General Dentistry Services
Routine dental exams help detect areas that could possibly lead to severe problems later on. For the most part, regular check-ups help maintain a healthy smile by focusing on prevention. You can take control of your dental health by having routine dental check-ups. Most check-ups consist of the following dental services:
Clinical examination | Preventive cleaning | Oral cancer screenings | Necessary dental X-rays | Preventive procedures as needed (such as fluoride or sealants)
By having your check-ups performed on a routine basis, you can prevent problems like advanced gum disease, untreated cavities, or broken fillings. We examine the health of each one of your teeth, as well as your other oral tissues, to ensure there are no existing or early forms of disease that can quickly progress into severe problems later on. Not only does this minimise your treatment needs, but it also helps reduce your investment in dental treatment, by correcting problems when they are smaller and the treatments are less invasive.
Gum disease is a highly prevalent dental problem today. Gum disease can occur in two stages: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is a milder, more easily handled disease, and it only affects the gums. Periodontitis is more severe, and can lead to major complications in the mouth. Both of these diseases occur below the gum line in a shallow, v-shaped crevice called the sulcus. As the sulcus becomes more diseased, the crevice grows, and the gums recede lower on the tooth.
With the advances in modern dental technology, your visit to see our dental professionals here at HealthStyle Smile can be relaxed and comfortable. Our team provides a range of virtually pain free dental services and treatment options, so there is no need to have dental anxiety when achieving your perfect smile.
During your initial consultation our dental professionals can discuss your treatment options dependent on what you would like to achieve aesthetically and the condition of your oral health. We offer a number of different pain management options to suit your particular treatment, ensuring that you experience virtually pain free dentistry.
HealthStyle Smile believes in safe and gentle care with total commitment to maintaining good healthy teeth and gums. We practise safe dentistry and do not use amalgam (mercury, silver) filling materials.
White fillings, made of either composite resin or porcelain, are the modern alternatives to amalgam (silver fillings). Developments in the properties of these materials have made this treatment reliable and long lasting, surpassing their amalgam predecessors. Unlike white fillings, amalgam fillings are vulnerable to shift and distort in temperature changes, which can result in tooth cracking or fracture. Moreover, white fillings represent a more aesthetically natural restoration as they can be technically coloured to suit your existing tooth colour.
Our tooth coloured inlays and onlays are strong and beautiful and will blend in seamlessly with your natural tooth. We use inlays and onlays to mend larger cavities, where conventional filling material wouldn’t be quite strong enough. Instead, an inlay or onlay will invisibly restore your tooth so it looks wonderful and so you can comfortably chew food.
With our state-of-the-art dental services, if one of your teeth happens to become infected, we can treat it using the very latest root canal therapy. This will painlessly remove the bacteria causing the infection and afterwards your tooth will feel much more comfortable. Root canal treatment is an excellent procedure, saving teeth from extraction and it should feel no worse than a filling. Once we are sure all the infection has been removed, we can restore your tooth using a crown. After your tooth is fully repaired, you should be able to eat and smile with total confidence and comfort.
Teeth that are badly damaged or broken down can benefit from being covered up completely with beautiful dental crowns. Here at HealthStyle Smile, our crowns are made from top quality porcelains, producing incredibly lifelike results to blend in with your existing teeth, seamlessly restoring your smile. We recommend choosing all-ceramic crowns that are entirely metal-free for the very best results. The same materials and techniques can be used to make porcelain bridges, replacing missing teeth in a way that is long-lasting and aesthetically appealing.
HealthStyle Smile provides patients with customised double laminate mouthguards. Being custom moulded to suit your unique mouth, these mouthguards provide the essential protection against injury and trauma when participating in sport or an active lifestyle.
‘Off the shelf’ or store bought mouthguards can only offer a limited level of protection and often offer none for the back molars. Conversely, a custom fitted mouthguard is a lasting and durable appliance to provide your mouth with the maximum level of protection. Its form fit, specifically designed shape and ‘cushioning effect’ enhance protection and reduce the effect of facial trauma to the mouth. Finally, a custom fitted mouthguard, unlike store bought ones, will allow effective communication and breathing, enhancing your sporting experience.
Available in a range of colours we can tailor them to suit most sports teams.
Cosmetic Dentistry Services
As part of our dental services, we’re excited to have Digital Smile Design as part of our offering. Digital Smile Design is a systematic approach to consistently achieve functional and aesthetic dentistry. It allows for diagnosis, communication, treatment planning and execution in a proven predictable way. The concept is based on analysis of the patients’ facial and dental proportions. By using a series of high resolution digital photos and videos we are able to develop a deep understanding of the relationship of the teeth, gums, and lip with the rest of the face. Facial features that express emotion are analysed to design the smile. Drawings are made on the digital photos to record measurements that translate to the desired characteristics of the smile. These photos are then used to communicate with the laboratory to fabricate a mould that is used to show the patient their new smile in their mouth. The DSD concept is customised for each individual patient. No two patients’ smiles are alike. The beauty of Digital Smile Design is the emotional response people have from the process of trying on their new smile. The patient becomes the co-author of their smile, allowing them to have input in their desires, expectations, colour, shape and ultimately the end result.
