This also applies to our family-based dental practice. We provide regular check-ups and cleans for everyone but we thoroughly advocate children to have them too. It’s very important for children to get accustomed to the dental setting from a very young age, and so we encourage parents to bring in their children as young as 2 years old to get used to the environment of our surgery.
We don’t just do cleaning and examinations for kids. We can also place fissure sealants on newly erupted adult teeth. So what are fissure sealants and why are they important? Fissure sealants can almost be seen as small fillings. However there is often no drilling involved! We clean the nooks and crannies that you can feel on the top surfaces of your teeth, and then we flow a specifically fluid filling material down the pits. This prevents decay-causing bacteria from accumulating in those deep crevices where even your toothbrush cannot reach.
Note how the molar’s pits and fissures were sealed with an aesthetic flowable material preventing bacteria from residing in these areas.
The hard deposits located behind this patient’s lower front teeth require specific instruments to remove them. Failure to do so results in increased gum inflammation and possibly irritation.
We also help patient’s with mouthguards for sport, occlusal splints/nightguards for nocturnal grinding/clenching and fissure sealants to prevent bacteria from causing decay on teeth.
Regular cleaning twice a year is very important as we can remove hard deposits that reside on the surfaces of your teeth called calculus. Normal toothbrushing and flossing cannot remove calculus and only the specialised instruments that can be found in a dental surgery can be used to flush it away. Removing these deposits reduces gum inflammation (gingivitis) and prevents gradual bone loss around your teeth (which would have led to the loosening of your teeth). All cleans at Marsfield Dental Care are combined with fluoride treatment to increase the strength and durability of your teeth and minimise decay risk.
If you’re looking for a dentist in Sydney who takes genuine care in their work and the well-being of his or her patients, call today and let Dr Choo, Dr Ip and their friendly staff look after you, your family and those pearly whites!
Book a consultation at our Marsfield Dental Clinic or Book Online
Twice a year suits most adults, and this is the interval generally recommended for routine care.
Some people need more frequent visits: those with a history of gum disease, high decay rates, dry mouth, diabetes, orthodontic appliances or heavy staining may be reviewed every three to four months. Others with consistently healthy teeth and gums may be reviewed less often.
The interval should reflect your individual risk rather than a fixed rule, and your dentist will recommend one after assessing your gums, decay history and hygiene.
Preventative dentistry in Sydney is built on this principle: finding problems while they are small, when treatment is simpler.
Your dentist examines your teeth, gums, bite, and the soft tissues of your mouth, including a check for signs of oral cancer.
X-rays are taken periodically to show decay between teeth and bone levels that cannot be seen by looking.
The clean removes plaque and hardened calculus from above and below the gum line using specialised instruments, followed by polishing and, where appropriate, a fluoride application.
You will be shown any areas you are missing at home and given specific advice rather than general instructions.
If treatment is needed, it is explained and quoted, and can usually be booked at a separate appointment.
Marsfield Dental Care sees children from around two years of age, and an early first visit is largely about familiarity: letting a child sit in the chair, have their teeth counted, and find the practice unremarkable before any treatment is ever needed.
Early visits also allow decay to be caught while it is small, and let us give parents practical advice on brushing, bottles, dummies and diet.
Fissure sealants are often placed on newly erupted adult back teeth, usually around six and twelve years of age, to protect the deep grooves where decay commonly starts.
Sealants generally involve no drilling, as the grooves are cleaned and a flowable material is applied.
Fissure sealants are a thin protective coating applied to the deep grooves on the biting surfaces of back teeth, where a toothbrush bristle cannot reach and decay commonly begins.
They are usually applied to newly erupted adult molars, around ages six and twelve.
The procedure typically involves no drilling and no anaesthetic: the grooves are cleaned and the material is flowed in and set.
Sealants are not permanent. They wear, are checked at each visit, and can be topped up. They are most worthwhile for children with deep grooves or a history of decay.
Sealants supplement brushing, flossing and diet; they do not replace them.
A nightguard, or occlusal splint, is a custom-made appliance worn while sleeping to protect teeth from grinding and clenching.
Signs of grinding include worn or flattened teeth, jaw or facial muscle soreness on waking, headaches, sensitivity, and fractured teeth or fillings.
Grinding often happens unnoticed, and it is frequently found during a routine examination before the patient is aware of it. Picking it up early is part of what preventative dentistry in Sydney is for.
A splint does not stop grinding, but redistributes the force and protects the teeth and existing restorations from further wear.
Custom-made splints are fitted to your teeth from impressions; over-the-counter versions fit less precisely and can alter your bite if worn long term.
