FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

At Preston Dental Centre we accept patients of all ages from young children to older adults. If you are looking for a new family dentist, contact Preston Dental (613) 729-3388 today to get started.

Fluoride treatments after your teeth have been polished helps to re-establish the fluoride seal on your teeth that can be partially removed during the polishing process. This can also help to re-mineralize any decalcified areas or areas of sensitivity.

At your first dentist appointment you will meet with our certified dental hygienists to receive a full cleaning followed by our dentist for an oral exam. If you are nervous or concerned about visiting the dentist for the first time do not worry! Our team is trained and has your best interests in mind. We are simply there to help you maintain strong and healthy oral care.

You can schedule your next checkup with our staff when you are at your current checkup. If you are unable to schedule your next appointment that day, simply reach out to our staff Preston Dental at (613) 729-3388 when you are ready to schedule your next appointment.

Trying to decide between dental implants or veneers? Here are a few key differences to keep in mind when you make your decision:

• Veneers: Porcelain veneers are a good option for people who have strong teeth but are looking to fix cosmetic issues such as – stains, gaps or chips. If you suffer from more serious dental issues you may need to consider replacing the full tooth with implants instead.
• Dental Implants: Dental implants fully replace missing teeth and are a great long-lasting option for people who have lost teeth, have damaged teeth, suffer from joint paint or bite problems or need to support a bridge or denture.

Still not sure which option is right for you? Contact Preston Dental Centre Today to Receive a Consultation.

Both general dentists and cosmetic dentists have the same initial level of education and training. Cosmetic dentists will later focus on aesthetic based treatments such as:

• Teeth whitening
• Veeners & implants
• Crowns
• Inlays & Onlays
• Composite Bonding

There are 6 common types of cosmetic dentistry:

• • Dental Implants: Dental Implants are strong and sturdy replacements for missing or damaged teeth. They can also help with a variety of oral issues including – joint pain, supporting bridge or dentures, bite problems or issues with chewing and digestion.
  • Veneers: Porcelain veneers are a great option to create a bright white smile and fix gaps and chips in your teeth.
  • Composite Bonding Composite bonding is used to repair minor chipped teeth, fill gaps or repair decaying teeth. Composite resin is shaped and molded to fit your teeth in order to create a straighter smile. Composite bonding can also be used to fill gaps in your teeth.
  • Inlays: Dental inlays are composed of a composite material and used for larger fillings or to adjust your smile and/or bite.
  • Onlays: Dental onlays and overlays are larger pieces of composite material that may cover the entire top of the exposed tooth to adjust your smile or bite.
  • Professional Whitening: Professional whitening services use a stronger whitening gel to achieve better results as well as a light or laser to increase effectiveness of the whitening gel. Professional whitening kits can also be purchases at our office and taken home for at-home whitening. At-home whitening kits include a custom-made dental tray fit to your teeth.

A smile makeover is a process that can refresh or reinvent your smile. Smile makeovers can be as simple as whitening teeth to more complex procedures that include alignment, spacing, replacing missing teeth and fixing chips or cracks in teeth. Our cosmetic dentists will work closely with you to design a treatment plan to achieve from your smile makeover. The goal of a smile makeover is to make our clients feel beautiful and confident with their smile.

Visiting a dental hygienist twice a year allows for regular examinations to check for mouth swelling, inflammation, bleeding and other dental issues. Our staff will check for any signs of periodontal disease, serious plaque build-up and cavities. Deep cleaning allows for removal of plaque and tartar build-up. Dental hygienists can also review your tooth brushing and flossing techniques and provide useful tips to keep your mouth clean and healthy.

Dental hygienists are professionally trained to carefully handle your teeth to avoid any damage during scaling and polishing.

Receiving professional teeth cleaning every 6 months not only ensures that your teeth are looking good, it also helps to prevent serious long-term teeth, gum and oral health problems.

Scaling should be down around twice a year to prevent plaque build-up which can lead to tartar and more serious oral and gum issues down the line.

Dental implants are a strong and durable option for people who have had a tooth loss or extraction. If you are unsure whether or not dental implants are the right option for you, contact our team today to book an assessment.

You may be wondering what dental implants are made out of. Dental implants are composed of a porcelain crown that use an abutment to attach to a metal post that is placed onto your jawbone.

Dental implants are sturdy and do not move or slip around when talking, eating or laughing. Dental implants are also carefully designed to match the shape of the original tooth in order for your jaw and facial structure to remain intact.

Your dental implants can last for a lifetime if they are properly cared for and maintained. However, similar to your teeth, implants can wear down over time and may need to be replaced. Whether or not they need to be replaced depends on your diet, genetics, oral hygiene and other factors. If you are not sure if you should get your dental implants replaced, you can contact Preston Dental to arrange to speak with one of our dentists to learn more.

Dental implants require the same care as your regular teeth. Proper oral hygiene including regular brushing and flossing, a healthy diet and regular check-ups are all ways to keep your dental implants looking and feeling great.

