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Healthcare Related Questions, Answered for You

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I have some old silver fillings which are beginning to look bad. What can be done to improve them.

Silver amalgam fillings, composed of 50% mercury and 50% silver alloy, eventually need to be replaced. It may surprise you to know that the average life span of a silver filling is five to eight years. Your dentist can tell you when they appear to NEED to be replaced due to leakage, breakdown or recurrent decay.
If your concern is strictly COSMETIC, there are many new methods available to replace the fillings with beautiful, functional, long-lasting restorations. We as your dentist serve Dee Why, Northern Beaches, and North Shore. 
Such things as white filling materials, porcelain inlays, crowns and veneers may be used to give you a smile you are seeking. There is currently a great deal of interest in new reinforced hybrid materials. These beautiful resin materials may be reinforced with fibres, similar to fibreglass, and used in conservative inlays and bridges without having to grind away a whole, healthy tooth.

I am missing several teeth. A friend told me that she recently had implants to replace her missing teeth and is very happy.What are implants?

Dental implants are a wonderful way to replace missing teeth when certain conditions exist. Such things as your overall general health and the length of time you have been missing your teeth must be considered. The replacement of missing teeth using dental implants frequently requires a team approach. After your dentist does a thorough examination and treatment plan the surgical phase of treatment takes place. In most cases, a periodontist or an oral surgeon will put the implant(s), the artificial root(s) into the jaw. When healing is complete, usually after 4-6 months, The tooth or bridge segment can be placed on top of the healed implants by a general dentist or a prosthodontist. Some dentists are trained to place the surgical part of the implant as well as the prosthetic or tooth part. You should ask your dentist if you are a good candidate for implants and ask for a referral if he or she doesn't do them. You can be rest assured that when having dental treatment done with us, you will be getting the best dental implants with the best brands because quality is important to us. 

What's CBCT? 

In layman's terms, CBCT is a compact, state-of-art technology, a faster and safer version of the regular CT. Through the use of a cone-shaped X-Ray beam, the size of the scanner, radiation dosage and time needed for scanning are all dramatically reduced. The time needed for a full scan is typically under one minute, and the radiation dosage is up to a hundred times less than that of a regular CT scanner. We are one of the few dentists in Dee Why, Northern Beaches, North Shore to have acquired the most advanced Digital CBCT 3D x-ray machine. 
What are the Cone Beam scanners used for?
Oral surgery
Implant planning (learn more about implants)
Orthodontic planning and implant anchorage
Cephalometric analysis
TMJ analysis
Airway study (sleep apnea)
Jaw tumours
Impacted teeth
Periodontal diseases
Endodontic anomalies

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