Dentist Services in South Surrey and White Rock area

A dental implant (also known as an endosseous implant or fixture) is a surgical component that interfaces with the bone of the jaw or skull to support a dental prosthesis such as a crown, bridge, denture, facial prosthesis or to act as an orthodontic anchor. The basis for modern dental implants is a biologic process called osseointegration, in which materials such as titanium form an intimate bond to bone. The implant fixture is first placed so that it is likely to osseointegrate, then a dental prosthetic is added. A variable amount of healing time is required for osseointegration before either the dental prosthetic (a tooth, bridge or denture) is attached to the implant or an abutment is placed which will hold a dental prosthetic/crown.

Success or failure of implants depends on the health of the person receiving the treatment, drugs which affect the chances of osseointegration, and the health of the tissues in the mouth. The amount of stress that will be put on the implant and fixture during normal function is also evaluated. Planning the position and number of implants is key to the long-term health of the prosthetic since biomechanical forces created during chewing can be significant. The prerequisites for long-term success of osseointegrated dental implants are healthy bone and gingiva. Since both can atrophy after tooth extraction, pre-prosthetic procedures such as sinus lifts or gingival grafts are sometimes required to recreate ideal bone and gingiva.

The final prosthetic can be either fixed, where a person cannot remove the denture or teeth from their mouth, or removable, where they can remove the prosthetic. In each case an abutment is attached to the implant fixture. Where the prosthetic is fixed, the crown, bridge or denture is fixed to the abutment either with lag screws or with dental cement. Where the prosthetic is removable, a corresponding adapter is placed in the prosthetic so that the two pieces can be secured together.

The risks and complications related to implant therapy divide into those that occur during surgery (such as excessive bleeding or nerve injury), those that occur in the first six months (such as infection and failure to osseointegrate) and those that occur long-term (such as peri-implantitis and mechanical failures). In the presence of healthy tissues, a well-integrated implant with appropriate biomechanical loads can have 5-year plus survival rates from 93 to 98 percent and 10 to 15 year lifespans for the prosthetic teeth.Long-term studies show a 16- to 20-year success (implants surviving without complications or revisions) between 52% and 76%, with complications occurring up to 48% of the time.

Root canal treatment (also known as endodontic therapy, endodontic treatment, or root canal therapy) is a treatment sequence for the infected pulp of a tooth which is intended to result in the elimination of infection and the protection of the decontaminated tooth from future microbial invasion.

Root canal procedure: unhealthy or injured tooth, subsequent creation of an access cavity with a dental handpiece, cleaning & shaping the root canals with an endodontic file, and restoration with gutta-percha filling and a crown.

A crown, or dental cap, is a type of dental restoration which completely caps or encircles a tooth or dental implant. A crown may be needed when a large cavity threatens the health of a tooth.Crowns are used to improve the strength or appearance of teeth and to halt deterioration.

Replace existing crowns which have failed.

Restore the form, function and appearance of badly broken down, worn or fractured teeth, where other simpler forms of restorations are unsuitable or have been found to fail clinically.
Improve the aesthetics of unsightly teeth which cannot be managed by simpler cosmetic and restorative procedures.

Maintain the structural stability and reduce the risk of fractures of extensively restored teeth including those which have been endodontically treated.

Veneers are a treatment option dentists use to cover discolored or broken teeth so they appear glossy and white.

Dental veneers are thin, tooth-colored shells that are attached to the front surface of teeth to improve their appearance. They're often made from porcelain or resin-composite materials and are permanently bonded to your teeth.

Porcelain veneer does not damage your natural teeth by any means. In fact, it protects your natural teeth from further decaying as well as other damages. Fragile teeth can be dangerous, as they can be broken down anytime. With veneer, porcelain lamination is added around the teeth to give strength.

Teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment done to improve the appearance of teeth. Teeth are whitened to remove the effects of coffee, cigarettes, and other substances that permanently stain or discolor teeth. Medications such as antibiotics like tetracycline may discolor teeth. Fluorosis, a condition caused by absorbing too much fluoride, could affect tooth color. Furthermore, aging also causes teeth to loose their bright color.

Treatments such as bleaching are most effective on yellowish stains, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). Teeth with brown stains may not bleach as well, and the treatment is even less effective on gray-stained teeth.

Furthermore, bleaching will not change the color of tooth-colored fillings, dentures, crowns, porcelain restorations, bonding, or other material used to restore or replace a tooth. If bleaching is done, the newly whitened teeth will stand out in contrast to fillings or other modifications.

Teeth cleaning (also known as prophylaxis, literally a preventive treatment of a disease) is a procedure for the removal of tartar (mineralized plaque) that may develop even with careful brushing and flossing, especially in areas that are difficult to reach in routine toothbrushing. It is often done by a dental hygienist. Professional cleaning includes tooth scaling and tooth polishing and debridement if too much tartar has accumulated. This involves the use of various instruments or devices to loosen and remove deposits from the teeth.

Dental restoration, dental fillings, or simply fillings, are treatments used to restore the function, integrity, and morphology of missing tooth structure resulting from caries or external trauma as well as to the replacement of such structure supported by dental implants.

Dental braces (also known as braces, orthodontic cases)are devices used in orthodontics that align and straighten teeth and help position them with regard to a person's bite, while also aiming to improve dental health.They are often used to correct underbites, as well as malocclusions, overbites, open bites, deep bites, cross bites, crooked teeth, and various other flaws of the teeth and jaw. Dental braces are often used in conjunction with other orthodontic appliances to help widen the palate or jaws and to otherwise assist in shaping the teeth and jaws.