Monthly Archives

June 2021

Jun 23
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woman sitting in office chair holding face because of dental pain

Dental emergency? Contact our Coffs Harbour emergency dentist now!

By Emergency Dentist No Comments

Dental emergencies can’t wait. Unfortunately, not all dentists are available for immediate dental treatment. Our Coffs Harbour emergency dentist at Magic Smiles is available when you need him most.

Not sure if you have a dental emergency? Severe oral pain, bleeding, and trauma are three factors that require urgent attention. Give our office a call and we can help you determine if you need immediate care or if it can wait until later.

Here are some of the most common dental emergencies we treat:

1. A knocked-out tooth

Sports injuries, roughhousing, and car accidents are a few of the most common causes of an avulsed tooth. In these instances, all hope is not lost.

If you have a knocked-out tooth, call an emergency dentist first. Then, pick up the tooth by the tip, not the root. Rinse it with water if you have it and try to place it back in its place. If you can’t, place it in a glass of milk (preferably) or water. Bring it with you to the dentist’s office. The dentist may be able to preserve the tooth if he gets to it fast enough.

2. Broken or cracked teeth

Teeth become broken or cracked for numerous reasons, such as eating crunchy, hard foods, chewing on nonedible items, sports injuries, and car accidents. A broken tooth should be treated the same as an avulsed tooth.

For a cracked tooth, bite on a clean cloth or gauze until you reach the dentist’s office. If your tooth is cracked, but not painful, it’s still worth a trip to the dentist. An untreated cracked tooth can lead to severe dental pain because of disease-causing bacteria that infiltrate the inner tooth structure.

3. Severe dental pain

Tooth pain that cannot be resolved by over-the-counter pain medications or other home remedies require emergency dental care. The pain could be a result of an untreated infection, cavity, or trauma. Only a dentist can find the root cause of the pain and treat it appropriately.

4. A broken jaw or severe jaw pain

Doctors and dentists can treat a broken jaw, but a dentist might be your best option. Severe jaw pain is the first and most obvious symptom of a broken jaw. You may also experience immobility of the jaw, bruising along the jawline, and misalignment of the jaws or teeth.

In the meantime, put ice on your jaw and tie something around your jaw and face if necessary. Then, get to the dentist’s office as soon as possible.

5. Abscess

An untreated dental or gum infection can lead to an abscess near the tooth root or soft tissues surrounding the teeth. An abscess typically looks like a pimple on the gum tissue.

Dental abscess pain is persistent and throbbing. It might radiate to the jawbone, neck, or ear. Patients with a dental or gum abscess may also have a fever, swelling, and tender lymph nodes.

When dental or gum abscesses are ignored, the infection can spread to the surrounding bone, soft tissues, and sinuses. It can also result in tooth loss and the spread of infection throughout the body.

Coffs Harbour Emergency Dentist

Don’t wait any longer to receive the emergency dental treatment you need. Our Coffs Harbour emergency dentist is here to help when you need us most. Call (02) 6652-3242 now.

Jun 17
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coffs implant dentist

Your Coffs Implant Dentist Explains the Implant Process

By Restorative Dentistry No Comments

If you are missing a tooth, whether from trauma, extraction, or hypodontia (tooth did not form), it is essential to replace it to restore the function and beauty of your smile. While there are several restorative options, a dental implant is the closest you can get to a natural tooth. It replaces the missing tooth root and is the only permanent option.

Are you considering a dental implant? Your Coffs implant dentist, Dr. Arpit Pathak, explains the procedure for replacing a natural tooth with an implant. Dr. Pathak has extensive training and experience with dental implants.

First, you need a consultation with your implant dentist.

After completing diagnostic imaging and collecting your medical history, your implant dentist will perform a thorough oral exam. He will then determine if you are a candidate for a dental implant.

To be a candidate, you must have adequate jawbone to support the pressures chewing and biting place on the implant. If your jawbone has deteriorated or weakened, you may be able to get a bone graft to build up the jawbone. This, however, requires additional surgery. It also requires a healing period before implant surgery.

If you are a candidate, your dentist will go over your unique needs and goals to create a customized treatment plan. Then, we will discuss sedation options, answer all your questions, and schedule you for surgery.

Before Your Implant Surgery

If you have had a joint replacement or are on medications, discuss this with your implant dentist. You may need to take antibiotics or stop a medication before surgery.

The best way to prepare for implant surgery is to go shopping. Stock up on soft foods for the days following surgery. Cool options, such as ice cream, pudding, yogurt, and applesauce, are good options. Some patients find warm foods more comforting, such as broth, cream soup, oatmeal, or eggs. It’s also a good idea to pick up some small re-freezable ice packs.

If you want sedation for surgery, you may need to arrange for someone to bring you to your appointment.