Veneers are great for covering up teeth that are less than perfect, for example any that are badly stained or chipped. They can also be used to close up or minimise spaces in between teeth and even to correct the position of one or two teeth that are only slightly misaligned. With out dental services, we use either porcelain or composite resin to veneer your teeth. The advantage of using composite is that it can be applied directly to your tooth surfaces so treatment is very quick and the results will last several years. Our beautiful porcelain veneers take a little longer as they have to be custom-made. They are a bit more expensive but are longer lasting and harder wearing than composite. Both choices can look stunning. Some people choose to have multiple veneers for a complete smile makeover but this might not always be necessary, as sometimes we can place just one or two veneers to make a substantial difference to your smile.
There are a lot of factors that contribute to the loss of teeth. While some people lose their teeth because of injury, disease and wear such as grinding and clenching, others are born without certain teeth. Tooth loss creates both aesthetic and functional inconveniences. At times this may lead to undesirable facial changes, detrimental effects on chewing ability and consequently negatively effects one’s confidence and self esteem. Oral reconstruction or rehabilitation is a speciality in dentistry involving the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral function, health and aesthetics of patients with missing teeth, deficient teeth and/or compromised oral and maxillofacial tissues using biochemical substitutes – all dental services we excel at!
A dental service offering is not complete without state-of-the-art teeth whitening! There is a reason why teeth whitening is such a widely requested treatment as it is incredibly effective, not to mention being very affordable. Just about anyone will be suitable for teeth whitening, but to make sure, our oral hygienist will carefully check your teeth and gums beforehand, as we want to ensure that your treatment is safe and comfortable.
We offer the teeth whitening in-chair procedure at our practice, a process that can take as little as an hour and a half. You will also be provided with a home whitening kit to maintain your beautiful colour achieved in the chair. This kit also includes the Be You enzymatic whitening toothpaste.
For our professional whitening treatment, we use only Philips Zoom products. These are high quality products and are very safe. For our in-chair whitening, we use the Zoom Microchip LED Light for magnificent results. During the in-chair whitening treatment, all you need to do is sit back and relax while your teeth are gently whitened, lifting deep seated stains and brightening their appearance by several shades.
For those patients who prefer to whiten in the comfort of their own homes, we can provide customised whitening trays that will fit comfortably and tightly over your teeth, and which are very easy to use.
All our whitening treatments are completely customised. By using the correct strength of whitening gel for your needs, we can ensure you have a more comfortable experience.
Once your teeth are whitened, our oral hygienist will advise you on how to maintain optimal results for as long as possible. These results are normally stable between one to three years. To prevent discolouration and to prolong the whitening effect, it is advisable to have top up treatments to maintain your beautiful white smile.
Bio-Dentistry Services
Biocompatible dentists recognise the impact of toxic materials and relate it to dental and physiological health. These dentists are concerned with the integrity of the oral cavity and use materials and dental services in their practices that are systemically compatible.
Is there a proper way to remove mercury fillings? To prevent additional mercury exposure, find a biocompatible dentist who not only includes mercury filling removal as part of their dental services, but is also expertly trained. Patients should inquire about the following Amalgam removal protocols: -Utilising an efficient suction system in the oral cavity with a special tip or its equivalent to contain amalgam particles and mercury vapour. Operating a vacuum system at maximum efficiency. Applying copious amounts of water to the filling during removal. Removing the amalgam in large segments to minimize the generation of mercury vapor and amalgam particulate.
Anti-Aging Dentistry Services
Your smile is the one feature that immediately tells the world how you’re feeling. Over time, your smile ages right along with the rest of your body. With age, your smile can lose vibrancy due to discolouration, tooth loss and excessive grinding. Lips begin to sag over time and lose their elasticity. Gravity and aging make our lower face shrink and sink in, resulting in less of our upper teeth showing as we speak or smile. Loss of collagen and diminished muscle tone allow wrinkles to form around our mouth and lips. Anti-Aging Dentistry can address wrinkles, lip fullness and cheek support for a more youthful smile. Anti-aging dentistry is a set of dental services that brings about aesthetic change in the lower third of a patients face to improve and reverse the signs of ageing. We work from the inside out to create a fuller, more youthful smile. By building out and widening teeth through procedures, such as veneers, we can improve lip fullness, fullness to the cheeks, eliminating the dark corners when you smile and smooth out wrinkles around the face. It is similar to a facelift from the nose down without any scalpel. Veneers can build up the lower third of the face that collapses over time giving the lower third a facelift. They can make the corners of the mouth fuller and erase wrinkles.
