General Dentistry Aurora Ontario
A full complement of services to give you a beautiful smile.
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Dental Hygiene and Preventative Dental Care
AN APPLE A DAY …
Preventative care includes precautionary measures to avoid disease and all its negative consequences for your health and well-being.
Preventing disease is always easier than curing disease. At 4U Dental Care, every team member believes strongly in this reality and will help you develop the habits that give you excellent dental health.
At a set time interval, we will examine your mouth, including both your teeth and gums, and we will provide oral cancer screening. A watchful eye on your health will prevent unpleasant surprises in the future.
In some ways, dental disease can be compared to general health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. You can suffer from these conditions without noticing them. Only through screenings, measurements and tests can they be confirmed, and appropriately managed. It can also avoid more severe consequences.
Maintaining your mouth health through quality care and regular professional dental hygiene has enormous value and it:
- Prevents more severe dental health conditions.
- Saves you the cost of more complex treatments.
- Saves you time by avoiding more complex treatments.
- Avoids the inconvenience of emergencies.
Let the 4U Dental team be your partner in excellent oral health.
Regular Check-Ups
KNOW YOUR MOUTH
Why is it so important to have your mouth examined regularly?
Monitoring your oral health helps to protect your general health. Medical / Dental healthcare professionals have understood the connection between oral health and the health of your entire body for many years now.
Bacteria, which are found in cavities and inflamed gum tissue, can have an adverse affect on the course of our overall health condition, like:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Low birth weight babies
- Human papillomavirus / oropharyngeal cancer
- Other forms of oral cancer like squamous cell carcinoma
- Autoimmune conditions
Further, you rely on a healthy set of teeth to start your body’s food processing chain and digestion in a way that guarantees healthy nutrition.
Dr. Sotodeh and Dr. Knothe will thoroughly examine your teeth and gums before they make recommendations for your treatment options.
The examination may include digital x-rays. Depending on your needs and requests, pictures or molds may be taken. Your tooth shade may have to be determined, a cold test yields information about the health of a tooth’s pulp tissue, gently tabbing on teeth with the handle of an instrument will narrow down potential sources of discomfort. As well, a check of your chewing muscles and jaw joints will reveal any irregularities in chewing function. The checkpoints are extensive.
As you can see, a dental exam is a crucial necessity and the strong foundation on which
4U Dental Care clients make informed decisions about their treatment and health.
Dental Emergencies
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU
As much as we try to avoid them, unforeseen events happen and often in the untimeliest manner possible.
A tooth hurts, a filling cracks, gums start to swell, a tooth gets knocked out, the denture breaks into pieces or the lip is bleeding after a tumble to the ground. Many situations may require immediate attention to prevent further damage or ease the discomfort.
If any of these events occur to you, simply reach out to 4U Dental Care, and our team will arrange to see you the same day.
With 4U Dental Cares convenient hours, we can accommodate patients with pressing emergencies even in the evening or on Saturdays.
The best way to deal with an inconvinient emergency is not to let them happen. Easier said than done in a lot of cases, but doable in others.
You are much less likely to suffer a dental emergency by merely paying close attention to your dental health, practicing good habits at home, and following a structured, customized preventative dental care schedule prescribed by Dr. Nooshin Sotodeh and Dr. Hagen Knothe.
Some dental emergencies can be prevented with simple dental appliances like sports guards for your favourite contact sport or a nightguard for those of us who grind or clench their teeth at night.
What should you do if you knock out a tooth completely?
If you are older than 12 years of age and your tooth has not been soiled with sand or dirt, you can try to put the avulsed tooth back into place, holding it at its crown, not the root.
DO NOT try to scrub or brush the tooth clean. Bite on a clean cloth or a teabag to hold the tooth in position and contact us for further treatment.
If the DIY replantation is not an option, store the tooth in saline, saliva, milk or commercial emergency media like ” Save-A-Tooth” and see us as soon as possible.
The quicker the tooth can be reinserted, the better. Beyond two hours, the success rate for replantation of a knocked-out tooth drops dramatically.
