WELCOMEto Sherwood Dental

You don’t have to cope with the pain of a dental emergency alone! Besides, you shouldn’t ignore dental injuries. These conditions can escalate quickly.

When it comes to choosing the right dentist for your family, there are many different factors that go into the search. Before you decide on a dentist, it’s important to consider each of the needs for all members of your family. Today, there are several effective, fast, and minimally invasive options for improving the appearance of teeth and overall oral health.

During a dental cleaning and prevention appointment, a dentist will perform a dentist exam, give you a dental exam and x-rays, take a look at any fillings and crowns that you have and check your teeth for signs of decay. You might think that brushing and flossing are enough to prevent tooth decay and cavities, but there’s a lot more going on in your mouth than you’re aware of.

Reasons for Oral Exams

In addition to performing diligent oral care at home, you should see your dentist every six months for a routine check up. Likewise, studies have proven a link between gum disease and health conditions such as diabetes, dementia and cardiovascular disease, so it pays to undergo routine cleaning to spot gum disease in the early stages when it is reversible so that you can reduce your risk of other health problems.

Also known as dental radiographs, dental X-rays use controlled pulses of radiation to create images of the internal structures of the jaw and mouth. Dental X-rays are useful for viewing jawbones and various tooth structures. They can find and image cavities, bone or gum loss, periodontal disease, benign or malignant tumours, and other normal or abnormal structures within the lower portion of the head. In children and adolescents, they are also useful for finding un-erupted permanent teeth and imaging root structures in preparation for orthodontic work.

Like other types of X-rays, dental X-rays take advantage of the natural density contrasts within the mouth and jaw. For instance, denser jawbones, teeth, crowns and fillings show up as light areas within the darker, less-dense soft tissues that surround them. Cavities easily appear on X-rays because they are less dense than the teeth that they affect. Dentists, doctors and other medical professionals have utilized the relatively simple concept of X-ray imaging since the late 1800s.

Although dental X-rays use radiation to achieve light-dark contrasts, they are not dangerous when used occasionally. During a typical X-ray session, a patient receives about as much radiation exposure as he or she would on a five-hour airplane flight. Lead shields and collars further reduce these exposure levels.

The Benefits of Routine Professional Teeth Cleaning

Your oral health depends on two factors: your willingness to brush and floss regularly and your commitment to seeing your dentist every six months for an oral exam and professional teeth cleaning. You may wonder why you need to visit the dental professional so often if you are taking great care of your teeth and gums on your own, but even the most diligent patients can miss hard-to-reach areas of the mouth and leave themselves vulnerable to tooth decay and periodontal disease. Your six-month oral exam will ensure that your dentist spots any problems early in their development, but professional teeth cleaning may prevent those oral health issues, the most devastating of which is periodontal disease, all together.

A composite (tooth colored) filling is used to repair a tooth that is affected by decay, cracks, fractures, etc. The decayed or affected portion of the tooth will be removed and then filled with a composite filling.

There are many types of filling materials available, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. You and the doctor can discuss the best options for restoring your teeth. Composite fillings, along with silver amalgam fillings, are the most widely used today. Because composite fillings are tooth colored, they can be closely matched to the color of existing teeth, and are more aesthetically suited for use in front teeth or the more visible areas of the teeth.

As with most dental restorations, composite fillings are not permanent and may someday have to be replaced. They are very durable, and will last many years, giving you a long lasting, beautiful smile.

What is a Dental Crown?

Dental crowns, also called caps, fit over worn or damaged teeth, to help restore their strength and function. They can also serve a cosmetic purpose, they can cover a discoloured tooth, or improve a tooth’s aesthetics.

What is a dental bridge?

A dental bridge spans the gap where a missing tooth once was, filling the space with a synthetic tooth. Like a bridge over a river, most dental bridges need support at either end, although cantilever bridges are an exception. Fitting a bridge requires reshaping the abutment teeth and capping them with crowns to hold the bridge securely.

What is a sealant?

A dental sealant is a thin plastic film painted on the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars (the teeth directly in front of the molars). Sealants have been shown to be highly effective in the prevention of cavities. They were developed through dental research in the 1950s and first became available commercially in the early 1970s.

Cold sores are a painful highly contagious blister that can form around your mouth and chin. They typically last two to three weeks if not treated. Laser therapy is a great option to help treat cold sores in their early stages. If early enough our lasers can effectively treat and speed up your healing time. 

