My child’s permanent teeth are coming in crooked. Is now the right time to seek a consultation for braces or plates?

At Gisborne Family Dental, we understand the interest you may have in braces and orthodontics for your young children. Our Gisborne orthodontists are here to help you and your family.

Some factors such as genetic predisposition and early childhood health issues can cause underdevelopment of jaw bones, and hence showing the signs of your child’s permanent teeth coming in crooked at a fairly young age.

Like most conditions, underdeveloped jaws and crooked teeth may not affect function or cause any noticeable problems when it’s early and in milder forms. However, if allowed to progress, they can often lead to much bigger issues such as misalignment of upper and lower jaws, jaw pain, and uneven wear and tear of teeth.

There are some conditions where earlier treatment can prevent much bigger problems down the track, for example, a crossbite. If you suspect your child has jaw underdevelopment or crooked teeth, we encourage you to visit us for an orthodontic screening consultation at our Gisborne clinic.

Our orthodontists in Gisborne will assess and advise accordingly on whether there are reasons for concern, and if any orthodontic treatment such as braces or plates for your child may be required.

How are childhood sleep issues or nasal breathing problems related to crooked teeth?

Nasal breathing disturbance is linked to poor sleep and can happen to adults or children. It is more dangerous in children as their brain development is affected, and it’s harder to detect because children don’t tend to snore audibly.

How can dentists detect it? When nasal breathing is inefficient, the patient becomes a mouth breather. Because of the mouth breathing, jaw bones don’t develop normally and teeth continue to come through into the smaller jaw that lacks space. This is what often creates the appearance of crooked teeth.

Did you have teeth removed and braces as a teenager and now want your child to have a better outcome and less trauma?

Traditional orthodontics sometimes took the “shortcut” of removing healthy adult teeth in order to straighten teeth with braces, leaving a compromised result and more traumatic patient experience.

At Gisborne Family Dental, we avoid this by intervening early enough, when there’s still natural growth potential to harness.

We use devices that gently guide and promote growth of jaw bones, with the help of a compliant patient. This way the jaw bone is grown to accommodate all the teeth, the way nature meant for it to be.

We avoid the need to remove healthy adult teeth, therefore less trauma for you and your children. Other benefits of this orthodontic and braces method include a general health improvement due to a larger jaw, maintaining healthy airways, and better facial features – think nice wide smiles and high cheekbones!

We are all about the best possible orthodontic care for you and your family. It takes a holistic team to do that.

When we’re able to identify underdevelopment issues earlier, we’re not only able to create healthy jaws and straight teeth. You and your family will also benefit from better general health, improved facial features, as well as performing better in everyday activities.

The different parts of the human body work in sync with each other, and therefore we may recommend you to seek care from other health professionals, such as a medical GP, an ENT specialist, a sleep physician, an osteopath or a myotherapist.

At Gisborne Family dental, our experienced orthodontists can advise whether braces or plates are the best option.

We can help you achieve the smile you want.

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Comprehensive Care

At Gisborne Family Dental, we believe in looking after you as a whole person, not just as a mouth of teeth. We take into account everyone’s past circumstances, present situations, and try to “crystal-ball” the future, so that we can tailor our general dentistry services to each individual.

We’re all the same. And we’re all different.

If you compare a 49 year old vegetarian accountant, and a 19 year old university student living out of home, they may both have the same number of teeth, tongue, jaws and maybe even the same model electric toothbrush.

But we understand that they will have vastly different lifestyle habits, daily routines and dental challenges. All these result in different sets of health risks, and therefore our philosophy is to always help patients find the best ways to maintain their best self.

Preventative dentistry is about creating health, not just fixing diseases.

For too long dentistry in general has focused on fixing broken teeth, or waiting for something to go wrong before stepping in. Let’s be honest, when we get the frantic toothache phone call, everybody gets stressed.

Our focus will always be to equip you with knowledge and information, so that you’re empowered to firstly look after yourself, and secondly be able to make the right dental treatment decisions when required.

