Treatment Options

Initial Consultation 

The first people you will meet will be our friendly reception staff, who will ask you to complete a medical form.

Our dental needs to be aware of your general state of health as this can often impact upon the condition of your teeth and gums and may effect medication such as anaesthetics and antibiotics we may use for you.

At your consultation you will have the opportunity to discuss any dental concerns you may have or how you would like your teeth improved.

Your dental team will give you a full oral assessment to help accurately plan which treatments would be best for the health of your mouth. During this examination we will be looking at -

• Teeth and the way you bite
• Original restorations- Filling, crowns, veneers etc
• The health of your gums and surrounding bone around each tooth
• Your tongue, throat, cheeks & lips for signs of oral cancer
• Jaw joint evaluation

Dental X-rays will also be taken of your teeth to check for -

• Decay inside the tooth or between the teeth.
• Abscess or cysts on the roots of your teeth.
• Root positions
• Bone loss

Once the examination is complete the dental team will discuss the findings with you.

We will then create a treatment plan including all the benefits and risks of each procedure and the costings. This will allow you to decide what is best for your long term dental health.

Scale and Clean

A simple procedure to clean deposits- plaque and calculus (hard build up of plaque) off the teeth.  If done regularly it can help promote healthier gums and prevent periodontal disease. Regular check ups also help us to detect any problems with your teeth so that we can address the issue while they are minor rather than leave it until you develop a major dental problem. If your problem is severe we will refer you to a periodontist

Time- 30 minutes to one hour.

Cost- $200

Frequency- depends on your dental health and smoking habits. Health funds advise a clean every 6 months

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Fillings (Tooth Coloured)

Decay in teeth, defective amalgam (old silver fillings) are removed and a tooth coloured resin is placed within the tooth creating an aesthetically pleasing filling and improving the biting surface or structure of the tooth. Resins are matched to your own tooth colour so it will look completely natural. You must remember to change the habits that caused you to have the filling in the first place.

Time- 20 minutes to two hours. You may be numb for one to three hours.

Cost- $200-$300 depending on size

Frequency- depends on your dental health and smoking habits. If you continue the bad habits that caused the decay, then you will keep replacing and getting bigger fillings which eventually will enroach on the nerve, then needing either a Root canal therapy or extraction.

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Crowns, Bridges and Veneers

Crowns

Crowns are a porcelain or gold cap that is placed over your own tooth to help maintain the integrity of your tooth. The tooth may have a crown placed if the tooth has a large filling or has had Root Canal Therapy. Inlays and onlays can be made from porcelain or gold material but are only placed on a section of the tooth. Crowns, inlays and onlays help to strengthen of your own tooth and improve chewing mobility. They are longer lasting than regular fillings. A crown is like a helmet, it protects the tooth from the impact of the opposing teeth during eating.

Time- one to two hours. You may be numb for three hours, and have a temporary crown for three weeks.

Cost- $1200. 

Frequency-Last approximately 10 years or more if you have good eating, drinking and brushing habits, and no traumatic events.

Bridges

A Bridge is made from porcelain or porcelain with metallic alloy for strength and is placed where there is a gap between the teeth. Teeth on either side of the gap are prepared, and have  crowns placed on each of them with a tooth/teeth fixed between them to fill the gap.

Note- these are rarely done anymore due to the advent of implants. The problem with bridges is keeping the teeth clean; the majority of people get decay under bridges eventually, at which point you may no longer be able to save them anymore.

Veneers

Veneers are porcelain or resin covers used to cosmetically improve your teeth and smile. Your choice of shade is taken and teeth are prepared to have the veneers placed over the front of the tooth.

Cost: 10 front teeth cost $8000. 6 front teeth cost $6000

Eligibility: must have a safe bite with good enamel.

Crowns, Bridges and Veneers are completed in 2 to 3 appointments

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Teeth Whitening

We have take home whitening kits and the latest of chair side whitening available.

We do however, reccomend the Oral B whitening strips available at the pharmacy or supermarket as they work as well.

If you prefer the custom made bleaching trays in order to avoid the taste of the bleach, we provide them for a cost of $150 for the trays alone. The bleach is $100 for 4 syringes.

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Emergency and Pain Relief Dentistry

We provide emergency appointments and pain relief dentistry.

For patients in pain we will try and see them as early as possible and we will provide appropriate pain relief.

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Wisdom Teeth and Tooth Extractions

If you need to have your wisdom teeth taken out we can arrange for you to have it done in hospital or in the dental chair. Simple tooth extractions or single surgical tooth extractions can be performed in a chair-side visit.

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Root Canal Treatment 

Root canal treatment is a method of saving the tooth if the nerve has become infected. 

Root canal therapy usually takes four visits to complete. Complete X-rays of the teeth will be taken and examined before the treatment begins.

Initially, a local anesthetic will be administered, and a dental dam (protective sheet) will be placed to ensure that the surgical area remains free of saliva during the treatment. An opening will be created in the surface of the tooth, and the pulp will be completely removed using small handheld instruments.

The space will now be shaped, cleaned and filled with gutta-percha. Gutta-percha is a biocompatible material that is somewhat similar to rubber. Cement will be applied on top to ensure that the root canals are completely sealed off.

 Usually, a temporary filling will be placed to restore functionality to the tooth prior to the permanent restoration procedure. During the final visit, a permanent restoration or crown will be placed.

Time-40 minutes to two hours over 4 visits

Cost- $900 1 nerve. $1000 2 nerves. $1200 3 nerves in total for the RCT and the filling. This price does not include the crown. The crown is $1200

Item numbers to check with your healthfund:

419- extipation

415- instrumentation 1 nerve

416- instrumentation additional nerves

417- obturation one nerve

418- obtration additional nerves

022- radiograph

A crown is generally recommended after root canal therapy in the back teeth.

If your root canal is complex, has been previously treated, has unusual anatomy or is not responding to treatment, we will refer you to an endodontist.

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Braces

Note:

Whilst we do braces, we are not orthodontists. We are general dentists with a special interest in orthodontics. We advise you always to seek a second opinion from an orthodontist prior to starting treatment, and we aim to avoid cases which are beyond our training.

If you are concerned about overlapping, crooked teeth or an uneven smile braces may be an option for you. We can discuss the best option for you and may either do the orthodontic treatment in house, or  will refer you to an orthodontist.

Cost: $6500 for upper and lower braces ($3000 deposit and 16 monthly payments of $250/month via denticare). $4500 for upper or lower braces

Invisalign

Want a straight beautiful smile but don't want anyone to know you are wearing an orthodontic appliance. Consider invisalgn. We provide invisalign at Dental Care Guildford. With invisalign the attachments and buttons on the teeth are slightly visible.

Cost: $6500 upper and lower. $4500 single arch but only in certain cases

If teeth are mildly crowded $4000 for 14 aligners or less, $500 for additional  refinement.

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Night Splints and Sports Mouthguard

Night Splints

Tooth grinding (called Bruxism) or clenching your teeth at night can contribute to sore teeth and jaw muscles, worn down or broken teeth. Wearing a splint at night can help alleviate pressure from clenching and damage from grinding and help in breaking the habit.

Cost: $500

Mouth Guards

Sports mouthguards protect you or your child's teeth from sporting injuries. Unlike store-bought mouth guards, we custom make sports mouthguards to fit your mouth comfortably and securely. Available in a range of colours.

Cost: $150 (3mm)  $200 (5mm)

NSW Health Vouchers

 We accept NSW Health Vouchers. These vouchers do come with conditions, so treatment is dependent on the conditions of the voucher. We do not do dentures

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