“What happens on my first visit?” We look forward to meeting you and you can expect your first visit with us to be approximately 1.5 hours long. It will include a thorough dental exam, an oral cancer exam and an exam of your jaw joint and jaw muscles. Appropriate digital x-rays and intra oral photos will also be taken. Our goal by the end of our visit is to have a clear understanding of your dental history, to establish a comprehensive diagnosis of your present oral health condition, and to gain an understanding of any future goals or desires that you may have for your teeth and mouth. We will provide you with all the information about your mouth that we find and will discuss with you the treatment options, estimates, and expectations so that you can make the decisions that are right for you.
After the all the necessary information has been gathered we construct an ideal treatment plan that will address your dental concerns and prevent future ones.
Your first visit with one of our team of registered dental hygienists is spent assessing your current periodontal (gum) health and establishing an individualized maintenance schedule that will best suit your needs.
After completing a comprehensive periodontal exam to evaluate gum health, bone loss and recession, the dental hygienist will begin cleaning your teeth. We hope that most New Patient Hygiene appointments will be complete during this 90 minutes appointment but if you have not had a dental hygienist clean your teeth in many years, you may have to return for another appointment.
After the all the necessary information has been gathered we construct an ideal treatment plan that will address your dental concerns and prevent future ones.
Daily Brushing and flossing are fundamental in maintaining a healthy smile, but there’s more you can do to be proactive about your oral health. Regular dental cleanings are important to keeping teeth and gums in excellent health. Your oral hygiene appointment usually includes “scaling" your teeth — removing tartar build-up — and polish the surface — removing minor stains. You may also receive a fluoride treatment to help strengthen your enamel. These visits also provide an opportunity for us to review home care and assist you in ways to maintain oral wellbeing and provide a dental hygiene treatment plan that considers disease prevention to achieve optimal health.
In addition to the meticulous cleaning, polishing, and examination of your teeth, we also take the time to help our patients develop proper oral hygiene habits at home. We will evaluate your hygiene techniques and make adjustments to your routine where needed. Our doctors and hygienists will also make suggestions for preventative measures such as dental sealants or nightguards to protect against bruxism & TMJ.
If we feel that you are suffering from gingivitis or more severe gum disease, we may recommend a root scaling or planing. These measures can be instrumental in preventing bone loss and helping you to keep your natural teeth.
A comprehensive dental exam will be performed by your dentist for all new patients at their initial visit. For regular check-up exams, your dentist will do the following:
Our team closely monitors young patients beginning at a very early age to ensure every measure is being taken to build a strong foundation that will enable your children to maintain good oral health for years to come.
It is important to realize that having your dental work done on an emergency basis is not ideal. After we have addressed your emergency, we encourage emergency patients to come in for a comprehensive new patient exam to stay on top of your dental care than tending to issues on an emergency basis. If you are in need of emergency dental care, Beacon Hill Dental will fit you in for the same day. Please call (403) 295-1182 or (403) 618-4254 (after hours).
Dental extractions are a fairly common procedure. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, including but not limited to tooth decay that has destroyed enough tooth structure to render the tooth non-restorable, fractured teeth, severe gum disease which may affect the supporting tissue and bone structures, in preparation for orthodontic treatment. Based on the preference of the doctor and/or the patient, a local anesthetic could be used to numb the areas where the tooth/teeth will be extracted. Others will prefer to go under a general anesthetic so that they will be sedated during the procedure.
A composite filling is used to repair a tooth that has decay, chips, cracks, fractures etc. The decayed or affected part of the tooth is removed and then filled with the composite resin restoring the tooth to its original shape and function.
Composite fillings are tooth colored; they can be closely matched to the color of you existing teeth, and are more aesthetically suited for use in front teeth and visible areas of the mouth. Composite fillings are very durable, and will last many years, giving you a long-lasting smile. Composite fillings are usually completed in one visit, depending on the number of fillings required. Our office is amalgam-free and we use composite fillings for all patients.
Wisdom teeth extractions are a fairly common procedure. Wisdom teeth often cause problems as they are trying to protrude through the gums. When a wisdom tooth is impacted, it means the tooth is coming in at an angle and not straight through the gum line. This can cause pain, the tooth can come in unevenly, or the tooth may only emerge partially. Extractions can range from a single tooth, to removing all four wisdom teeth at once. Based on the preference of the doctor and/or the patient, a local anesthetic could be used to numb the areas where the teeth will be extracted. Others will prefer to go under a general anesthetic so that they will be sedated during the procedure.
Endodontics is the dental specialty that deals with the nerves of the teeth. When a tooth becomes infected it is usually related to the nerves in the root of the tooth. The infected nerves need to be removed. If left untreated an infection can turn into an abscess, which is a much more serious problem that includes bone loss in the jaw. The advances in dental technology, local anesthetics and proper pain medication allow the procedure to be performed with little to no pain in most cases.
A crown (or cap) is a covering that encases the entire tooth surface restoring it to its original shape and size. A crown protects and strengthens tooth structure that cannot be restored and saved with fillings or other types of restorations. You can be comfortable in knowing that your new tooth will be natural looking, virtually unnoticeable and will flawlessly complement the rest of your smile.
A bridge is one of the few options that you have when deciding how to deal with a missing tooth or teeth. The replacement of these missing teeth is necessary in order to maintain the proper mouth functions, prevent teeth from drifting out of position and effecting your jaw and occlusion, maintain facial shape, and improve aesthetics. Tooth loss can affect the way you eat, speak, and the alignment of other teeth in your mouth. It is a fixed (non-removable) appliance and is an excellent way to replace missing teeth.
