We all agree that dental health is important, not only for a healthy smile but for your general health as well. It’s an important area of the body that not only permits many abilities we take for granted, such as speech and chewing, but also can have a profound effect on our self-esteem. Your teeth and their care are an integral part of your overall well-being. 

That’s why it’s important to have an Edmonton dentist to care for your general dentistry needs, but what does a general dentist do, and why it is important to see one regularly? 

What is General Dentistry?

General dentistry is the area of dental care that most people are familiar with and most dental school graduates practice after finishing. Essentially, it’s preventative dentistry in that these are the dentists you visit for regular checkups and regular teeth maintenance. A general dentist’s main job is to prevent oral diseases from progressing and treat those that are found, such as a cavity or receding gums. 

General dentists are the dentists you see, hopefully, at least once a year for a cleaning, or exam, much like your general practitioner doctor. 

Why Regular Dentist Visits are Important For Your Teeth

The primary reason any Edmonton resident, or any person, should visit their dental office every six months regularly is to find any problems early on. For example, tooth decay can be stopped or managed fairly easily if it’s caught early on and treatment can become harder as oral diseases progress. Another reason to regularly make an appointment with your dental office is education on dental hygiene. While many of us were taught to care for our teeth, a dentist can see what areas you’re missing or habits you’ve been neglecting. 

One area many people don’t consider with their dental health is how it’s tied to other areas of health, such as teeth grinding or headaches, or sleeping. A dentist may not be able to treat these specific issues, but finding the potential cause can lead them to recommend you to the appropriate specialist for a solution. 

General Dentistry Services

General dentistry covers a wide array of dental services, from diagnostics like an X-ray and examination or testing. While the array of services is extensive, there are core categories you can expect from your general dentist:

• Preventative services, such as exams and teeth cleaning
• Restorative services, such as filling a cavity, root canals, dental implants, or repairing a broken tooth
• Overall health, your teeth, and oral care is a window into many other areas. For example, untreated oral infections can increase your risk for cardiovascular disease, and sleep apnea can be detected by your dentist. 

Choose Ellerslie66 as Your General Dentist

Dr. Li and our oral care team are accepting new patients at our Edmonton office and provide general dentistry services to the community. 

Call Today to Schedule an Appointment at 587-801-1939 or Contact Us Online.

For people who feel their teeth aren’t in the best state to show when they laugh or smile, they’ll likely look at dental veneers to help restore confidence in expressing themselves. There are several options within cosmetic dentistry to give you that confidence boost and help you feel more comfortable, but while researching what’s the best option for you’re likely looking into how a treatment works. 

Look no further for information on how teeth veneers work for your smile than the facts below. 

What are Dental Veneers?

Dental veneers are a treatment within cosmetic dentistry where thin shells are placed on the surface of a tooth. Veneers can be used for a wide range of dental issues and there are several materials you can choose from, such as the popular porcelain veneer. The porcelain type of veneers is the traditional choice due to their strength and durability, with the added benefit that they look nearly identical to the natural enamel of your teeth. Other choices of veneers include:

• Composite resin veneers: they can take longer to create, but also offer a natural appearance that mimics your natural teeth and are quite durable.
• Ceramic veneers: a cost-effective solution that requires less tooth preparation and can look natural depending on the quality of composite resin used. 

If you’re unsure what choice of veneer is for you, talk with your dentist to see what will work best for your situation and dental treatment. 

How Do Veneers Better Dental Health?

Veneers can help restore your teeth to a healthy-looking smile and help resolve an array of dental issues that may have undercut their pristine look. While many people seek out veneers to cover up imperfections they’re concerned about, like stains or discolorations of your teeth, they can also be used as a repair treatment. Veneers can also be used to help with:

• Filling gaps between teeth
• Helping crooked teeth look straight
• Covering up chips and broken teeth
• Covering up abnormally shaped teeth

Veneers are a very versatile tool in a dentist’s toolbox, so whether you’re wanting to improve your teeth’s appearance or better their health, veneers are an excellent choice to discuss with your dentist. 

