Clinic & Policy

This is a courtesy to other patients who are waiting for appointments and to keep our patient fees as reasonable as possible. We appreciate your understanding with regards to this matter.

For anything we do, we can send a preauthorization to your insurance company to determine if, and how much of the treatment will be covered.

Before your check-up or cleaning, you don’t have to do anything fancy. We suggest that you brush and floss your teeth as you would normally do, this way we can assess how effectively you are cleaning your teeth and make suggestions if necessary.

If you have a sensitive gag reflex, let us know. Sometimes after the local anaesthetic is administered the reflex weakens. We can also give you a break during the procedure as well to relax.

Should you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment for any reason, we do now require and minimum 48 hours notice prior to the scheduled appointment time. If we do not receive adequate notice, there will be a $50.00 cancellation/missed appointment fee automatically applied to your account and we will not be able to to rebook your appointment or provide further treatment until this fee has been paid.

Dental check-ups allow us to evaluate the current condition of your mouth. Through the use of our digital x-rays and a visual examination, we are able to detect potential problems within the oral cavity and to formulate a treatment plan designed for your specific needs.

We accept all forms of dental insurance such as Sunlife, Alberta Blue Cross, Great West Life and many more. We also accept Indian Affairs and Alberta Works (Alberta Dental Service Corporation). Make sure you bring in your hardcopy version of your insurance card as that is what we will enter into our system.

Dental check-ups are usually done once a year to detect any subtle changes within your mouth. Dental cleaning intervals will be determined by our dental hygienist after your first hygiene appointment depending on the amount of hard deposits on your teeth. We recommend every six months for children and their teeth are changing more so than adults. We like to ensure that they are developing good oral habits to take care of their new teeth that are coming in and look for possible concerns as their adult teeth are erupting.

Regular Cleanings

A standard cleaning is often recommended twice a year, however it may range from every 4 months to a year. Our hygienist will discuss which regimen is right for you.

During your dental cleaning, the hygienist removes calculus or “tartar” which are the hard deposits that form on your teeth that cannot be removed by brushing. These deposits, if left of the teeth for extended periods of time trap bacteria and can cause tooth decay and gum problems. Our hygienist also checks your gums for these problematic conditions such as gingivitis and periodontal disease.

Children tend to have less of these hard deposits on their teeth. Often a regular cleaning for a child is just polishing their teeth and perhaps a small amount of hand scaling if there is some tartar build-up.

Depending on your current oral habits and how long it has been since your last dental cleaning, your gums may be sore and may even bleed a little bit. This is normal. However, the better you can keep things clean on your own, through effective brushing and daily flossing, this will be very minimal after your next appointment.</p>

Composite/Amalgam Fillings

No, there is no mercury in composite fillings.

Like any style of filling, composite restorations are durable and depending on the depth of the cavity and with ideal bonding to the tooth surface, these fillings will last for several years.

We do offer amalgam or “metal” fillings, however, these are normally used only when a composite filling cannot be placed.

White fillings are metal-free, plastic-based restorations. These fillings can be matched to the shade of your natural teeth. This filling material is placed by cleaning the decay out of the tooth structure, applying a cleaning gel to the tooth follow by a bonding agent that directly bonds the filling material to the tooth structure. We then place the composite filling material and shine an ultra-blue light which hardens the filling material in a matter of seconds.

root canals

A root canal is needed when the nerve of the tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the soft tissue that contains nerves and blood vessels) is removed using small hand and rotary files and the space is filled with a thermoplastic filling material called “Gutta Percha” which restore the tooth. Afterwards, we can place a composite or amalgam restoration and then eventually place a crown on the tooth once the infection or discomfort has subsided.

A root canal is needed when the nerve of the tooth is affected by decay or infection.

Crown and Bridge

Price may vary, however, most insurance plans cover a portion of this treatment.

A crown is a cap that is placed over the entire tooth that protects a tooth that requires more strength followed by a root canal or one that cannot be restored with basic filling material. A Bridge is used when one or more teeth are missing. A bridge is a grouping of interconnected crowns. It will replace missing theeth and support surrounding teeth. A Bridge is held in placed by 2 crowns on each side of the missing tooth.

