Improved appearance: When you lose entire tooth – crown and root – shrinkage of the jawbone may cause your face to look older. Dental implants can stop this process. A traditional denture or bridge doesn’t.

Maintained natural teeth: With traditional practices, two teeth adjacent to a missing tooth must be ground down to anchor a bridge. Dental implants often eliminate the need to modify healthy teeth.

Permanent solution: There are no loose parts to worry about. The implant is stable and comfortable. No adjustment is needed after installation. Normally, it will serve its owner for life.

An implant is a titanium screw which is placed into the jaw bone to replace the root of a lost natural tooth. The implant integrates with the bone to form a secure foundation for a replacement tooth.

The end result… replacement teeth that look, feel and function just like natural teeth. The embarrassment , irritation and self-consciousness often experienced by people who have missing teeth, who wear dentures or who have suffered through older methods of tooth replacement are overcome with the confidence of permanently anchored dental implants.

No. An effective local anaesthetic and sedative is used during the surgery so that you do not have any discomfort during the placement of the implants. The mild discomfort you might experience after surgery can be controlled with medication.

The fee for tooth replacement with dental implants will depend on several factors, including the number of teeth being replaced and the number of implants required to support the replacement teeth.

Some additional procedures may be required prior to the placement of your dental implants to ensure the long-term success.

Typically, there is a fee for the surgical procedure and a separate fee for attaching the posts and constructing your replacement teeth.

To obtain a specific fee estimate, it is necessary to have a dentist examine your mouth. After a thorough diagnostic examination, the dentist will recommend the treatment that is best for you.

The purpose of root canal therapy is to clean out the inflamed or infected tooth pulp tissue within the roots. Root canal treatment is required when the nerve of the tooth becomes irreversibly damaged. This damage can occur from decay, trauma, or a crack in the tooth. The treatment involves 3 stages and can take several appointments depending on the complexity.

Stage 1 – The canals of the tooth are located and the infected or damaged pulp and tissue is removed.
Stage 2 – The canals of the tooth are cleaned and shaped.
Stage 3 – The canals of the tooth are filled to prevent re-infection.

Between each stage, sedative dressings and temporary fillings will be used to help the tooth settle down and destroy any remaining Bacteria.

Yes, the tooth will require a permanent restoration. The tooth is more brittle after a root canal treatment and therefore is more susceptible to fracture. A crown or onlay is usually advisable to protect the tooth from breaking.

During the actual treatment, your tooth will be numb as it would be for a simple filling. Generally a mild painkiller is enough to keep you comfortable immediately after treatment if necessary.

If something stronger is needed, we will prescribe it. If the tooth is badly infected, an antibiotic may be needed.

The cost of root canal treatment varies with the number of canals which need to be treated. There will be a separate charge for the restoration, depending on the extent of the procedure.

We will be glad to discuss the charges with you for all the expected treatment.

Tooth whitening has been used in dentistry for many years and no serious adverse affects have been reported.

Tooth Whitening does not soften the enamel or tooth structure nor does it affect the quality of existing restorations.

The degree and speed of whitening varies from individual to individual. Teeth that are yellowish will generally bleach more quickly and noticeably than teeth with grey tonings.
One hour in-office whitening (Zoom) provides the quicker results.

Take home whitening using less concentrated bleaching gels in custom made trays is more predictable but slower.

We recommend a combination of both techniques for best results.

The effects of whitening are usually quick and long lasting. Some relapse may occur depending on lifestyle and exposure to highly pigmented food and beverages.

Our recommendation is that every six months after your recall hygiene, you boost your whitening by using your trays for a couple of days.

The team here at THL Dental recommend our patients visit our practice every 6 months for their dental check-up. This way we can ensure little problems don’t become major dental issues that are costly to rectify.

Gum disease is a disease that will affect most people at some stage in their life. It is caused by a build-up of plaque on your teeth. The most common signs of gum disease is bleeding or sore gums.

Cleaning of your teeth and gums twice a day and regularly visiting your dentist every 6 months will help prevent gum disease.

We accept cash, EFTPOS, all major credit cards, and offer electronic on-the-spot health fund rebates where applicable. All fees are to be paid at the end of your consultation.

These days most health funds offer extras cover which may entitle you to a rebate on the cost of your acupuncture treatments. Note that rebates are only payable for treatments by registered, professional dentists who have been approved by your health fund.

THL practitioners are fully qualified professional dental technicians and are registered with all major health funds. Depending on your fund and level of cover, you may be eligible for a rebate for your dental treatments. Please check with your fund regarding your eligibility and rebate amounts.

We offer instant rebates with on-the-spot electronic claiming. You can claim your rebate on-the-spot using our electronic claiming facility, saving you money, time and hassle. Most (but not all) major health funds participate in this electronic claiming arrangement. This means you only pay the gap amount at the end of your consultation. Please bring your health fund card with you to your appointment.

The amount of rebate (if any) will depend on your particular Health Fund and your level of cover.

If you aren’t able to claim electronically, we will issue with a receipt that you can take directly to your fund’s office to make your claim.

Over 30 Health Funds offer rebates on selected services offered by THL! The above Health Fund logos represent only some of these.