Casey Dental Clinic

Regular dental examinations and good oral hygiene are critical to maintaining the health of teeth and gums. Dr. Casey will assess their condition at his dental clinic in Sherwood Park and make treatment recommendations if necessary, and monitor any conditions that require special attention.

Dental plaque is a film of bacteria that constantly forms and sticks to teeth and it secretes acids when it comes into contact with food or drink. It can be removed with diligent brushing and flossing, but it is often difficult to remove all the plaque from all surfaces of the teeth and from under the gums. Plaque hardens into tartar, which can only be removed by a hygienist using specialized instruments. If not removed, it can cause cavities, gingivitis (gum disease), an abscess, and tooth loss.

For adults, exams are recommended at least once annually and hygiene twice annually. Plaque may build up more quickly for some patients due to certain medical conditions, or habits such as smoking, an inadequate hygiene routine, and carbohydrate heavy diet. These patients may be recommended to come into our dental office several times a year for hygiene appointments.

A crown is a tooth shaped 'cap' that is custom made to cover and protect damaged teeth, restore strength, and improve appearance. It is cemented over top of the natural tooth, fully encasing it above the gumline. The crown is made of porcelain and the color will be matched to the patient's existing teeth to ensure a very natural appearance and beautiful smile.

There are number of reasons that it may be needed instead of a filling. A tooth that is severely broken, or that has previously undergone root canal treatment will most likely need to have a dental crown placed to ensure its viability.

When a tooth has cracked, broken, worn down, or become damaged due to decay Dr. Casey repairs the damaged areas with 'fillings' to fix cavities and restore and strengthen the teeth. Without repair, the damaged tooth is weakened and will be susceptible to further degradation.

Teeth may be restored (or 'filled') using several different materials: Amalgam is a mix of silver alloy. It may last up to 10-15 years, but can cause a greyish cast to the tooth due the metal content. It is the most cost-effective material. Composite Resin is a tooth-coloured material that contains plastic and glass. It can be closely matched to the existing tooth colour and may last up to 5 years. Glass Ionomer contains acrylic and a specific type of glass. It is most often used for fillings that are below the gum line, and it releases fluoride. It may last up to 5 years.

Oral health care providers prefer to save a natural tooth whenever possible. But there are instances in which an extraction is necessary. An extraction is a complete removal of a tooth from its socket.

Extractions may be required when: the tooth has experienced a severe fracture; there is severe tooth decay present; there is advanced gum disease causing the tooth to become mobile; an impaction of the tooth (that is, the tooth has not been able to erupt normally); crowding.

When you are scheduled for an extraction, Dr. Casey will review the medical history to ascertain whether the patient has any health concerns or is taking medication that may impact the recovery from the extraction. His dental assistant will take an xray of the tooth to be extracted to check the bone levels, state of the roots and the extent of the damage to the tooth. He will then apply a numbing agent to the gums around the tooth before administering a small amount of local anaesthetic. Once he has confirmed that the patient is fully numb, he will remove the tooth, clean and disinfect the socket, and place stitches if required. Dr. Casey will then place gauze over the extraction site and ask the patient to keep steady, firm pressure on the site. This pressure helps slow the bleeding and promotes clotting. The gauze can be removed once bleeding has slowed, but a small amount of bleeding can be expected to continue for 24 hours.

Root canal therapy is required when the pulp of a tooth (the soft tissue inside the root) becomes inflamed or infected. This can result from a crack in the tooth that continues into the pulp, a severe break of the tooth that leaves the pulp exposed, an infection at the root of the tooth, or from deep decay that reaches the pulp. If left untreated it can cause extreme pain and/or lead to an abscess.

When Dr. Casey and the patient have decided together that root canal treatment will be the best course of action, Dr. Casey will give the patient some local anaesthetic to numb the affected tooth. Then the pulp tissue inside the tooth is removed and the space filled with a rubber-like material. After the treatment has been completed the tooth is susceptible to becoming brittle. For this reason, placement of a crown on the tooth is usually recommended to prevent breakage.

Invisalign is the brand name of a customized orthodontics system designed to straighten teeth and/or correct an imperfect bite. It consists of sets of clear plastic trays that the patient wears for at least 20-22 hours per day. The trays are worn for 2 weeks at a time with the total number of trays dependent on the patient's treatment plan.

The trays themselves are clear so they are not visible to others. The trays can be removed to allow the patient to eat and drink normally as well as to brush and floss. They are also much more comfortable than wires and brackets. The fees are very similar to those for braces.

GBT is the next step in the evolution of dental hygiene. It is a hygiene system that removes biofilm which covers all tooth surfaces and harbors bacteria that can cause inflammation of the gums and tooth decay. It is a minimally invasive system that can reduce or eliminate the use of hard instruments that can damage the integrity of the tooth. The GBT system uses Airflow technology to clean teeth and gums without direct contact, resulting in a safe and very gentle hygiene experience.