METAL-FREE BONDING
In recent years there has been an on-going debate about the potential health risk these dental fillings may place on the body’s immune system. In fact, there are several European countries that no longer allow these restorations to be used. Though our country has not yet taken this position, it is interesting to observe the health regulatory authorities have designated the extra mercury scraps as a toxic waste, which must be isolated, packaged, and hauled away by a hazardous waste disposal service.
Until recent years, dental patients were told that repairing teeth with white dental fillings was just for cosmetic purposes and may not stand up as well as the metal restorations. This philosophy is now passé. With the eminent technology of dental adhesion, resins, lasers and state-of-art ceramics, the new space-age restorations are close to rivalling nature in strength, wear, function, and appearance. There are now sixteen-year studies showing that with properly administered technique, these advanced restorations surpass traditional dentistry with a number of other incredible advantages.
No Mercury Fillings!
Dr. Campbell does not use the silver or “black “coloured fillings which contain mercury. The health risk of these fillings is still an area of international debate yet the use of mercury has been banned by many countries and Health Canada has recommended limiting the number of fillings that contain mercury in children and pregnant women.
There are a number of mercury free fillings available in our office. Dr. Campbell is able to restore teeth with composite resin, gold and porcelain.
White or Tooth Coloured Fillings!
White fillings (composite resin) are more attractive, more durable, and longer lasting than amalgam restorations .Both porcelain and composite resin are bonded to the tooth, restoring it to near its original strength and function. Both can be custom coloured to precisely match your teeth so when porcelain or resin fillings are places they’re extremely natural looking. This can really make a difference in your appearance, especially if the restoration is visible when you smile.
What are the advantages of white fillings?
Less healthy tooth structure removed
More attractive
Stronger
Doesn’t stain the tooth
No mercury
Root Canals
Almost nothing can send shivers up your back quite like the words “ROOT CANAL.” In reality it is only about 5% of root canals that cause pain. The vast majority of root canals alleviate pain and are a welcome relief to suffering patients. Root canal therapy is used to ease the pain caused by highly inflamed pulp tissue in the tooth or by bacteria that have contaminated a pulp that has died. This treatment is used to remove the diseased or dead pulp and nerve tissue from the tooth. The inside of the tooth is then sterilized and filled. One of the most important aspects of treatment is to seal the tooth from bacterial recontamination. This is done with a high quality filling or a crown in the case of molars and premolars.
Mouth Guards
Sports Mouth Guards
It is estimated by the American Dental Association that mouth guards prevent approximately 200,000 injuries each year in high school and collegiate football alone.
A properly fitted mouth guard must be:
protective
comfortable
resilient
tear resistant
tasteless
have excellent retention and fit
cause minimal interference to speaking and breathing
Custom Made Mouth Guards
Custom made mouth guards are supplied by a dentist. Several questions must be answered before the custom mouth guard can be fabricated. These questions include those addressed at the preseason screening or dental examination.
Is the mouth guard designed for the particular sport being played?
Is the age of the athlete and the possibility of providing space for erupting teeth in mixed dentition (age 6-12) going to affect the mouth guard?
Will the design of the mouth guard be appropriate for the level of competition being played?
Does the patient have any history of previous dental injury or concussion, thus needing additional protection in any specific area?
Is the athlete undergoing orthodontic treatment?
Does the patient present with cavities and/or missing teeth?
Is the athlete being helped by a dentist and/or athletic trainer or by a sporting good retailer not trained in medical/dental issues?
These are important questions that sporting goods store retailers and the boil & bite mouth guards CANNOT begin to address.
BRUXISM
Sleep Bruxism is a stereotyped movement disorder characterized by grinding or clenching of the teeth during sleep. The disorder has also been identified as nocturnal bruxism, nocturnal tooth-grinding and nocturnal tooth-clenching.
What are the Symptoms?
The symptoms of Sleep Bruxism are tooth-grinding or tooth-clenching during sleep that may cause:
abnormal wear of the teeth
sounds associated with bruxism (It’s about as pleasant as fingernails on a chalkboard!)
jaw muscle discomfort
headache
How serious is the disorder?
Some people have episodes that occur less than nightly with no evidence of dental injury or impairment of psychosocial functioning while others experience nightly episodes with evidence of mild impairment of psychosocial functioning. Yet others have nightly episodes with evidence of dental injury, tempomandibular (jaw) disorders, other physical injury or moderate or severe impairment of psychosocial functioning.
When someone with suspected sleep bruxism has a polysomnographic test there is evidence of jaw muscle activity during the sleep period and the absence of abnormal movement during sleep. Other sleep disorders may be present at the same time, e.g., obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome.
