General & Preventive Dentistry

Examinations and cleanings

Most patients are seen twice a year, though some benefit from more frequent visits — particularly anyone with a history of gum disease, dry mouth, or a high rate of decay.

A checkup here is not a two-minute look. We examine each tooth and existing restoration, check the gums and the bone support around them, assess the bite for signs of wear or grinding, and carry out an oral cancer screening of the soft tissues, tongue, and throat. That last one takes under a minute and is the reason regular visits matter well beyond the teeth themselves.

The cleaning removes plaque and hardened tartar from above and below the gumline. Brushing and flossing at home cannot remove tartar once it has formed, which is what makes the professional cleaning necessary rather than merely pleasant.

Digital X-rays

Digital sensors have replaced film and use a small fraction of the radiation older X-rays required. The image appears on screen immediately, and we can enlarge it and go through it with you rather than asking you to take our word for it.

X-rays reveal what an examination cannot — decay between teeth, infection at the root, bone loss from gum disease, and problems developing under existing crowns and fillings. How often they are needed depends on your individual risk, not on a fixed schedule.

Fillings

We place tooth-coloured composite fillings, which bond to the tooth structure and require less removal of healthy tooth than the silver amalgam fillings they replaced.

Where a cavity is large, a filling may not be the right answer — a heavily filled tooth is weakened and prone to fracture, and an onlay or crown often serves better. We will tell you when that line has been crossed rather than placing a filling that is likely to fail.

Care for older patients

Dental needs change with age, and several issues become considerably more common after sixty.

Dry mouth is the most consequential, and it is usually a side effect of medication rather than of age itself — blood pressure drugs, antidepressants, antihistamines, and many others reduce saliva flow. Saliva is the mouth's primary defence against decay, so patients who never had cavities can suddenly start developing them rapidly. It is manageable once identified, which is why we ask about your medications at every visit.

Root decay is another. As gums recede, the root surface becomes exposed, and root surfaces are softer than enamel and decay faster. Recession also causes sensitivity to cold, which is treatable.

Grip strength and dexterity affect brushing more than most people expect. If flossing has become difficult, tell us — interdental brushes, floss holders, or a water flosser are usually easier and work well.