Visiting a Woden Dentist

While we offer specialised dental services at Acacia Dental, we also pride ourselves on providing high-quality general dentistry. Going to the dentist might not be your favourite activity, but it is an extremely important one. You might just need a routine check-up or it might be an emergency, what is essential is that you come and see us so we can get your oral health back on track. That’s why we do everything we can to make you feel at home. 

General dentistry is the foundation of what we do at Acacia Dental Group. It enables us to educate our patients on how to prevent oral health problems, instil good dietary and hygiene habits in our young patients and build the foundation for a healthy lifestyle. If you’re not sure of what general dentistry involves, take a look below at the comprehensive list of services that we provide:

• Your First Visit
• Emergency dentistry
• Kids dentistry
• White tooth fillings
• Tooth extraction
• Root canal therapy
• Fissure sealants
• Periodontal disease & gum health
• Dentures
• Night guards and splints
• Mouthguards

Your First Visit

Your first visit to a new dental practice in Woden, Canberra might be a little nerve-wracking; you’re not sure what the place looks like, what the team are like, or what your appointment will entail. That doesn’t have to be the case, however. At Acacia Dental Group, we do everything in our power to make you feel right at home from the moment you pick up the phone to book your first appointment. 

Exactly what happens at your first visit depends a little on the reason for your visit. However, if your visit is for a routine check-up, your appointment will be up to an hour long and will involve the following aspects:

• Questions – your first visit at Woden practice is our opportunity to get to know you, and also your chance to get to know us. We’ll review your medical history and may ask you questions about any toothaches, sensitivity or cosmetic concerns you may have.
• Exam – at your first routine appointment, your dentist will need to carry out a comprehensive dental exam. This will involve inspecting your teeth and mouth thoroughly and will enable the dentist to detect potential problems such as signs of tooth decay and gum disease so we can stop them in their tracks. 
• X Rays – unless we already have your dental records with recent Xrays, we will almost certainly take some Xrays at your first visit. This will give us a chance to detect issues such as cavities, gum disease, bone loss and infection as well as impacted teeth and jaw bone issues. The Xrays are perfectly comfortable, and you’ll be fitted with a lead-free apron as well as some snazzy glasses. 
• Cleaning – after we’ve examined you, it’ll be time to give your teeth a good old clean. This will involve removing plaque from the outside of your teeth with special dental instruments and polishing your teeth with a special paste. Again, we’ll make sure you’re comfortable, and the great thing is you’ll leave your appointment feeling minty fresh. 

During your first visit, we’ll put together a treatment plan for you so you can book in for any of our other general dentistry, orthodontic or cosmetic treatments that you may require. And, if you don’t need any further treatment, then hopefully, you’ll be more than happy to book in for your next appointment in six months.

Emergency Dentistry

While we hope it won’t happen to you, dental emergencies can happen for all sorts of reasons. Tooth decay can cause a sudden rise in pain or swelling, and teeth can come loose or be knocked out during sporting activities. And, ultimately, whether it has come on suddenly or began as an intermittent nagging, if you are in pain, we don’t want you to suffer. Emergency dentistry is a vital part of general dentistry and means that there is always someone there to help if a sudden problem arises. 

Whatever the cause of your dental emergency, will do everything in our power to get you in for an appointment at our Woden practice as soon as possible. And, of course, we will treat you with the utmost care at what can be a stressful time. All we ask is that you get in touch with us as soon as possible. By dealing with your emergency dental needs quickly, we can hopefully reduce the chance of infection or more invasive and expensive treatment being required.  

Kids Dentistry

Dental health and oral education are vital, which is why it’s so important to bring your children to the dentist. Kids dentistry is necessary from an early age as plaque can start to build up as soon as baby teeth appear. While brushing teeth twice a day and giving your children a healthy balanced diet will help, only the dentist will really be able to check if their teeth and gums are healthy. The dentist is also able to offer you advice for preventative care. After all, kids dentistry is about so much more than the health of their teeth at each appointment; it’s about setting them up to have healthy teeth and gums for life. 

At our Woden practice, we’d recommend that you bring your children with you to your appointments as soon as they’re born. That way, they can get used to the surroundings and our staff, and it will be much less daunting when they come in for their first appointment. Their first actual appointment, however, should be just after their third birthday, by which time they should have all of their baby teeth. 

