If plaque is not removed regularly by tooth brushing and flossing, it hardens to create calculus (also known as tartar). Calculus cannot be removed with a toothbrush; only a dental professional can remove it during an oral cleaning. To keep plaque and calculus under control, it is essential to brush your teeth twice every day, floss at least once every day, and see your dental professional for regular cleanings.

Periodontal disease is rarely found in children, and only sometimes found in adolescents. However, children should still learn the importance of keeping their teeth and gums healthy to prevent periodontal disease in the future. Children should brush their teeth twice a day and learn how to floss properly- if children learn how to floss at an early age, they will be more likely to make it a lifetime habit. These two simple acts will help protect their teeth and gums from periodontal disease.

The best way to prevent periodontal disease is to take good care of your teeth and gums at home. This includes brushing your teeth after every meal and before bedtime, flossing at least once each day, and seeing your dentist for regular exams twice a year. Spending a few minutes a day on preventative measures may save you the time and money of treating periodontal disease!

Recent research has shown that genetics may be involved in a person’s risk for gum disease, but there are a variety of other factors that also play a role. 

Research has shown that periodontal disease is caused by the inflammatory reaction to bacteria under the gums, so periodontal disease technically may not be contagious. However, the bacteria that cause the inflammatory reaction can be spread through saliva. This means that if one of your family members has periodontal disease, it’s a good idea to avoid contact with their saliva by not sharing eating utensils or oral health equipment. If you notice that your spouse or a family member has the warning signs of a possible periodontal problem (bleeding, red and swollen gums, or bad breath) you may want to suggest that they see the dentist for an examination. 

As we age, it’s increasingly common to see a drop or two of blood in the sink after brushing or flossing. They’re a sign possibly along with other often-missed red alerts like puffy, red, irritated gums of gingivitis (early gum disease). Millions of adults have some form of gum disease, yet only a very small fraction realize it because gum pain is not an early symptom. Early-stage gum disease is reversible, through improved daily mouth care and more frequent visits to the dentist for plaque and tartar removal with professional tools. But left ignored, blood in the sink can progress to serious gum disease (periodontitis) that attacks gums, erodes the jawbone and is the number-one reason teeth fall out. If you’ve spotted droplets, don’t wait another day to start improving your brush, floss and rinse routine.

We encourage you to follow the post-op instructions you are given. Most patients begin to feel better after the first day. However, each recovery depends on the procedure, as some procedures are more invasive and will require longer recovery time.

Smoking can also make gum disease worse. People who smoke are more likely to produce bacterial plaque, which leads to gum disease. The gums are affected because smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, so the infected gums don’t heal. Smoking causes people to have more plaque and gum disease to get worse more quickly than in non-smokers. Gum disease is still a major cause of tooth loss in adults.

Unfortunately, gum disease does not usually cause pain as it gets worse so you do not notice the damage it is doing. However, the bacteria are sometimes more active and this makes your gums sore. This can lead to gum abscesses, and pus may ooze from around the teeth. Over a number of years, the bone supporting the teeth can be lost. If the disease is left untreated for a long time, treatment can be more difficult.

Although the best time for removal of wisdom teeth is about 16 years old, there is a wide age range for patients who require wisdom teeth removal.

Wisdom teeth, sometimes referred to as third molars, can cause serious problems such as crowding and shifting other teeth, changing your bite, and contributing to the loss of jawbone tissue. Wisdom teeth that are only partially erupted often trap food, causing decay and gum disease. Swelling and jaw pain are some of the most common early symptoms. The longer your wisdom teeth remain in your mouth, the more likely they are to cause harm, and the more difficult they are to remove. Because wisdom teeth erupt at different rates, a lot of damage can be done before you even begin to notice symptoms.

Bite down with firm pressure during that time. Then gently remove the gauze. If bright red blood flows from the Surgery area, put a clean piece of moistened gauze in your mouth and again bite down with firm pressure for another 30 minutes. After that, bleeding should have eased. A pink tinge to your saliva is normal and may continue for a day or two.

Keep pressure on the gauze.  Do not talk or spit. Remain at rest during this time.