Implant Surgery Process

Dental implant placement is a minor surgery that has few risks. The most significant risks include discomfort, infection, bleeding, and implant failure, but the success rate of implants is 95%. An implant is a titanium screw that your implant dentist will surgically place into your jawbone.  Actual surgery time is about 20 minutes.

Most patients need only local anesthesia, but you may choose another option, such as laughing gas or oral sedation. Once you are comfortable and numb, your implant dentist will make a small incision in your gum line where the implant will go.

Next, he will screw the titanium implant into your jawbone. Titanium is compatible with human tissue and will not rust or corrode.

Once the implant is in place, your dentist will close the site with a few tiny, dissolvable stitches.

After Dental Implant Surgery

You may be asked to continue biting down on gauze to keep the bleeding at a minimum. Sometimes it is necessary to continue doing this for several hours after surgery, and you may need to change the gauze. Your dental team will go over this with you in more detail.

Avoid drinking and eating anything while your mouth is still numb to keep from injuring the surgical site. When the numbness wears off, it is best to stick with soft foods for a couple of days.

Ice packs and over-the-counter pain medications should keep your swelling and discomfort tolerable. If not, there may be something unexpected occurring, and you should call your implant dentist to let him know.

If needed, your dentist may prescribe a special mouth rinse or an antibiotic for you to take. If so, be sure to follow the directions and complete the antibiotics.

Good oral hygiene is essential for the healing process and to avoid infection. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and brush and floss gently but effectively.

Dental Implant Healing Process

Titanium attracts bone cells and encourages new bone growth around the implant in a process called osseointegration. This process fuses the implant to your jawbone, holding it securely in place. However, it will take about three to six months for this to occur, so you will have to wait for complete restoration of the tooth.

Once the implant is a permanent part of your jawbone, your dentist can complete your new tooth.

Your implant dentist will top it off.

A dental implant replaces the tooth root, but not the visible part (crown). Therefore, completing your dental restoration may involve a crown, a bridge, or permanent dentures.

A connector, called an abutment, is placed on the implant. Depending on your treatment plan, we may get impressions at this time for fabrication of your restoration. You may also get a temporary to fill in the gap while waiting for your permanent device.

Once your crown, bridge, or denture is completed, your implant dentist will connect it to the abutment and cement it in place.

Looking for an implant dentist?

If you are in the Coffs Harbour area, the dentists at Magic Smiles Dental and Implant Center have the experience, skills, and technology you want. And we can take care of all the steps, including completing your restoration with a crown, bridge, or denture.

Call (02) 6652-3242 today to schedule your implant consultation and examination.

Jun 10
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cute cartoon wisdom teeth

7 Common Questions About Wisdom Teeth

By Oral Health No Comments

Wisdom teeth get their name because they develop between the ages of 17 and 25. These third molars used to be much more necessary than they are today. In fact, most people have their wisdom teeth removed soon after they erupt.

Long ago, people used wisdom teeth to break down raw vegetables and tough meats. Today, we cook our foods and use utensils to break them into bite-sized pieces. Because of this, our jaws have evolved so that wisdom teeth don’t always fit in the mouth properly, leading to several dental issues.

Want to learn more? Here are the most frequently asked questions about wisdom teeth:

1. Who needs to have their wisdom teeth removed?

When the third molars don’t have enough room to erupt, it’s called impaction. There are three types of impacted wisdom teeth:

  • Soft tissue impaction means the gum tissue surrounding the tooth prohibits adequate cleaning.
  • Partial bony impaction, meaning the tooth won’t function properly and creates cleaning problems.
  • Complete bony impaction where there is not enough space for the tooth to erupt.

Impacted wisdom teeth cause several dental issues, including infection, damage, disease, and dental pain. Patients who experience these symptoms or have x-rays that show their wisdom teeth aren’t developing properly should have them removed as soon as possible.

2. Do all four have to be taken out at once?

No. Sometimes, one or more of the wisdom teeth will develop properly while the rest of them are impacted. In these instances, only the ones that are impacted need to be removed. If all four need to be taken out, the dentist or oral surgeon will most likely recommend one procedure to extract all four, but ultimately, the patient makes the decision.

3. What is the best age to have them removed?

The earlier the better. When it comes to oral surgery, younger people tend to heal much faster than when they are older. So, when a dentist predicts a patient’s wisdom teeth will be impacted, many patients choose to have them removed immediately. This could be as early as age 11!

4. Can I wait to have mine removed?

Yes. Patients can decide not to have their wisdom teeth removed at the time it is suggested by their dentist. However, those patients will likely develop the symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth and experience much more pain and discomfort than if they had them removed at their dentist’s recommendation.

