When most people think about a dental check up, their impression is that the dentist is looking for cavities or holes in teeth. A comment I hear frequently is, “I can’t feel any holes in my teeth” or “I am not having any pain so I don’t really need a check up.” This statement highlights two misconceptions.
Tooth decay is an actual hole in the tooth. It is a bacterial infection of the tooth. Bacteria use sugar to produce acid. The acid softens the outer enamel & allows the bacteria to enter the tooth. A well-advanced infection can be present without any noticeable cavitation of the tooth surface.
The second misconception is that tooth decay is associated with pain. The vast majority of tooth decay causes no pain often until the nerve (pulp) of the tooth has been infected. At this point it is no longer possible to fill the tooth & the only option now is to remove the tooth or perform root canal therapy.
Regular Dental Check-ups are invaluable in the early detection of tooth decay. I encourage a dental check up every 6 months (twice a year.) This will help ensure better outcomes for your teeth, less time in the dental chair in the long run which also means less expense.
Alex Bratic Dental Care is conveniently located on City Road at Beenleigh. We are close to transport and our onsite parking is free and very easy to access.
For all Health Fund Members our HICAPS facility enables payments to be processed at the time of the appointment, which means members, are only required to pay the difference between the charged fee & the Health Fund Rebate (gap fee).
Contact us on (07) 3287 2627 or simply book your appointment online.