We meticulously examine your teeth for early warning signs, so that smaller interventions are required to nip things in the bud. You will ultimately have a far better experience and also save on future pain and costs.

In our mind, this is hands down a win-win.

How we do general dentistry at Gisborne Family Dental

We are extremely thorough, even in our general dentistry check ups and cleans. We take time to get to know you, how you live. Most importantly, we want to know what you want for yourself…. and we listen carefully.

We then gather all the information clinically including photos and x-rays and we sit down and we think about what the best general dentistry service for your unique situation is , because we care.

Lastly, we clearly discuss your dental options with you, so that you’re empowered and feel confident in choosing what’s right for your own goals, budget and lifestyle.

Contact us and find out how to book in for our general dentistry services that are right for you.

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Gum disease is the silent epidemic

Are your gums swollen, red or bleeding? It may be caused by periodontal gum disease. Let us tailor a gum maintenance and treatment plan for you.

Did you know that gum disease is among the most common health conditions affecting adults worldwide? And what’s worse, is that in the majority of cases, gum disease is painless and can fester for years and years before showing any noticable signs. We’ve seen many cases of gum disease being left for too long and resulted in the patient losing valuable teeth and ultimately being unable to eat well and feeling very embarrassed by their smile.

Good gum maintenance gives you solid foundations

Your gums (or in dental lingo – periodontal tissues) actually comprise the soft pink attached skin wrapping around your teeth, connective tissue attachments, and the bone surrounding the teeth roots.

These form solid bases to hold your teeth in your jaw, so that they have the strength to chew through your favourite nutty muesli and pizza crusts. Your healthy gums also hold your teeth in fixed positions while you flash a smile for the photographer at your birthday bash.

In contrast, diseased gums are inflamed and irritated. They bleed, swell, recede, and enter a cycle of continuous destruction. Some other signs of gum disease that may show up include bad breath, general area discomfort that’s worse after meals.

As the gum disease progresses, it can cause looseness of teeth, more severe and constant pain, and can even lead to your teeth falling out completely painlessly. Imagine waking up to a tooth on your pillow one morning – not nice!

You can get gum disease assessment and treatment at your local dentist

Here are some of the common reasons that cause gum disease. It is not an exhaustive list, but can be a screening tool. How many of these apply to you?

Not using dental floss / interdental brushes / water-flosser to clean in between your teeth daily.
Family history / genetics (Did your parents or grandparents lose some of their teeth at a fairly young age?)
Are you / were you a smoker?
Do you have a nutritional deficiency, e.g. lacking in vitamin C?
Do you have any chronic medical conditions such as an autoimmune condition or diabetes?
Have you had any hormonal changes due to reasons such as pregnancy, menopause etc.?

Fear not, there is hope for your periodontitis

With early detection and intervention, periodontitis (gum disease) is one of those conditions that responds really well to conservative treatment.

Guided by our holistic approach, we work with you to identify all of the hereditary, medical, lifestyle, and habitual factors that may be contributing to your gum condition, and create a plan to improve your gum issues one by one.

The treatment often involves ensuring your gum tissues surrounding your teeth are free of plaque and debris that harbour bacteria. We then equip you with all the necessary techniques and knowledge to be able to do your gum maintenance at home easily and efficiently.

This gum maintenance advice is tailored to you, so that it fits your condition, your mouth, and your lifestyle. Our experience in seeing a vast variety of patients means that we know how to work with shift workers who are brushing at odd times, people suffering from hand arthritis and are not able to floss, and the average joe who may be just a little lazy for dental and gum maintenance.

Our goal is to help you care for your gums and teeth, so that you can enjoy your food and your smile, and hopefully spend less time in the dental chair.

We can help get your gums assessed and brought back to health.

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Friendly & Fun Children's Dentist in Gisborne

We provide dentistry services for children that are fun and friendly. Our children’s dentists help your child form excellent dental habits and behaviours for life.