Damage to the teeth needs to be stopped. Pain and injury to the jaw may require surgery.
How is it treated?
If the damage is not advanced, your dentist can provide a mouthguard that fits over your lower set of teeth and prevents the two sets of teeth from grinding against each other.
Periodontal Therapy
If you are worried that you may have gum disease, or worse, have been told you’ve got it, what does it mean?
Periodontal Disease describes a syndrome characterized by some or all of the following:
bleeding gums
bone loss
mobility of teeth
bad breath and/or receding gums
Why does it happen? Perio Disease happens to be one of the bodies‚Äô responses to inflammation caused by bacteria around the teeth. Plaque left on tooth surfaces long enough gets progressively nastier and more toxic to the body. Inflammation is the bodies defense against the bacteria and their toxins, and it seems that this inflammation can lead to the breakdown of the bone that holds your teeth in place. This leads to “pocketing” where the gum pulls away from the tooth. These pockets tend to be harder to keep clean and tend to harbor nasty bacteria which can lead to even further bone breakdown.
So what to do about it?
Deep scaling and rootplanning is the best place to start. The patient may be anaeshetized and quadrants of the mouth are meticulously cleaned using curettes gently placed under the gums. Some of this is normally done by the hygienist during a normal cleaning, but a better, more definitive job can be done one quarter of the mouth at a time while the mouth is numb. At these initial therapy visits (2 or 4 visits usually) homecare training is given. This patient education may be the most important part of the visit since a patient’s ability to keep their mouth clean will probably determine whether their mouth remains healthy afterwards.
When this initial therapy is over, it is best to place patients on a frequent recare schedule so that their mouth remains healthy. Cleaning with our hygienists every three months is usually recommended. If there is a worsening of the periodontal condition this will be caught during a subsequent recare examination.
Preventive Treatment
Routine Cleanings
Regular dental cleanings and oral exams are important in the prevention of gum disease, tooth decay and other oral disorders. In addition to brushing and flossing thoroughly everyday, it is recommended that you have a professional dental cleaning done every few months. Routine cleanings remove stains, tartar and plaque thereby preventing gum disease and helps in maintaining an optimum oral health.
FLUORIDE APPLICATIONS
We provide topical fluoride applications to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Fluoride is a mineral that helps strengthen tooth enamel, resists tooth decay and promotes remineralization of tooth areas affected by early decay. Topical fluorides such as gels, mouthwashes and varnishes are applied professionally, usually during the cleaning appointment. It is recommended in children and adolescents, patients with extensive dental restorations and patients with receded gums who are at high risk for dental decay. Patients who are at a much higher risk of dental decay may need home fluoride therapy, which is normally dispensed through our office.
SEALANTS
Fissure sealant is a plastic material that is applied onto the chewing surfaces of the back teeth to reduce tooth decay. It acts as a protective coating preventing the penetration of decay causing bacteria. It is prudent to have sealants done on children’s new molars instead of allowing the tooth to be damaged by decay and therefore requiring a filling. This is a painless procedure and requires no freezing.
Velscope Oral Cancer Screening
Velscope
Early Detection of Oral Cancer
In the past 30 years, there has been a 60% increase in oral cancer in adults under the age of 40. Alarmingly, 25% of newly diagnosed cases of oral cancer do not fit the high risk profile. The BC Cancer Agency therefore, recommends that all patients over the age of 19 should be screened annually for oral cancer. 50% of patients diagnosed with oral cancer are expected to die within 5 years. If caught early, 90% of cases are curable.
Clinical and technological advances have increased the range of oral care options available to our patients. Oral health has consequences for the overall health and well being of an individual, and we have incorporated the use of the VELscope with our existing treatment and diagnostic services.
VELscope® is a revolutionary device that provides us with an easy-to-use oral examination system for the early detection of abnormal soft tissue (pre cancer lesions). VELscope is the only non-invasive device clinically proven to help discover pre-malignant oral disease.
The VELscope Handpiece emits a safe blue light into the mouth, which causes the tissue to appear different colours through the viewfinder. This allows the dentist to tell the difference between normal and abnormal tissue. This is a totally painless and quick procedure.
Pediatric Dentistry (children)
Pediatric Dentistry
Dr Mary-Lou Campbell and her team make sure that children of all ages feel welcome and safe by providing a sensitive and caring environment. Understanding how best to respond to a child’s fear, anxiety or pain is the foundation of our treatment approach.
We do everything we can to ensure that children feel comfortable and safe. Pleasant visits to the dental office promote the establishment of trust and confidence in your child that will last a lifetime. “My goal, along with my staff, is to help all children feel good about visiting the dentist and teach them how to care for their teeth. Our main concern is what is best for your child.”