A periodontist is a dentist who is specialized in oral health, gums, periodontal disease and the placement of dental implants. Gum health is extremely important to the overall health of your teeth and can be crucial to preventing potential oral health related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and tooth loss.

Gum health is critical to your overall oral health because, simply put, gums are the foundation for your teeth. Weak gums cannot properly support teeth or the structure of your mouth. Gums also act as a barrier to bacteria. There are also several diseases linked to poor oral health and periodontal disease. The good news is that practicing good oral hygiene including regular brushing, flossing and check-ups can often help to your gums strong and healthy.

Periodontal disease or gum disease is a disease that affects the gums due to a buildup of plaque from improper oral hygiene. When the plaque is not removed it hardens turning into tartar and continuing to build up until the gums swell and become irritated. This leads to gingivitis, the first step to periodontal disease.

Symptoms of periodontal disease include:

• Swollen gums
• Sore feeling gums
• Blood from flossing or brushing
• Spaces occurring between the teeth
• Loose or shifting teeth
• Receding gum lines
• Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold substances
• Bad breath

If you notice any of these signs contact our team of dental experts today at Preston Dental at (613) 729-3388.

This will depend on your individual insurance policy. Many insurance plans cover partial or full periodontal treatment. Make sure to bring all insurance information to your first appointment. If you are unsure whether or not your insurance covers periodontal care contact our team today and we can help.

As long as you remove your Invisalign before eating, you can eat whatever you want. Unlike braces, there are no restrictions to your diet while you are using Invisalign to align your teeth.

You may notice a difference when you first start wearing Invisalign since there is an adjustment period before you become comfortable wearing Invisalign.

Invisalign should be worn as often as possible in order to both optimize results and make the process of aligning your teeth as quick as possible. We recommend wearing Invisalign for up to 22 hours daily, removing them to eat, drink and brush or floss your teeth.

While people wearing Invisalign may experience discomfort in the form of pressure after the change between each new aligner. This generally lasts a day or two and is usually minor.

Invisalign treatment generally takes between 6 to 18 months, which is shorter than traditional braces.

There are several precautions you can take to protect your teeth when you are playing sports:

• Mouth guards: wearing is an inexpensive way to prevent tooth injuries especially when playing person-to-person contact.
• Helmets: wearing a helmet not only protects your head when playing sports but also can protect your jaw and teeth from heavy contact sports.

If you have chipped your tooth playing sports your dentist may be able to use either a filling or bonding process to match your teeth. Fillings are generally used to fix teeth that have small chips in them. Bonding the tooth with resin is usually used for larger chips or chips in the front teeth.

Stock or pre-made mouth guards are available at many sports stores. These mouth guards do protect your teeth during sports but are usually less comfortable than custom mouth guards and provide limited protection.
Custom made mouthguards can be designed with an impression of your mouth taken by your dentist. These mouthguards are custom designed to match your teeth and are more comfortable to wear, more durable and provide a higher level of protection for your teeth.

Teeth grinding and clenching can wear down the enamel on your teeth over time, cause cracks and even tooth loss. Teeth grinding and clenching can also cause headaches, facial pain and earaches. Wearing a mouth guard while playing sports can prevent teeth grinding and clenching and keep your teeth safe and healthy.

If you have sensitive teeth there are a few steps you can take to safely and comfortably treat your teeth:

• Use a toothbrush with soft-bristles
• Avoid acidic food and drinks that may be too strong for your teeth
• Avoid grinding your teeth or consider a mouth guard
• Use a special toothbrush for sensitive teeth
• Use a mouthwash with fluoride daily

Chronic bad breath can be a sign of Halitosis and can often be common for people with poor dental hygiene, smokers, people who take certain medications and people who wear dental appliance such as aligners, braces or dentures. In order to fix this you can improve your oral health care regimen. If you want to learn more about oral health care, contact Preston Dental at (613) 729-3388.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Some symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Snoring
• Fatigue
• Somnolence
• Dry mouth
• Gasping for air
• Difficulty paying attention while awake
• Irritability

Sleep apnea can lead to serious health complications including heart problems.

If you think you may be experiencing sleep apnea you can contact Preston Dental and we can help.

Oral cancer diagnosis may include some of the following tests:

• Physical exams
• Biopsy
• Endoscopy
• Ultrasound
• Position emission tomography (PET or PET-CT scan)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan
• X-ray
• HPV testing
• Oral brush biopsy
• Barium swallow

If you are concerned about having oral cancer, contact our team at Preston Dental (613) 729-3388 to receive a consultation.

TMJ Syndrome or Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome is a pain that occurs in the joint of your jaw that can arise as the result of medical problems. Symptoms of TMJ syndrome may include:

• Neck pain
• Facial pain
• Ear pain
• Difficulty chewing
• Headaches
• A locked jaw

If you experience any of these symptoms and believe that you may have TMJ contact our team at Preston Dental (613) 729-3388 to arrange for a consultation.

Not all wisdom teeth need to be removed. In order to find out whether or not your wisdom teeth need to be removed you will receive X-rays that will show the way they will emerge. The reason why some people need to have wisdom teeth removed is because they may cause damage or crowding to your teeth when they come out.