Category: Uncategorized

Partial 6-month Braces

Patient 1:

“I’m generally happy with my teeth. They’ve always been pretty straight… except for this one tooth on the bottom. Is there anything I can do without having to go through years of braces?”

Patient 2:

“I had braces as a kid… but overtime I’ve noticed my lower teeth to become crooked again. Is there anything I can do to straighten things out without going through the whole course of braces?”

Sound like you? I have many patients who come in with that complaint. Often patient’s aren’t aware of the available treatment out there… and when there’s a lack of knowledge, there’s a lack of desire to correct it.

In my previous blog posts, I have discussed the many benefits of orthodontic treatment, as well as growing trends in treatment options (eg. Invisalign). But what if we only had a specific issue that we wanted to correct?

Mouthguard Awareness

With footy season upon us, it’s time to consider not only protecting your body, but protecting your teeth. Sporting injuries are among one of the most common dental injuries.

Every year thousands of people, including children are treated for dental injuries that could have been minimised or avoided had a protective, custom-fitted mouthguard been worn.

Some useful information about mouth guard awareness can be accessed from the Australian Dental Association Website.

Bleeding gums… not just a “normal part” of everyday cleaning

Gum disease is a common problem that many of us suffer from without even knowing it. It is important to identify the early signs of gum disease before the problem is to worsen.

What are the signs of gum disease?

Tooth eruption sequence

Following on my earlier post on caring for your children’s teeth, I thought it would be useful to touch on the topic of tooth eruption sequence.

Images courtesy of the American Dental Association.

eruption

Best toothbrush in my opinion…

One of the most common questions I am faced with in the dental surgery is “Which is better? Electric or manual toothbrushes?” And so the answer to that often is a little like… “well it depends”.

The main 3 things that dentists look for in a toothbrush:

Handle Length and Reach
Bristle Softness for Gum Health
Size of the Brush Head for Accessibility

Differences between Manual and Electric Toothbrushes

Can a manual tooth brush tick all the above boxes? Yes! But I have yet to find one that is readily available at the supermarket (please prove me wrong colgate, oral-B)

Will an electric tooth brush tick all the above boxes? Yes! And adding to the 3 principles, a 4th. That is, the spinning action of the tooth electric tooth brush will further minimise any trauma to the gingival tissue (gums) had you used a course manual tooth brush in a backwards-and-forwards scrubbing motion.

Top Pick for a Clean Smile

I haven’t been paid by any toothbrush manufacturer to post this, but having tried the major brands of electric toothbrushes, I would recommend the Philips FlexCare+ as my number 1 pick.

The difference between the Philips Sonicare range of brushes and other brands is their patented sonic technology. The sonic pulsation of the toothbrush physically breaks up plaque build up (like a jackhammer breaks up concrete). Research has been compiled here if anyone is interested in the facts and figures.