October 26, 2021
There are many types of dentistry and each area focuses on treating relevant oral issues to improve the condition of your oral health.
The different types of dentistry include:
Our team has discussed what is involved in each type of dentistry and what treatments you might expect to experience.
What is general dentistry?
General dentistry aims to help reduce the number of restorations you undergo within your lifetime. General treatments such as your regular check-ups, cleans and fillings are aimed to help diagnose or treat issues in their early stages before they develop further.
In short, there are a variety of general dental treatments which may include:
Preventative dental
Preventative dental treatments are used by your dentist to prevent oral issues from progressing.
At Coastal Dental Care, we offer $200 Check-up and Cleans for all patients who are not with a health fund.
Our Check-up and Cleans include:
- X-ray
- Polish
- Scale
- Fluoride
A check-up and clean every 6 months is recommended to enhance your oral health, and allows your dentist to identify, treat and prevent any issues that may arise.
Tooth fillings
A tooth filling may be required when you develop decay within your tooth. For this treatment, your dentist will remove the decay and fill the gap in your tooth with dental material such as porcelain or composite.
The filling will help to restore your decayed tooth’s structure and strength whilst matching the colour of the surrounding teeth.
Extractions and wisdom teeth removal
A tooth may require an extraction if it has severe decay, damage or if it is required for a treatment. In addition, wisdom teeth may need to be removed if they are causing pain or discomfort.
Mouthguards
Mouthguards are primarily used within sport to help keep your teeth safe from impact.
They are great for kids and adults and are used in a variety of sports such as:
- Rugby League
- Rugby Union
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Hockey
- Boxing
At Coastal Dental Care, we offer custom-made mouthguards specifically to fit your mouth.
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea may occur when you are sleeping, and the word means “stopping breathing” or “no breath”. Snoring is one of the most common symptoms and is a result of breathing difficulties when you sleep.
If you have visited a qualified physician or doctor and require further assistance, one of our dentists may be able to provide you with a splint or device to help treat sleep apnea.
TMD/TMJ Disorder
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint within your lower jaw that connects to your skull. Essentially, it enables your jaw to move while you eat, drink, or talk to someone else.
If you experience pain within this area you may have TMJ disorder.
The issue may be a result of:
- Misaligned teeth
- Injury to the jaw
- Stress
- Teeth grinding
- Breathing difficulties
Therefore, your dentist may recommend a treatment tailored towards your oral health, which may include:
- Taking pain relief or anti-inflammatory medication
- Wearing a splint or breathing apparatus
- Undergoing an orthodontic treatment such as braces or clear aligners
What is children’s dentistry?
Children’s dentistry involves a variety of dental services to look after your child’s teeth. Our dentists and oral health therapists on the Gold Coast will help your child to establish good oral hygiene methods and eating habits.
In addition, to support your child’s growth into adult teeth, we offer several dental treatments which include:
- $200 Check-up & Cleans
- Mouthguards
- Myobrace
In addition, the Myobrace and services such as the Child Dental Benefits Schedule play an important role in children’s dentistry. They are explained below.
Myobrace
Myobrace is a pre-orthodontic treatment which may be used for children aged between 3 and 12 years. Furthermore, this treatment utilises an intra-oral appliance shaped like a mouthguard which may be worn overnight and 1-2 hours per day to:
- Correct habits resulting in malocclusion
- Develop your child’s arch
- Align crooked teeth
Essentially, it helps to correct structural issues within your child’s teeth before they develop adult teeth.
Child Dental Benefit Schedule
Visiting the dentist at a young age is important to enhance your child’s oral health. Baby teeth help your child’s jaw prepare for adult teeth so it is important to look them.
To support this we offer Medicare’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). If your child is eligible, they can access a benefit of $1,095 (over a 2-year period) for treatments and services such as check-up and cleans, x-rays, fillings and more.
What is cosmetic dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry refers to treatments that may help enhance the appearance of your smile.
You may be advised to undergo a cosmetic treatment option if your teeth are:
- Cracked or chipped
- Discoloured
- Missing
- Widely spaced apart
- Gums are uneven
The different types of cosmetic treatments include:
Teeth Whitening
At Coastal Dental Care, we offer in-chair Philips Zoom! Teeth Whitening which may whiten your teeth by up to 8 shades. We also offer take-home whitening kits to whiten your teeth in the comfort of your own home.
