FAQ
All about your Engadine Dental visit
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Do I need to see the dentist?If you haven’t had a check-up in the last six months, then the answer is “yes”! You should get your teeth checked and cleaned right away. People often put off dental visits until something goes wrong, but this makes it easy to miss problems which could have been detected much earlier.
Apart from your usual 6 month check-up, here are some symptoms you might notice that require dental attention ASAP:
Don’t wait for an emergency. You symptoms may seem mild or unimportant, but they are usually signs of worse to come. What could have been corrected early with a small filling, might later require a root canal or extraction. To avoid costly procedures later down the track, please book your consultation at Engadine Dental as soon as possible. Do I need a dentist for my kids?Plaque forms on all teeth, even if their owner isn’t eating adult food. The Australian Dental Association recommends dental visits starting from the age of 1, or within 6 months of the first tooth appearing. This allows us to to check that a child’s teeth are in good condition and getting cleaned when necessary, as well as getting children used to visiting the dentist. If you receive Centrelink benefits such as Family Tax Benefit A, your child might be eligible for the means-tested Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
Even though baby teeth are not permanent, they still need cleaning! Not cleaning encourages bacteria in the mouth, gum inflammation, abscess and early loss of baby teeth, all of which which can cause problems in the adult teeth later on. Start trying to brush your child’s teeth as soon as baby teeth come through, with a soft-bristled toothbrush or even gauze if they won’t tolerate a toothbrush. If your child has knocked out a tooth or suffered trauma, please to give our friendly reception a call to discuss your concerns. How much will my treatment cost?At Engadine Dental, we are committed to being honest and up-front about the costs involved in any treatment. Unfortunately, there is no way to give a good estimate for treatment before your initial appointment. This is because dental costs depend on a lot of factors. The type of procedure, the severity of the condition, the size of the repair, the number of visits required, and the difficulty of the treatment are some important considerations.
At your initial appointment, the dentist will get a thorough picture of your oral heath. Based on this examination, the dentist can advise you of any further procedures you should consider. From here, we will be able to give you an idea of the costs involved (please confirm with the dentist if you need an exact cost before proceeding). Sometimes the treatment becomes more difficult after we start the procedure, but our dentists do our best to communicate with you if that is the case. We understand that costs are an important concern for most patients, so we will do everything we can to work with you to formulate a treatment plan that suits your budget and circumstances. Does Medicare cover my dental costs? Do you offer bulk billing?Medicare does not normally cover adult dental treatment. Instead, most adults rely on private insurance to cover dental care. If you are a veteran, your treatment may also be covered or assisted by Veteran’s Affairs.
The Medicare Child Dental Benefits scheme covers some children’s dental care, if you receive Family Tax Benefit A or certain Centrelink benefits. Eligible children can receive up to $1000 cover over two years. If you need help to find out whether this scheme covers your child, please feel free to contact us! Make sure you have your Medicare card on hand, and we will help you find out your child’s coverage. We do offer bulk billing for treatments in cases where the cost is covered by applicable benefits. How can I save money on dental costs?It may be hard to believe, but having regular check-ups truly is the best way to avoid spending heavily on dental care. Most dental diseases are preventable, or much easier and more affordable to treat if they are caught before fully developing.
Your check-up normally also includes dental cleaning, to remove built-up hardened plaque that you can’t remove at home. That means it helps to prevent the most common dental problems (such as gum disease and decay) from developing. At Engadine Dental, our dentists are happy to answer all your concerns, and help you develop a plan as to how to keep your teeth in good condition. Do teeth whitening treatments really work?Some do, but they are not all created equal. Whitening treatments have widely varied results based on their ingredients, and some teeth may not respond to whitening as well as most.
Non-dentist whitening products, sold directly to the public, are popular for their low cost and high convenience. However, they are legally not allowed to exceed a very low amount of active whitening ingredient, so they are not as effective as treatments prepared by your dentist. You may see some difference using these treatments, but if you are unlucky you might see no change at all. If you want the convenience of a take-home whitening kit, but with professional results, a dentist-only home treatment is a much better choice. Because they are not available as over-the-counter products, they benefit from much more effective formulation—as well as from the professional advice of a dentist who has inspected your own teeth. To learn more, please see our Tooth Whitening page. If time is your priority, our in-chair whitening delivers results as quickly as possible. This is a 1-2 hour process using he same basic process as our take-home whitening, professionally applied by the dentist. Our Tooth Whitening page also includes more details about this procedure. For best whitening results, we also recommend a check-up and clean/polish before whitening. I’m unhappy with how my teeth look. Can a porcelain veneer fix my teeth?Veneers cover the front half of your teeth, and can be discussed with you at a consult. Other options might be teeth whitening, orthodontic movement of your teeth (via braces or Invisalign) or simple fillings to replace/cover discolouration.
