Tossing up whether or not to get your cosmetic dentistry done in Brisbane or overseas? You can get your teeth done ‘on the cheap’ overseas, right? And you can kick back on a relaxing sun-kissed holiday while you’re at it. What’s the catch? While it seems like a no-brainer for some, the Australian Dental Association warns Australians that cosmetic dentistry performed overseas is risky and things can, and do, go wrong. Before you book that plane ticket with sun, cocktails and a killer smile on your mind, do your research on the benefits of cosmetic dentistry in Brisbane versus overseas. Affordable cosmetic dentistry in Brisbane The main reason driving people to Thailand and other countries for dental work is cost. It can be overwhelming when you’re faced with major dental work and don’t know how you can afford it. It can be tempting to seek out cheaper alternatives – to hell with the risk! Cosmetic dentistry in Brisbane is more affordable than you think. Contact your local cosmetic dentist in Brisbane for a free appraisal and quote and be sure to ask them about financial plans. You may even be eligible for money back with your private health fund. Don’t disregard getting your cosmetic dentistry done in Brisbane until you fully investigate the costs. You might be surprised how reasonable they are! Choose a cosmetic dentist you can trust Cosmetic dentistry and major dental works usually involve several appointments and consultations. It can be nerve-wracking and scary for some. When you choose a Brisbane cosmetic dentist, you can build a rapport with them. They will do their best to make you feel safe and at ease. You can trust that they will be gentle and know what they are doing. You can be guaranteed that your cosmetic dentist in Brisbane is experienced and qualified to Australian standards. Can you say the same about cosmetic dentists overseas? When you have dental work performed overseas, you don’t always have the opportunity to build the same level of trust with your dentist. You are oftenallocated a dentist on the day and have little time to feel reassured with their expertise. They may not be as qualified as dentists in Brisbane, have the same level of experience, nor follow the same health standards.   What if things go wrong? The more complex the dental work, the greater the chance of things going pear-shaped. The last thing you want is to have your teeth in worse shape than you started with or be left with an infection or in pain. If you’re not satisfied with your dental work or are having post-surgery complications, you can’t just whip back overseas and ask your dentist to take...

Teeth whitening is on the rise in Brisbane, but dentists aren’t doing cartwheels about it. Read on to find out why! Why do we crave a glowing white smile? When you meet new people or confer with a colleague, your smile helps you put your best foot forward. It’s your way of expressing happiness, of sharing experiences with others, and making new connections. Your smile is seriously important! So, if your teeth have yellowed as a result of your weekend love of wine or just as a result of age, it can be a real downer. This is when most of us turn to teeth whitening – and often it’s the easier, cheaper, nastier types you can buy over the counter and use at home. Given that the chemicals used in these products are harsh and can cause serious damage to your pearly whites, the trend is extremely disturbing to dentists. You don’t want to skimp on your smile – you want to give your toothy pegs a well-deserved spa day. Only a professional dentist can do this safely and effectively. Teeth whitening options There are a number of different options available currently to help you whiten your teeth. These include: Teeth whitening strips Teeth whitening strips involve the application of a film of bleaching agent directly to the teeth, which gradually whitens them. The effect lasts for about 1 to 2 weeks depending on your lifestyle, so it’s an ongoing process. While the strips are usually inexpensive, it’s not very effective, and the chemicals used can be harmful. Whitening pens Whitening pens include ingredients similar to those found in the whitening strips – peroxide and baking soda – but without the longer exposure that whitening strips provide. Again, they’re inexpensive and only temporarily effective. At-home bleaching At home bleaching is when a solution is applied to a plastic tray that looks similar to a mouth guard. This is inserted into the mouth, where the solution is left on the teeth for around 30 to 60 minutes. With proper care, the whitening effect can last for 3 to 12 months. Professional ‘in office’ treatments In a professional dentist setting, a gel is applied to the teeth and an LED light is used to whiten them. The procedure usually takes 60 minutes, and involves the dehydration of the teeth surfaces, which brightens them. The effects of this procedure can last for 1 to 3 years. Smartlight 3LT and Smart Bleach KTP Laser treatments This method is more advanced and involves the use of a specially formulated red gel on the teeth and a green light to whiten. The process doesn’t involve dehydration and is therefore much better for your teeth,...

