Replacing missing teeth is more than a matter of maintaining a good smile. Gaps left by missing teeth can cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, which may result in problems with normal biting. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and interfere with the ability to speak and chew. When a tooth becomes badly damaged or decayed or has been restored multiple times, the result is a tooth composed of more filling than natural tooth. A filling is no longer adequate to keep the tooth strong. The best solution for…

Your teeth are designed to last a lifetime. As your dentists, we will do everything in our power to preserve them. That said, sometimes tooth extraction (removal) is necessary. This may be because of crowding, decay, infection or an impacted wisdom tooth. The extraction procedure will be explained to you ahead of time, so you know what to expect. The proper applications of anesthetic and advanced dental techniques should that the procedure be done with the least amount of discomfort to the patient. After the extraction, we will work to ensure your smooth recovery. The process includes measures to stop infection and…

Having a white smile is not as easy as Hollywood makes it appear. Teeth can be discoloured by tobacco, beverages, such as coffee and red wine, and a variety of foods. Calculus or tartar can also affect the colour of teeth. Staining under the surface can be caused by certain antibiotics or tiny cracks that hold the stains. Aging can also a culprit. The truth is, few of us are born with brilliant white smiles. In most cases, the natural colour of teeth falls within a range of light greyish-yellow shades. That said, steps can be taken to brighten your smile. In…

Dental veneers are extremely thin, tailor-made shells that cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance by changing their colour, shape, size, or length. Veneers are usually made of porcelain or composite resin. Porcelain veneers are stronger than composites. A thin layer of the enamel is removed from your teeth to make room for the veneers, which are created from molds of your teeth. While they are being made in the laboratory, temporary veneers may be put in place. Several days later we remove the temporary material and put a mild chemical on your teeth to roughen them a…

A smile should draw attention to itself and not recent dental work. Tooth-coloured fillings can be matched to your real tooth colour, so no one can tell that you have had work done. In almost all cases, routine restorations (fillings) are now done by bonding composite resin (a type of plastic) to your teeth to fill them.