Specialist Dentistry Services
In recent years, laser dentistry has superseded many traditional dentistry practices and dental services, making treatments more precise and less painful. This newer style of dentistry utilises intense beams of light projected by a dental laser. Dental lasers can be used to perform a wide variety of treatments, including soft tissue shaping and removal. The beauty of dental lasers is that they damage far less of the surrounding tissue than traditional techniques – which means less discomfort and pain. Here are some of the other benefits associated with laser dentistry: Faster healing and tissue regeneration. Preservation of more of the natural tooth. Reduced bleeding during and after treatment. Reduced need for anesthesia. Reduced need for stitches and sutures. Reduced risk of bacterial infections after procedures.
We always do everything we can to save teeth but if you need to have a tooth removed then we will discuss suitable options for its replacement and it’s likely dental implants may be suggested. This is because dental implants are often regarded as being the gold standard for replacing missing teeth, offering a long-term solution, restoring appearance and function. We particularly like dental implants as they can look amazing and treatment is pretty versatile. An implant consists of a small titanium post that is inserted into the jawbone and once healed can support a replacement tooth. Dental implants are perfect for restoring single teeth or can be used to support bridges. Implant retained dentures are a great choice for anyone who currently has a loose and uncomfortable denture.
A lot of people would rather endure the torment of a toothache than step foot in a dental clinic. For those who avoid dentists, sedation dentistry offers to take most of their anxiety away. Sedation treatments can be used for a simple tooth cleaning down to the most invasive of dental procedures. Sedation dentistry involves administration of oral sedative drugs for procedures that take an extensive amount of time and is best for people with dental anxiety or for children who cannot control their movements. Some medications help create more tranquil, relaxed dental visits, while others control pain, and may even put you into a deep sleep. These dental services can be done for patients of all ages. With the exception of those put under general anesthesia, most patients are usually awake during sedation. The method and degree of sedation depends on the extent of anxiety and other factors (like age or type of procedure) that your dentist needs to consider.
Bruxism is the correct term for clenching and grinding, a common condition that can occur during sleep, particularly if you feel stressed. Bruxism can cause extensive damage to your teeth and gums and also to your temporomandibular joints. If you wake up with sore, aching teeth or a sore jaw that may be difficult to open and close then it’s possible you may have bruxism. Other symptoms include facial pain that can extend down into your neck and shoulders and waking up with chronic headaches. Your jaw may also make a clicking or popping sound when you move it. When you visit our dental practice, our dentist can soon diagnose bruxism and will gently examine your jaw joints to see if you have temporomandibular joint disorder or TMJ. As part of our dental services, we can offer you a solution to this problem by making you a custom-made night guard or night splint. This is made from clear plastic and usually fits over your upper teeth, preventing them from coming into contact with your lower teeth so you cannot clench and grind.
A denture is a removable dental appliance replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissue. They are made to closely resemble your natural teeth and may even enhance your smile. There are two types of dentures – complete and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all of the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain. A partial denture not only fills in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other teeth from shifting. A complete denture may be either “conventional” or “immediate.” A conventional type is made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed, usually taking 4 to 6 weeks. During this time the patient will go without teeth. Immediate dentures are made in advance and immediately placed after the teeth are removed, thus preventing the patient from having to be without teeth during the healing process. Once the tissues shrink and heal, adjustments will have to be made. Dentures are very durable appliances and will last many years, but may have to be remade, repaired, or readjusted due to normal wear. Dentures can also be integrated with implant treatment to provide more stable / fixed type of dentures for more comfort and better function.
Dental emergencies are quite frightening and often painful. Prompt treatment is almost always required to alleviate pain and to ensure the teeth have the best possible chance of survival. Sometimes teeth become fractured by trauma, grinding or biting on hard objects. In other cases, fillings, crowns and other restorative devices can be damaged or fall out of the mouth completely. If there is severe pain, it is essential to make an appointment with the dentist as quickly as possible. The pain caused by dental emergencies almost always gets worse without treatment, and dental issues can seriously jeopardise physical health. At HealtStyle Smile we understand the urgency of such an emergency and we shall always strive to treat such emergencies as quickly as possible.
As the final teeth to erupt, wisdom teeth or ‘third molars’ generally emerge throughout the late teens or early twenties, with some people never developing them. Developing over a number of years, wisdom teeth generally emerge without complications, however occasionally they become impacted or only partially erupt, requiring their extraction. Wisdom teeth become impacted when they erupt at a bad angle or there is insufficient room for them to emerge. This results in the tooth growing into other teeth or the surrounding bone, resulting in crowding, pain and even a misalignment of the jaw. Furthermore, if the teeth only partially erupt, this can leave underlying gum tissue exposed and vulnerable to painful, recurrent infection. Following a series of x-rays and discussions with your dentist, you will be presented with all the information to make an informed decision. As part of our dental services, we can offer this procedure within the practice, however for particularly complicated procedures or anxious patients it can be achieved under general anaesthetic at St Stephen’s Cure Day Hospital or Paarl Medi-Clinic. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding with a surgical or invasive procedure, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriate qualified health practitioner.
