FAQ
If you have any unanswered questions, please submit them to the Clinic using the form on this page.
Business Information
Do you service patients from suburbs outside of Diggers Rest?
Absolutely, our dental clinic is committed to servicing patients from the Greater Diggers Rest area, including surrounding suburbs such as Bulla, Caroline Springs, Hillside, Keilor North, Ravenhall, Sunbury, Sydenham, Taylors Lake, Toolern Vale, Tullamarine, Wildwood, and many others! If you have further questions please Contact Us today.
I have private health insurance and would like to know my gap payment before starting treatment
Where is Diggers Rest Dental House located?
We are conveniently located in Diggers Rest. Our address is Shop 10B, 1 Budding Street, Diggers Rest VIC 3427, Australia.
Click here for map directions, or visit the Contact Us page for more information.
Treatments
What treatments do you offer at Diggers Rest Dental House?
Our broad range of services include dental crown and bridges, children’s dentistry, periodontal gum disease treatment, endodontic treatment, dental implant procedures, dentures, professional teeth whitening, dental veneers and wisdom tooth removal. Get in contact with us so we can find the right solution for you.
Can I straighten my teeth without braces?
Dramatically change the appearance of your smile with porcelain dental veneers. In comparison to traditional orthodontic treatments, they are an effective way to improve your smile with minimal downtime to help you achieve a straighter smile.
Do you treat jaw pain?
Painful jaws can indicate a condition called temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD or TMJ). TMJ pain is often linked to bruxism, or clenching and grinding of the teeth.
Other common symptoms include:
- Clicking and popping of jaw joints
- Locking, or the inability to completely open or close the mouth
- Teeth that do not come together properly
- Headaches, migraines, and facial pain
- Worn, chipped, or cracked teeth
- Damaged dental restorations
- Ringing in the ears or “clogged” hearing
- Bony growths beneath the tongue
- Teeth sensitivity
Oral appliance therapy in the form of an occlusal (bite) guard can provide relief of symptoms, reduce jaw inflammation, and allow the occlusion to function more comfortably.
When getting started, our team will take moulds of the upper and lower teeth as well as a bite registration to create a custom oral appliance out of durable acrylic. Our dentists can adjust the surface of the splint so that opposing teeth feel comfortable and the jaw gently glides into a more comfortable orthopaedic position.
Regular adjustments to the oral appliance assist in keeping the jaw comfortable.
Occlusal Equilibration
We make hairline adjustments to the surfaces of the teeth and dental restorations (occlusal equilibration) to allow teeth to come together properly.
To learn more about TMJ pain or arrange a consultation, we invite you to contact our Diggers Rest Dental House practice.
Do you offer root canal treatment?
Many patients try to avoid root canal treatment whenever possible because this therapy has an unfair reputation of being painful. Root canal treatment can actually allow us an opportunity to save an infected tooth from requiring an extraction.
When an internal infection develops near the nerve inside the tooth, it can become quite painful, lead to inflammation, and make it difficult to concentrate, work, and sleep comfortably.
Root canal treatment aims to eliminate the infection inside the canals of the tooth while leaving your external tooth structure intact. Preserving natural teeth is a priority for us because missing teeth can lead to other oral health conditions such as a misaligned bite, bone loss and root exposure.
Before we begin any treatment, we will make sure the tooth is numb and our patient feels completely comfortable. Root canal treatment actually relieves pain for most patients. Some sensitivity following treatment is normal as it heals, but it should resolve within a few days.
We often recommend a dental crown to reinforce a root canal-treated tooth since having a root canal can make the tooth more brittle and likely to fracture. A dental crown will completely cover the tooth and provide improved support and stability.
We welcome you to contact us immediately if you experience tooth pain. We are here to help!
Patient Education
My partner says I snore. Can you help?
At Diggers Rest Dental House, we treat both snoring and obstructive sleep apnea using oral appliance therapy.
Sometimes snoring can just be an annoyance. Other times, it is indicative of a serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea. Either way, it can disrupt sleep for patients or their partner.
