ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WE'RE OFTEN ASKED

Why is it important to maintain my oral health?

The links between our oral health and our general health are intrinsic, so taking good care of your dental health will have flow-on effects to your overall wellbeing. By looking after your gums and teeth, you can help to ensure you’ll live a long, healthy and happy life with all of your own teeth.

What should I do to keep my teeth healthy?

For starters, we recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day, and flossing once a day. Through this active, at-home maintenance, it’s possible to help prevent gum disease and decay. However, while this at-home routine will help, it’s also essential that you attend regular check-up and cleanings with your dentist. By having an examination every six months, it enables us to spot any small problems and deal with them quickly, before they turn into much larger and more costly problems.

How can I improve the appearance of my teeth?

At Beyond Dental, we offer a range of cosmetic dentistry treatments to help you achieve the brighter and bigger smile you’ve been dreaming about. Whether you’re missing a tooth, want whiter teeth, or just have worn-down teeth, we can help you to improve the aesthetics of your smile. Find out more about our cosmetic treatments.

Why have my teeth discoloured with age?

Discolouration of your teeth can occur for a range of reasons. As you age, your teeth may appear darker due to a build-up of plaque. Smoking, certain medications, and highly pigmented foods such as wine, coffee, chocolate, tea and soft drinks can also cause our teeth to discolour. If you wish to return your smile to a whiter, brighter outlook, you may wish to consider teeth whitening, or even porcelain veneers.

What is cosmetic dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry refers to a range of treatments which work specifically to enhance the aesthetics of the smile. It’s the ultimate mix of science and art. The most common cosmetic dental treatment is teeth whitening. Explore our cosmetic dental treatments.

What can cosmetic dentistry achieve?

Cosmetic dentistry can give you a smile you’ll want to share with the whole world! Some of the benefits of cosmetic dentistry include:

• Conceal blemishes on teeth
• Rejuvenate teeth which have yellowed or are stained
• Cover chips and cracks in teeth
• Close gaps between your teeth
• Make overlapping or crooked teeth straight
• Reduce overcrowding
• Replace a missing tooth or teeth
• Repair broken teeth
• Replace old amalgam fillings with white fillings

Does my diet affect my oral health?

Yes. What you consume has an effect on your body and this includes your mouth. The types of foods and drinks you consume may either help you or negatively impact your oral health. For example, foods high in sugar can result in cavities while sugar-free gum, lots of water and a balanced amount of good fats and calcium can be great for your teeth.

Which foods should I avoid?

• Sticky candy and an excessive amount of chocolate
• Starchy foods
• Carbonated soft drinks
• Substances that dry out your mouth. These include alcohol and many medicines

If I brush my teeth more than twice a day, am I damaging them?

This depends on your situation – as we do advise that patients who are undergoing orthodontic treatment brush after every meal. However, excessive brushing can wear off the teeth enamel, putting you at risk of tooth decay, cavities and gum disease.

Payment Options

At Beyond Dental, we accept the following payment options: cash, EFTPOS, cheque, Mastercard, Visa, Amex, HICAPS and Denticare.

Complete Dental Care for You and Your Family

We encourage parents to bring their children in to visit our dentists when they are young. It’s so important for the children to be comfortable with their dentist. Asking questions and seeing all our gadgets can be a great learning experience for the kids! It can also help relieve any fear a child would have about visiting the dentist. This makes it a fun and positive experience! When they are young, they can have a look around when you come in for your appointment and see that there isn’t anything to be worried about. When they’re older (around 1.5-2 years old), it’s time for a full check up! By then, they are experts and will happy to have a turn in the chair! We offer: Braces/Orthodontics available to children of all ages Medicare for Kids Bulk billing of up to $1000 is available for all eligible children on the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Scheme.(More Information)

Child Dental Benefit Schedule

Children between the ages of 2-17 can be eligible to receive a relevant Australian government payment at any point during the calendar year. The Department of Human Services determines eligibility and will notify the child or caregiver. The Child Dental Benefits Schedule In 2014 states that benefits for basic dental services are capped at $1,000 per child over 2 consecutive calendar years. If you do not use all your $1,000 benefit within the first year of eligibility, you can use it in the second year if you are still eligible. Any remaining balance will not be carried forward at the end of the second year. Services available under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule include:

• check-ups
• fillings
• fissure sealants
• some x-rays
• root canal treatment
• extractions
• partial dentures

Department of Venteran Affair Card Holder

We bulk bill Department of Veteran Affair card holders for most dental treatments. Upfront payments are not required, we claim directly from DVA. Any treatment requiring external laboratory work may have a small overhead to cover the laboratory fees.

We are preferred profivers for Bupa and HCF

If you are a Bupa or HCF member you can receive financial assistance towards the cost of your treatment at Beyond Dental. Maintaining your oral health shouldn’t be a financial burden, contact our team today to learn more about your dental coverage!

HICAPS

For your convenience we are also a HICAPS provider. With our HICAPS facility, we can provide on-the-spot rebates for private health funds. This saves you the delay and inconvenience of manual lodgement. For more information, please visit hicaps.com.au

DENTICARE

Denticare is a no interest payment plan made just for the dental industry. Following a one-off setup fee of just $39, the cost of your treatment is then spread out into smaller, affordable repayments. This plan is an excellent way for patients to get the treatment they need immediately, without the stress of how they will afford it. You can choose your preferred direct debit payment plan duration, with periods of 3 to 24 months available. All you need to do it fill in a one-page direct debit form with our dentist, and you’ll be on your way to getting the dental care you need and deserve, affordably. To find out more about Denticare, please visit denticarepaymentplans.com.au/patients/