The world of dentistry has changed so much since we opened up the doors of Gentle Dentistry. Gone are the days of painful dentistry. The next generation of dentistry maximizes patient comfort so that coming to the dentist isn't something to be nervous about. We want to better inform you of these changes so that you can make each visit to Gentle Dental Cambridge Ltd more enjoyable. This web page is designed to do just that. We will keep you informed of new techniques and equipment that is being used at our practice.At Gentle Dental Cambridge we offer a modern technique of sedation which takes the fear out of dentistry and makes dental treatment a pleasant experience.It is suitable for most patients, however, if you are not in good health or are taking any medicines or tablets, you should tell your dentist so that sedation can be modified to suit your needs.The technique involves the placement of a sedative (midazolam) into a vein in the arm. The sedative is fast acting, and the patient becomes very relaxed and sometimes drowsy. The sedation is designed to eliminate anxiety, but does not have any effect on physical sensation, and as a result local anesthetic may still be necessary to make the procedure free of discomfort.Rest assured Gentle Dental Cambridge has a firm policy that there will be at least two people with you at all times during intravenous sedation and you are also welcome to bring a support person.Because of the amnesia produced by these sedative agents while they are acting it may seem to a patient that they have been asleep for most of the treatment, in fact they have been merely been sedated and have not been unconscious like a patient under general anesthesia.On completion of the treatment the patient rests for a short while before being escorted home by a friend or relative. While you will feel quite alert after the treatment, the sedative agents are not completely eliminated from the body for some hours afterwards; this is why you require an escort home.Intravenous sedation is a very pleasant way of enabling dental treatment to be carried out. Your dentist will be pleased to explain it further to you.
This patient has had dental treatment carried out with the aid of Intravenous Sedation. Occasionally some of the sedative drugs used may produce drowsiness and forgetfulness for several hours, particularly after long appointments.You are therefore requested to:
The patient may feel tired and it is perfectly appropriate that they be allowed to rest or sleep once home, also they are able to eat and drink as they desire, but they must avoid alcohol.
If you have any concerns please contact us immediately - 33 Victoria Street St Cambridge New Zealand.Ph: 07 827 8953
This section is designed to help our patients better understand what the various procedures are and how they benefit them. With that in mind, we have dedicated this section of our website towards providing definitions, explanations and insight as to the procedures and concepts behind why they are done.
Amalgams
Silver fillings have been around for about 160 years. They are the metal type of fillings and have proven to hold up for years and are an easily placed filling material. Typically, they are also the least expensive. They Cause teeth to break when they are too big, due to excessive expansion and contraction.
Composites
Composite, or white plastic fillings, are used when aesthetics is a concern. Currently the materials used for composites are virtually as strong as silver fillings. They do excellently in the grooves, and dramatically lower the development of cavities. Composites are typically placed in the cavities in the front teeth. We now use a special light which hardens or "cures" the material, allowing us more time to form the material and make sure the colour is just right prior to the material setting.
Crowns and Bridges
Crowns are placed over a tooth when a large portion of the tooth is lost or decayed or has broken off. Usually, when a filling is more than half of the size of the tooth, the tooth is weakened. If the filling would comprise a significant portion of the tooth, often the tooth can fracture under the stresses of chewing and therefore, placing a crown over the tooth protects the chewing surface and prevents that from happening. Crowns that are white sometimes called "caps" are made of porcelain and are usually placed in areas of aesthetic concern. Gold crowns might be placed in the molar region or when there is heavy grinding that might damage the opposing teeth. A bridge is generally placed when a tooth is missing and there are teeth on either side to support a connecting piece to restore function and aesthetics to the area.
Dentures
Dentures are false teeth. They are typically made from impressions (moulds) that are taken of the inside of the mouth and they are made of a type of plastic or porcelain that duplicates the shape, size and function of the teeth. When only some teeth are replaced, it is called a "Partial Denture".
Implants
We are fully qualified to place dental implants, simply put, are typically titanium posts that are imbedded into the jawbone and then plastic or porcelain teeth are placed over the portion of the implant that sticks out of the gums. They usually take several months to complete since the bone must fuse to the posts before any kind of pressure can be put on the implant itself.
Micro-abrasion
A new area of dentistry has evolved, primarily from a new technique using a mini-sand blaster which sprays a focused high pressure spray of aluminium oxide. We can actually do small fillings and remove old composite fillings quite easily and comfortably, often without any anaesthetic using this instrument.
Root Canals
A root canal is typically done whenever the decay or injury to the tooth invades the inner part of the tooth where the pulp is. This is where the nerve and the blood supply are located. When a root canal is done, the inner portion of the pulp is removed, along with any infection that may have invaded the inside walls of the tooth. Then a sealer material is placed with a rubbery plastic to fill the hole so that new infection can't get into the tooth. Generally, by removing the nerve and blood supply to the tooth, it can potentially weaken a tooth and therefore, it is common to protect the integrity of the tooth by placing a crown over the tooth.
Surgical Extractions & Oral Surgery
No need to travel out of town to have this treatment. The vast majority of wisdom teeth or other surgical extractions can be performed at our clinic with or without intravenous sedation.
Anyone who has had dental treatment in their past will certainly remember two things - the injection and the drill. Well things certainly are changing. A new type of dentistry being practiced by Gentle Dental Cambridge Ltd dentists requires no injections and no drill!!!Instead, the drill is replaced by a silent device which literally "blows" the cavity away via advanced particle beam technology known as air abrasion. Most patients report little if any sensitivity to the procedure. Another big advantage is that the patient no longer has a period of time during which he/she must wait for the numbness to wear off.Although air abrasion does not replace the drill in every instance, it is an ideal technology to repair teeth that have early or superficial cavities - a technique that is being called micro-dentistry. These small cavities are then filled with a tooth-coloured material called a composite resin, which results in a virtually invisible filling.For the first time we can now treat our patients without anaesthetics and without the noise associated with the high-speed drill. Our patients are very enthusiastic about air abrasion - it is usually painless, and it often means less time under the bright light of the dentist's chair. It is absolutely fantastic for use on children or anyone who has anxiety about dental treatment.Due to the ability to prepare teeth without a needle, drill, noise, or pain, micro-dentistry is changing the image of dentistry in patient's eyes forever.
Just like the movie stars have
Ever wonder what movie stars do to get their teeth looking so good? One answer is - Veneers. Veneers and Composite Bonding are both ways of reshaping teeth.Both techniques allow us to give you a more full look when you smile. We can also use both techniques to fill in unwanted spaces.Veneers can be used to cover up dark stains on your teeth. You can pick the shade that you think looks best!Ask about these techniques during your next visit at Gentle Dental Cambridge Ltd.
Because your oral health effects your overall health
At Gentle Dental Cambridge Ltd, we often thought, if a patient could only see what we could see, they would be on a better path to improve not just their oral hygiene, but their overall health.We use Intra Oral Camera technology to help you better understand what is going on in your mouth. Think of it as an electronic mouth mirror.These wand like cameras can take a very detailed image of a tooth, a whole section of teeth, your smile, or even a picture of your whole face.This helps aid in the appointment so you are better informed.