4 U Dental Care
446 Hollandview Trail, Unit #A5
Aurora, Ontario L4G 7Z9
Phone: 905-726-1800
Kids Dentistry
STARTING ON THE RIGHT FOOT
The 4U Dental Care team is devoted to providing a caring and trusting dental home for your children.
As oral health care professionals, we are dedicated to instilling a positive attitude towards optimum health and laying the groundwork for a lifetime of happy smiles.
We see children as early as age two when their baby teeth have grown in.
The first visit usually consists of an office tour, a ride in the dental chair and oral hygiene instructions.
For infants and during pregnancy, we provide the new mom and dad with information on how to ensure proper oral health right from the start.
You can help ensure your child’s first visit to the dentist is enjoyable and positive. If old enough, your child should be informed of the tour and told that the dentist and their staff will explain every procedure and will answer all their questions.
It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as “needle,” “shot,” “pull,” “drill,” or “hurt.” Dr. Sotodeh and Dr. Knothe make it a habit to use words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and unfrightening to the child, e.g. “baby mosquito pinch,” “wiggle,” “clean,” “bugs,” “Mr. Slurpy,” “Mr. Bumpy,” “Whistle.”
We invite you to stay with your child during the initial examination. During future appointments, we suggest allowing your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. We can usually establish a closer rapport with your child when you are not present in the treatment room. Our purpose is to gain your child’s attention, confidence and overcome any apprehension to accomplish our treatment goals easier.
Any treatment planned for the appointment will be discussed with you in advance, and we only perform the procedure your child is willing to participate in, applying the gentle – “Tell,” “Show,” “Do,”- approach.
To discuss your child’s specific needs further, please contact 4U Dental Care to arrange for an appointment.
White Fillings
NATURAL LOOKING AND STRONG
White fillings are a fantastic solution to restore damaged teeth. They appear very natural because they transition into the surrounding natural tooth structure seamlessly.
They conserve the natural tooth structure, because with the modern resin bonding technology, only damaged tooth structure must be removed, and no additional tooth grinding is required.
If used for the intended application, which is to repair small to mid-sized defects, they are robust and give the tooth years of support.
Dental Crowns are better suited for teeth with more severe damage, where the size of the defect is large.
And why do you need a filling in the first place if nothing hurts?
After all, it seems reasonable to wonder if you need to go ahead with a filling when you don’t have any symptoms. If you twist your knee or catch a cold, you know there is a health issue.
Tooth decay compares better to other health conditions, which are silent and often reveal themselves when visiting your doctor for an exam. High blood pressure, anemia and diabetes are good examples of similar conditions.
With cavities, time is not on your side. The earlier we catch them, the simpler the repair.
Symptoms like pain and sensitivity occur when the decay has spread deep into the tooth, close to the tooth nerve, by then a root canal treatment is needed.
It makes sense to detect and treat cavities as early as possible, so your tooth can be fixed with a simple filling.
Dr. Nooshin Sotodeh and Dr. Hagen Knothe will be happy to help you to keep your smile intact.
Dental Bridges
CLOSING THE GAP
Dental bridges are the tried and tested solution to replace missing teeth in a non-removable or fixed way for a long time.
And even today, they play an essential role in modern dentistry as a valuable alternative to dental implants.
By replacing one tooth or several teeth, you will regain functionality (like chewing and speech) as well as esthetics. Furthermore, by restoring a gap, you will avoid negative dental health consequences like chipping/breaks, cavities and gum disease or painful chewing muscle or jaw joint conditions caused by uncontrolled shifting or overgrowing of adjoining teeth.
Dental bridges, compared to dental implants, do not need oral surgery. Teeth adjacent to the gap will be prepared and restored with dental crowns, which act as anchors for the artificial replacement tooth or pontic, which is fused to the anchor crowns. The dental bridge is bonded onto your support teeth and feels and looks very natural.
In situations where a tooth has been missing for a long time, and the amount of bone is insufficient to place an implant, additional surgeries to increase the bone volume can be avoided by considering a bridge instead of an implant.
