Preventative and maintenance

Routine regular dental appointments are essential to maintain good oral health and a confident happy smile. A standard dental check-up is carried out by our experienced, qualified dentist  or oral therapist and is the best way to spot any problems with your mouth and pearly whites before they become serious. Both adults and children require routine dental appointments on a regular basis because preventative dentistry is the key to keeping your mouth healthy and can help to avoid significant costs associated with managing more complex conditions which can develop from delayed management.

Routine dental appointments are usually carried out every six months, although some people may require more frequent visits, while others may need to come into the practice less often.  The friendly team at Smile4U will advise you on how often you need to come in for a check-up based on your unique needs.

What happens at a routine dental check-up?  If it is your first appointment at the practice, your dentist will take a full dental and medical history. Also included in Smile4U’s $250 oral health package (valued at over $600 and largely covered by most private health funds):

1. Thorough examination of your teeth, gums and mouth
2. Full mouth and intraoral x-rays where ever required
3. Digital photos of your face and teeth
4. A routine clean and polish to manage gingivitis and brighten your smile
5. Discuss any dental problems you may have had in the past and areas of concern
6. Discuss general health and dietary issues that can affect your teeth and gums, such as alcohol and sugar consumption or smoking.
7. Discuss your teeth-cleaning habits, such as your brushing technique, and recommend any improvements and aids if required.
8. Explain any further treatment you may need, such as fillings, root canal treatment or hygienist appointments with a detailed costing of any treatment options.
9. Provide you with a full treatment plan if required.
10. Answer any questions you may have regarding your treatment and what options are available.
11. If you require no other treatment, your dentist will let you know when you should come for your next routine check-up.
12. Discussion of in house payment plan options available to suit all budgets and needs.

Sports mouthguards are custom-made rubber coverings worn over your teeth to protect them from damage in contact and ball-based sports. They cushion the teeth and gums and help to avoid chipped and broken teeth.

You should wear a professionally-made sports mouthguard at all times when playing any sport involving either moving objects or physical contact.

Being hit in the mouth by a ball in such sports as football, cricket or hockey can lead to serious damage to your teeth, including broken and lost teeth leading to the possible need of life long complex and costly rehabilitations.  Contact sports, such as rugby and boxing, can also lead to damaged, broken or dislocated jaws.  Sports mouthguards provide cushioning to protect against such injuries. Professional sportspeople can often be seen wearing mouthguards for this reason.

Your dentist at S,mile4U can provide your mouthguard:

1. First, your dentist will measure and take impressions of your teeth and gums and send these to a laboratory so your mouthguard can be made to fit you perfectly.
2. The laboratory will make up the mouthguard to your dentist’s specifications.
3. Your dentist will check the mouthguard fits properly. You should then wear it at all times playing or training for sports.

Mouthguards should be worn by adults and children. Children’s mouthguards will need regular replacement as their teeth and jaws grow. You should check regularly that your child’s mouthguard still fits, and see your dentist for a replacement if it has become loose or tight-fitting.  Adults will also need to replace their mouthguards periodically due to wear and tear.

Studies show that mouth cancer is on the rise and that early detection dramatically improves the chances of recovery. Late detection of mouth cancers is associated with a higher proportion of deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or skin melanoma.

Mouth cancer screening is a simple procedure performed at a every recall appointment at Smile4U that involves the following:

1. A detailed analysis of your oral health history to determine any risk factors that you might have.
2. A thorough examination of the outside of your mouth and lips.
3. A thorough internal examination of your mouth, including the inside of your cheeks, throat and under your tongue.
4. Any inconclusive findings will be discussed and referred to a specialist consultant.

It is recommended that you come in for a mouth cancer screening on a yearly basis which is completed as part of Smile4U’s routine dental visits. If you have any sores, lumps or long-term ulcers in your mouth, no matter how small, that have not resolved within 2 weeks, it is very important that you come in to have them looked at.

Because smoking and alcohol is strongly linked with many forms of cancer and other dental problems, we always encourage our patients to quit smoking and drink responsibly. An excellent source of information is the Mouth Cancer Foundation if you require any further information.