While the general population talks about “the bite” when referring to how the teeth fit together, dentists, for some reason, talk about “occlusion.” We’ll stick with “the bite.”  When the public asks about “adjusting the bite,”  dentists are thinking “occlusal equilibration.”  I mention these terms in case you run across them while talking to insurance companies or wandering about the Internet. I’ll try...Read More

by Bruna Mucaj, RRDH. To an enormous extent, dental disease is preventable. But by far the most effective prevention is done by the teeth’s owners, (or the owner’s parents) – not by the dental profession and not by the government! We believe that of all the services we provide, Oral Hygiene Instruction is right up there with Nutritional Counselling as the most valuable. Alas,...Read More

A mouth guard is a flexible device which fits over your teeth and gums, cushioning them and protecting them from damage. There is evidence that custom-made mouth guards (as opposed to the pre-made versions available in sporting goods stores and drug stores) protect not only the teeth and oral tissues but may also serve to prevent brain injuries and  concussion.Read More

Dental sealants are a plastic (composite) coating applied to vulnerable areas of teeth to make decay less likely to get started. They are only applied to the back teeth – the molars and premolars. These are the teeth that have ‘pits’ (small hollows) and ‘fissures’ (grooves) on their biting surfaces. Therefore, they are also known as pit and fissure...Read More

Full dentures and some partial dentures transfer some of the biting forces to the gums. Full dentures, especially upper full dentures, stay in place because of their accurate fit to underlying structure of the mouth. That underlying structure, once upon a time, used to hold teeth. It’s purpose in life was to hold teeth and to receive...Read More

Another way of replacing missing teeth is with implants – devices that permanently attach themselves directly to the bone of the jaw and protrude through the gum just as teeth do. They overcome the difficulty of dentures which might move about with the act of chewing. The cost of implants is prohibitive for many people....Read More

Devices other than partial dentures  which attempt to replace the appearance and function of a tooth are: a bridge. It is not removable but is permanently fastened in place to adjacent teeth. or an implant. These are devices which permanently attach themselves directly to the bone of the jaw and protrude through the gum just as teeth do. At Growing...Read More

The mainstream in dentistry staunchly defends the use of mercury fillings. Historically the mainstream became the mainstream by winning a nasty professional debate (“the amalgam war”) in the eighteen-fifties. What I refer to as “mercury” fillings, are what most people call “silver fillings” and what the dental profession calls “dental amalgam fillings.” (Actually we call a filling...Read More

If your first visit to Growing Beautiful Smiles was for some purpose other than a New Patient Complete Dental Examination, then once that other bothersome issue is disposed of, a complete dental exam should become a priority. Sometimes people ask us why this is necessary.Read More

Crowns are an excellent way to repair teeth that have been broken, or have been weakened by decay or a very large filling. A crown could be made for a number of other reasons, for example: you may have a discoloured filling and would like to improve the appearance of the tooth. you may have had a...Read More