Our office, as well as the Canadian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, recommends that your child visit the dentist by his/her 2nd birthday. You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. Your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and their staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions. The less to-do concerning the visit, the better.
We invite you to stay with your child during the initial examination. During future appointments, we suggest you allow your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. We can usually establish a closer rapport with your child when you are not present. Our purpose is to gain your child’s confidence and overcome apprehension. However, if you choose, you may come with your child to the treatment room. For the safety and privacy of all patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the reception room with a supervising adult.
WE OFFER:
EXPERT GUIDANCE OF BEHAVIOUR
Sensitive and affectionate management of a child’s fear, anxiety or pain is the foundation of our treatment approach. We use consistent yet adaptable methods of behaviour guidance that are scientifically proven.
PREVENTATIVE DENTISTRY
Healthy mouths – healthy children.
WE OFFER
effective toothbrushing and flossing instruction
nutritional information about diet and dental diseases
dental cleanings (scaling and polishing)
preventive treatment for oral habits
space maintainers
fluoride treatments in office or at home
dental sealants
custom-made athletic mouth guards for active children
SEDATION AND ANESTHESIA
Conscious Sedation is recommended for apprehensive children, very young children, and children with special needs. It is used to calm your child and to reduce the anxiety or discomfort associated with dental treatments. Your child may be quite drowsy, and may even fall asleep, but they will not become unconscious.
There are a variety of different medications, which can be used for conscious sedation. The doctor will prescribe the medication best suited for your child’s overall health and dental treatment, We will be happy to answer any questions you might have concerning the specific drugs we plan to give to your child.
Keeping your child safe and comfortable during dental treatment is a responsibility which we take very seriously. Children do feel pain. We recommend local anesthesia for all invasive dental procedures.
When A Child Is Very Anxious We Are Fully Qualified To Provide
oral sedatives
Some Children May Not Accept Treatment In The Office. In These Cases We Offer
oral sedatives
INTERCEPTIVE ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
We can correct simple abnormalities in tooth and jaw position using removable appliances or we can refer the child to a specialist for fixed orthodontic appliances.
ROOT CANAL TREATMENT / PULP THERAPY
Some primary or permanent teeth require treatment of infection inside the tooth or jaw. This treatment helps to retain the natural tooth which, in the long run, means natural function, natural appearance and less costly treatment over time.
PREVENTING TOOTH DECAY
Four Things Are Necessary For Cavities To Form:
a tooth
bacteria
sugars or other carbohydrates
time.
We can share with you how to make teeth strong, keep bacteria from organizing into harmful colonies, develop healthy eating habits, and understand the role that time plays. Remember, dental decay is an infection of the tooth. Visiting us early can help avoid unnecessary cavities and dental treatment.
The pediatric dental community is continually doing research to develop new techniques for preventing dental decay and other forms of oral disease. Studies show that children with poor oral health have decreased school performance, poor social relationships and less success later in life. Children experiencing pain from decayed teeth are distracted and unable to concentrate on schoolwork.
IMPORTANCE OF PRIMARY (BABY) TEETH
It is very important that primary teeth are kept in place until they are lost naturally. These teeth serve a number of critical functions.
Primary Teeth
Maintain good nutrition by permitting your child to chew properly
Are involved in speech development
Help the permanent teeth by saving space for them. A healthy smile can help children feel good about the way they look to others
INFANTS & CHILDREN
Getting an early start in regular dental care is an important step on the road to teaching your child healthy lifetime habits. We want to share with you the latest available methods for keeping your child healthy and safe.
The first dental visit should occur shortly after the first tooth erupts and no later than the child’s first birthday. Beginning tooth and mouth examinations early may lead to detection of early stages of tooth decay that can be easily treated.
At The First Visit We Will Present
A program of preventive home care including brushing, flossing, diet and the importance of fluorides
A tooth decay (caries) risk assessment
Information about Early Childhood Caries, which may be due to inappropriate nursing habits or inappropriate use of sippy cups
The latest facts about finger, thumb and pacifier habits
What you need to know about preventing injuries to the mouth and teeth
Information on growth and development
ADOLESCENTS
Adolescents have special needs. Appearance and self-image are very important to them. Decayed or poorly positioned teeth or jaws might make them more self-conscious. Teens also eat frequently, and unhealthy snack foods tend to become a major part of their regular diet. We provide a professional, sensitive and caring approach to restoring and guiding teeth, and teaching preventive dental health care through the teen’s high school years. When necessary, we will provide information on sealants, oral piercing, wisdom teeth, missing teeth and tobacco use.