Banff Dental Care

* It was great to support Banff Child Care Centre at annual the wine & cheese event; see you all next year! Click here to read the story

* Thank You for a wonderful and hearty luncheon “Banff Senior’s Centre” we enjoyed ourselves.

* We are pleased to welcome Jocelyn, Registered Dental Hygienist as part of our team.  

* Dr. Martin is excited to offer implant surgery and placement of restoration at our office. He has succesfully finish his continuing education in this area! Click here to read more on this subject or come in or a consultation.

* Click here to have a look at our renovated clinic area.

5 Ways you can get it under control!

Increasingly, we are seeing younger patients with gum recession – a problem once more commonly associated with gum disease and ageing. A major contributor is brushing with poor technique or with too much pressure. Toothbrush abrasion can expose the roots of your teeth and your teeth enamel to cavity-causing bacteria, thin your teeth enamel so that the yellow dentin inside shows through, and make your teeth sensitive to hot and cold.

Here are 5 tips to avoid damaging your enamel and gums when brushing…

• It is important to massage your gums especially at the base of each tooth where plaque can accumulate and contribute to gum disease. The key is to do it gently.
• Remember that the pressure you apply to each tooth is concentrated in such a small area that it has a much greater impact than you may notice.
• Use a soft, round-tipped toothbrush, twice a day, and keep your brush at a 45-degree angle so it’s half on the gum and half on the tooth. Brushing – not scrubbing – should take about three minutes.
• Take time to thoroughly brush the back corners of your mouth and behind your back molars. This area can be challenging to clean, so for most people, it’s especially vulnerable to problems.  If you have trouble reaching these places, smaller toothbrush heads can sometimes help.
• Ask us to show you the correct brushing and flossing techniques and for help to establish the proper and safest amount of brushing pressure.

At Banff Dental Care we suggest using an electric toothbrush for a better clean.  Have you ever used an electric toothbrush before?  You will be surprised by the difference!  We recommend the Philips Sonicare FlexCare Toothbrush as it also includes a mechanism that stops brushing if you press to hard on your teeth and apply too much pressure when brushing.  Visit our Dental Products (internal page linke) page for more information on this product.

Eliminate Sleep Apnea!

A serious disorder that affects one in every four individuals, sleep apnea can cause a host of side effects that can wreak havoc on one’s day-to-day life. Sleep apnea is when breath while sleeping is abnormally low, or even stops for a few seconds to a few minutes. There are three different forms based on the reason for its occurrence:

• Central: The brain doesn’t tell the body to breathe.
• Obstructive: The most common form of sleep apnea where soft tissues in the mouth and throat relax into the airway and restrict airflow.
• Mixed: A combination of central and obstructive.

Although each type of sleep apnea happens for different reasons, all three limit oxygen intake which lowers the blood-oxygen levels and causes the brain to wake you up to breathe. These frequent interruptions in sleep may cause fatigue, inability to focus, memory loss, irritability, acid reflux, high blood pressure, stroke, headaches, weight gain, and impotency.

Many sufferers find help with a custom-manufactured oral appliance. Worn when sleeping, it fits snugly on the teeth so there is no risk of displacing the device. It works by holding the tongue and jaws in their optimum position, preventing the collapsing of the airway, keeping breathing relaxed and normal.

If you think you or a friend may be suffering from sleep apnea, please call us right away to request a free consultation with Dr Martin.

Do you know anyone that Snores?  Stop Snoring with Somnodent MAS

At Banff Dental Care we feel privileged to assist our patients who endure sleep loss, work and health concerns, and even relationship issues because of snoring, a problem some people still consider Amusing. Believe us, it is no laughing matter. That’s why we’re proud to offer our patients SomnoDent® MAS a clinically proven, leading-edge treatment.

While snoring does not appear to be life-threatening, it puts you at risk for obstructive sleep apnea. This disorder involves involuntary cessation of breathing – sometimes as often as 20-60 or more times per hour throughout the night. Sufferers are at risk for life-threatening occurrences which include irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

Apnea occurs when air cannot flow into or out of the nose or mouth. At one time the only recommended treatment for mild to moderate apnea was a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Device (CPAP). Many find it difficult and claustrophobic to wear the headgear which includes a mask, straps and pads, tubing, and a chinstrap. The device itself can be weighty, quite awkward, and is not easily portable.

Today we can offer our patients pocket-size relief that has been clinically proven to work. The SomnoDent MAS custom-fitted oral appliance is light, comfortable, and allows patients to open and close their mouths and even drink while wearing it. Not only that, but after a good night’s sleep night after night, sufferers greet the day rested, with energy to spare, and with smiles on their faces!

We currently offer FREE consultations for snoring or Sleep Apnea so if you suffer from either of these, give a call to book an appointment.

Your Children’s Teeth Explained

A child learns to eat and speak properly with the help of the first set of teeth. Primary teeth (baby teeth) hold the space open for permanent teeth, guide them into position and help the jaw find its correct alignment. They come into the mouth at different times, but usually make an appearance six or eight months after birth. The lower incisors are first, generally followed by the upper ones.

On average, your children should have a full set of primary choppers by the time they reach two and half years of age. You may see spaces between your child’s primary teeth – this is normal. Children with spaces between their primary teeth are less likely to need braces when they get older.