How Dental Veneers Work

Veneers work by covering the existing teeth with a layer of porcelain, or other materials mentioned earlier, that is as thin as a wafer. Part of the dental veneer procedure is removing less than a millimeter off the surface of the tooth to preserve the nerve and keep the tooth’s strength, helping to ensure the teeth last and there is little risk of replacing them if needed in the future. 

Veneers are custom and don’t need to cover every tooth, just the ones that are of concern and potentially the ones on either side. Your dentist customized the veneer based on the shape and color of your natural teeth, as well as the ones surrounding where the veneer is being placed. That is more so for full veneers rather than partial veneers, the latter being closer to arranging puzzle pieces to cover damaged or discolored areas rather than the whole tooth. 

Get Veneers For Your Teeth With Us!

If getting veneers sounds like a restorative treatment you’re looking for, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Li. She’ll examine your health history and current dental health before outlining a treatment plan that is personalized to your teeth’ needs.

Dr. Li and the care team at Ellerslie 66 Dental Clinic strive to make dental care affordable and accessible to all of our patients. We will work with you to find a treatment plan for your dental veneers that works for your financial situation.

If you have questions about veneers, our team of compassionate professionals can help you understand all of your options. Contact us now or give us a call at (780) 705-9866.

There are several options for a person in need of dental crowns, but perhaps one of the most popular is porcelain crowns. There are several reasons why it’s a top choice out of the dental crowns types available, but if you’re considering porcelain crowns for yourself, then read below for more information on how a porcelain crown can benefit your teeth.

What are Porcelain Crowns?

Porcelain dental crowns are a cosmetic option for people who have experienced tooth decay or have damaged teeth. They can be made as caps or crowns, in either case are custom-made, and restore a tooth to its original size, strength, and function. They are most commonly used for the restoration of front teeth and are an option when fillings or other methods of tooth restoration won’t fix the issue. 

There are several types of crowns made of porcelain, such as the traditional feldspathic porcelain, but other porcelain types include:

• Empress: a glassy appearance that can be considered to be among ceramic crowns
• Procera: exceptionally strong due to the milled ceramic on the inside of the crown
• Lava: This crown is made with zirconia on the inside for a greater appeal on the outside.
• Zirconia: made of zirconia and doesn’t leave a black line at the gum line like some porcelain-made crowns.
• Emax: fast becoming a popular type of porcelain for crowns

Some of the options listed above are metal-based crowns but can be fused with porcelain as well. If you have a metal allergy, let your dentist know as that will impact the type of crown you’re able to have. 

How are Porcelain Dental Crowns Made?

There are several steps to making crowns out of porcelain, as each patient has unique teeth, and the dental crowns need to fit comfortably. The crown itself is made from a mold of a prepared tooth, more on that later, and is shaped like the tooth it is replacing. Depending on the type of crown chosen, such as types of porcelain, a thin layer of metal is formed around the mold of the tooth, and the porcelain is built up over it to create the rest of the crown. If the dental crown is pure porcelain, the crown is made from a mold that is prefabricated to fit over the tooth correctly. 

Benefits of Dental Crowns Made of Porcelain

As mentioned earlier, there are several types of dental crowns available and it’s important to know the benefits of each before discussing with your dentist the best type for you. With regard to dental crowns made of porcelain, the benefits include:

• Porcelain can be formed to look like your natural teeth
• Nearly impossible to notice due to the natural color
• No allergic reactions
• Crowns made of porcelain are resistant to stains
• The best option for when decay and cavities prevent filling
• Porcelain is extremely strong and known to last for 15 years or more
• Crowns made of porcelain are reported to help decrease tooth sensitivity

What is the Porcelain Dental Crown Procedure?

For a dental crown made of porcelain, there are essentially three steps:

1. Preparing the tooth
2. Creating the crown
3. Placing the crown

To prepare the tooth, your dentist will remove a portion of the enamel and sometimes the center of the tooth. If the crown is being placed due to tooth decay, an endodontic surgery (root canal) may be required before the crown can be placed. If the decay hasn’t reached that far, then the surface of the tooth will be reduced. Once the tooth has been shaped, a mold is made to form the crown. If the crown is to replace a tooth, a dental implant will be placed to support the crown. 

