The Australian Dental Association considers amalgam to be a safe and effective restorative material and en-masse removal of existing sound amalgam restorations is not recommended. Removal of failing amalgam restorations or removal due to cosmetic concerns is provided at Cambridge Dental Centre.
Dental amalgam is no longer the restorative material of choice in modern dentistry and at Cambridge Dental Centre the use of amalgam is limited. Clinical situations still do arise however, where amalgam is a more suitable material to use. Cambridge Dental Centre is therefore not an ‘amalgam free’ practice.
Yes, we are able to custom make mouth guards for children and adults.
The average primary tooth stays in the mouth for over 8 years. The last primary tooth does not fall out (exfoliate) until the age of 12.
It is generally accepted that most people should brush at least twice per day, in the morning after breakfast and last thing at night before going to bed. As long as you floss once a day, the time of day doesn’t really matter.
For most people, a dental examination and professional clean is recommended every 6 months. We recommend that you visit your dentist bi-annually to ensure that any potential problems can be detected and treated early on before they escalate into more serious conditions. In certain circumstances more frequent visits are necessary e.g. children with braces, adults with periodontal (gum) disease, elderly patients and patients suffering certain medical conditions.
It can be difficult to get a toddler to brush their teeth. You can start by using a clean cloth, then a rubber brush and then a small, soft tooth brush should be used to brush the teeth. You can also make tooth brushing fun to help the experience e.g. pulling funny faces in the mirror as you are brushing, everyone brushing their teeth together.
Cambridge Dental Centre is a recognised provider to all Australian Health funds. In recent years, some health funds have introduced a scheme to try and reduce the gap between the fee charged and the health fund rebate. If you look closely at the figures of these health funds, you will find that they have not increased their rebates for many years. The cost of providing dental treatment however has increased. When a dentist becomes a ‘preferred provider’, they have been contracted by the health fund to their members at a fee that is set by the health fund (which is always below the usual fee of the dentist). By doing this, the health fund is able to give the patient a rebate that is higher than if they went to a dentist of their choice, thus making the ‘preferred provider’ service more appealing. Preferred provider schemes remove patient rights to having their treatment performed by a clinician of their own choosing.
The Australian Dental Association as do most dentists believe this is not a fair system, where a patient is forced to leave a dentist of their choice so that they can receive a higher rebate from another.
Such health fund schemes, suggest that all dental practices are the same and the only difference between them is cost. This is a very narrow view. In order to keep costs low, these schemes can force dentists to lower their standards by cutting costs (e.g. using inferior materials and techniques, inexperienced staff or inappropriate facilities) in order to keep their costs to a minimum because the health fund will only pay a predictable rebate. Cambridge Dental Centre prides itself on providing the highest standards and will not participate in any venture that will comprise these standards.
Dental Hygienists are trained auxiliaries who work in conjunction with dentists to help optimise provision of dental care. At Cambridge Dental Centre, our Hygienists perform the following duties:
We understand that dental pain can be debilitating and an unpleasant experience. At Cambridge Dental Centre we always have allocated time for emergency treatment as well as a service available for out of hours care.
In an emergency, call Cambridge Dental Clinic on 9387 6399 immediately.
If the surgery is unattended, the automated message will provide you with emergency clinic information.
The Australian Dental Association recommends that children should start visiting the dentist around their first birthday, once they start getting their first teeth. This ensures that a professional can assess that all is progressing as it should.
It is recommended that a parent starts to brush their child’s teeth when their first tooth appears in the mouth (usually around 6 month of age).
Good oral habits should be developed early so that the habit becomes established and is maintained throughout life. A child who does not establish a good tooth brushing habit is effectively associated with an increased risk of dental decay.
Every year, over 5 million teeth worldwide get knocked out. Although mouthguards may not prevent injury, they will reduce the severity of injuries that do occur.
Research has shown that using a dummy until the age of 3 years does not cause permanent effects on a child’s teeth or overall mouth development. However, the use of a dummy over the age of 4 years can cause irreversible damage to a child’s jaw development. It can cause narrowing of the tooth bearing part of the upper jaw, leading to an unfavourable alignment of the teeth. This then requires correction with orthodontic braces.
