Services

 West Hill Dental, our caring hygienist looks forward to helping you take care of your teeth and gums. Scheduling regular appointments for cleaning and assessment helps us stay on top of any potential problems and offer proactive solutions. Oral Health photo As part of your general assessment, we will “scale" your teeth to clean off any tartar build-up and polish the surface to remove any minor stains. To help fight decay, you may also receive a fluoride treatment. During the services, we will also tell you if you are brushing and flossing correctly, and examine your teeth and gums for potential problems.  

 The dental examination begins with the collection of your complete medical history. Understanding your medical history can provide the dentist with vital information on any health condition you may have which can ultimately impact the success of any dental treatments. Radiographs (x-rays) are also taken and studied so that the dentist can see things not seen by the naked eye. Having the visual of the inside of your teeth, the condition of your roots and areas between your teeth, help the dentist determine bone loss, root health and the indication of any cysts or growths than may affect your overall oral health.  

 To treat a cavity your dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and then "fill" the area on the tooth where the decayed material was removed. Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth and teeth that have been worn down from misuse (such as from nail-biting or tooth grinding).  

 Root canal treatment treats the inside of the tooth. Treatment is necessary when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes: deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, faulty crowns, or a crack or chip in the tooth. In addition, trauma to a tooth may cause pulp damage even if the tooth has no visible chips or cracks. If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess.  

 An extraction means to have a tooth removed, usually because of broken or damaged teeth, disease, trauma or crowding. If you need an extraction, your dentist will first numb the area to lessen any discomfort. After the extraction, your dentist will advise you of what post extraction regimen to follow. In most cases a small amount of bleeding is normal. Your mouth will slowly fill in the bone where the tooth root was through the formation of a blood clot. In some cases, other surgical procedures might be necessary.  

 A dental crown is a cap that sits over the top and sides of the tooth. The purpose of the dental crown is to cover the tooth in a way that improves its appearance while supporting the shape and size of the missing tooth material. If you have a tooth that is weakened from decay or chipping, or you have a tooth that is worn down, or you have prior work that has been done to your tooth that the dental crown will cover. For example, a dental crown can be used to hold a dental bridge in place, cover a cover a dental implant to provide a uniform look, and to support a filling that replaces a severely damaged or decayed tooth with very little tooth left. 

 If a tooth is missing, in most cases can be replaced with a bridge or a denture. A bridge is a fixed appliance and is cemented permanently in your mouth. Conventional and cantilever bridges require shaping of the teeth surrounding a missing tooth. Crowns are then placed on the shaped teeth and attached to an artificial tooth (called a pontic).  . A denture is a removable appliance that can be taken in and out of your mouth. There are different types of bridges and dentures.  

 If one or more of your teeth are missing, there are a number of ways to replace them. An alternative to bridges, partials or complete dentures may be dental implants. Implants are used to replace missing roots and support artificial replacement teeth. They are comfortable and look like natural teeth.  

 We also offer other services such as Teeth Whitening, Veneers, Consultation and referral for orthodontics and Sedation dentistry. Please call for more details.