Dental Knowledge Base — Andrew Baderski Dental

Our team at Andrew Baderski Dental created this knowledge base to help patients understand dental treatments, terminology, and the reasoning behind common procedures. It reflects how our team approaches oral health, centred around attention to long-term wellbeing, precision, and patient comfort.

Each section below outlines how dental treatments are performed, why they may be needed, and what to expect during care. The glossary at the end explains many of the words and phrases you might hear in a dental clinic.

General dentistry focuses on maintaining healthy teeth and gums through early detection and preventive care.

A general appointment may include a check-up, professional clean, X-rays, fluoride application, and personalised oral hygiene advice.

Regular visits prevent small issues from developing into more complex or painful dental problems.

Most adults benefit from a visit every six months, but your dentist may recommend a different schedule depending on your oral health.

Plaque and tartar are removed using ultrasonic tools, followed by polishing and fluoride treatment for enamel protection.

Dental bonding is a conservative cosmetic procedure used to repair small chips, gaps, or discoloured areas on teeth.

Composite resin is applied directly to the tooth, shaped for balance, and hardened using a curing light before polishing.

Bonding improves the appearance of teeth while preserving as much natural enamel as possible.

No. It is one of the least invasive cosmetic dental options available.

It can last several years, depending on your bite, eating habits, and home care.

Dentists provide comprehensive dental care for children, creating positive experiences that support long-term oral health.

Services include preventive cleans, hygiene instruction, fluoride treatments, fissure sealants, orthodontic assessments as children grow, including airway/breathing evaluation (as this may effect facial growth & development.)

Starting dental visits early helps build trust and prevents tooth decay in developing smiles. It can also intercept abnormal jaw/facial growth patterns.

By their first birthday or when the first tooth appears.

Many children’s dentists use gentle communication and pacing to help children feel calm and comfortable.

Dental crowns restore strength and shape to damaged teeth and are custom-made to match natural colour and contour.

The tooth is reshaped, an impression or scan is taken, and a crown is fabricated from porcelain, zirconia, or metal alloy. The final restoration is bonded securely in place.

A crown provides lasting protection for a weakened tooth, restoring normal chewing function.

Crowns are long-lasting but may eventually need replacement due to wear or gum recession.

Yes. Options are discussed by your dentist based on tooth location, strength, and aesthetic goals.

A gum lift reshapes the gumline to create a balanced, even smile or to expose more tooth surface for restorative work.

Under local anaesthetic, the dentist gently removes and contours excess gum tissue for symmetry and better access to tooth structure.

This treatment enhances aesthetics and can improve oral hygiene by reducing gum traps.

It can be either, depending on whether it’s performed for appearance or to support restorative treatment.

Minor swelling and tenderness after gum lift treatment resolve within a few days.

Mouthguards protect teeth during contact sports and can also help prevent grinding-related wear.

An impression of the teeth is taken, and a custom guard is fabricated for a snug, comfortable fit.

A properly fitted mouthguard reduces the risk of chipped, broken or lost teeth, jaw injury, and soft tissue damage.

Yes. Custom mouthguards fit precisely, allowing you to breathe and speak more easily while offering superior protection.

Rinse with cool water after use and store it in a ventilated case.

Orthodontic treatment corrects the alignment of teeth and jaws to improve appearance and function.

Depending on the case, options may include traditional braces or clear aligners. The dentist assesses spacing, crowding, and bite before developing a treatment plan.

Well-aligned teeth are easier to clean and less likely to develop decay or jaw strain.

Yes. Age is not a limitation as long as teeth and gums are healthy.

Mild discomfort is normal after adjustments but usually subsides within a few days.

This treatment focuses on the prevention and management of gum disease to protect the tissues supporting your teeth.

Scaling and root planing remove bacterial deposits below the gumline, and follow-up care helps maintain stability.

Healthy gums anchor teeth firmly and support long-term oral health.

Yes. Research links gum disease to systemic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease (such as heart attacks, stroke etc.)

Genetics can increase susceptibility, but proper care greatly reduces risk.

These restorations repair teeth with moderate damage or decay that cannot be managed with a filling but don’t require a crown.

A custom porcelain piece is fabricated to fit precisely into the prepared cavity and bonded for strength.

They preserve more natural tooth structure and offer superior durability compared to large fillings.

No. They are colour-matched for a natural appearance.

Dental inlays and onlays can last 10–15 years or longer with good oral hygiene.

Veneers are thin ceramic shells that cover the front surface of teeth to improve their shape, colour, and symmetry.

A small layer of enamel is removed before taking impressions. Veneers are then bonded with dental adhesive for a seamless finish.

Veneers offer an effective way to improve the aesthetics of teeth with minimal structural alteration.

Veneers work best for healthy teeth with cosmetic concerns, not those needing major restoration.