At Gisborne Family Dental, we ensure your children learn positive, routine dental behaviours that stay with them for life. Dentistry services for children at young ages plays a vital role, helping your child form excellent dental habits and behaviours.

Experienced Pediatric Dentist

Our pediatric dentists will put your children first and make sure they’re well looked after and enjoy their experience at Gisborne Family Dental. It’s never too early to begin teaching your little ones correct oral hygiene. From when their first teeth start to come through as babies and into their toddler years, we encourage parents to help your kids brush and floss their teeth, all while making it fun.

Is dentistry for children even important if they still have baby teeth?

Yes, finding a child friendly dentist is important, even if we are simply looking at their baby teeth. Why?

If your child’s baby teeth need to be removed because of decay which causes pain, your child’s teeth can move which creates less space for the adult teeth to come through. This can lead to so many dental problems as a teenager. Be prepared to say hello to braces!

Good oral hygiene and regular dental check ups for your child is a crucial aspect of growing up!

Teach your kids good dental hygiene like brushing twice a day but remember they only need a pea sized amount of toothpaste, and don’t let them eat it!

Is your child scared of their pediatric dentist?

Here at Gisborne Family Dental, we provide dentistry for children and the whole family – it’s right there in our name!

We believe a child’s oral health is critical to their overall wellbeing and a trip to the dentist for your child to have a check up should be a normal and fun part of growing up! We are a child friendly clinic with specialised pediatric dentists.

We like to become a regular part of your family life, so we recommend bringing children to one of our friendly pediatric dentists as young as 18 month old. This is the perfect age as they become familiar with our dentists, our clinic and what we do, so they know it’s not a scary place to be!

You need to form the important habit of regular dental check ups when your children are young. Our children’s dentists help your child form excellent dental habits and behaviours for life so they don’t end up in our chair for major problems later in life!

At Gisborne Family Dental, your children will learn positive, oral health routines that stay with them for life. Dentistry services for children at young ages plays a vital role, helping your child form excellent dental habits and behaviours.

Do lollies actually affect your kid’s dental health?

To put their dental health off to a good start, your kids need a healthy and balanced diet made up of fresh foods such as vegetables, fruit, cheese and lean meats.

There is such a thing as too many lollies (believe it or not!) so we recommend you keep high-sugar treats to a minimum. And yes, that includes sweet drinks like juice and your kids’ beloved cola.

Are you looking for an experienced children’s dentist in Gisborne?

Our children’s dentists will put you and your family first. We make sure you’re well looked after and your kids enjoy their experience at Gisborne Family Dental.

It’s never too early to begin teaching your little ones correct oral hygiene. From when their first teeth start to come through as babies, we encourage you to help your kids brush and floss their teeth, all while making it fun.

We can help your whole family achieve the smile you want.

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Wisdom Teeth Removal Specialists in Gisborne

Not unlike the tailbone and the appendix, our wisdom teeth have been around for a long long time, and evolved slowly over the years. But the need for wisdom teeth removal has only come around in more recent times.

Evidence shows that the human jaw used to be bigger and had more room to accommodate these third molars known as wisdom teeth. However as we changed our diet and lifestyle, our jaw and facial bones evolved in shape and size to be sleeker and smaller. As a result, a lot of us don’t have enough space in our jaw bone to comfortably fit our four wisdom teeth.

Are you experiencing wisdom teeth pain? What a pain in the jaw!

Most wisdom teeth related pain starts in your late teens or early twenties. It comes in waves of one to two weeks, and can recur every couple of months. Your pain could be due to eruption movement of the wisdom teeth through bone tissue, inflammation, or indirectly causing teeth grinding or cheek biting.

When your wisdom teeth are partially through your gum, you can also get an infection of the surrounding gums due to food accumulation, and this causes you very severe pain and can lead to infection of other neighbouring structures.