The dental crowns are created in a dental lab, but after it’s been made they will be fitted over the prepared tooth by your dentist and then adhered to with a strong dental fixative. Your dentist will likely have polish and slightly reshaped to ensure the best fit so it can fit correctly and contact the tooth on the opposing jaw for proper chewing and speaking. Once the crown is properly fitted, your dentist will cure the fixative and may do another polishing if needed.

If you need a dental crown and are considering porcelain or are worried about the strength of your teeth, we have numerous payment options available and if you have dental benefits, we will submit your claims on your behalf. We also welcome cash, Visa, MasterCard, and e-Transfer payment methods to help make the dentist visit as pain-free as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns about our dental services or would like to schedule an appointment, you can call us at 780-705-9866 or contact us here.

Teeth whitening is a very popular type of cosmetic dentistry where there are several types of treatments to whiten teeth in a way best for your dental needs. You’ve likely seen many at-home teeth whitening products, but in this article, we’ll focus more on the types of in-office teeth whitening that your dentist can perform for you. 

Why Whiten?

Before we discuss your whitening options, why would your teeth need to be whitened in the first place? Each tooth has a protective layer called enamel and it’s designed to stop the harmful effects of acid, sugar, chewing, and gnashing, but it’s worn down with time. As it wears down, it becomes more transparent which allows the natural core material of the tooth to show, and that color is yellow. Beyond the tooth’s core color showing, cracks in the enamel allow for stains and debris to set in which robs your teeth of their bright white. 

Generally, there are two categories of tooth staining that create tooth discoloration:

Intrinsic teeth stains: These tooth stains are on the inside of the teeth, caused by aging, trauma to the tooth, minerals like tetracycline, or excessive fluoride. 

Extrinsic teeth stains: These are the stains that are on the surface of the tooth and come from dark-color beverages, foods, smoking, and the everyday wear and tear. Usually, these types of teeth stains can be removed with brushing and dental cleaning as they are more superficial.

Specific causes of tooth discoloration and the need for dental whitening include:

• Age, teeth darken as a result of wear and tear, as well as stain accumulation
• Translucency and thinness, a genetic trait that causes the teeth to have less pigment. 
• Smoking and eating, many foods can cause staining over the years like red wine, coffee, soda, carrots, oranges, and acidic foods can cause enamel erosion. If a smoker, nicotine leaves brownish deposits that slowly soak into the tooth and cause intrinsic discoloration. 
• Grinding, can cause micro-cracks and the edges of a tooth to darken
• Tooth trauma, injuries to the tooth can create large cracks where stains and debris can collect in them.

Tooth Whitening vs. Teeth Bleaching

When people consider having teeth whitening done, they are surprised to learn that there is a difference between bleaching teeth and whitening them. Bleaching means that the teeth are whitened beyond their natural color and applies only to products that contain bleach in the whitening treatment, such as hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. The two chemicals work in different timetables, for example, hydrogen peroxide is often used in a dental office because it’s fast-acting and powerful. You’ll likely find carbamide peroxide with at-home teeth whitening products or a teeth whitening kit because it’s slower-acting. 

Whitening refers to any treatment that restores the tooth’s surface color by removing the dirt and debris from the tooth. By that definition, run-of-the-mill toothpaste could be considered teeth whiteners. While it’s true that both bleaching and whitening are used interchangeably, it’s good information to know when discussing options with your dentist to ensure you’re getting what you want. 

Teeth Whitening Treatment Options

While there are three major options for teeth whitening, we’ll forgo discussing the over-the-counter teeth whiteners and discuss the two options you have at a dental office:

In-office Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening provided by your dentist at their office is the fastest way to whiten your teeth. The dentist will first place a rubber dam that is painted on the gums to protect them and then use a high-concentration peroxide gel that is applied to the teeth. The gel sits on the teeth in 15 to 20-minute intervals that altogether add up to an hour. While this usually takes care of all the stains affecting your smile, sometimes a follow-up treatment will be given if there is a stubborn stain or two.