As a privately-owned family-run dental practice, we know the value of kids dentistry only too well. Our resident kid’s dentist, Dr Sirisha, has a warm and caring nature that puts children at ease. What’s more, she makes sure their first appointment is as fun as possible. She’ll spend time playing with them, getting to know them and putting them at ease. While we’ll of course gently examine their teeth and gums, they won’t spend much time in the dental chair.  At our Canberra practice, we’ve got your children’s best interests at heart and enjoy nothing more than watching them grow into adults that can put their best smile forward. 

White Tooth Fillings

Fillings are a common part of general dentistry that most of us will have encountered at some point during our lives. By helping to repair cavities and areas of decay in our teeth, they do an amazing job of stopping further problems from developing. What’s more, they are generally relatively quick procedures. When you come in for a tooth filling, the decayed part of your tooth will be removed, and the filling placed there and then.

While silver amalgam fillings used to be commonplace, At Acacia dental they are no longer performed. We use composite resin for all of our fillings, thanks to the various advantages it offers:

• Discrete – composite resin matches the natural colour of tooth enamel, so instead of standing out like a sore thumb, it blends in for a seamless finish.
• Stable – composite resin requires less of the natural tooth structure to be removed, which helps your tooth retain stability.
• Strong – composite resin forms a tighter seal with the tooth as it is bonded to the enamel; this makes your tooth more resistant to further decay.
• Natural – composite resin is biocompatible unlike amalgam, which some studies have shown to pose a health risk. 

When you come for a tooth filling at Acacia dental, you’ll know it will be as natural as can be, so you can walk out with a smile on your face. 

Tooth Extraction

While we’ll always do everything in our power to save your teeth, sometimes a tooth may need to be extracted. This can happen due to severe decay, advanced periodontal disease or because they are broken and can’t be repaired. Tooth extraction is also sometimes required as a preliminary treatment, for example, before orthodontic treatment. 

You may not be overjoyed at the prospect of coming to us for tooth extraction, but the procedure is a relatively simple one. We’ll make sure you are comfortable, and will numb the tooth and surrounding area with a local anaesthetic. While you will feel a certain amount of pressure during the procedure, you shouldn’t feel any pain. The extraction site might be a little sore afterwards, but your dentist will give you advice on how to stop bleeding, reduce swelling and manage any pain. After 24 hours, you’ll be able to resume your normal dental hygiene routine, and the site should heal quickly. 

Although having a tooth extracted at our Canberra practice will be as painless as possible, the missing tooth may cause difficulties when you chew, and your jaw and teeth can move to account for it. And all of these things can have a significant impact on your dental health. Our experienced team will talk you through options for replacing your tooth so you can get your oral health back on track. 

Root Canal Therapy

Once a tooth is damaged bacteria can get through the enamel and reach the pulp and root of the tooth. This may be due to decay or trauma, and you’ll usually know if it’s happened as you’ll start to feel pain or sensitivity. Unfortunately, once you have an infection in the tooth’s root canal, it isn’t possible to remove the bacteria and use a standard filling. Antibiotics can be used to help remove the infection, but they aren’t a long-term solution. This is where root canal therapy comes into play; it enables us to save your natural tooth and keep your smile firmly in place. 

During root canal treatment, we will remove the pulp from the root canal system, thoroughly irrigate and disinfect the area, and will fill the space. And of course, we will ensure that you receive a local anaesthetic, so you don’t feel any pain. While, once you’ve had a root canal, it means that your tooth will technically not be alive anymore, no-one will be able to notice. A root canal is the only treatment that can save the tooth naturally.

Root canals are a very common treatment and one that we perform regularly at our Woden dental practice. With over 20 years of experience in the procedure, Dr. Mallik will make sure that you get the best possible treatment and will ensure to keep you as comfortable as possible throughout. 

Fissure Sealants

If you take a look at or feel your back teeth, you’ll notice that they have natural grooves and pits in them. These areas of the chewing surface of your teeth are known as fissures and are a prime area for food to get stuck and cause damage. What’s more, fissures are tricky to clean, which again makes them at increased risk of tooth decay. Sealants offer a fast and straightforward way to protect your back teeth. 

Sealants are, essentially, protective plastic coatings which are applied to the teeth. The sealant forms a hard shield that prevents food and bacteria from getting stuck in the tiny grooves and, thereby, helps to prevent decay. The procedure only takes a few minutes for each tooth. The teeth will be cleaned and prepared, the sealant will be painted on, and then it will be set with blue light. The procedure is pain-free, all you might notice is that it can feel a bit strange at first when you bite on the sealed tooth. 