We’ve certainly also seen delayed wisdom teeth removals lead to the decay of neighbouring teeth, and subsequently having to extract the wisdom tooth as well as the tooth next to it.

A wisdom tooth extraction is a short term loss and long term gain

Some of our dentists at Gisborne Family Dental have special interests and extra training in different fields within dentistry, including wisdom tooth extraction and removal.

We recommend identifying risk factors as early as possible, so that you’re less likely to experience any severe pain or emergencies, or have long-lasting damages to your other teeth. Wisdom teeth are usually non-functional, therefore removing them will prevent future problems, and you’re unlikely to feel any difference in how you eat.

Our wisdom tooth extraction planning process usually starts with an x-ray or scan, followed by careful planning, so that the procedure goes smoothly and predictably when the time comes to remove your problematic wisdom teeth.

Coupled with our sleep dentistry service, you can have your wisdom teeth removal surgery performed in a safe and relaxed manner, so that all you have to do is focus on a smooth sailing recovery process.

Enquire with our team today regarding your wisdom teeth problems

Find out if wisdom teeth removal is right for you.

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Gisborne Sleep Dentistry Specialists

At Gisborne Family Dental, we specialise in sleep dentistry meaning you can have easy, stress free dental treatments without having to travel!

Imagine if you could fall into a deep sleep, have a dream about being on the beach lying in a hammock with sunlight streaming through the palm leaves, and you’re feeling utterly zen listening to the sounds of the waves.

As the waiter approaches with your cocktail, you gently awaken to find that all your dental treatment has been completed, and you have no memory of the sensations usually felt during a dental procedure. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Well it’s totally possible.

Dentistry while you sleep is a wise decision for a positive experience

If you need larger dental procedures done, especially those that are more surgical in nature, you will have an infinitely more positive and comfortable experience should you choose to have it done while you sleep with our sedation dentistry facilities.

Moreover, your dentist usually takes less time to perform the dental treatment procedures to the highest standards possible, as you will be completely relaxed and asleep.

Some of the dentistry commonly performed while you sleep includes:

Removal of wisdom teeth
Implant surgery
Multiple fillings
Multiple crowns and bridges

A dentist that puts you to sleep for treatment can be like hitting the reset button

Do you sweat from your palms when you think about visiting the dentist and wish you could just be put to sleep for your treatment?

If you have had a bad dentist experience in the past, especially in childhood, receiving dental treatment while being awake can be very confronting.

The barrier of trauma created by those bad experiences can take a long time and patience to overcome, and we are on board to help you with that. However if you have a significant amount of dental treatment required in order to get you back to health, it is important to ensure you receive this care with some urgency so that your condition doesn’t deteriorate and ultimately lead to bigger problems and more pain.

Utilising sleep dentistry to undergo your dental treatment would definitely help with “resetting” your oral health to a safe and stable state. You can then patiently focus on maintenance and rebuilding your confidence in attending preventive visits 2-3 times a year.

Gisborne Family Dental is the perfect dentist for scared patients

The dental maintenance visits are designed to be minimal and paced at your comfort so that eventually you will no longer be fearful of attending dental visits. Also if there are any issues that are identified early, it can be nipped in the bud with a smaller treatment that tends to be easier to tolerate.

At Gisborne Family Dental, we are always focused on getting you back on the track of health, putting you back in control.

If you are looking for a dental practice that offers sleep dentistry in Gisborne, please reach out to our team to discuss how we can support you in returning to the dentist.

We can help you achieve the smile you want.

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Happy Gas Dentistry

Happy gas, also known as laughing gas, is one of the most commonly used sedatives for dental procedures. It helps reduce stress and anxiety, allowing our dentists to perform your treatment more comfortably and efficiently.

Before deciding if happy gas is right for you, our dental team will carefully assess several factors to ensure your treatment is both safe and effective. If it’s not the best option for you, we’ll discuss alternative sedation methods and recommend the most suitable one for your needs.

What is Dental Nitrous Oxide?