Dental Implants

Those that are interested in replacing missing teeth and have adequate bone levels and healthy gums to support and hold the implant are ideal candidates for dental implants. Our dentist will do a thorough oral examination and consultation to determine if this treatment is right for you.

Sometimes insurance will cover a portion of an implant , however most insurance plans do not. Some plans will cover the cost of the crown that will cover the dental implant. We can send a preauthorization to your insurance company to determine if they will cover any portion of this treatment.

A dental implant is a small titanium post that replaces the roots of missing teeth that are used to support crowns, bridges and dentures.

Extractions

It is best to have a responsible adult to drive you to the office in back following oral surgery.

With any extraction, local anesthetic will be placed around the tooth that will be extracted. Although one may be able to feel some pressure, we work gently and will give you breaks to relax if needed to make this procedure as painless and as comfortable as possible.

Gum Surgery

Depending on the insurance provider, gum surgery may be covered. We can send a preauthorization to determine if your insurance company will cover this procedure.

Keeping your teeth and gums healthy and clean is the only way to prevent gum disease. Brushing twice a day with a soft or electric tooth brush and flossing daily are extremely important as well as having regular cleanings as suggested by our dental hygienist in preventing gum disease.</p>

This procedure can be done in a dentist’s office depending on severity. If the procedure is more severe, the patient may be referred to a Periodontist which is a dentist with special training specifically in helping to restore gum tissues and perform gum surgery.

Gum surgery is recommended when the gums have receded to an unhealthy level.

Sportsguards

Depending on your age, the shape of your mouth will change with time.

Children will require a new guard more often than an adult as their mouth is constantly changing. The jaws are growing, different teeth are exfoliating and new ones of different sizes are erupting, because of this, a child may need a new mouth guard in a few months where as an adult may be able to use theirs for years.

For your convenience, we can send out a preauthorization to check if your insurace will cover it. Mouth guards are not usually covered by insurance, however at our office we offer a fair price as it is very beneficial to have one made for you or your child. We also offer a 6 month warranty on our mouth guards.

Nightguards (Occusal Guards)

A night guard may help improve sleep apnea, as clenching can activate muscles in the jaw which change the size of the airway. However, it may be a good idea to go to a Sleep Clinic that specializes in correcting sleep apnea.

Night guards are used for those that clench or grind their teeth , especially at night.

Whitening

We do offer an in-office whitening which is done by applying the gel directly to your teeth and intensifying it with a Ultra-Blue light for 15 minute sessions. The whole treatment is around an hour depending on the sensitivity of the patient. You also receive custom whitening trays to take home for touch ups as well.

We offer a take-home, custom-tray method of tooth whitening. This is done by taking impressions of your teeth and fabricating trays specifically for your teeth. You then place gel in the trays and leave on your teeth for the amount of time directed. Amount of time may vary depending on the type, and strength of gel selected.

Amount of treatments vary depending on the amount of stain that is present of your teeth. On average, one should start to notice an improvement after the first 2 or 3 applications.

We can send a preauthorization to your insurance company to determine if, and how much of the treatment will be covered.

Prices do vary, however we are able to send a preauthorization to see if you will be covered for a portion.

Results may vary depending on your personal habits. Smoking, drinking coffee, tea and wine all stain the teeth, however, you can simply “touch-up” your whitening whenever you notice your teeth are picking up stain.

Teeth Whitening is a safe procedure, however, some sensitivity afterwards is completely normal. The use of a desensitizing toothpaste will help with this sensitivity.

Dentures

It is very important to keep your dentures clean. Brush your dentures with a non-abrasive tooth paste or denture cleaner. It is a good idea to take your dentures out and allow your gums to “breathe” to keep them clean and healthy. When you do not have your dentures in, keep them in a cool, moist environment, such as a glass of water or a mouth rinse or denture cleaner.

Dentures are fabricated to replace teeth when either all of the teeth on either the top or bottom are missing. A partial denture can also be made to replace several missing teeth when a bridge or implant is not wanted or required.