Changing dentists: how to move your records People put off changing dentists because they imagine paperwork. There is almost none, and starting somewhere new without your history usually costs you more, not less. The records are yours Your clinical notes and X-rays are held by the practice, but you are entitled to have them transferred…
People often describe a check-up as “a look and a polish”. It is rather more than that, and knowing what is happening makes it a good deal less tedious to sit through. The examination We check every tooth surface for decay, cracks and failing fillings. We measure the gum around each tooth, because that number…
Clear aligners are not simply the adult version of braces. They are a different tool, better at some things and worse at others, and the choice is usually made by the teeth rather than by preference. What aligners do well Mild to moderate crowding, spacing, and teeth that have drifted back after previous orthodontic work….
Sensitivity is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Reaching for a sensitive toothpaste is reasonable, but it treats the feeling rather than the cause — and the cause matters, because two of the four common ones get worse if they are left. 1. Receding gums The root of a tooth is not covered in enamel. When…
Most people who grind their teeth have no idea they do it. It happens in your sleep, nobody hears it unless they share a bed with you, and the first sign is usually something we spot rather than something you feel. How we know Teeth wear in a specific way when they are ground: flat,…
“Preferred provider” is one of those phrases that appears on every dental website and is almost never explained. Here is what it actually changes for you. It is an agreement about price A health fund and a practice agree a set fee for common treatments. In exchange, members of that fund pay less out of…
Children aged 0 to 17 whose family gets an eligible government payment, such as Family Tax Benefit Part A, may be able to get dental treatment bulk billed under Medicare. Who qualifies, what’s covered and how to check.
Most people who see blood in the sink assume they brushed too hard. Occasionally that is true. Far more often it is the first sign of gum inflammation — and at this stage it is completely reversible. Healthy gums do not bleed Skin on your arm does not bleed when you wash it. Gums are…
An adult tooth that has been knocked clean out can often be saved — but the window is short, and most people lose it in the first few minutes by doing the wrong thing with the best intentions. Pick it up by the crown, not the root The crown is the part you normally see…