Around your child’s sixth birthday, permanent teeth begin to erupt. It is important that during this visit there are regular visits to the dentist as Dr Martin will be able to look for early signs that your child may need corrective orthodontic treatment that should not be delayed.  By the twelfth birthday they should all be present or accounted for. This process will vary from child to child so don’t worry if other kids your child’s age have lost more or fewer teeth. Teeth usually erupt earlier in girls than in boys, and the lowers often come in before the uppers.

Habits like thumbsucking and blanket sucking need to be treated because they can cause the permanent teeth to grow in the wrong place. Sometimes the permanent teeth will appear behind the primary incisors before these are even loose, looking like two rows of teeth. Be assured that normally, in time, the baby teeth will be pushed out and the permanent teeth will take their place. If you’re not sure your child’s primary teeth are loosening and coming out when they’re supposed to, please give us a call.

If your children can reach adulthood with strong, healthy, unfilled teeth then, barring accidents, their dental future should be very simple and inexpensive… just routine check-ups and regular cleaning. This is a great gift you can give to your children!

A Quick Clinically Proven Solution

We are very excited to offer our patients a comfortable, easy-to-use home-care treatment for periodontal (gum) disease. Perio Protect Trays are FDA-cleared and were designed by a dentist to deliver doctor-selected medication directly to the site of the gum infection, an approach that is quite different from oral antibiotics.

Your patented Perio Protect Trays are similar in appearance to teeth whitening trays or a mouthguard. We will custom-fit them for your smile and prepare them with medication that has been custom-prescribed just for you. Your Perio Protect Trays will treat your gums while you go about your normal home routines. They are light and comfortable, and as your gum health improves, you can wear the trays less frequently and for shorter periods of time.

By treating the source of periodontal disease, Perio Protect Trays could protect you from tooth loss and enhance your appearance. It may also protect your overall health as gum disease has been linked to diabetes, osteoarthritis, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as toxemia and pre-term births.

Perio Protect helps control the bacteria that cause infection … without systemic antibiotics … and without surgery! As only a licensed Perio Protect dentist may prescribe this very effective treatment, we would like to urge you to call to arrange a consultation if you have any symptoms of gum disease including bleeding gums, puffy gums, or chronic bad breath.

We have seen some amazing results on our Perio Protect patients so far!  If you would like to find our more about this treatment, please call us to book your FREE consulation.

Wouldn’t You Like a Whiter Smile?

Professional teeth whitening can create such a dramatic difference that millions of people worldwide will get their teeth whitened this year. Here are the answers to some common questions you may have about whitening.

What is whitening? It is a process that takes away stains and discoloration to brighten your teeth enamel. Safe, quick, and reliable teeth whitening can be done under our supervision in the office or at home. What do patients report about their teeth whitening experiences?

• boosted self-confidence,
• improved looks, and
• they smile more!

Ask yourself, Can I benefit? Yes. After childhood, most people can benefit from whitening. As people age, their teeth tend to darken and yellow, particularly if they…

• drink coffee, tea, or red wine;
• use tobacco products;
• take certain medications.

Are you asking, why should I get supervised teeth whitening? We make absolutely certain that the whitening ingredients in the system we prescribe for you suit your individual teeth and gums. Without supervision, ingredients found in some off-the-shelf kits could injure gums and other soft tissue in the mouth and throat, or make you ill if ingested.

How white can you expect your teeth to look? Teeth can be whitened up to an average of eight shades. The final result depends on the extent of staining. We can help you to determine your smile’s best whitening goal.  Call for your FREE consultation for this treatment at Banff Dental Care!

Mouthguards Save Smiles

The well-documented benefits of a healthy lifestyle have been embraced by intelligent adults everywhere. The benefits of wearing a custom-fitted, professional mouthguard have also been well documented. Here is just a sampling:

• An athlete is sixty times more likely to sustain damage to teeth when not wearing a protective mouthguard.
• A properly fitted mouthguard reduces the chances of sustaining an injury like a concussion from a blow to the jaw.
• The cost of a fractured tooth is many times greater than the cost of a custom mouthguard.
• Non-customized off-the-shelf sports mouthguards could dislodge, obstructing the airway.
• The majority of dental injuries are preventable through the use of mouthguards.

Banff Dental Care offers sport protective, custom fitted mouthguards so be a good sport. Call us to arrange an appointment.

P.S. Did you know that the International Olympic Committee Medical Commission has encouraged sports dentistry for the elite athlete and considers proper dental health as an important factor in improving athletic performance?

This Mouthguard can Improve Performance

There’s no doubt about it. When you participate in sports you need to protect yourself. You wear pads, gloves, helmets, and of course a mouthguard to protect your teeth. But what if you could get more from your mouthguard? We’re not just talking about protection anymore – this could take your game to a new level!

We are happy to let you know we are authorized providers of Under Armour (UA) Performance Mouthwear™, custom made to fit your teeth.

At our office, we can take you through the three simple steps that will give you protection and a boost to your athletic prowess. First, we take your bite impression, as we would for any mouthpiece. This mould is then shipped to the UA lab to custom-manufacture a guard specifically for you. When completed, your new mouthpiece will be sent back to our practice where you will have your final fitting to ensure proper fit and comfort.

UA Performance Mouthwear isn’t just built for comfort and protection – it will probably even improve your game! The mouthguard is designed to pull your bottom jaw forward and prevent clenching of your teeth, which will increase oxygen flow and relieve pressure on your jaw joints. Imagine a piece of equipment that can:

• improve your endurance
• boost strength
• reduce your game stress,
• speed up your reflexes
• and protect your teeth!

You want to improve your game? Ask us about Under Armour Mouthwear!