Begin taking prescribed pain medication as soon as possible after surgery. We recommend that you first eat something to alleviate nausea that pain medication can cause. Continue taking the medication on the prescribed schedule for the first day or two. After that time, take pain medication as needed in accordance with prescribed directions.

You have undergone significant surgery and your body needs time to recover. Plan at least three or four days to rest from normal activity. How quickly you recover depends on how you cooperate with your body’s healing process (resting, drinking liquids, taking your medications, avoiding hard foods and vigorous chewing, rinsing gently, etc.). By following these guidelines, you will minimize complications such as infection and the breakdown of the blood clot (“dry socket”) and return to your routine more quickly.

Numbness of the lip, tongue, gums, teeth etc. is a common occurrence after lower jaw surgery. It is usually caused by some type of irritation to the nerves involved and over 90% of the time resolves within a few days or weeks. Occasionally, it may take longer to resolve. Fortunately, it is just a feeling sensation and does not cause a muscle weakness.

The “holes” or better, extraction sockets will generally close within 6 weeks. It will take several months for the sockets to actually fill with bone.

No. The bad breath may be caused by food getting into the socket area. Be sure to keep the surgery site clean and this should resolve.

At about 6 months, the two lower front teeth (central incisors) will erupt, followed shortly by the two upper central incisors. The remainder of the baby teeth appear during the next 18 to 24 months but not necessarily in an orderly sequence from front to back. At 2 to 3 years, all of these 20 primary teeth should be present.

It is recommended that children should be weaned from the bottle at 12-14 months of age, however, understand that these are recommendations and can be adapted to individual needs

Thumb and pacifier sucking habits that go on for a long period of time can create crowded, crooked teeth or bite problems. If they are still sucking their thumbs or fingers when the permanent teeth arrive, a mouth appliance may be recommended. Most children stop these habits on their own.

A toothbrush with soft bristles and a small head, especially one designed for infants, is the best choice for infants. Brushing at least once a day, at bedtime, will remove plaque bacteria that can lead to decay.

Do not use fluoridated toothpaste until age 3. Earlier than that, clean your child’s teeth with water and a soft-bristled toothbrush. After age 3, parents should supervise brushing. Use no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and make sure children do not swallow excess toothpaste.

To comfort your child, rinse his/her mouth with warm salt water and apply a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth on your child’s face if it is swollen. See us as soon as possible

If possible, find the tooth and hold it by the crown rather than the root. Replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or a washcloth. If you can’t put the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container with milk and take your child and the glass immediately to the dentist. The faster you act, the better your chances of saving the tooth.

Malocclusion is often inherited. Orthodontic problems also are caused by dental injuries, the early loss of primary teeth or such habits as thumb sucking, fingernail biting, or lip biting. Your dentist can help your child avoid oral habits that may create orthodontic problems.

Primary, or “baby,” teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt. Some of them are necessary until a child is 12 years old or longer. Pain, infection of the gums and jaws, impairment of general health and premature loss of teeth are just a few of the problems that can happen when baby teeth are neglected. Also, because tooth decay is really an infection and will spread, decay on baby teeth can cause decay on permanent teeth. Proper care of baby teeth is instrumental in enhancing the health of your child.

Four things are necessary for cavities to form — a tooth, bacteria, sugars or other carbohydrates and time. Dental plaque is a thin, sticky, colourless deposit of bacteria that constantly forms on everyone’s teeth. When you eat, the sugars in your food cause the bacteria in plaque to produce acids that attack the tooth enamel. With time and repeated acid attacks, the enamel breaks down and a cavity forms.

Scaling may be necessary to confirm that your gums and teeth are getting healthier.

Such deposits, if not removed by scaling, cause infection and loosening of the gums, and leading to tooth loss. Scaling is a safe and routine procedure and does not damage the tooth surface in any way. 

Lightly brush your tongue to help keep your mouth clean. Clean around your teeth with dental floss. Careful flossing removes plaque and leftover food that a toothbrush can’t reach. Rinse after you floss.

Most dental cleanings last between 30 minutes to an hour on average.

To remove plaque build-up, tartar deposits effectively cleaning the gums. Scaling is done with an ultrasonic cleaning device which vibrates on the surface of the teeth. Polishing is Air polishing uses a polishing powder that is used to remove surface stains, medium to heavy staining. 