Veneers
Dental veneers are a thin layer of dental material that are placed over the front of your teeth to restore the surface of your teeth and to protect your enamel.
In addition, you may also seek out a veneer treatment if you want to improve the aesthetic look of your smile.
Smile makeover
If you would like to completely transform your smile, a smile makeover could be an option for you. It involves the use of several cosmetic, restorative, and orthodontic treatments to help recreate your smile.
If you have missing teeth or multiple teeth with issues or damage you may undergo a variety of treatments such as:
- Teeth whitening
- Veneers
- Crowns
- Clear aligners
- Dental implants
What is restorative dentistry?
Restorative dentistry is recommended for patients who require treatments to replace a missing or damaged tooth. Through restorative dental treatments, you may be able to restore the strength and functionality of your smile.
A restorative treatment may be undertaken when a tooth is:
- Damaged by decay or impact
- Cracked
- Worn out
- Missing
Furthermore, there are variety of treatments in restorative dentistry which include:
Dental crowns
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap so that it can be placed over a damaged tooth or an implant.
For a traditional crown, your dentist will likely take an impression of your affected tooth so they can ascertain the right size and shape of your restoration. Following this, they will send your impression away to an external lab to be created.
Once created, you will be asked to come in to have your crown placed. In addition, your dentist may provide you with a temporary crown whilst you wait.
Same-day crowns
Same-day crowns follow a similar process to a dental crown, however they can be made within one day using CEREC technology.
Firstly, our dentist will take a digital impression of your tooth using our 3D oral scanner. Following this, your impression will be sent to our CEREC machine, located within our practice, where it will create your restoration.
This means, you do not have to book another appointment and your dentist does not have to assign you a temporary crown.
Dental bridge
Dental bridges may be used to replace a missing tooth. A bridge involves the use of the teeth adjacent to the gap within your mouth which act as supporting pillars so that a false tooth can be placed in between them.
Moreover, the false tooth is attached to one or two crowns which are placed over your natural teeth either side of the gap to help it stay in place. As a result, forming a bridge from one tooth to another and replacing your missing tooth.
Dental implants
Dental implants are also an option for replacing a missing or lost tooth. Depending on your case, you may have one or more implants placed within your mouth.
Moreover, an implant requires a metal abutment to be placed and faced into your gumline. Once this has bonded with your jaw, a crown will be placed and cemented on top of the implant which will act as your new tooth.
Dentures
Dentures are a removable prosthesis which are used to replace multiple missing teeth within your mouth. In addition, they are custom made to suit your mouth’s structure and to match the natural colour of your teeth.
Moreover, there are several types of dentures which include:
- Full dentures
- Immediate dentures
- Partial dentures
- Implant retained dentures
Root canal therapy
Root Canal Therapy may be required to treat the pulp within your tooth if it has been infected or diseased. This may require your dentist to remove the nerve in your tooth. As a result, you will be able to keep your natural tooth without it being removed.
What is orthodontics?
Orthodontic treatments are required to restore teeth that are:
- Crowded
- Wrongly positioned
Essentially, orthodontics focuses on how your teeth and jawbone are structured.
Therefore, these type of treatments may help you to restore your misaligned jaw and to correct your bite.
Some of the common orthodontic treatments we offer are clear aligner systems such as:
Invisalign
Invisalign is a type of clear aligner system we use within some of our dental practices to help you straighten your teeth without braces.
Unlike traditional braces, clear aligners are virtually invisible, and you can remove them to eat or brush your teeth. In addition, the trays are shaped like a mouthguard and are custom-made to suit your treatment needs.
SmileStyler
SmileStyler is another clear aligner system we offer at a few of our dental practices. Furthermore, the product is owned by an Australian based company and produces clear aligner systems to help straighten crooked teeth.
Oral care on the Gold Coast
If you are looking for a dentist on the Gold Coast or would like to or ask us anything about our treatments, contact one of our friendly practices today.
Alternatively, you can book an appointment online 24/7.