Dental Care Services
At Lake Dentaire, we provide a wide range of dental services for your entire family. We use our knowledge and expertise to guide you towards the treatments that we believe will best benefit your oral health. We don’t like to pressure you into making decisions that you are not comfortable with. It is your mouth and you will have the final say as to what you would like to do!
Complete examination
A full evaluation of your mouth, head and neck is important. With a complete examination, we will be able to rule out cavities, gum disease, infections, oral cancer or other pathologies. Many systemic conditions can manifest themselves in your mouth, face or the lymph nodes in your head and neck. A thorough evaluation will ensure that both your teeth and the rest of your mouth and body are looked after. Prevention is key when it comes to your oral health!
At the appropriate intervals, we recommend taking x-rays to evaluate the presence of cavities or any other problems in your mouth. X-rays allow us to see things that we otherwise can’t see with our bare eyes.
With all of the information that we are able to gather, we can give you our recommendations for different treatment options and you can choose what you would like to do.
Oral hygiene
A professional dental cleaning is important in minimizing gum inflammation (gingivitis) and preventing gum disease (periodontitis). Plus it leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean!
Oral hygiene instructions: we are happy to go over proper hygiene techniques with you so that you can do your best at taking care of your teeth at home.
Fluoride Varnish
Young or old, as long as you have teeth, fluoride can help prevent cavities from developing. If it is okay with you, we encourage the application of our fluoride gel at the end of your cleaning appointment.
Dental Fillings
Caries are caused by bacteria that use the sugars from foods and drinks to created acid which in turn destroys tooth structure, creating holes in your teeth called cavities. Once these holes are created, a dental filling is needed to remove the cavity and seal the hole so that the cavity does not progress and get deeper inside your tooth.
We offer both white (composite) and silver (amalgam) fillings. We will be happy to discuss with you the different options and help you decide what is best for your teeth if you need dental fillings.
DID YOU KNOW that some caries don’t need to be treated with dental fillings? In these cases, when the caries is in the outer portion of your tooth and there is no presence of a physical cavitation, or hole, on your tooth, appropriate dietary modifications (such as minimizing the amount of sugary foods you eat) as well as proper flossing, brushing with a toothpaste that has fluoride in it, and regular check-ups can prevent the progression of the caries. This means that you can get away without getting a filling on the tooth!
Pediatric Dentistry
It seems silly to fix baby teeth because they are going to fall out anyways, right? Unfortunately, that is not the case. Baby teeth serve many different roles. First off, they are important for eating and helping kids get the nutrients they need to grow! The presence of infection on baby teeth can also affect the formation and eruption of adult teeth, which can be something a child will have to live with for the rest of their life. Because not all adult teeth come in the mouth at the same time, and because some adult teeth are actually smaller than their baby tooth counterparts, baby teeth serve as “space maintainers”. If a baby tooth is lost prematurely, the space where the adult tooth was supposed to come in can close, making it difficult for the adult tooth to come in, creating dental crowding.
A child’s first dental exam should occur a lot earlier than most people think. It is recommended that a child be seen 6 months after the eruption of their first tooth or by age 1, whichever comes first.
If your child has a Quebec medicare card, yearly check-ups as well as white fillings for the front teeth and silver fillings for the back teeth, extractions, root canals and emergency exams are covered until the age of 9 years.
Crowns
Crowns are caps that cover and protect your teeth. There are different materials that they can be made from (porcelain, metal or zirconia) and depending on your case, we will together select the material that best suits your needs. A crown is recommended on a case-by-case basis either for a restorative or cosmetic purpose. Some reasons where we may recommend a crown for you include:
- Your tooth is weak because of a large filling or a root canal treatment
- Your tooth has a lot of wear on it
- Your tooth is cracked or broken
- Your tooth is discoloured or you don’t like its position or shape
- You have a dental implant that needs to be covered
What steps do we need to take to make a dental crown? The dental crown procedure usually occurs in two steps. During the first appointment, we prepare your tooth in the right shape and take a digital impression. We then make you a temporary crown that we temporarily glue to your tooth until your new crown is ready. The digital impression is then sent to our trusted dental laboratory where the final crown is made. Once it is ready, at the second appointment about two weeks later, we remove the temporary crown from your tooth, make sure that the new crown fits your tooth perfectly and that you are happy with it, and glue on the permanent crown. In just two appointments, we are able to give you something custom-made for your teeth that will have many benefits.