In other cases, patients live their whole lives without too much trouble from their wisdom teeth.

5. Does the extraction hurt?

Dentists strive to make every dental or oral surgery as comfortable as possible. Most patients report feeling pressure and a little discomfort during their extraction but minimal pain. During the treatment planning appointment, the dentist and patient will discuss sedation and anesthesia to determine how much should be used on the day of the surgery.

6. How common are complications from wisdom tooth removal?

Complications from wisdom teeth extraction are few and far between. However, with any surgery, there are always risks. Dry socket is the most common complication. This occurs when a blood clot doesn’t form or is lost too early. A dry socket is dry and painful and inhibits healing and the formation of new bone.

Other rare complications include temporary loss of feeling in the lower lip, chin, and tongue and sinus complications. These issues typically resolve themselves on their own over time.

7. Does it take long to recover?

When patients follow their dentist’s recovery protocol, they can typically resume normal activities in three to five days. Complete healing can take up to two weeks.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction Coffs Harbour

Are you experienced unexplained dental pain? Have you been told recently that your wisdom teeth aren’t being cleaned properly? Our specialists at Magic Smiles are prepared to relieve your pain and restore your smile to health.

To schedule an initial consultation or to get a second opinion, contact our friendly dental team today at (02) 6652-3242.

Jun 09
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coffs general dentist

Why You Need a General Dentist

By Oral Health No Comments

Your smile is important to you. A general dentist can provide many services to keep your smile healthy and beautiful.

At Magic Smiles Dental and Implant Centre, Dr. Arpit Pathak has extensive training to use to the latest technologies, techniques, and materials that modern dental care offers. He provides comprehensive dental care, and he can help you enjoy good oral health for the rest of your life.

Here are five reasons that you need a general dentist.

5. Regular Checkups and Dental Cleans

You should visit a general dentist twice a year – or every six months – to have your teeth and gums checked and cleaned. A general dentist can check for early signs of dental issues and take immediate action to correct or prevent them.

Even with the best personal care at home, you may have enamel stains and plaque buildup that can only be removed professionally. General dentists provide dental cleans to keep your teeth and gums healthy and your smile white and beautiful.

4. A Variety of Dental Services at One Place

You need a general dentist so that you and your family have access to many different dental services in one office, where you know the team and feel comfortable and well cared for. In addition to checkups and dental cleans, general dentistry includes:

The value of having all of your family’s dental care at one office cannot be overstated. In our modern culture, time is tight and responsibilities are great. Save time by booking your children’s checkups, cleanings, and other dental visits back-to-back so you only have to make one trip to the dentist.

3. A Trusting Relationship

If you have good oral health, you probably see your dentist only twice a year. By choosing a Coffs general dentist who can provide all of your family’s dental care, over time you will see that same dentist at many visits.

This more consistent interaction will contribute to you being able to develop trust in the dentist, as you witness his compassion, knowledge, and dedication in treating your family. In addition, you will get to know the hygienist, assistant, and front office personnel. Dr. Pathak has a great team!

You can feel confident at your appointments, in a familiar setting where the doctor answers all of your questions and the team makes sure you’re comfortable. You can also know that medications are available to help alleviate dental anxiety or nervousness during dental treatments, so you can relax. If you cannot develop trust with your dentist, then perhaps you need to find another.

2. Multi-generational Dental Care

Another benefit is that many general dentists will see patients of any age: your children, spouse, and parents. This makes creating the family schedule convenient, because dental visits can be booked back-to-back to reduce the number of trips to the office.

Many general dentists send appointment reminders. If you have just one dentist for the whole family, you won’t risk confusion on which reminder is for which dentist!

A general dentist should genuinely care about your family’s long-term oral health. The hope is, your family’s general dentist will see your children throughout childhood and into adulthood. You’ll never have to transfer records or be a new patient again.

1. Healthy Smile

Preventive dental care involves treatments and procedures to help your mouth stay healthy, long term. If you attend regular checkups and dental cleans, you’ll greatly reduce your potential for developing serious dental infections or gum disease. The dentist and hygienist will ensure that your teeth are tartar-free so that your gums stay strong and healthy.

Many general dentists offer fluoride treatment, a procedure that bathes teeth in fluoride to strengthen enamel and deter cavities. Some also offer sealants for children. Dental sealants coat the rough, top surfaces of molars, where kids have trouble brushing. Sealants create a barrier so that tooth enamel doesn’t come in contact with bacteria that cause cavities.

Your Coffs General Dentist

If you need a general dentist to provide comprehensive dental care for you and your family,  choose our team at Magic Smiles, We have the knowledge and experience you can trust. We also offer a relaxed environment, where your family will feel well cared for. Call us today at (02) 6654-0650 to make your appointment.