The cost of dental implants in Calgary varies between dental offices. The cost may also vary depending upon whether a general dentist places the dental implant, or, whether you choose to see a dental specialist for the placement of one or more dental implants.

Additionally, the cost of dental implants in Calgary will vary depending upon your current dental health, whether you require a bone graft, the number of dental implants you require, and your final restoration choice.  Depending upon your situation, you may require an implant retained denture or one or more implant crowns.

To help you better understand what the cost of a dental implant may be in Calgary as well as whether you would be a good candidate for a dental implant consultation, Dr. Dirk Thompson, our general Calgary dentist, would be pleased to answer all of your questions at a dental implant consultation.  Call our office today to find out more and book your dental implant consultation today!

By now you have probably heard of one of your family members, friends or work colleagues talk about having dental work completed in a foreign jurisdiction in what is sometimes referred to as “dental tourism”.  If you are wondering whether you should forego your usual visit with your Calgary dentist in favour of having dental work completed in a foreign jurisdiction while on a sunny vacation, you should first consider the following.

One of the most significant benefits of seeing a dentist in Calgary is that all dentists and their professional activities in Calgary (Alberta) are regulated by the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta.  This means that, when you visit a dentist in Calgary, you can be assured that:

• they have the proper education and has passed the board examination to become a licensed member of the Alberta Dental Association & College
• they are accountable to both you and the Alberta Dental Association & College
• your dentistry is delivered in a safe and effective manner
• they are following the standards and guidelines set by the Alberta Dental Association & College
• they are committed to fulfilling their bi-annual continuing education requirements
• they have malpractice insurance
• if you have an issue that cannot be resolved between yourself and your Calgary dentist, you can ask the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta for assistance in resolving the matter
  
  

With respect to the standards and guidelines set by the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta, these standards and guidelines govern a wide range of topics that keep you safe and ensure that quality dentistry is provided by your Calgary dentist.  Some of these standards and guidelines include the following:

• infection prevention and control protocols
• maintenance and inspection of x-rays
• patient record keeping
• informed consent protocols
• limitations on scope of practice
• continuing education protocols
• advertising standards
  
  

If you are considering booking a “dental vacation”, one of the first things you should consider and fully inform yourself about is what standards does the particular jurisdiction have with respect to both licensing dentists and regulating their practices.  You should also consider such issues as: 

• What will you do if you require follow-up treatment after returning home?
• What if there are dental complications after you return home?
• What will happen if you feel you should have a refund of all of a part of your money?
  
  

Although there is no doubt that there is quality dentistry in foreign jurisdictions, before making the decision to have treatment done outside of North America, our Calgary dentist strongly encourages you to do your own research about both the dentist and the jurisdiction’s dental association. 

For more information about dental tourism, see our recent blog on this topic.

The cost of having dental work varies widely depending upon the current state of your oral health, whether you wish to have any cosmetic dentistry procedures, and your choice of the dental treatment options presented to you.

At our Calgary dentist office, we recognize that the cost of dental treatment can be an important factor in determining which treatment that you choose. With this in mind, we will provide you with as many options as possible, while at the same time providing you with as much information as possible related to both the short-term and long-term benefits of each treatment option so that you may make a fully informed decision regarding your dental work.

Our Calgary dentist can also pre-determine your dental work with your insurance company so you are aware of your out-of-pocket costs prior to proceeding with treatment, particularly for major dental work such as crowns, veneers, dental implants, bridges and multiple restorations. It is important that you are aware of all of the terms and conditions of your insurance plan as many dental insurance plans have yearly maximums, and coverage can vary depending upon the type of treatment procedure you require, particularly treatments for cosmetic dentistry. If you have any questions about your dental insurance plan, call our Calgary dental office today and we will do our best to help you understand your dental insurance benefits.

In recent years, there have been various publications and discussions in social media questioning whether root canals are safe. According to our Calgary dentist, although the success of any dental procedure cannot be guaranteed given that each patient’s medical and dental history and health differ, root canals are a very safe dental procedure. In fact, a joint statement has been issued by the Canadian Dental Association and the Canadian Academy of Endodontics confirming that root canal therapy is both a very safe and effective treatment modality to treat a tooth that is severely damaged or infected.