Overall the mouth and teeth feel cleaner, fresher, brighter and healthier. However right after scaling transient sensitivity is felt, which lasts a short while. Gaps may be felt if the tongue is run on the surface of the teeth or in between the teeth. Sometimes slight mobility is also felt.

• Morning time – Saliva movement nearly stops during sleep, reducing cleansing and renewal allowing bacteria to grow, causing bad breath.
• Periodontal (gum) disease – Bacteria and food debris residing under inflamed and bleeding gums.
• Poor Oral Hygiene – Food particles remaining in the mouth promote bacterial growth. Dental cavities and improperly fitted dental appliances may cause odor from bacteria residing in cavities.
• Tobacco products – Smoking causes dry mouth leading to bad breath. Turtle Town Dental can treat patient suffering halitosis or general bad breath. 

TMJ is a sensitive joint that can sustain damage due to any injury or disease. The damages will lead to pain in the joint and surrounding areas. The pain and stiffness in the joint are known as TMJ syndrome.

The causes of TMJ disorder may result from excessive nail biting, gum chewing, degenerative joint diseases, trauma/injury to the mouth, poor posture, stress, teeth grinding or rheumatoid arthritis.

TMJ disorder is a common problem that occurs mostly between the ages of 20 to 40; women are 4 times more prone to this syndrome.

There are a lot of symptoms of TMJ disorder from stiffness, headaches, dizziness, ear ache, clicking sounds when eating and talking, difficulty in chewing, popping sound in the ear, sore jaw muscles, or pain in the temple, neck or shoulder.

While TMJ is quite easy to treat through home remedies, people need to seek professional medical treatments if home remedies are ineffective. In extreme cases a joint replacement surgery might be the solution of TMJ disorder.

Home remedies can treat normal cases of TMJ easily, the home remedies include

• Applying cold packs or heat pack to the affected joint
• Relaxation techniques such as massage can also release stress
• Eating soft foods will prevent further stress build up
• Aromatherapy or massage of some essential oils like lavender can also relax muscles and provide pain relief

Medical treatments for TMJ include physiotherapy, splint therapy, pain relieving medication, and arthroscopy. In rare cases, joint replacement surgery may be the treatment of choice.

A splint is a mouth guard or a bite guard that one wears over teeth to prevent grinding, clenching of the jaw and other movements that can set off TMJ. The splint can be soft or hard after we customize it for the patient’s needs.

When the patient wears the splint, it relaxes the muscles in the mouth and also prevents teeth from other side effects of grinding. The splint supports the bite in the most favourable position to release tension in the jaw.

In severe cases of TMJ, surgery might be necessary. There are two types of surgeries:

TMJ arthroscopy is a minor invasive surgery that can take place in a dental clinic. The recovery time is only one week.

Sometimes a total joint replacement is necessary as the last resort for treating TMJ syndrome. An oral surgeon will carry out this surgery that may require four to six weeks to heal.

You should see rapid relief from symptoms, but the length of treatment depends on how the severity of the condition. When TMJD is caught early, most patients have a shorter course of treatment.

There are two temporomandibular joints – both are located in front of the ear where the jawbone attaches to the skull

Bruxism, or the excessive grinding and clenching of your teeth, may be related to your TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder), though it is not the same thing. Sometimes patients clench or grind their teeth without ever experiencing full-blown TMD, though it comes with its own risks. Bruxism can cause headaches and damage to your teeth by cracking them or wearing them down.

Often, an appliance is recommended to protect your teeth, just like with TMD. That way, while you are sleeping, your teeth are not pounding together, causing more damage. Because the appliance, or night guard, is made from a softer material than your enamel, it provides enough cushion and support to protect your teeth. If you clench or grind your teeth, investment in a night guard now could save you money in the end by helping you avoid expensive crowns and repairs to your damaged teeth. Caffeine use, alcohol use, and stress can all contribute to worsening bruxism. Cutting down on drinking cocktails and coffee is a good start. Learning to manage stress can help you in many ways, including reducing how much you grind your teeth.