Of course. At Park Dental Care we have HICAPS facilities. Be sure to bring your insurance card along to the appointment. The health fund will pay us direct and then you just need to pay the gap on the day. We aren’t contracted with any of the funds, we accept all health funds.

No matter how well we brush and floss, after around 6 months a calculus build up is present on the teeth which can only be removed by a professional scale and clean at the dentist.

If left this calculus build up can cause bleeding and gum disease. Gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults.

Prevention is the key and that’s why we do these 6 monthly check and clean appointments, to maintain optimal dental health.

Most dental problems do not become painful or visible until they are highly advanced. Leaving problems untreated can make them more difficult to treat in the future, it’s best to deal with problems early or prevent them altogether if possible. By going to the dentist regularly, we can identify areas of potential risk and work to prevent complex treatment being required down the track. So many issues have been connected to deteriorated dental health, that by not going to the dentist you’re risking more than just a lecture about flossing, you’re risking your entire wellbeing.

Dental X-rays are important because they provide valuable information that helps the dentist evaluate your oral health. Without X-rays we are unable to see in between the teeth which is where most dental problems start. Many problems can be missed without looking ‘beneath the surface’ with an X-ray, such as the early stages of decay between teeth. If left untreated this can lead to more complex and costly dental treatment in the future.

We recommend receiving regular fluoride treatments to help strengthen your enamel and reverse the effects of tooth decay. Fluoride can also help by reversing early decay.

Enamel forms a hard, protective shell over the surface of your teeth. However, bacteria can eat away at this protective layer. Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by making the tooth more resistant to acid attacks from plaque bacteria and sugars in the mouth.

Teeth clenching or grinding is a common problem that can lead to broken teeth, enamel damage, headaches, and TMJ disorders. For many years, dentists have been perplexed as to the cause. However, we now understand that a significant cause of night time clenching is airway instability during sleep, such as what occurs in obstructive sleep apnea. If you grind or clench your teeth at night, or have been told you’re wearing down your teeth, you may need to consider seeing a sleep specialist. We can assess this at your first visit and get you to fill out a sleep questionnaire to determine if a referral is necessary. If the cause is found not to be related to sleep apnea a splint can be constructed by our dentists that is worn at night to prevent further damage.

Bleeding is often an indication that the gums are inflamed. This inflammation is generally a response to bacteria on the surface of the teeth causing gum disease, one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. To prevent bleeding gums it is important to have your teeth professionally cleaned every 6 months to remove this build up. In a healthy state gums do not bleed.

For a significant change in tooth colour, professional dental bleaching products should be used. Bleaching products will cause a chemical change that will actually lighten the stain and remove parts of it from the tooth surface. A few special bleaching toothpastes contain about 1% of a bleaching agent, but this concentration is far too mild to cause any significant change.