Our Calgary dentist has also been asked whether there is any correlation between cancer and root canal therapy. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, there is no evidence that root canal therapy causes cancer.

Because root canal (endodontic) therapy remains the only option available to save a tooth where it has become severely infected or damaged, in most circumstances, our Calgary dentist will recommend that your tooth be saved and treated with a root canal as opposed to extracting the tooth. After a tooth is extracted, the only options available to replace the tooth are bridge work or a dental implant. After a tooth is root canalled, the tooth will be restored by our Calgary dentist with either a filling or a crown, with a dental crown being the best long-term solution to preserving both the tooth’s form and function in most cases.

If you have any questions about the safety or effectiveness of root canal treatment, our Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, welcomes and encourages your questions. Our Calgary dentist also encourages you to visit reputable websites and sources when making important decisions about your oral health. Some great sources include the Canadian Dental Association’s website and the Mouth Healthy website from the American Dental Association. Please also visit our web page on root canals for more information about this dental procedure.

If you would like to speak about any dental concerns you may have with our Calgary dentist, please do not hesitate to make an appointment at our dental office in the beautiful community of Kensington (Hillhurst/Sunnyside). Our dental team is here to serve you!

Absolutely! Even if you are not experiencing any dental symptoms and, even if you believe that you have no dental issues, it is still very important to attend at your dentist’s office for both regular cleanings and check-ups. The frequency of these visits will depend upon your overall oral health. However, the goal of these visits is to avoid or minimize any dental issues before they become bigger ones.

At your dental check-up, our Calgary dentist will generally take x-rays (as may be required) and conduct a thorough dental examination.  It is through x-rays and a visual examination that issues such as cavities, gum disease and even oral cancer can be detected as early as possible, earlier than you may be able to detect on your own. At your cleaning appointment, our dental hygienist will clean (scale) and polish your teeth, as well as apply fluoride, if you so choose. For many people, regular check-ups and cleanings are recommended every six months. However, as with any treatment plan, this varies from patient to patient depending upon their individual oral health needs and overall oral health.

At your dental and dental hygiene appointment, this is also a great opportunity to discuss any changes you have noticed to your oral health and any particular issues you may be experiencing or concerns you may have regarding your oral health. It is also an opportune time to have any of your other oral health related questions answered.

Your oral health is an integral aspect of your overall health and, as such, it should be regularly monitored by a dentist. In fact, many aspects of your oral have systemic affects on other aspects of your health, including your cardiovascular health, making your oral health care just as important as any other aspect of your overall health and wellbeing.

If you would like to make an appointment for a dental check-up or cleaning, we’re here to help. Please call our office and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have and book your appointment at a time that is convenient for you.

Your and your family’s dental health is as important as any other aspect of your overall health and well-being.  In fact, your oral health truly is a window to your overall health as there have been many studies showing that your oral health can be a contributing factor to other health conditions such as endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy and birth complications and even pneumonia (see Mayo Clinic). Your dental health needs also change through different stages of life, including childhood, teenage years, adults under 40, adults over 40 and adults over 60 and it is important to see your dentist to address different issues that may arise throughout these various life stages.  

Your dentist is a healthcare provider who is trained to not only deal with issues regarding your teeth, but also your gums, jaw and face. Your dentist can help you address issues relating to your TMJ (temporomandibular joint), as well as other dental related issues that may be causing jaw, face and neck pain, as well as headaches. A dentist can also address concerns related to facial and smile aesthetics and help to detect oral cancers.

Your dentist will help to ensure that, no matter what your stage of your life, with regular dentist and dental hygiene visits, your optimal oral health can be both achieved and maintained.  Your dentist can also help to identify any dental issues that may emerge before they become major dental problems that could require more extensive interventions and treatments and ultimately become more costly to you.