Help! My Filling Fell Out! What Do You Do When Your Fillings Start Abandoning Ship? A bite of lunch. A sip of coffee. You run your tongue along your teeth when suddenly you realise… It’s gone. That familiar presence in your mouth. Your helpful little tooth buddy has sailed off into the sunset quicker than you can say “Ahoy there!”. So what do you do when you realise that your filling fell out? What does it mean? A word about fillings A filling is designed to provide assistance to a tooth that has experienced decay. It can be made from a variety of materials depending on personal choice, dental availability, aesthetic preference and cost. The filling material effectively acts as a plug and safeguards the tooth against the invasion of further bacteria. By very nature of the complex processes of the human mouth, fillings are not designed to last forever. As the mouth, jaw and teeth will shift and change over time, it’s only natural that your fillings will eventually decide to sail off towards that big dental surgery in the sky. But my filling fell out! Besides feeling betrayed by your problem filling, there are a few questions you may have. Where did it go? Is anything bad going to happen? What do I do now? Where did my filling go? Good question. Your filling could have become dislodged in something that you were eating. It could have fallen out while you were brushing or flossing. Or… you could have swallowed it. (It’ll pass.) None of these are a big deal. If your filling fell out, the most important thing to do is to let it go and focus on the aspect of your treatment you can actually control. Is anything bad going to happen? Your decayed tooth is now exposed to the air, bacteria and food substances. You might experience a weird sensation, like nerves tingling, or you may be in actual pain. When you realise that your filling fell out your first port of call should be your dentist. What do I do now? Call your family dentist and arrange a dental appointment as quickly as possible to prevent further damage to the exposed tooth. Let reception know that your filling fell out so they can give you any further immediate advice. Don’t let a tooth mutiny get you down. If your filling fell out, set sail for Robert Duhig Dental for the gentlest treatment on the high...

Affordable Emergency Dental Care - How We Care For You If you’ve ever had a toothache, you’ll know just how much it can ruin your day. Too often though, people choose to soldier on, despite the pain and discomfort. But delaying treatment for dental pain can result in a minor and easily treated problem growing into something much worse. Don’t ignore your dental pain! It’s possible to find affordable emergency dental care to relieve your tooth pain swiftly and gently. Triage care: stop the pain immediately, then plan further treatment Dental pain can be incredibly debilitating. Using a triage system, your dentist will first aim to alleviate the discomfort you’re experiencing. Once pain-free, you and your dentist can discuss any further treatment that might be required to resolve your dental issue. This is especially useful if you have chipped or cracked a tooth. Broken teeth can expose the nerve, which then makes eating and drinking painful. An initial stop-gap solution can soothe the pain then and there with further treatment scheduled for a later time. Treat the problem early with affordable emergency dental care! Payment plans for emergency dental care Putting off treating your dental emergency for financial reasons? Not only do you deserve to be pain-free, but delaying treatment can result in a costlier problem in the long run. In the case of broken teeth, leaving the nerve exposed can lead to permanent damage, which can be much harder to treat and can even result in the damaged tooth needing to be extracted. Payment plans are available to make affordable emergency dental care a possibility for everyone, even when you don’t have the money upfront. Pay as you go Are you avoiding treating your strong tooth pain because of the upfront financial outlay? If your dental treatment requires multiple visits over time, paying for each appointment as you go means affordable emergency dental care is within reach. Gentle and competitively priced dentists are always busy and it can be tricky to get an appointment for a standard visit. At Rob Duhig Dentists, emergency care is prioritised as needed. Each day, time is blocked out for emergency walk-in appointments, including some nights, so it makes sense to call and check on availability. Affordable emergency dental care can be performed on short notice, relieving your tooth pain and preventing further damage. Call Robert Duhig, the gentle Brisbane dentist, to secure your appointment NOW on (07) 3269...

Pediatric Dentistry Could Prevent Painful Costs Later On! If you’re looking at your young child’s crooked teeth and thinking they’re likely to need braces, it may be time to consider pediatric dentistry. Some parents feel that dentist visits are an unnecessary cost for younger children, preferring to wait until all the ‘adult teeth’ have come through, but think again. You are far better off getting your child’s teeth checked now to prevent bigger problems down the track! What does a pediatric dentist do? A pediatric dentist has experience in treating the specific teething and oral health problems faced by children. Pediatric dentistry clinics are designed to make your children feel comfortable during their visit, ensuring they trust their dentist. This sets them up for a lifetime of good dental care. A pediatric dentist is also able to identify the ‘trouble spots’ in your child’s teeth and gums, potentially nipping problems in the bud before you need to save for costly orthodontic treatments when your child hits their teens. What problems will a pediatric dentist look for? Your child’s ‘baby teeth’ will come in between birth and around 3 years of age. Sometime between the ages of 5 and 12, these baby teeth will fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth. It’s around this time that many parents and carers begin to notice the telltale signs of dental problems like overbites, crooked teeth or crowded gums. Pediatric dentistry visits will assess: Teeth that have yet to come through. When a baby tooth falls out, usually a permanent tooth will replace it within a few weeks. Sometimes ‘adult’ teeth will take longer to come through. When this happens, other teeth move around to fill the gap, causing crowding. Underbites and overbites. Problems such as lingua tori and other mouth shape issues such as underbites or overbites can be identified early. In some cases, your pediatric dentist may suggest a plate or mouthguard to assist. A plate may seem expensive for a child or tween, but it can prevent the far more costly option of a full set of braces later-on. Permanent teeth that grow through before baby teeth come out. In these cases, permanent teeth erupt through the gum behind, in front of, or next to the primary tooth, which has yet to come out. If the primary tooth is not loose and you can’t pull it out, this may cause issues with crowding, which can lead to speech difficulties and problems chewing. Wisdom teeth. Every child is different, but wisdom teeth can be very problematic for all ages. X-rays are performed on your child to assess whether their wisdom teeth will impact other molars. If you notice crookedness in...