Exams and cleanings
A check-up and clean every six months suits most people; more often if you are prone to gum disease or decay. The exam covers teeth, gums and an oral cancer screening, and we will show you what we are looking at rather than just reciting tooth numbers.
Fillings
Tooth-coloured composite fillings. Both our dentists work mercury-free - Dr. Vigneault's practices have been mercury-free since 1983, long before it was fashionable.
Extractions
Sometimes a tooth cannot be kept - decay too deep to fill, a crack running below the gum line, or gum disease that has loosened it past saving. Removing it is done here under local anaesthetic, and most people are back on ordinary food within a few days.
Where the tooth could instead be saved with a root canal or a crown, we will say so and price both options before you decide. We will also talk through replacing a missing tooth - an implant or a bridge - before it comes out rather than afterwards, because the plan is easier when the space is still there.
Wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth usually arrive between 17 and 25, which is the age of a good part of the campus. They only need to come out when they are actually causing trouble: impacted against the tooth in front, half-erupted and trapping food and infection, or crowding the teeth already in place. An X-ray shows which of those applies, and plenty of wisdom teeth never need touching at all.
Straightforward removals are done at the clinic under local anaesthetic, with nitrous oxide or oral sedation if the thought of it makes you anxious. Teeth that are deeply impacted or sitting close to the nerve are safer with an oral surgeon, and we will refer you rather than attempt them. Afterwards, expect two or three days of swelling: soft food, no smoking, and no drinking through a straw, which is what dislodges the clot and leads to dry socket.
Preventive care
Fluoride treatments, sealants and advice that is specific rather than generic. Fluoride is not only for children - it helps adults at higher risk of decay, with dry mouth, or with gum disease.
Children
Bring children for a first visit by their first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing. Early visits are short and mostly about making the chair unremarkable.
Common questions
How often should I visit the dentist?
Every six months for most people. More often if you have particular dental needs.
How can I prevent cavities?
Brush with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, keep up regular cleanings, and cut down on sugary snacks and drinks.
Can adults get fluoride treatments?
Yes, and they help - particularly for adults at higher risk of decay, with dry mouth, or with gum disease.
Do wisdom teeth always have to be removed?
No. They come out when they are impacted, repeatedly infected, or crowding the teeth in front of them. Wisdom teeth that have come through cleanly and can be kept clean are left alone.
Visit us on campus
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