While sealants are often applied as soon as adult teeth emerge, between the ages of 11 and 14, they can be a highly effective treatment at any age. Sealants may need to be reapplied once they have worn down and the condition of our mouth and dental needs change over time By regularly seeing your Woden dentist, you’ll know whether fissure sealants could help to protect your teeth. 

Periodontal Disease Prevention

Visiting the dentist is more than just looking after your teeth. It’s about your oral health in general, your gums and jaw are just as important. This is what periodontal maintenance is all about, looking after your gums, the important tissues that hold your teeth in place.

Periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease, is an infection of the soft tissues in your mouth. It is caused by the bacteria found in plaque that can build up on your teeth and gum line. Bacteria can cause your gums to become red and swollen; if left untreated, pockets form as the gums separate from the teeth and eventually as the gum tissue deteriorates, it can lead to tooth loss. 

Unfortunately, gum disease is extremely common, and many of us will experience it in our lifetimes. However, there is most certainly something we can do about it. When it comes to periodontal maintenance, oral hygiene is vital. The best way to prevent gum disease is to use the correct brushing and flossing technique daily to ensure you remove plaque. However, even the most diligent tooth brushers amongst us can miss areas at times. The only way to be sure that you can keep gum disease at bay is to visit your Woden dentist for regular professional examinations and cleanings. 

Dentures

If you have several missing teeth, it is probably having a significant impact on your life. You won’t be able to eat or talk as normal, and your smile won’t have the same sparkle it once had. And, over time, missing teeth may cause further problems as your cheeks and lips lose support, and surrounding teeth begin to grow into the empty spaces. Fortunately, dentures allow you to replace your missing teeth and restore your smile. 

Dentures are removable false teeth made of plastic, nylon or metal. They fit tightly over your gums to replace your missing teeth and reduce further problems caused by the gaps. Sometimes you may need partial dentures which just replace a few missing teeth, or you may require complete dentures which replace your full set of upper or lower teeth. Dentures are a great dental treatment that can restore your bite function, improve your smile and give you back your confidence. 

Nightguards and Splints for Teeth Grinding

Regular general dentist appointments allow your dentist to pick up on issues that you may not even realise you suffer from. If you wake up with headaches or a sore jaw, you may suffer from a condition called bruxism.

Bruxism is the habit of grinding or clenching your teeth. You may do it in your sleep or during the day, but if you’re a night teeth grinder, chances are you don’t realise it. It can happen at any time in your life and may be brought on by stressful situations, sleeping issues or crooked teeth. Bruxism can lead to:

• Aches – headaches, earaches and toothaches
• Soreness – tenderness in facial muscles and jaw joints
• Damage – damage to dental restorations and teeth
• Fractures – pressure that results in cracks in teeth

If you come to your Woden dentist for regular general dentistry appointments, your dentist will be able to diagnose and treat bruxism before problems worsen. Treatments include wearing nightguards or splints while you sleep to relieve the pressure. And, of course, your dentist can also recommend ways you can help yourself break the habit and relieve stress without harming your teeth. 

Mouthguards

If you play impact sports or love adrenaline-fuelled activities, you need to be aware of the risks to your health. That means having the right kit to protect your body and, you guessed it, your teeth. Unfortunately, whatever sport you’re in to, injuries to the face are relatively commonplace. If you lose your front teeth, you are going to struggle to eat and talk as normal, and it will most certainly knock the smile off your face. 

Fortunately, mouthguards can help you to protect your teeth and keep you smiling before, during and after the match. Mouthguards generally cover the upper teeth and can be ready-made, mouth-formed or custom-made by your dentist. While each will provide some level of protection, only a mouthguard professionally made at your dental practice can be specifically tailored for your needs. 

To find out if a mouthguard could help you, let us know what sports you play. Whether you play rugby, are a keen boxer or love tackling the red runs on your ski-holidays, we’ve got you covered. We’ll make sure your mouthguard fits comfortably, is resilient and easy to clean. Which means you can focus on what you love doing. Just think of your mouthguard as a part of your athletic gear, just as important as wearing the right shoes.

The General Dentistry at Acacia Dental

At Acacia Dental, we are committed to providing the best possible oral health care for our patients. And, that means offering a comprehensive range of general dentistry treatments so that we can help keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible. 

To book a general dentist appointment at our Woden dental practice, get in touch with our team today (02) 6281 2222.