Time is critical in the case of a tooth being knocked out. The chances of a tooth surviving decreases dramatically if the tooth is not replaced after 30 minutes, meaning it’s very important to call us, or to report to your nearest hospital, or to visit your local doctor.

Here are some steps to follow as a general guide

1. Find the tooth.
2. Check to see if tooth is clean or dirty. If the tooth is clean; place back into the socket by carefully holding the crown only. (tip: use the adjacent teeth as guides to how to place the tooth back) If the tooth is dirty; rinse tooth with milk before placing back into the socket.
3. Ask the individual to support the tooth in the socket with light gentle pressure.
4. If you have difficulties replacing the tooth, immerse the tooth in a sealed container filled with milk, or ask the patient to carefully hold it in their cheek. (important: do not wash or immerse the tooth in water as water’s properties will harm the tooth significantly)
5. If you are only able to present to a hospital or a local doctor for the emergency treatment, you will need to call us promptly to schedule a follow up appointment. Such an examination is required to ensure the tooth is correctly repositioned, no damage has been suffered by the jaw bone, and to begin the long term management of the reinserted tooth.

We’re a dentist that will do our best to see patients with genuine dental emergencies on the day they contact us via our Balwyn North dental practice telephone 9859 8517.

For existing patients of the practice requiring emergency help outside surgery hours, please telephone 0413130422.  Alternatively, you may wish to try the Kew Emergency Dental Clinic on 9853 1855, or the Royal Melbourne Dental Hospital on 1300 360 054. Both alternative emergency clinics operate at extended hours and are available on Sundays and public holidays.

If you have suffered a sporting injury, or other significant trauma, or a significant swelling, please call us immediately or report to your nearest hospital.

Dentistry’s greatest progress over recent decades is in preventive dental care techniques. There is no reason why a healthy set of teeth cannot stay filling free for a lifetime if the correct approach is taken together by you and us. One of the most satisfying aspects of our work is to be able to give you the all clear at examinations. By having regular dental examinations, we aim to assist you in identifying risk factors and take the necessary actions.

By the time you can notice discomfort in a tooth, it’s possible that dental treatment can become more complicated. Dental decay doesn’t happen overnight, and if we can identify this early, we can save you time, discomfort, and cost.

Depending upon your oral health risks, we will recommend examinations either once or twice a year. Our aim is for your mouth to be healthy and stable so your teeth last a lifetime with a minimum of worries, complications, and cost.

As a practice with a practice philosophy of preventive dental care, we strive to minimize the amount of treatment that you require. It’s important to know that not all dental treatment has the same level of priority. For this reason, for all dental treatment procedures we propose we will truthfully inform you of whether the treatment is urgent, beneficial over the longer term, or completely optional.

Dental studies show that three types of individuals will be more prone to having more significant and costly treatment than on average.

Group 1. An inbalance of diet and oral hygiene.

Group 2. Patients with a history of multiple, and or large fillings.

Group 3. Irregular attenders to a dentist.

Every member of our highly trained dental team is fully aware that the mouth is a sensitive area, and we treat it accordingly.

• We explain what we are doing so that there aren’t any surprises
• Frequent rest periods during dental treatment.
• Every injection is given with a pain minimization techniques
• We give you complete control during dental treatment.

Here are a number of ways we make your dental treatment as comfortable as possible;

• Every dental treatment room has a beautiful garden outlook through floor to ceiling windows
• A relaxing patient lounge with coffee, teas, up to date magazines, Foxtel TV or DVD’s, iPad with internet and games for the kids (you’re welcome to come earlier for your appointment to get comfortable)
• An open spacious, purpose built practice dental room design.
• The latest Planmeca dental chairs with body contouring seats and DVDs.

Our practice prides ourselves on providing pleasant and modern surroundings. Our team members are very friendly and caring. Our main goal is to provide the best dental experience you have ever had.

It is a common occurrence that a tooth or filling breaks through decay or wear and tear. What happens next depends on each individual tooth. If the break does not involve the nerve of the tooth (keeping in mind sensitivity does not necessarily mean the nerve is exposed), a simple filling may be all that is required. If the tooth already has a large filling or area of decay and the cavity involves the nerve, a filling may not be enough.

Different cases may need different treatments including dental crown, root canal filling, or removal with a dental implant replacement.

It’s a good idea to have a broken tooth repaired as soon as possible even if it doesn’t give you any discomfort. A broken tooth is a potential trap for food and debri that can also lead to adjacent teeth developing decay.

All the instruments in our dental practice are either autoclavable or used only once.

So yes, we autoclave all our instruments, and dispose of single use equipment each and everytime. Keeping you protected is of the highest importance to us.

During the autoclaving procedure steam penetrates enclosed items at extreme temperatures for a set amount of time. We keep a constant tracking process of sterilization steps to ensure successful sterilization. All sterilization procedures are according to the Australian Dental Association and the Dental Board of Victoria guidelines.

The old adage of “you get what you pay for” is no where more appropriate than it is for today’s dental care. Dental care costs vary depending upon the number of sterilization procedures carried out to protect each patient, the quality of the fillings/medications used, the time/care taken planning for your appointment, the time/care taken to comprehensively carry out the examination/treatment, the quality of the laboratories used to construct dentures/crowns, the amount of training that the dentists and our entire team attend regularly, just to name a few.

You will always find more expensive or cheaper fees, but we guarantee that you will not find better value for money than at The Smile Team dentist.

We are here to assist your dental health for the long term.

We are pleased to be able to assist you in direct health fund rebates through our HICAPS setup. We accept Visa, Mastercard, AMEX and Bank Cheques.

We also offer Denticare interest free payment plans.

Payment is expected on the day, unless arranged before hand.

Quality dental care requires time to diagnose and complete treatment to the best standards.  Our sincere desire to take care of our patients extends to the fair and reasonable dental practice fee schedule we set.  We aim to provide the best value dental care to achieve the best long term health outcomes.

A regular dental appointment typically costs less than routine car servicing. Our comprehensive examination includes two dental x-rays, a gum disease check, teeth charting, oral cancer screening, jaw joint and muscle inspection, and a dental bite assessment. We also offer a thorough hygiene cleaning with fluoride protection. Fees are lower for teenagers and children.

(tip: to best way to reduce the overall cost of dental treatment for you and your family is through regular dental checkups and diligent home care)