Nitrous oxide, commonly known as happy gas or laughing gas, is highly effective in reducing stress and anxiety before a dental procedure.

This odourless, colorless gas acts as a sedative, quickly easing your worries. When inhaled, it induces a sense of calm and euphoria. However, its effects are short-lived, and you’ll return to normal within minutes after the gas is stopped.

At our Gisborne dental clinic, we use happy gas to ensure smooth and stress-free dental procedures. Not only does it help alleviate anxiety, but it also allows our team to work efficiently. Before recommending happy gas for your treatment, we will carefully assess several factors to ensure it’s the best option for you.

Why Do Dentists Use Laughing Gas?

Laughing gas is a popular and safe option for sedating patients during dental procedures. Our experienced dentists use laughing gas for a variety of treatments, from fillings to root canals and crowns. If you experience dental anxiety or phobia, laughing gas is an excellent way to help ease pain and discomfort.

For example, root canal treatments can be uncomfortable without sedation, but laughing gas helps make the process much smoother.

You might experience mild discomfort after the procedure, but it typically fades within a few hours. Rest assured, you’re in safe hands with us!

What Are the Effects of Laughing Gas?

The effects of laughing gas can vary depending on the level of sedation administered. Our dental team carefully adjusts the sedation to ensure you’re relaxed but remain awake throughout the procedure. However, you may feel so comfortable that you doze off.

Common effects of happy gas include
– Dreamlike thinking
– Feeling “giggly”
– Calmness
– Relaxation
– Lightheadedness
– A warm sensation
– Sleepiness
– Tingling in the arms and legs

After the nitrous oxide is turned off, you’ll receive oxygen for a few minutes to reduce the risk of headaches and flush out any remaining gas from your lungs, helping you feel more awake and alert. We usually recommend eating a light meal before and after the procedure to minimize the chances of nausea or vomiting.

We can help you achieve the smile you want.

Call us and find out if Happy Gas / Nitrous Oxide is right for you.

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My child’s permanent teeth are coming in crooked. Is now the right time to seek a consultation for braces or plates?

How are childhood sleep issues or nasal breathing problems related to crooked teeth?

Did you have teeth removed and braces as a teenager and now want your child to have a better outcome and less trauma?

We are all about the best possible orthodontic care for you and your family. It takes a holistic team to do that.

We can help you achieve the smile you want.

FAQs

Comprehensive Care

We’re all the same. And we’re all different.

Preventative dentistry is about creating health, not just fixing diseases.

How we do general dentistry at Gisborne Family Dental

Contact us and find out how to book in for our general dentistry services that are right for you.

FAQs

Gum disease is the silent epidemic

Good gum maintenance gives you solid foundations

You can get gum disease assessment and treatment at your local dentist

Fear not, there is hope for your periodontitis

We can help get your gums assessed and brought back to health.

FAQs

Friendly & Fun Children's Dentist in Gisborne

Experienced Pediatric Dentist

Is dentistry for children even important if they still have baby teeth?

Is your child scared of their pediatric dentist?

Do lollies actually affect your kid’s dental health?

Are you looking for an experienced children’s dentist in Gisborne?

We can help your whole family achieve the smile you want.

FAQs

Wisdom Teeth Removal Specialists in Gisborne

Are you experiencing wisdom teeth pain? What a pain in the jaw!

A wisdom tooth extraction is a short term loss and long term gain

Enquire with our team today regarding your wisdom teeth problems

FAQs

Gisborne Sleep Dentistry Specialists

Dentistry while you sleep is a wise decision for a positive experience

A dentist that puts you to sleep for treatment can be like hitting the reset button

Gisborne Family Dental is the perfect dentist for scared patients

We can help you achieve the smile you want.

FAQs

Happy Gas Dentistry

What is Dental Nitrous Oxide?

Why Do Dentists Use Laughing Gas?

What Are the Effects of Laughing Gas?

We can help you achieve the smile you want.

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