Veneers can be categorised into porcelain or composite veneers. The best material to go with depends on the existing condition of your teeth, the position and profile of your smile, and the cost. You may also need x-rays at the consultation to determine what the best option may be. Our dentists are Australian-trained in both porcelain and composite veneers, and will discuss all your options after checking your teeth. |
What can I do if I’m feeling anxious during my visit?Dental anxiety is perfectly normal, and affects many people. We will do everything we can to make your visit comfortable and relaxing, so please don’t hesitate to tell us if you are anxious or uncomfortable. And if at any point you need a break, just let us know, and we will stop straight away.
One method we suggest to help with anxiety is to bring earphones, so you can listen to music. This can help you relax, shut out noise around you, and take your mind off the treatment. Aren’t dental treatments painful?When performed correctly, modern dental treatments involve very little pain. Like any other medical procedure, we administer anaesthetic if the treatment is expected to be painful! You will still be aware of noise and movement during most procedures, but you should not feel pain.
At Engadine Dental, we know the importance of listening and responding during a procedure, so we will never place you in unnecessary pain. If you are hurting during a procedure, let the dentist know immediately, so they can adjust. If you have experienced pain during dental work in the past, please let us know, as there are easy ways to minimise pain. You may experience some pain during recovery after major dental procedures. However, usually over-the-counter pain medication (such as Panadol or Nurofen) is sufficient to treat it. How long will my procedure take?At Engadine Dental, we always aim to make our work as efficient as possible. However, the time you need to spend in the chair always depends on how much work you require. We must also make sure that we don’t rush any procedure, and take the necessary time to discuss your dental health properly when you visit.
We will do our best to give you an accurate estimate for the procedure, when you make your appointment. Please let us know if you have a time constraint when you make the appointment, and when you attend our practice. Will you tell me to have my tooth extracted?Not unless a dental extraction is truly the best option for you. Once a tooth is gone, it’s gone—so we will always prefer to save it (via filling) if possible, rather than removing it. Restoring a damaged tooth is usually much more affordable than a replacement, too!
If we do recommend you have your tooth extracted, it’s probably because the tooth is impossible to save, or causing severe pain. (Or, of course, if it is your choice). In some cases—for example, if a dead tooth causes an abscess—it may also be unhealthy to leave the tooth in place. Why does my jaw hurt?There is no easy answer, as a lot of factors can contribute to jaw pain. Tooth ache, referred pain, injury, impacted wisdom teeth, stress and muscle strain are some of them. To determine the source of your pain, the dentist will check the condition of your teeth and jawbone, as well as medical history and lifestyle factors.
Whatever the reasons, rest assured that Engadine Dental are committed to helping you find the correct cause the right treatment for your condition. Can I get a dental implant?Dental implants are an excellent way to replace lost teeth. However, some factors that can delay or prevent implant placement. Whether you can get an implant always depends on your unique circumstances.
In some cases, the condition of your mouth or jaw may prevent us from placing an implant; for example, the surrounding bone is too thin or fragile. Sometimes we can augment the bone to the point where it can support an implant, but for some patients this is not possible. In other cases, you may have to wait some time before we can place an implant. For example, if you have lost the tooth recently, you may require a few months of healing for the bone to settle into its final position. If you are suffering from gum disease or other dental issues, you will most likely need to resolve these before getting an implant. If you have lost or missing teeth, we encourage you to come in for a consult. We will check the condition of your remaining teeth and jaw, so we can assess whether an implant is the best option for you. Conscious of the costs involved, we will work to find the best value aesthetic and functional outcome for you. Please let us know when booking if you want to discuss a potential implant. We may need to allocate more time to discuss treatment options. This is an especially good idea if it has been a while since your last dental checkup. Can I visit the dentist while I’m sick?If you are ill, or think you are coming down with something before your appointment, please feel free to call our reception and reschedule. The comfort of our patients is very important to us, and we understand if you don’t want to attend while you are unwell. It is not a problem to postpone a non-emergency visit.
If you are only slightly unwell, and do wish to keep your appointment, this should not pose a problem. (If you are concerned, please feel free to let reception know upon arrival.) If you think you are contagious, you may prefer to avoid sharing a waiting room with other patients. Assuming your case is not an emergency, please feel free to call and reschedule your appointment for a better time. We comply with Australian Dental Association Infection Control Guidelines, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) on infection control, sterilisation and disinfection. Inline with our strict infection control policies, instruments and materials are either disposable, disinfected or sterilised at 134 degrees. |
Still have questions?
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If you have questions that aren't answered here, please feel free to contact our friendly reception on (02) 8521 6268 for a chat. Whether you are concerned about your procedure, need to reschedule an appointment or just want to book your next checkup, we are always happy to help!
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