FAQ

Any soft or ultra-soft brush with a small brush head is best.  A manual brush works very well if used very gently with a small, circular motion.  An electric or battery operated brush works well but be careful with your technique, let the brush do the work for you.   Just move them tooth by tooth, spending a few moments on each tooth.

Dr Michelle Stone’s favourite saying is that you only have to floss the teeth you want to keep!  Flossing is an essential, and often overlooked part of dental care.  30% of the tooth remains uncleaned if you only brush your teeth.  Floss reaches the difficult, between the teeth areas of your mouth and assists in keeping your gums fit and healthy too.  Reducing the bacteria in your mouth is a key part of great dental health.

Any floss is better than no floss but I find a waxed dental tape works for me.  Floss first and then brush afterwards.

If you think there is a problem at any age please see a Dentist.  The current ADA guidelines suggest children should have their first dental visit by their 1st birthday.   We are always pleased to see children and babies at any time.  They are welcome at your appointment, or we can set aside a time just for your child.  The children’s first visit is usually a time to ‘count their teeth’ and remind them about good oral hygiene and nutrition.

Many children are covered for dental treatment under Medicare.  Other children under private health insurance are often covered with no out of pocket expense-health funds vary on this.  We are proud to encourage dental care for children by also discounting the service fees for children under 12 years of age.

Our Practice philosophy is to take x-rays as and when we need to see inside your teeth.  Like every area of your body it is difficult to see inside without other tests.  We generally recommend x-rays to check between your teeth every 2 ½ to 3 years.  Our digital x-rays have a very low radiation count compared to film types of many years ago.  The amount of information we gain from these tiny films is substantial and contributes to our accurate diagnosis and treatment planning regarding your teeth and gums.

If you need treatment your Dentist will explain what is required and give you an estimate with the number of appointments, the options available to you and the costs involved.  Please feel free to ask questions about your treatment as they are your teeth in your mouth.

Good nutrition, less snacking, good oral hygiene, regular dental visits and drinking plenty of plain, tap-water will assist you to keep your teeth for life.  We will guide you over the course of your appointment with any special actions which would make a difference to your mouth health and longevity.

A dental implant cost is around $5000-$6000.  This cost is split up over the two main parts of the treatment.  The first part of the cost occurs when the titanium implant is placed in the bone.  The second part of the cost occurs when the crown is added to the top of the implant.  There needs to be some healing time between the first procedure and the second.  This allows time for the bone to fuse to the implant, which takes around 4 months.  The second procedure usually takes place between 4 and 12 months after the placement of the titanium screw.  This has the added benefit of maximising your health insurance benefits.

If you chip your tooth, it is wise to come and have our Dentist take a look.  The Dentist will examine the tooth to determine if the chip can be easily smoothed, or the chip has cracked the tooth and a more permanent restoration is required to repair the tooth to function.  Some chips if left, can become quite catastrophic tooth failures and we would rather see them early to advise you of your options than see you when there are no options left.  The Dentist will advise you of all the options available to you and discuss your treatment needs if any.

Yes, we certainly see patients in the case of an emergency.  Our Dentists are able to quickly assess your situation, restore you to comfort and advise you how best to treat your emergency.  Our emergency consultation cost is between $50 and $100 depending upon if you need an x-ray taken.  The Dentist will fully discuss with you any treatment needs from your emergency consultation.