Be on your way to getting a stronger and healthy smile.
There are many ways where our Mount Waverley dentists can ‘restore’ your smile. They include:
Dental fillings | Dental crowns, onlays and bridges
Dental fillings
Fillings are shaped to restore your tooth as close as possible to its natural shape and colour. We use a tooth-coloured or white filling material called resin composite to get the most aesthetic result for you as possible, while protecting your remaining tooth structure.
How do I know I need a dental filling?
Of course, a dentist is the best person to judge whether you need a filling. Sometimes, dental decay is not visible to the human eye, so a X-ray is needed to detect early decay. However, there are some signs and symptoms that can show you when you need to see our dentists in Mount Waverley:
- Sensitivity when eating or brushing
- Sensitivity when eating hot, cold, sweet or acidic foods and drinks
- A hole in your tooth
- Darkening of your tooth
- Toothache
- Sharp, shooting tooth pains
Because fillings are usually not as strong as our natural teeth, we are strong advocates of prevention through regular check ups, so that we can look for early signs of damage and decay and work on preventive treatments. A filling will be suggested though, if there is a certain amount of damage or decay present.
What to expect with a dental filling at Syndal Dentistry, Mount Waverley.
Any dental treatment can be a daunting prospect for many people, but be rest assured that you are in good hands at Syndal Dentistry when you get your white filling.
We want to make the experience as relaxing and comfortable as possible. To make sure the process is pain-free, we first numb your tooth up with a local anaesthetic. We use plenty of numbing cream, so you might not even notice that it’s done.
Because we want to maintain a gold standard for you, a rubber dam is placed over your tooth to protect your airways and reduce you from swallowing water and debris. Modern tooth-coloured resin composite fillings are very sensitive to moisture, so a rubber dam helps us achieve optimal bonding results and a longer-lasting filling. Although it might look intimidating, many of our patients find the rubber dam to be more comfortable and we often get patients so relaxed during the treatment that they fall asleep!
The decay is then carefully removed and then the tooth is sealed up with resin composite (or white) filling material. To finish off, our dentists will make adjustments to the new filling and polish the filling so that it is smooth.
Your dentist will then discuss the aftercare with you. The treatment area will be numb for a few hours after, so take care not to eat and drink hot foods to avoid burning or biting your cheek and tongue. The new filling will require as much care as a natural tooth as well – so to extend the life of your filling, make you are brushing, flossing and maintaining good oral hygiene.
Dental crowns
What is a dental crown and when do I need one?
How do I know I need a dental filling?
A dental crown is a cap that is custom made to fit over your tooth. There are several reasons why a crown might be required for your tooth, including:
- Heavily broken down teeth
- Severely decayed teeth
- Discoloured teeth
- Broken filling
- Protect cracked teeth
- Protect a tooth that has had root canal treatment
- Restore or maintain function of a tooth
Dental Onlay
What is a dental onlay and how is it different from a dental crown?
Onlays can be thought of as a “half crown” where its purpose and function are exactly like a crown. Nowadays, due to technological advances, we are able to remove less tooth structure, while still providing all the benefits of traditional crowns. It has many advantages, including:
- About 30-40% natural tooth structure is saved with an onlay
- Severely decayed teeth
- Onlays can be matched to your natural tooth shade and colour
- Less likely to damage the tooth pulp or nerve
- Easier to keep clean than a crown
Dental Bridge
A dental bridge is an option for a missing tooth or teeth. It usually comprises crowns to replace the missing tooth or teeth, and crowns on either side of the gap on existing teeth as cemented supports. Dental bridges are alternative to:
- Implants, if you or the missing tooth are not suitable to have an implant
- Removable dentures, as bridges are cemented on and a permanent fixture to your mouth and feel like normal teeth.
What materials are used to make dental crowns, onlays and bridges?
Crowns, onlays and bridges can be made from different, durable materials, including tooth coloured porcelain, zirconia, porcelain fused to metal, gold and metal. Porcelain or ceramic crowns are often chosen because of their natural appearance and their colour and shape are made to match your teeth.
How long will a dental crown last?
Crowns, onlays and bridges can often last for a very long time, but this is dependent on how well you care for it. Keeping the crown or bridge clean by brushing twice daily, flossing or using interdental brushes daily and coming for regular maintenance with our Mount Waverley dentists are all essential to a long-lasting crown and bridge.
