General Dentistry at Core Dental Melbourne product guide

Dental Services Guide - Complete Content with Standardized Values

1. GENERAL DENTISTRY

Check-ups & hygiene

What it involves

A dental check-up covers a lot more ground than a quick look at your teeth. Your dentist examines your teeth, gums, bite, jaw joints, and soft tissues - cheeks, tongue, palate. A cancer screening of your head, neck, and lymph nodes is included at every visit. Clinical photographs, X-rays, or an OPG (panoramic X-ray) may be taken to catch problems invisible to the naked eye, including decay between teeth, bone loss, impacted teeth, and cysts.

Your hygiene appointment - recommended alongside your check-up - is a dedicated 40-minute session focused on gum health. Your hygienist holds an Advanced Diploma or Bachelor of Oral Health. They'll review your medical history, perform an oral cancer check, chart your gum pocket depths, remove calculus from above and below the gum line using ultrasonic and hand instruments, polish, apply fluoride, and give you personalised home care advice.

Why it matters

Decay, gum disease, and oral cancer are all painless in their early stages. By the time you feel something, the problem is usually advanced and significantly more expensive to fix. Six-monthly check-ups catch problems when they're small and straightforward.

Technology used

• Digital X-rays (bitewings, periapical)
• OPG (orthopantomogram - panoramic X-ray)
• Intraoral camera for clinical photos
• Ultrasonic scalers for hygiene

How often

Every 6 months, even with excellent home hygiene. One appointment for the check-up and X-rays; a separate (or same-day) appointment for the hygiene clean.

New patient offer

A no-gap check-up and clean is available for new patients with private health insurance (with dental cover). It covers the exam, X-rays, OPG, intraoral and extraoral photos, oral mucosal screening, occlusal analysis, and scale and clean. All family members on the same policy may be eligible.

What to do at home

• Brush twice daily - morning and before bed - for 2 minutes, using a soft-bristled brush held at 45° to the gum with circular motions
• Floss daily; 35% of tooth surface simply can't be reached by a brush
• Use interdental brushes (Piksters) for larger gaps or if you have gum disease
• Use a fluoride toothpaste and don't rinse with water after brushing - the residual paste keeps protecting your enamel
• Chew sugar-free gum after meals when brushing isn't possible; it stimulates saliva production 10-12 times

Toothpaste guide

FAQs

Do I still need a hygienist if I see a dentist? Yes - they do different things. Dentists diagnose and treat; hygienists specialise in gum health, deep cleaning, and preventive coaching.

Should I rinse after brushing? No. Spit, don't rinse - the toothpaste left on your teeth keeps protecting your enamel.

What if I haven't been in years? No judgement. We see it all the time. A thorough check-up is the first step.

Fillings & restorations

What it involves

When decay reaches the dentine layer of a tooth, it needs to come out and the space needs to be filled. Tooth-coloured composite resin is used as standard - it bonds chemically to your tooth, looks completely natural, and requires less tooth structure to be removed than old silver amalgam fillings.

For larger restorations where a filling alone won't hold up, CEREC porcelain restorations (inlays, onlays, or ceramic fillings) can be milled chairside and fitted the same day. Gold restorations are also available for patients who want maximum longevity above everything else.

The procedure

1. Topical numbing gel applied, then local anaesthetic injected - patients barely feel this
2. Decay removed, leaving only healthy tooth structure
3. Tooth isolated and kept dry
4. Composite placed in layers, each cured with an LED light
5. Bite checked, restoration polished
6. Total time: 30-60 minutes per filling

Technology used

• CEREC chairside milling system (same-day porcelain restorations)
• LED curing lights
• Digital bite analysis

Visits expected

• Composite filling: 1 appointment
• CEREC porcelain restoration: 1 appointment (same day)
• Gold filling: 2 appointments (lab-fabricated)

Aftercare

• Don't eat until the anaesthetic has worn off, usually around 2 hours
• Some cold sensitivity is normal for up to 2 weeks
• If your bite feels off when you close, come back - a simple adjustment takes minutes
• Sensitivity beyond 2 weeks, or spontaneous pain, should be reviewed; very deep fillings occasionally need root canal treatment

Material comparison

FAQs

My tooth doesn't hurt - do I still need a filling? Decay doesn't usually hurt until it's reached the nerve. Fixing it while it's small is always the better option.

Can I replace my old silver fillings? Yes - amalgam fillings can be replaced with tooth-coloured composite or CEREC porcelain. Book a consultation to assess suitability.

What if a temporary filling falls out? Call us straight away. Exposed decay can progress quickly, and the sharp edges can cut your tongue or cheek.

Root canal therapy (RCT)

What it involves

Root canal treatment saves a tooth that would otherwise need to come out. When decay or trauma reaches the nerve (dental pulp), the pulp becomes infected or inflamed. Left untreated, infection spreads to the jaw bone, causing an abscess and potentially a serious systemic infection.

RCT removes the infected nerve tissue, cleans and disinfects the root canals, then seals them permanently. The tooth stays - often for years or decades.

The procedure

1. Local anaesthetic and rubber dam placement (mandatory in Australia for RCT - keeps the tooth isolated and sterile)
2. Access opening through the crown of the tooth
3. Infected nerve tissue removed; canals cleaned and shaped with fine instruments
4. Antiseptic irrigation; medicated dressing placed and tooth sealed temporarily
5. At a subsequent appointment: canals filled permanently with gutta-percha, a rubbery biocompatible material
6. X-ray confirms complete fill
7. Permanent filling placed, then usually a crown to protect the tooth long-term

Who performs it

Routine RCT is performed by experienced general dentists. Complex cases - curved roots, calcified canals, retreatment of previous RCT, cracked teeth - are referred to Dr Greg Tilley, a Specialist Endodontist with 35+ years of experience, an Honorary Senior Fellowship at the University of Melbourne, and past presidency of the ADA (Victorian Branch). Dr Tilley holds BDSc (Melbourne), LDS Vic, FRACDS, and MRACDS (Endo).

Technology used

• Dental microscopes (for complex cases with Dr Tilley)
• Digital X-rays for pre-, intra-, and post-operative assessment
• CBCT where needed for complex canal anatomy
• Rotary endodontic instruments
• Ultrasonic irrigation

Visits expected

• Front teeth (1 root): often 2 appointments
• Back teeth (3+ roots): typically 2-3 appointments
• Complex or specialist cases may vary

Aftercare

• Wait until the anaesthetic wears off before eating, around 2 hours
• Eat on the opposite side of your mouth for the first week
• Mild discomfort for 24-48 hours is normal; over-the-counter pain relief helps if needed
• Avoid chewing on the tooth until it's crowned
• A crown is strongly recommended to protect the tooth long-term