Extractions
Whether your tooth cannot be saved, or you need to take some teeth out before you get your braces, or if you are interested in taking out your wisdom teeth, we can take care of you. We have the tools and technology to do dental extractions in a comfortable and safe setting.
Root Canals
If the nerve of your tooth dies or becomes irritated because of trauma, a deep filling or crown, or a big cavity, a root canal is the way to go to remove the infection and help alleviate the pain. Depending on the complexity of your case, we will be able to do the root canal for you or refer you to our trusted specialist colleagues (endodontists) to complete the work for you. A root canal has gotten a bad reputation in the past but with today’s technology, we make sure that you are comfortable and pain-free throughout the entire process!
Gum Disease
Science shows that there is a correlation between gum disease and cardiovascular disease. The health of your gums is therefore crucial in ensuring a good overall health. Gum disease starts with the presence of gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums, and can lead to periodontitis if it is not treated and maintained. Periodontitis can lead to tooth loss, infection and bad breath. Poor oral hygiene, smoking, some systemic conditions and genetics contribute to the creation of periodontitis. During your complete examination, we will be able to evaluate the condition of your gums and decide if a thorough evaluation of the gums is needed. Once that is completed, we will decide together if further treatments are necessary. Gum disease is a chronic condition and regular check-ups and cleanings are a lifelong necessity.
Bridges
If you are missing one or multiple teeth, one option to replacing these missing teeth is a dental bridge.
Bridges are comfortable and effective ways of replacing missing teeth. However, they rely on the support of the teeth on either side of the existing space so we have to make sure that these teeth are in a good shape before a bridge can be made. Depending on your case, we can look at whether a bridge is a good option for you.
Dentures
Dentures are removable replacements for missing teeth. We make dentures that are comfortably suited for you.
Partial dentures
If you are missing one or multiple teeth, a partial denture can help you restore function and esthetics. A partial denture consists of acrylic teeth connected to a metal framework which rests on or hugs your existing teeth. It is a removable alternative to bridges and implants.
Full dentures
If you are missing all of your teeth on your upper, lower or both jaws, a complete denture can help you gain back function and esthetics. A denture is usually made once the gums and bone have healed after the teeth have been lost. In the cases where we are not able to save all of the teeth in the jaw, immediate dentures can be made and placed in the mouth right after all the teeth have been removed, allowing you to not be without teeth until everything has healed, which usually takes many months. This temporary denture will require frequent adjustments as the tissues start to heal and will eventually need to be replaced with a permanent full denture.
Implant supported dentures
Because full dentures are supported only by the gums and tissues in the mouth, they sometimes are not as stable as we’d like, despite our best efforts. In such cases, it may be a good idea to place two or more implants in the jaw and have the denture be supported by the implants. The denture will either sit on a metal bar that is screwed and fixed to the jaw or it will click into a connection that is screwed and fixed to the jaw.
Dental Implants
If you have lost one or multiple teeth because of trauma or disease, dental implants are a great fixed option for replacing one or multiple missing teeth. The implant is a titanium anchor that is surgically placed into the bone and integrates fully in the jaw bone. It serves as a “root” for the crown that will be screwed into it once it has fully healed. If multiple teeth are missing, multiple implants can be placed and a bridge can be fixed to the implant. These feel like natural teeth. Dental implants, just like natural teeth, require regular maintenance including a good oral hygiene at home and regular check-ups and professional cleanings.