Professional Home Teeth Whitening

There are professional teeth whitening products only available through your dentist that you’re able to take home. The home whitening kit uses a lower concentration peroxide gel that can be left to sit for an hour or longer, including overnight using custom-made bleaching trays, like a mouth guard. 

No matter which type of teeth whitening you and your dentist agree is best, whitening your teeth can boost your self-esteem and recapture that bright smile. 

If you’re interested in having your teeth whitened, we have numerous payment options available and if you have dental benefits, we will submit your claims on your behalf. We also welcome cash, Visa, MasterCard, and e-Transfer payment methods to help make the dentist visit as pain-free as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns about our dental services or would like to schedule an appointment, you can call us at 780-705-9866 or contact us here.

Planning a teeth cleaning can add an extra hurdle to your day, especially if you’re unsure how long the teeth cleaning process will take. While dental cleanings can be a bit annoying to fit into your schedule, it’s extremely important to your health to prioritize regular teeth cleanings every six months. 

For those with anxiety around any dental treatment or dentist visits, the six-month teeth cleanings can be a stressful thing to hear. To help ease any discomfort about regularly having this important treatment, we’ll discuss what the average teeth cleaning time is, why, and what is involved.

The Average Dental Cleaning Time

There are a few things to consider when figuring out how long a teeth cleaning will take, mostly around the state of your oral health and dental routine at home. If you have a solid brushing and flossing routine twice a day, the teeth cleaning time should be 30 to 40 minutes or an hour to 90 minutes, depending on the condition of your teeth during that visit and the hygienists’ cleaning speed. 

Other factors that could increase your average teeth cleaning time are:

• The condition of your teeth: Having teeth cleanings involves clearing away plaque, stains, and tartar from your teeth. The amount of buildup depends on how often you brush and floss – the more you do it, the less there will be. Of course, you don’t want to overdo it as over-brushing and over-flossing can cause problems too. 
• Gum disease: This can greatly impact the time your teeth cleaning can take as the deep periodontal pockets need to be thoroughly cleaned out to cure the gum disease. The process involves scaling and root planing, which is a deeper cleaning than your average dental cleaning appointment. If it’s more severe, your dentist may recommend seeing a periodontist to fix the problem.
• Fear of dentistry: Patients with anxiety around dental appointments tend to have longer teeth cleaning visits as your provider will work at a slower pace and prioritize your comfort. They’ll outline the process of what they’re doing, be patient while keeping you calm, or offer sedation to better help you through the treatment.

As you can see, there is some wiggle room in how long a teeth cleaning will take. The good news is that you have an idea of what to budget for time-wise in your schedule. 

If you’re in need of a preventative dentistry appointment, like a teeth cleaning, we encourage you to explore here: Preventative Dentistry With Ellerslie 66 Dental

What Does a Professional Teeth Cleaning Involve?

While many of us have had numerous teeth cleaning appointments, it’s always good to have a little refresher, especially if you have some anxiety around dental appointments. Here is what you can expect during your teeth cleaning:

• Examining your teeth and gums with a concave mirror to check for signs of oral health problems.
• Using a small hooked tool called a peridontal scaler to remove plaque and tartar from the surface of a tooth, in between your teeth, and near the gum line.
• Polishing and flossing to remove any stains, usually used with a handheld electric tool with a rubber cup attached. The hygienist will also use a gritty toothpaste during this process before finishing with flossing.
• Fluoride is very often used during teeth cleaning appointments and usually near the end. You usually get to choose the flavor of gel you like and for a minute you sit and wear it in a mouthpiece.

And that’s the teeth cleaning appointment in a nutshell! As mentioned earlier, for patients with a lot of anxiety around the dentist, you can request sedation. 

Edmonton Dental Cleaning

Having regular teeth cleaning is extremely important to the health of your teeth, not only to keep your teeth healthy but also to catch any problems before they become serious. If you’re in need of an appointment, we have numerous payment options available and if you have dental benefits, we will submit your claims on your behalf. We also welcome cash, Visa, MasterCard, and e-Transfer payment methods to help make the dentist visit as pain-free as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns about our dental services or would like to schedule an appointment, you can call us at 587-801-1939 or contact us here.