Give Sherwood Dental a call as soon as you feel the symptoms of a cold sore coming on. Call (587) 400-7395 and let us know if you are interested in laser therapy to stop the progression of cold sores.

Not so long ago, patients had very few choices in correcting their imperfect smiles. Orthodontic treatment could correct crooked teeth, but not much could be done about teeth that were chipped, oddly shaped, or discolored other than covering them with crowns, a procedure that requires a significant reduction of healthy tooth structure. Today, there are several effective, fast, and minimally invasive options for improving the appearance of teeth.

Everyone wants a white, healthy smile. Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned. Stains and discolourations are all-too-common dental problems, which explains why teeth whitening is such a popular procedure. Regular oral exams and cleanings can help ward off the majority of stains, but some things are beyond your control. The simple act of aging can produce stains, and various environmental and lifestyle factors can too. The good news is that most stains can be resolved through safe, effective teeth whitening procedures.

With our at-home system, you will receive a set of custom made teeth whitening trays and gel to help you achieve your ideal shade. While our in-office whitening allows you to come in and receive professional whitening within a few hours.

Benefits of Bonding

Dental bonding is a great way to quickly and affordably repair small imperfections on teeth. In a way, bonding is like a simplified version of a veneer or a crown. While it can’t withstand the kind of abuse that those solutions can, bonding works well in a variety of situations.

Like many people, your teeth may develop cosmetic problems despite your best efforts. Even if you are diligent about maintaining excellent oral hygiene and visit the dentist regularly for cleanings and oral exams, issues may arise. Whether you chip a tooth while playing sports or start to notice discoloration, which can occur naturally with age, you have plenty of options. Bonding is among the simplest and most cost-effective of them.

Certain dentists specialize in family dentistry, which means that they can take care of your teeth, your teenaged child’s teeth and your infant’s teeth with no problem. Working with a family dentist makes it a lot easier for you to keep up with your family’s dentist appointments and ensures that you only have to drive to a single location whenever it’s time for a checkup or cleaning.

When it comes to choosing the right dentist for your family, there are many different factors that go into the search. Before you decide on a dentist, it’s important to consider each of the needs for all members of your family. To avoid having to make multiple appointments at different dental offices, a good family dentist will provide dental services to patients of every age. Think about each family member, what they may need, and make sure to ask if those services are provided at any family dental office that you contact.

Our General Dentist’s at Sherwood Dental love working with kids and all of our staff have a lot of experience working with children. We also offer sedation options that help children relax while the dentistry is being completed. And when needed we work closely with talented Pediatric Dentists if a referral to a child specialist is required.

Just as pediatricians specialize in health care for children, pediatric dentistry refers to children’s dental care. Kids who learn early that dental visits are neither painful nor unpleasant generally grow into adults who feel comfortable with regular dental upkeep.

Being apprehensive of the dentist is nothing to be embarrassed about. We treat many patients who experience high levels of anxiety while in the dental chair. The good news is that you can get the treatment you need without having to endure a racing heart, sweaty skin, or butterflies in your stomach.

Sherwood Dental is proud to offer anxious patients an alternative to fearful dental experiences. Sedation dentistry at our office involves a high-dose sleeping pill to induce a calm, relaxed state. Our dentists are qualified to administer oral sedation as well as Nitrous-Oxide sedation. We just require that you have some bring you to and from your appointment if taking oral sedation as you cannot drive afterwards. You can use sedation dentistry during any type of treatment, including routine general dentistry checkups and cleanings as well as smile-enhancing cosmetic dentistry procedures.

Are you anxious about your next trip to the dentist? Nitrous oxide (better known as laughing gas) can help relax you. During your dental treatment, nitrous oxide is administered through a scented nose piece, and it typically creates a feeling of relaxation.

This sedation dentistry tool has been around for centuries it was first applied in dentistry in Hartford, Connecticut in 1844.

Not all dentists in the Sherwood Park area have nitrous oxide available in their offices or are qualified to administer it. We are pleased to make it available to our patients.

If one or more of your permanent teeth are missing, there are a number of ways to replace them. An alternative to bridges, partials or complete dentures may be dental implants. Implants are used to replace missing roots and support artificial replacement teeth. They are typically quite comfortable and look like natural teeth.

For patients who want to enjoy the many benefits of straighter teeth without having to wear uncomfortable metal brackets and wires, Invisalign is an ideal alternative to traditional braces. The process involves the use of a series of clear trays that are worn for a few weeks at a time. Over time, these trays gently and effectively move the teeth until they are perfectly aligned.