Sleep apnea is characterised by interrupted breathing during sleep due to the anatomy at the back of your mouth and throat. As your muscles relax during sleep, the airway can become blocked. When sufficient oxygen is unavailable due to restriction, the brain sends a signal to awaken. Though this can happen dozens of times per night, patients may have no memory of waking.
A lack of restorative sleep can lead to health conditions such as heart attack, stroke, obesity, depression, anxiety and even early death.
Customised oral appliances gently reposition the jaws to address the loose tissue at the back of your throat, allowing patients to breathe regularly during sleep. They provide a comfortable and convenient alternative to CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) treatment delivered through a facemask.
If your partner notes that you snore loudly or choke or you have noticed daytime fatigue even though you spend a sufficient amount of time in bed, we welcome you to contact us to arrange an evaluation. Our dentists can determine if oral appliance therapy will benefit you and help you make a decision that leads to a better night’s sleep.
How do I know if I have gum disease?
The health of gum tissue is often reflective of the patient’s overall health. Research links periodontal (gum) disease to a number of systemic conditions, so treating it promptly is essential to good oral health and improved overall wellness.
At Diggers Rest Dental House, we address periodontal disease based on the severity of the condition. Our approach to treatment is aimed at saving natural teeth and eliminating infection that leads to periodontal disease and tooth loss.
Gingivitis (early periodontal disease) – Signs of early periodontal disease include irritated, red, or swollen gums and bleeding when patients brush, floss or eat.
Periodontitis (advanced gum disease) – Symptoms of advanced gum disease include bleeding, pain, sensitivity, swelling of gum tissue, bad breath, tooth mobility, gum recession, or pus due to infection.
We will begin by performing a comprehensive exam of the periodontal tissue to determine the type of dental cleaning needed and any additional treatment necessary to restore good oral health.
A periodontal-focused dental cleaning with follow-up cleanings can help patients regain their health. Improved home care, diet and consistent dental cleanings will be necessary to maintain good periodontal health, as patients who have had periodontal disease are more likely to develop it again in the future.
Our hygiene team will educate, demonstrate, and support your health with an appropriate recare plan.
Will my dental treatment hurt?
At Diggers Rest Dental House, we strive to provide comprehensive dentistry comfortably and treat our patients how we want our own families to be treated.
We achieve comfortable dentistry in a few ways:
Our dentists are gentle and compassionate – Our dentists take their time, making sure that the anaesthetic we use has time to take effect, completely numbing the tooth before we begin. No treatment will start until we verify that the area is numb and completely comfortable.
Fortunately, the dental anaesthetic we use today works well for most patients. We understand that it takes some time to become completely numb, so we will allow for enough time at each treatment appointment for it to take full effect.
Our friendly and welcoming team – We have heard that some patients don’t like trips to the dentist. Don’t worry, we never take it personally. We do believe, however, that our patients will find that the Sunbury Dental House team is warm, friendly and understanding. They have a gift for making even the most anxious patients feel at ease.
Our modern dental clinic – Our dental practice is designed with our patients in mind. We have much of the latest technology as well as modern touches that make our practice atmosphere a welcoming place to visit.
How do I know if I am having a dental emergency?
When in doubt about whether symptoms indicate a true dental emergency, contact our Diggers Rest Dental House clinic and one of our helpful team members will be happy to assist and to arrange an emergency dental exam.
Typically, a dental emergency occurs when a patient experiences dental pain or a broken tooth or restoration. In either case, a visit to Diggers Rest Dental House will allow us to provide palliative treatment and address concerns quickly.
It is important to remember that pain is the body’s alarm system, indicating that the teeth or gums require professional dental attention. Allowing dental conditions to go untreated may cause pain to worsen and any oral conditions to advance.
We are here for patients when they need us most.
We prioritise dental emergencies and often treat them on the same day. Contacting us at the first sign of a problem gives us the time we need to make proper arrangements to accommodate treatment.
Call us right away with any of the following symptoms:
- Pain
- Swelling/inflammation
- Broken crown, filling, bridge, denture or veneer
- Loose or damaged tooth
- Broken tooth
- Knocked-out tooth
Our dentists believe in gentle treatment and treating our patients compassionately. We strive to provide comfortable dental treatment, even under emergency circumstances.