How do I get perfect teeth?

Dental decay is a preventable disease. Bacteria are the enemy and with these simple tips you can keep your teeth healthy and strong well into old age. ​ 1. Start Young 2. Brush every surface of every tooth, everyday. 3. Tooth pick or floss teeth before bed every night. 4. Visit a Dentist twice a year. 5. Limit sugary snacks.

Why should I have my teeth cleaned at the dentist?

You brush and floss your teeth everyday right? So why have the dentist clean your teeth again? For a start every mouth is different, and every-one has different levels of need regarding hygiene. In a healthy mouth, the dentist may not need to clean the teeth more than every year or two. However, there are nooks and crannies in between teeth where bacteria hide out and cause disease. It may be dental decay or gum disease. The dentist can access these difficult places with specialised tools to remove the plaque and calcified scale. By removing the cause of the disease, we can bring health not only to the mouth but to the whole body. Sometimes we recoomend having your teeth cleaned every 3 months if there is dental disease. Your dentist will advise what is best for you.

Is it going to hurt?

It depends on your pain threshhold, and what treatment is done. We aim to make every patient comfortable and some people need a little more care than others. For those who are sensitive towards pain, we have these strategies: 1. Numbing gel used before the injection to reduce the pain 2. Plenty of anaesthetic is used until the tooth is completely numb 3. We listen to and work with the patient to let them guide us to what works best for them 4. The count back method can be used to know "when is the drill going to stop." 5. Distraction therapy with videos on the ceiling TV and music playing 6. Kind caring dentists who know how to handle sensitive people and provide the optimum experience 7. Nitrous oxide gas (laughing gas) is available at the Ballina clinic. 8. Early appointments from 9am can help get it over and done with!

Why does it cost so much?

Unfortunately without a health care card, the government does not subsidise dental care, which leaves patients to pay the bill. Most of the dental fees go to the dentist who does the treatments. Dentists are highly skilled individuals who have devoted much of their time to studying and performing the art and science of dentistry. The dentist's ability to save a tooth from being lost is what the fees are generally for. Healthy teeth require less treatment and so cost less to maintain. The best way to avoid hefty dental bills is to have regular, 6 monthly check ups and maintain a high level of dental hygiene everyday. Together with your dentist, you can avoid painful toothaches and give your wallet a break.

Do you help people who are dental phobic?

Traumatic dental experiences in the past, especially as a child, can have lasting and powerful impacts. If you have experienced a particularly hard time at the dentist, it may be best to book in to see Dr Kim Davies for a consultation. Here we can talk about your situation and look at ways we can work together in caring for your dental needs. This may include consultations with a psychologist to help get past the fear. Sometimes even hypnosis can help.

How much is a filling?

Breaks can range from minor chipped enamel with no pain to catastrophic splits with toothache pain. Each is dealt with uniquely.

“How much is a filling?” is a very vague question that cannot be answered without understanding what exactly is to be done. More details on dental repairs can be found here.

Fillings can range from $150 (small hole) to $400 (if a post is required).

Do I need a filling?

Not every broken tooth needs to be filled. Sometimes it can be smoothed off by the dentist so your tongue can have a break. Other times there is a cavity where food gets trapped and these really should be filled to stop food and bacteria festering. How do you know the difference? Ask the dentist.

Check here to see if you can diagnose yourself.

​https://www.bytesdental.com.au/feed/i-think-i-need-a-filling

But I brush everyday! Why do I have a hole?

Do you floss everyday? Plaque lives on the teeth and thrives in little nooks and crannies where the toothbrush cannot reach. Throw in regular sugar consumption and there we have the recipe for dental decay. If detected early by your dentist, there is a chance we can reverse the decay process with regular flossing and surface mineral applications like fluoride and calcium (Tooth Mousse). If there is a cavitated hole, then a small filling is always better than a large one. Regular checkups, with X-Rays can help nip these problems in the bud.

Why do my gums bleed?

Some people are prone to bleeding gums. If left untreated it can progress into gum disease (periodontitis). Your dentist will assess whether you have this disease with an examination and Xrays. You may be set up with a program of regular maintenance involving detailed teeth cleaning every 6 months. By removing the dental plaque that causes bleeding gums, the dentist is able to reduce the damaging impacts and bone loss cause by gum disease.

Do you do payment plans?

Yes we have a credit facility via TLC Payment Plans. If you are not suitable for finance we can offer a staged approach to your care. That is, we focus on the worst problems first, and get back to the other work later, when finances are better. If we can fill a tooth before it aches, the tooth may have a good chance of survival. If it is left until there is a toothache, the chances of saving the tooth deminish. Nip problems in the bud and get them fixed ASAP.

Do you have happy gas?

We have happy gas at the Ballina clinic.

Why do I get charged a consultation fee?

When the dentist discusses with you the details of your dental problem, the options for your treatment and the possible outcomes, there is a consultation. There is a fee for this. Your car needs servicing every half year or so. When the car gets too old, it is sometimes better to sell it off and buy a better one. Unfortunately teeth cant just be replaced like this. A natural healthy tooth is still the best way to live a long and happy dental life. Implants are good to replace a tooth if it is lost, but every surgical implant has a lifespan and this may be considerably less than a healthy tooth. To save the pain of having dentures in your later life, think about what you can to today to keep your teeth. Have a check up with your dentist. We may pick up some early problems before they turn into massive ones.

How much does a bridge cost?

Prices as at 2019: A single unit crown (one tooth) is $1500 A two unit bridge (two teeth) ranges from $2000-$3000 A three unit bridge (three teeth to fill the gap of one tooth) $3000-$4000. More about bridges here.

Afterpay dentist in Lismore and Ballina?

Yes we do afterpay. Simply sign up to Afterpay and become approved. You need to be approved with afterpay before the dental treatment is done.Then after your dental appointment, make your dental payment in 4 easy instalments fortnightly. There is no interest fee if you pay on time. If you prefer to use a payment plan option then a TLC payment plan may be for you. TLC offers credit from $2001 to up to $50,000. Enquire here.