A current concern is bacteria in the dental tubing that feeds water to the hand pieces (drills) and the air water syringe used to wash off you teeth.

We have taken the initiative to address this potential source of contamination by installing self contained water units separate from city water. This enables us to run solutions through the dental tubing, which kills many bacteria, and disinfects the water lines, providing you with cleaner water for your mouth

Begin brushing your child's teeth from the time the first tooth appears. Small soft toothbrushes are available, as are mild tasting children's toothpaste's with fluoride. Gentle brushing twice per day (in the morning and before bedtime) with a small (pea size) amount of toothpaste should be adequate. After brushing your child should spit out, then rinse with water and spit again (avoid swallowing toothpaste). As more teeth appear, and the back molars come in, you should begin gently flossing your child's teeth once per day at bedtime before brushing (again; mild bubble gum flavored floss is available for children). Keep the toothpaste tube capped and away from your toddlers reach.

There is currently no fluoride in the tap water in the Aurora, Newmarket area. Fluoride has been shown to be an excellent inexpensive way to prevent and reduce tooth decay at all ages. Having said this, it should also be said that too much fluoride in children at a young age can lead to chalky, white spots and mottling of the enamel of second teeth. This issue is a concern to us in our area since fluoride supplements are often mistakenly thought of as ,"if a little is good, more is better".

osmetic dentistry covers a broad range of dental services. Three conservative procedures have greatly enhanced a dentist's ability to give you a better smile. Whitening teeth has become enormously popular and successful. With tooth whitening, you can have whiter teeth in less than 2 weeks. All it takes is wearing a custom-made tray with the whitening gel (both provided by our office) for about one hours per day or overnight while you sleep.

For discolorations not corrected by whitening, to close spaces, or to lengthen worn, short or chipped teeth, bonding or porcelain veneers provide predictable and long lasting beautiful alternative. Bonding is achieved by cementing tooth-colored filling material to the enamel (outer coating of the tooth). While bonding materials have improved over the years and can give good results, they are not as long-lasting and sometimes not as esthetically pleasing as Porcelain veneers. Veneers are a thin layer of porcelain that is custom made to a shape and color of our choosing and is bonded to the front face your tooth. These restorations require minimal tooth preparation and are extremely durable and beautifully natural in appearance. All of these methods are both reliable and predictable and can give you the smile you have always wanted.

Orthodontics and porcelain colored crowns are considered the most traditional ways of smile enhancement simply because they have been in use the longest. These procedures are also viable options for many patients.

Finally, for a less than perfect chin, implanted fillers can be placed to augment deficiencies. Alone or in combination, all of these procedures are capable of giving you a smile you can flash with confidence!

By understanding the cause of a cavity, patients might be better able to deter them. Cavities are actually caused by a chain of events, starting with food being allowed to stay on your teeth. The worst culprit is sugar because this is most easily digested by the bacteria that naturally live in your mouth, but any food left long enough will eventually become sustenance for the bacteria. Once the bacteria (also known as plaque) digest the food, they produce an acid. It is this acid which eats away at the enamel (outer layer of tooth) eventually causing a "hole" in your tooth. The best way to prevent cavities is by practicing good oral hygiene.

One more note: Plaque also causes gum disease, which is the major cause of tooth loss in people over the age of 35. So, there are now at least two good reasons for good home care!

Tooth enamel (the outer covering of a tooth) consists of a substance called hydroxyapatite. The dissolving of this substance is called demineralization, and its formation is called re-mineralization. In the mouth there is an equilibrium between these two processes which is established even with healthy teeth.

Do you know any chemistry? When sugar ferments on teeth, hydrogen ions are produced that upset the equilibrium between demineralization and remineralization by combining with hydroxide ions to form water. Removal of hydroxide ions causes more of the hydroxyapatite to dissolve, resulting in tooth decay. Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by replacing the hydroxide ions in hydroxyapatite. The resulting chemical compound is very resistant to acid attack!