VelScope technology is a platform that allows viewing of buccodental anomalies with a blue fluorescent light. Colour variations indicate the presence of cancerous or precancerous lesions.

Painless and totally safe, the VelScope is a state-of-the-art technology designed for early detection of oral cancers. Studies show that early diagnosis contributes greatly to increasing the patient’s survival rate. For example, a person who has received a Stage 1 cancer diagnosis has an 80% chance of recovery, compared to 20% if the cancer has evolved to Stage 4.

In short, the VelScope is very useful to complete the conventional oral examination, allowing better detection of anomalies appearing on the oral mucous membranes, which most of the time are invisible to the naked eye.

Centre dentaire Smiile makes it a duty to suggest this examination, which may save your life. Your health is their primary concern!

The two gum diseases most frequently encountered are gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is defined as a slight inflammation of the gums and heals fairly easily. It is mainly caused by poor dental hygiene. Most of the time gingivitis is painless, but certain signs may indicate its presence. Bleeding during brushing or flossing, or dark pink or swollen gums are some of the physiological manifestations you could notice. Although it is benign, gingivitis must not be taken lightly, because it generally leads to periodontitis in the absence of intervention.

Periodontitis is caused by the presence of specific bacteria, developing inside periodontal pockets, which gradually destroy the tissues surrounding the tooth. If detected early, periodontitis is relatively easy to treat. However, if it is more extensive (e.g. deep periodontal pockets, loose teeth, etc.), treatment could be tougher. This is why you must never neglect the health of your gums and consult a dental professional if you notice the symptoms mentioned.

As you may be aware, laser has gained popularity in the past few years. It has been proved that laser allows increased elimination of infected tissue compared to conventional methods, while ensuring biostimulation (increased bone cell and collagen fibre activity and blood flow). Laser is also recognized for reducing inflammation and discomfort after treatment. It is also very effective for disinfecting periodontal pockets, while taking care to preserve healthy tissue. Of course, patients are delighted to find that healing is very quick, clearly faster than the techniques used previously.

Tooth decay is an infectious anomaly that forms in the tooth. It causes a carious lesion of the enamel, the dentin or the cementum. Tooth decay develops following an imbalance of the oral bacterial flora. Concretely, the presence of bacteria, along with poor food habits and a deficient salivary and immune system, work together to cause tooth decay. A combination of factors contribute to its development, but regular brushing and daily flossing are essential to reduce the risk of formation of dental caries. Since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, ask your hygienist about the dental hygiene techniques and measures to adopt!

Sealant is a fine coat of plastic applied to the occlusal surface (surface stressed during mastication) of the molars or premolars to protect them against tooth decay. Frequently these surfaces have natural furrows, facilitating the accumulation of dental plaque, which could end up as tooth decay. Since the furrows are generally finer than the toothbrush bristles, it becomes impossible to dislodge all the food particles during brushing. To alleviate this undesired situation, the dentist seals the furrows to flatten the occlusal surface and prevent debris from lodging there.

Dental sealant is strongly recommended for children between 6 and 14 years of age, especially when their molars/premolars have deep furrows. In general, children and adolescents are more at risk of developing dental caries. However, dental professionals sometimes prescribe dental sealant for adults who are more subject to the development of tooth decay.

What is the procedure for one-session teeth whitening with home follow-up?

We begin with your dental examination and cleaning, taking care to check for the presence of dental caries and repairing them before whitening, if applicable. The dentist then takes your impressions to design gutters for home whitening sessions. During a second appointment, you receive your chairside whitening treatment, which lasts 30 to 45 minutes. Of course, this treatment does not involve any risk for your health and you will feel no pain during the whitening session.

To achieve the desired objective, chairside whitening is followed by home treatment with your personalized gutters. Depending on the initial colour of your teeth, we will determine the number of sessions that suits you (generally 7). For about 7 consecutive days, you will have the choice of sleeping with your gutters all night, or wearing them for an hour or two during the day, depending on whether you opt for the accelerated formula.

Don’t worry. We’ll be available to answer all your questions and will ensure that everything goes well during your teeth whitening. We always adapt the treatment to each patient’s special conditions.

Physical manifestations

• Eroded teeth
• Headaches
• Buccofacial pain
• Discomfort in the jaw or the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) upon awakening

Causes

Most sports involve a risk of injury to the teeth or jaw, to a greater or lesser degree. Although mouth guards cannot prevent every injury, they are very effective in limiting the risks of fracture or losing teeth.

A mouth guard designed by a dentist is always made to measure. The level of comfort and stability is therefore optimized. In other words, wearing a mouth guard made by a dental professional does not hinder elocution or breathing.

Every year, mouth guards considerably reduce the number of serious accidents affecting the teeth or jaw. Every athlete should wear a mouth guard to avoid major accidents with irreversible consequences.

A dental crown is used to restore a tooth damaged by major tooth decay or a slightly fractured tooth (far from the nerve). A crown resembles a little hat (generally made of ceramic or porcelain) that covers the top of the tooth.

To ensure the tooth is as strong as a natural tooth, the dentist must first push down a portion to stabilize the crown. Secondly, so that your crown is embedded perfectly in your tooth, dental impressions are taken. A few hours later, the crown is ready to be installed and the dentist can proceed to put it in your mouth. Once everything is well adjusted, the masticatory function and appearance of the restored tooth are similar to those of a completely natural tooth.

Frequently used to avoid dental extraction, endodontic treatment (root canal) serves to remove the infected, damaged or dead tissue from the tooth. The “canal” is the space located inside the tooth’s hard layers, within which a soft tissue (dental pulp) is found. The dental pulp brings together the blood vessels and the nerves that allow the tooth to form. The debris that infiltrates inside the tooth through deep caries, fissures or damaged obturations risks forming an abscess. An abscess appears because of infected dental pulp, which must be removed. Neglecting to treat an abscess may result in serious complications for your buccodental health. Fortunately, painless techniques exist. The dentist will ensure that you feel comfortable throughout the procedure.

In addition to eliminating the inflammation and discomfort, root canal will allow you to keep your tooth intact.

Advantages of allograft vs. autologous graft (coming from the recipient)

• Single surgical site (only on the recipient site)
• Minimal discomfort after the procedure

The procedure

• Your dentist or oral surgeon inserts a small metal tenon in the jaw.
• Over time, this tenon integrates into the neighbouring bone.
• The tenon or implant serves to create a solid base to receive one or more artificial teeth.

Implants are not suitable for everyone. Here are the prerequisites:

• Excellent general health
• Healthy gums
• A fairly massive jawbone to support the implant

Your cooperation involves:

• Meticulous care of your implant(s)
• Frequent examinations by a dental professional until the healing process is fully completed

Neglecting to wear partial dentures may seem harmless, at first. But it is important to know that several complications could occur if you refuse to wear them.

In the first place, a partial denture is very useful in favouring better digestion, because all the teeth are important in the mastication process. In a similar vein, without protection, the gums risk being damaged more rapidly, which can cause injuries or infections. Furthermore, in the long run, the denture helps prevent premature loss of your remaining teeth and/or their migration to the edentulous area.

How does Invisalign technology stand out from other orthodontic treatments?

Here are the advantages of Invisalign molds

• Translucent (almost invisible)
• Maximum comfort
• Non-metallic and free of wires and rings (reduced probability of irritation)
• Removable (during meals and brushing)
• Gradual, gentle shifting