Once a tooth is lost, there are changes that occur in that area that can make the placement of an implant difficult. These include the resorption of bone (available bone quantity) and the shifting of the neighbouring teeth (available space). Proper evaluation and planning are necessary to make sure that a dental implant is right for you. Smoking, poor oral hygiene, certain medical conditions and the presence of gum disease decrease the success of dental implants and need to be controlled before you can be considered as a candidate for dental implant placement. The quality and quantity of your jaw bone are also factors that will allow us to decide if a dental implant is right for you.
If you are interested having implants, we work with great specialist colleagues to plan and carry out the different stages of treatment.
Teeth Whitening
If you are unhappy with the colour of your teeth, teeth whitening can help. Certain foods and drinks can stain your teeth and make them yellow with time. Tooth whitening helps remove most of these stains and give you a brighter and whiter smile. There are different teeth whitening options. It is important to make an appointment to discuss with us the method that is best suited for you.
In-office teeth whitening
During an appointment in the clinic, we will apply a special gel on your teeth and allow the whitening process to occur. With this option, immediate results are seen. We will also fabricate custom whitening trays so that you can continue the whitening process at home for optimal results.
At-home whitening
Custom-made trays are made for your teeth and a whitening kit is given to you. The kit contains a gel that you apply in the trays and wear daily. Optimal results are usually seen in around 2 weeks.
Invisalign
If you are unhappy with your smile, Invisalign is a great option to help align and straighten teeth in most cases. The clear trays are effective and comfortable and eliminate the need for metal braces.
Invisalign® is a trademark of Align Technology, Inc.
Veneers
Crowns and dental veneers can help correct some poorly aligned teeth and can also help correct chips, spacing, stains and misshapen teeth.
Composite VENEERS
This treatment consists of gently shaping and preparing your tooth and bonding a white filling in the desired colour and shape. This is done chairside. In some cases, at the initial appointment, a digital impression of the teeth is taken and a digital model of the desired outcome is designed. Guides are then prepared so that the veneer can be done the way that was originally planned. The preparation and the composite veneer are then done at the same time during the next appointment.
Porcelain Veneers
This treatment consists of gently shaping and preparing your tooth and bonding a lab-fabricated porcelain shell in the desired colour and shape. At the initial appointment, a digital impression of the tooth or teeth is taken. A digital model of the desired outcome is prepared and once you are happy with and approve the design of the veneers, then the tooth is prepared and an impression of it is taken. A temporary veneer is made and bonded to your teeth. The impression is sent to the dental laboratory where the porcelain veneer is fabricated. Once it is ready, at the following appointment, the temporary veneer is removed and the porcelain veneer is cemented onto your tooth.
Sedation Dentistry
Oral sedation
The appropriate anxiolytic drug can be prescribed to you to take before a treatment. If you do take these, we recommend that you don’t drive and that you be accompanied by a friend or family member.
Inhalation Sedation
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a delivered through a soft mask through the nose. It allows you to relax and be at ease while still being conscious and responsive. We recommend that you don’t drive and that you be accompanied by a friend or family member if you will be getting this sedation.
Dental Appliances
Mouthguards
If you play sports, then it is a good idea to consider getting a mouthguard to protect your teeth. Physical injury to teeth can be serious and can lead to the loss of teeth in some cases so prevention is key!
Nightguards
If you grind or clench your teeth at night, a condition that is referred to as bruxism, then a nightguard may be a good choice for you. Grinding or clenching can cause tooth wear, tooth fracture, jaw pain and may compromise the stability of your teeth. With time, the wear can become severe and this will affect your bite and may cause you pain or an infection. A custom-made nightguard that is fabricated especially for you by our dental laboratory will help prevent further wear on your teeth.
Emergencies
We know that a toothache or a broken tooth can negatively impact your life. If you have a dental emergency, we are happy to help. An emergency examination and the needed x-rays will help evaluate your situation and allow us to make a proper diagnosis and offer you the corresponding treatment.
- Infection
- Pain
- Swelling
- Wisdom tooth pain or infection
- Broken tooth or filling
- Jaw pain
- Dental trauma
- Other conditions that may be bothering you