Dental Implants are a permanent and appealing solution that can be used to support a crown replacing a single missing tooth, to support a bridge for the replacement of multiple missing teeth and also with dentures to increase the denture’s stability and reduce gum tissue irritation. Dental implants are small titanium posts surgically implanted into your jaw bone and best of all, dental implants look, feel and function like your natural teeth.
Porcelain veneers are extremely thin casings of ceramic that are bonded to the front of the patients tooth to create a new smile. They are custom made (for shape and color) by a professional dental laboratory. Porcelain veneers are placed over the front of teeth that appear too small or large, slightly discolored, or simply are not cosmetically pleasing to the patient. For many patients, teeth may have chipped, become discolored, or are slightly crooked. For the majority of these patients, porcelain veneers can prove to be the perfect solution.
Veneers can completely reshape your teeth and smile. When placing porcelain veneers, we pay close attention to the patients surrounding teeth and design each veneer to complement the overall smile. The result is a beautiful, attractive new smile. If cared for properly, your veneers will last you a long time. We ensure that your new veneers are constructed of the most durable porcelain materials available.
Indications:
Procedure
The procedure begins with the preparation of the tooth. This entails removing the discolored or unsightly portion of the tooth and meticulously shaping the tooth in preparation for the new veneer. Once we have shaped the tooth, we will take an impression. This impression will be sent to our lab where your new restoration will be crafted. A shade (color) will then be chosen by you and the dentist. While the new veneers are created, we will provide you with a temporary restoration. Our temporary restorations will resemble your natural teeth so that you can continue with your daily life without worrying about a missing or incompatible tooth.
During your second visit to the office, we will proceed with the placement of your final restoration. The veneers will be fitted comfortably into the mouth. Bonding cement is placed between the tooth and veneer and a special light is used to harden and set the bond. We will make every effort to ensure that the new tooth feels exactly like one of your natural teeth. The final step in the process will be to bond the new veneers into your mouth, leaving you with a beautifully restored smile.
Invisalign is a new system of straightening teeth without the use of conventional braces. A series of clear plastic aligners are utilized to create tooth movement. Moving teeth with removable aligners is not new. However, the computer program, which can generate a series of aligners with small changes is the new part. They are virtually undetectable — no one will know you are wearing them unless you tell them — easy to use and comfortable to wear. The aligners are removable so you can eat, drink, brush and floss.
Invisalign involves using a series of clear removable aligners, Invisalign straightens your teeth in a short amount of time. Change the aligners about every 2 weeks and your teeth will move a little at a time until they have moved to the final position your Invisalign Certified Dentist or Orthodontist has determined through careful computer diagnosis and treatment planning.
Treatment time: An average Invisalign case takes about a year or a little more, start to finish. You will see your doctor about once a month to see how the treatment is progressing. Every few visits, you will be given additional aligners. The number of aligners worn during treatment is between 18 to 30, but this may vary according to the treatment time.
Is Invisalign an option for me? Invisalign can be used to treat a majority of cases for teens and adults. It can be used for minor improvements or for more complex adjustments. We can treat overly-crowded or widely-spaced teeth. Invisalign can also help with more extensive issues, including underbites, overbites and crossbites. Invisalign is virtually invisible — most people won't notice the aligners — and will not affect speech. And there are no irritating metal wires or bands.
Over time our teeth tend to become discolored or stained. Whether this is from smoking, coffee, or any other foods, a beautiful smile could be closer than you think. We offer a safe, inexpensive solution to an unsightly smile. Whitening your teeth is a very simple procedure that can be completed in relatively short period of time.
Indications for Bleaching:
This procedure usually takes two short appointents. The bleaching will be done at home. The first step in the whitening process is impressions. We will take full impressions of your upper and lower teeth. These impressions will be made into custom bleaching trays. The trays will fit onto your teeth perfectly so there is a small possibility of gum damage from the bleaching solution. The second step is to place the bleaching solution in the trays and wear them for a few hours a day or overnight depending on the amount of staining present. Within 7-14 days, you will see a significant improvement in the color of your teeth. It is normal to experience some tooth sensitivity during the time you are using the whitening gel but it will subside after you have stopped bleaching. Your smile will look brighter and younger. We will take before and after photos so that you will be able to compare the amazing transformation. Bleaching only works on natural teeth and may not be effective in all cases. It is important to take a look at any old fillings, crowns etc. We will inform you as to the potential whitening for your specific situation. Replacement of any restorations will be done after the bleaching. Tooth whitening is not permanent. You may need a touch-up every several years and more often if you smoke, drink coffee, tea or wine.
A Sportsguard is a protective device for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the surrounding area. Sportsguards should be used by anyone — both children and adults who play contact sports that pose a risk of injury to the mouth. Sportsguards should be comfortable, durable, and easy to clean and should not restrict your breathing or speech.
A Nightguard is a protective removable appliance for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums. People prone to nocturnal bruxism or night time clenching, should routinely wear a nightguard. Bruxism can result in occlusal trauma, enamel abrasion, abfractions and fractures in the teeth. Early intervention is advisable.
We are pleased to announce that Beacon Hill Dental follows the new 2024 Alberta Dental Fee Guide. Read more.