Preventative Dentistry

Preventative Dental Care

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At Belconnen Dental Centre, we focus on preventative dentistry at our practice, encouraging patients to avoid dental problems by maintaining healthy teeth and gums. As part of this, we recommend that patients visit the clinic for check-ups every six to 12 months so that we can keep track of your dental health. Regular check-ups will allow any potential problems to be spotted and treated early on, avoiding the need for major and more costly dental work in the future.

Scale & Clean

As part of our routine check-up service, patients can also benefit from a scale and clean, where the dental technician will remove plaque and calculus (tartar) that brushing can’t shift. We recommend having this done every six months to maintain good oral hygiene. While plaque can be removed from the teeth by twice daily brushing and flossing, a professional dentist must remove calculus. It’s important to brush every day to avoid the build-up of plaque, which is full of bacteria and can result in tooth decay and gum inflammation or gingivitis. Left untreated, this can further develop into periodontal disease.

Dental Cleaning — Belconnen, ACT — Belconnen Dental Centre

What is Gingivitis?

When your gums become red and inflamed, this is known as gingivitis, which most people will experience at some point in their life.

The gums may bleed when brushed and a build-up of plaque around the teeth and gums causes inflammation. Gingivitis can easily be fixed by brushing and flossing daily with the correct brushing technique and a soft toothbrush.

What is Periodontal Disease?

Left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease, which gradually eats away at the underlying tooth structure, including the gums and jawbone. If periodontal disease is not treated, the teeth will loosen and eventually fall out. Smoking is the most significant risk factor in periodontal disease, although non-smokers can also get it.

X-Rays

At Belconnen Dental Centre, we use the latest digital imaging software to take digital X-rays. This means patients are exposed to a lot less radiation, and the image produced is of a higher quality. We have Panoramic (OPG) and intraoral X-ray facilities on-site, with all our imaging equipment registered with a radiation licence.

X-Rays Available at Belconnen Dental Centre:

Bitewing or Periapical

Oral x-rays help to diagnose dental decay and periodontal disease. X-rays are taken before extractions to check root anatomy.

OPG (Full Jaw X-Ray)

Panoramic x-ray used to detect dental disease and abnormalities. OPG is taken when checking wisdom teeth .

Cone Bean/CBCT Scan

3D x-ray used for more complex treatment including extractions, implants and root canal treatment.

Fissure Sealants

Fissure sealants can help prevent tooth decay by filling in the natural pits and fissures of the back teeth (molars). The biting surface of the molars often have deep grooves that the bristles of a toothbrush can’t reach, so plaque becomes trapped in these grooves. A fissure sealant is a tooth-coloured film that is applied to the grooves of the tooth to seal them off and prevent plaque from getting trapped.

Occlusal Splints for Bruxism

An occlusal splint is a nylon mouth guard device fitted over the upper or lower teeth and worn at night to prevent damage to the teeth due to bruxism (clenching or grinding behaviors). Although it doesn’t stop the clenching or grinding habit, it presents a nylon surface to clench or grind against which protects the natural tooth structure. It can also help to relieve strain on the jaw muscles during clenching or grinding.

Dental Splint — Belconnen, ACT — Belconnen Dental Centre

Mouth Guards

Sporting accidents are one of the most common causes of dental injury, so having a custom-fitted mouth guard can avoid or minimise any damage, such as broken or knocked-out teeth. As well as being painful and unsightly, such injuries are often quite expensive to replace or fix, so having a proper mouth guard can help avoid the ongoing costs of repairing or replacing teeth.

Mouth Guard — Belconnen, ACT — Belconnen Dental Centre

SomnoDent

For patients who suffer from sleep apnea, we can make a SomnoDent oral appliance – similar to a splint but ensures that the patient has a continuous open airway when worn. The apparatus stabilises or moves the lower jaw slightly forward, preventing the patient’s airway from collapsing during sleep and can help with snoring and grinding.