In order to maintain your optimal dental health, our Calgary dentist encourages twice yearly dental cleanings, as well as regular dental examinations and x-rays, as may be required from time to time.  

Your dentist is also here to help you when you are experiencing a dental emergency. At our Calgary dentist office, we recommend that, if you believe you are experiencing a dental emergency, which emergency can include a dental abscess, facial trauma, significant swelling in the area of a tooth, gum, or jaw, the loss of a dental filling, or the loss of a tooth due to facial trauma, you call our dental office immediately to help you deal with your dental emergency quickly and safely.

If your child suffers a knocked out tooth from a sports injury or other traumatic event, if it is a permanent (adult) tooth, the tooth may be able to be saved if quick action is taken. Saving the tooth, however, is not guaranteed. If the tooth is a baby tooth, even if the tooth is due to fall out naturally within a short period of time, you should bring your child to your emergency calgary dentist promptly for an assessment of other possible damage and to ensure there are no parts of the root left in the socket.  Here are some steps to be taken if you or your child has a knocked out permanent tooth:

• Stay calm and act quickly. The likelihood of saving a tooth is more favourable if the tooth is put back in its socket properly within 30 minutes of the injury. According to the Canadian Dental Association, it is possible to save a tooth up to two hours after an injury but the likelihood of saving the tooth is dramatically reduced after 30 minutes.
• If you have retrieved the tooth, handle it very carefully and try not to touch it by its roots. Hold the knocked out tooth by its crown (being the part of the tooth that is exposed) and gently wash the tooth with warm water. Do not scrub or rub the tooth, or put it in a towel to dry it.
• If at all possible, try to put the tooth back into its socket. To hold the tooth in the socket, very gently bite down on the tooth or use your finger to hold it down.
• If for whatever reason you cannot get the tooth back into its socket, make sure to keep the tooth moist. To do this, try to hold the tooth in the inside of your cheek. For children, only ask them to do this if you can be sure that there is no risk of them swallowing the tooth. If you can’t keep the tooth in your cheek, place it in a glass of milk or use a tooth saver kit to keep the tooth moist. Do not place the tooth in tap water as the chemicals in the water may harm the roots.
• Call our emergency Calgary dentist and tell the receptionist that you or your child has lost a tooth and you require an immediate appointment for emergency dentistry. At Advance Your Health Dental, we will always use our best efforts to accommodate time sensitive emergency dental appointments.

Although not all emergency dentistry concerns such as a knocked out tooth are predictable, for sports related dental injuries, wearing a sports guard can significantly decrease the chances of incurring an injury to you or your child’s jaw, teeth or mouth, thereby necessitating an emergency dental appointment with your Calgary dentist. Dr. Dirk Thompson, a Calgary dentist, can fabricate a custom sports guard for you or your child in one easy and convenient visit.

If you or your family member is experiencing a dental emergency such as a knocked out tooth or any other emergency dentistry concern, please call Advance Your Health Dental as soon as possible as a prompt visit with your Calgary dentist can potentially increase the likelihood of a more favourable outcome. Call us today at 403.283.4252.

According to the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta, with the exception of qualified service animals for people with disabilities, animals are not permitted inside a dental practice. This means that it is not permissible to bring a therapy dog or any other therapy animal to your appointment with your Calgary dentist. You may, however, bring a duly qualified service animal to your dental appointment.

The College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta has defined a service animal as follows:

Service Animal: any animal that assists a person with disabilities with one or more daily activities. Legislation regarding service animals in health care facilities are found in Alberta’s Service Dog Act and Blind Person’s Rights Act. To qualify as a service dog in Alberta, the dog must be from an approved Service Dog Organization and meet the Alberta Training Standard. Service animals are distinct from therapy animals which are not allowed in a dental clinic in Calgary.  

If you require the use of a duly qualified service animal, please let our Calgary dentist team know prior to your dental appointment so that we may request that you bring your animal’s service animal ID from an accredited organization to your dental appointment so we can ensure that we are complying with the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta’s and Alberta Health Services’ standards regarding service animals in a Calgary dental clinic.