They are durable but should be treated like natural teeth — avoid biting hard objects.

Root canal therapy removes infected or inflamed pulp tissue to save a tooth from extraction.

The canals inside the tooth are cleaned, disinfected, and sealed before restoring the structure with a filling or crown.

This procedure relieves pain while preserving the natural tooth for long-term function.

It’s required when decay or trauma allows bacteria to reach the tooth’s pulp.

If properly cleaned and sealed, the success rate for root canal therapy is very high.

Custom dental appliances can help reduce snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea, and for people who cannot tolerate CPAP

An oral device repositions the jaw and tongue to maintain a clear airway during sleep.

Improving airway flow reduces snoring, enhances sleep quality, and supports overall health.

They are smaller, portable, and often more comfortable for mild to moderate cases.

Severe cases of sleep apnoea should be co-managed with a medical specialist.

Professional whitening brightens enamel safely and evenly using dentist-supervised techniques.

Most dental practices offer in-chair treatments and custom home kits, both designed to whiten teeth gradually without harming enamel.

Supervised whitening ensures predictable results, minimises post-treatment sensitivity & ensures that only Australian TGA approved products are used. (giving you the security of knowing the product is safe.)

No. Professional teeth whitening is safe when applied correctly.

Maintenance every 12–18 months is typical, depending on habits and diet, or if a home kit is used, one application monthly will maintain that bright smile.

Wisdom teeth can become impacted or cause crowding when they fail to erupt fully.

After X-ray assessment, extraction is performed under local anaesthetic or sedation. Sutures may be placed to aid healing.

Removing problematic wisdom teeth prevents infection, pain, and damage to adjacent molars.

Yes, depending on position and comfort level. Your dentist will assess what’s safest.

Most patients return to normal eating within a few days after wisdom tooth extraction, with full healing in two to three weeks.

Abscess — A localised pocket of pus caused by bacterial infection around the root or gum.

Amalgam — A traditional silver filling made from metal alloys.

Anaesthetic — Medication used to numb a treatment area for comfort.

Bite — The relationship between upper and lower teeth when they meet.

Bonding — Applying tooth-coloured resin to repair chips or gaps.

Bruxism — Habitual teeth grinding or clenching, often during sleep.

Calculus (Tartar) — Hardened plaque that forms on teeth and must be removed professionally.

Caries — The medical term for tooth decay.

Cavity — A hole in a tooth created by decay.

Crown — A cap that covers and restores a weakened or broken tooth.

Decay — The progressive destruction of enamel by bacteria and acid.

Dentine — The inner tissue beneath enamel that contains microscopic tubules.

Digital Scan — A 3D image of teeth used for restorations or aligners.

Dry Socket — A post-extraction complication where the healing clot dislodges, causing pain.

Enamel — The hard, protective outer layer of teeth.

Extraction — The removal of a tooth from its socket.

Filling — Material placed to repair tooth structure lost to decay or fracture.

Fluoride — A mineral that strengthens enamel against acid attack.

Gingiva — The gums surrounding the teeth.

Gingivitis — Early inflammation of the gums, reversible with cleaning.

Halitosis — Persistent bad breath, often caused by bacteria or gum disease.

Implant — A titanium post surgically placed to replace a missing tooth root.

Inlay / Onlay — Indirect restorations that repair moderate tooth damage.

Local Anaesthetic — Numbing medication used during procedures.

Molar — Large back tooth used for grinding food.

Mouthguard — Custom-fitted appliance protecting teeth from injury or grinding.

Night Guard — A device worn during sleep to reduce clenching and grinding.

Occlusion — How upper and lower teeth contact during biting.

Orthodontics — The field of dentistry focused on correcting tooth and jaw alignment.

Periodontitis — Advanced gum disease affecting bone support.

Plaque — A sticky bacterial film that forms on teeth daily.

Pulp — The living tissue inside a tooth containing nerves and blood vessels.

Radiograph (X-ray) — An image used to detect decay, bone loss, or infection.

Root Canal — The space inside a tooth’s root that houses pulp tissue.

Scaling — Removal of plaque and calculus above and below the gumline.

Sealant — A thin resin coating applied to molars to prevent decay.

Sensitivity — Short, sharp discomfort caused by exposed dentine or gum recession.

Sinus Lift — A procedure to add bone near the upper jaw before implant placement.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) — The joint connecting the jaw to the skull.

Tooth Extraction — The removal of a tooth that cannot be restored.

Veneer — A thin porcelain layer bonded to the front of a tooth to improve appearance.

Whitening — A cosmetic process that lightens discoloured enamel.

Wisdom Teeth — The third set of molars, often removed due to impaction.

X-ray — Diagnostic imaging that helps identify dental problems below the surface.

This knowledge base is provided for educational purposes only. It should not replace professional dental diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a registered dental professional for personal advice or care.