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Port Melbourne Dental > Dental Services

What is Tartar?

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tartar build up

Dental calculus — or “tartar,” as most people refer to it — is a hard substance that builds up on your teeth. It’s formed out of soft dental plaque biofilm that calcifies in place when it’s set on the tooth for too long. Regular brushing and flossing is important for daily plaque removal, but there are often small amounts of buildup left behind. After about 24 hours, the soft plaque hardens into tartar. Once tartar is attached to a tooth, it can’t be brushed or flossed away. Only a dentist or hygienist can clean it off. Our Port Melbourne dentists … Continue reading

Treating Cracked Teeth

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cracked tooth repair

Do you have a visible or suspected crack in your tooth? Diagnosing cracked teeth isn’t always as easy as you might think it is. The way they’re treated depends on the severity and location of the crack. Bonding or Filling “Craze lines” are a type of surface crack that doesn’t usually cause structural damage to your teeth, but you may notice them in the mirror (especially since they tend to pick up stain.) Small cracks like chipped enamel can be bonded or filled over if needed for aesthetic purposes. Dental Crowns Moderate cracks in your tooth can’t be patched over … Continue reading

How do Orthodontic Trays/Aligners Work?

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dental aligners

If you’re looking to straighten your teeth without braces, then our Port Melbourne dentists may recommend a removable, translucent tray system that uses aligners. Compared to traditional metal orthodontics, aligners are free of any fixed wires or brackets. Yet, they’re predictable, efficient, and comfortable for our adult and teen patients. Here’s how they work: Strategic, Digitally-Mapped Pressure Clear aligners are mapped out virtually before treatment ever starts. That means PMD Dental Care can see your proposed results before you start wearing the aligners. Using specific techniques, each tooth is “moved” in the computer software and the corresponding alignment trays are … Continue reading

Why You Should See a Dentist Every Six Months

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dentist checking patient's teeth

You’ve probably always heard that you need to schedule a dental checkup twice per year. But if you don’t normally have dental problems, is it ok to skip?  Here are several reasons why your six-month dental visits are more important than you may realize.  We’re Screening for Oral Cancer Oral cancer is a deadly disease, in that most people aren’t aware of their condition until symptoms are severe. As your Port Melbourne dentist, we’re constantly evaluating your oral tissues for changes between appointments. Earlier diagnosis of precancerous tissue can save your life.  Gum Disease Can be Intercepted Earlier Early stages … Continue reading

Do I Have a Cavity?

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Woman with sensitive teeth

Tooth decay is one of the most common reasons to search out a dentist in your area. If you haven’t been seeing a dental provider in a while, a cavity could change that. At PMD Dental Care, we frequently receive appointment requests because of toothaches and symptoms of decay. Common signs of Tooth Decay Although there’s no way to know whether you have a small cavity without seeing a dentist, here are some common signs to be on the lookout for: Sensitivity to Sweets Sweet sensitivity is a tell-tale sign of tooth decay. If your teeth hurt when you’re drinking … Continue reading

How Gum Disease Affects Your Health

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woman receiving dental checkup

At PMD Dental Care in Port Melbourne, we help our patients take steps towards stopping gum disease when it’s in the earliest stages of gingivitis. Why? Because periodontitis doesn’t just affect your smile – it can affect your health and quality of life.  The Oral-Systemic Connection Oral biofilm can spread from infected areas inside of your mouth directly into your cardiovascular system. As a result, it lodges within blood vessels, your heart, and raises inflammation throughout the body. It also suppresses your immune system, making it more difficult to overcome other types of medical conditions.  Studies show that the more … Continue reading

Is Tooth Recontouring Right for You?

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healthy smile

If you’re curious about minimally-invasive cosmetic treatments that can make a big impact on your smile, you may want to ask our Port Melbourne dentists about tooth recontouring.  What is Tooth Recontouring? When you smile, look at the edges of your teeth. Are they fairly even and uniform? If they aren’t, recontouring can smooth out the edges so they’re smoother and better aligned from one side of your smile to the other. This process can be especially helpful if you have irregular tooth shapes, past damage, or edges that show some chipping or wear.  The best part is that recontouring … Continue reading

Symptoms of Abscessed Teeth

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checking abscessed teeth

An abscessed tooth can cause the most painful toothache that you’ve ever experienced. But dental abscesses can also be pain-free, because the nerve of the tooth has died.  If you’re not sure whether you have an ongoing abscess, our Port Melbourne dentists want you to look out for these other common symptoms: A Fistula on Your Gums Fistulas look like small pimples. They may come and go or be various sizes. They’re caused by infection draining out the tip of your tooth root and seeping through the bone until the bacteria reach the surface. Even if the fistula drains and … Continue reading

What to Do if You Chip a Tooth

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broken tooth

It’s something that a lot of people have nightmares about: chipping a tooth. Whether you accidentally bit down on something too hard or got bumped in the mouth, when you break a tooth, everything comes to a screeching halt.  First and foremost, take a deep breath. No matter how bad your chipped tooth is, our Port Melbourne dentists can help you take care of it. Once you’ve eased your mind, however, there are a couple of important things that you need to do.    Store Your Broken Tooth Fragment Tiny slivers of chipped enamel can’t be bonded back into place. … Continue reading

Why You Should Whiten Your Teeth

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Teeth whitening

Teeth whitening is something that people do for a variety of reasons. Some are obvious, others are personal, but there’s no one situation that makes teeth whitening the right option for everyone. At PMD Dental Care, we offer professional teeth whitening in Port Melbourne to help our patients make the most of their smiles. You may want to consider this simple cosmetic procedure if you fit any of the following categories:  An Upcoming Smile Makeover Teeth whitening is usually the first step to a smile makeover. In some situations, lightening the colour of your teeth may be a more effective … Continue reading