1. Do I have to have a needle?

Yes and no. many procedures can be uncomfortable or painful without anaesthetic. We tend to advice anaesthetic for most procedures. We offer no anaesthetic if we think the treatment won’t cause you discomfort, but are more than willing to give you some to be on the safe side in case you aren’t feeling particularly brave!

2. Should I replace all my amalgam fillings?

No, there is no health or medical reason for the majority of people to replace the metal fillings. However there are indications where it’s advised. Cracking of the teeth is quite common with amalgam filled teeth, aesthetically they can look unsightly. If they need replacing we recommend either white filling for smaller fillings, and ceramic for larger fillings. The mercury content of amalgam is very low, and only exposed to patients and dentists during placement and removal. So dentists are the only people who should be worried about them!

3. If mercury is released during removal should I be worried?

Not really. For one the dental drill uses a water spray that reduces vaporising of the mercury and secondly the high speed suction removes the vapour and the debris from your mouth. There are some patients who have had mercury toxicity issues in the past, we can further reduce their exposure by removing their fillings under rubber dam. Its generally not essential for routine fillings though.

4. Do I need my wisdom teeth out? I think they are crowding my teeth.

Well there are some good reasons to take wisdom teeth out, but this isn’t one of them. There is a lot of controversy about whether the wisdom teeth cause crowding of the front teeth. The evidence is lacking, and we tend to not advise removal just for this reason. However pain, swelling, impaction and decay are all good reasons to remove a wisdom tooth.

5. How much is this going to cost?

To ensure that you know what your costs are, we organise treatment plans with the costs and item codes clearly stated. Sometimes we can organise alternative plans where you might have a choice of treatment based on your needs.