For patients who prefer non-surgical restoration of their gap, the custom-made dental bridge can be the ideal restoration.
Good oral hygiene habits and regular maintenance are required to get maximum longevity from the bridge.
Learn more about the options to replace missing teeth and contact 4U Dental Care to book your appointment with Dr. Nooshin Sotodeh or Dr. Hagen Knothe.
Dental Crowns
ROBUST AND BEAUTIFUL
Dental crowns a.k.a. “Caps” can give a protective structure, strength, function, and esthetics to a tooth with extensive damage or decay. Designed to fit naturally and function as a healthy tooth, a crown protects your tooth from further damage and reinforces teeth with cracks and fractures.
If more than one tooth is cracked, decayed, or worn, we can bring back your healthy, natural-looking smile with crowns as part of a Smile Makeover or a Full Mouth Restoration.
The choices of different crown materials can be a little overwhelming and confusing to understand.
Crowns can be fabricated from porcelain only, porcelain with a metal core, zirconium, or gold. Each one of these materials has its ideal application in different areas of your mouth and will be customized to your specific circumstance.
We typically need two appointments for the design, preparation, and placement of the crown.
During the time in between appointments, a provisional crown protects the tooth and ensures esthetics.
Crowns can be used to strengthen natural teeth or to create a beautiful replica of a natural tooth on an implant.
If you have teeth with oversized fillings, significant defects or a history of tooth fracture, contact
4U Dental Care to find out if you are a candidate for a dental crown.
Dentures
SMILE WITH CONFIDENCE
For patients who have lost all or several of their teeth, Complete or Partially Removable Dentures are a popular choice.
The main difference to their Fixed Complete or Partial Denture counterparts (crown and bridge) is that they can be removed from the oral cavity to clean or repair them or to add on to them if another tooth must be removed.
A hybrid option between Fixed and Removable Dentures are some of the Implant Retained Dentures. These are locked in place by screws. They can only be unscrewed by the dentist and removed if the need arises.
Replacing lost teeth with Partial or Complete Dentures has several benefits:
- It improves the ability to chew.
- It improves facial esthetics and appearance. Missing teeth and jawbone recession can cause the face to appear aged (thin lips, collapsed cheeks, short distance between chin and nose, wrinkles, sagging facial muscles.)
- It improves speech.
- It improves self-esteem.
Conventional dentures are usually held in place by teeth (Partial Denture) or by adhesion. This is two tight-fitting surfaces with liquid /saliva between them sticking to each other in a way similar to a suction cup (Upper Complete Denture). Or it’s a combination of gravity and muscle balancing, as is the case with (Lower Complete Dentures).
Conventional Dentures usually require an adaptation and learning phase. During this stage, the sensory and tactile properties of the oral tissues need time to get accustomed to the new condition, both when eating and speaking.
After the initial one to two weeks of practice, conventional dentures can be an excellent solution for regaining chewing power and confidence.
In certain circumstances, implants may be advantageous to help patients for whom conventional dentures are not an option.
These patients may require even more secure retention of their artificial teeth, or they cannot psychologically tolerate removable dentures, or they have such a severely receded jawbone that it doesn’t allow for conventional denture options.
In these cases, two to six or even eight, strategically placed implants per jaw (mandible or maxilla or both) serve as a basis for rebuilding the dental arch, which will feel and look very natural.
In case there is severe jawbone recession, additional surgical measures like bone grafting can be applied to accommodate dental implants.
Alternatively, the ALL-ON-4 concept can be considered. This treatment places and angles four implants per jaw, in a way that the existing bone structure is utilized, instead of thickening the bone by using additional grafting surgeries.
That is a lot of information to digest. If you are interested in understanding your denture options more, contact Dr. Nooshin Sotodeh and Dr. Hagen Knothe for an assessment. We look forward to meeting you.
Endodontics
KEEP YOUR NATURAL TOOTH A LITTLE LONGER
Wherever feasible, Dr. Nooshin Sotodeh and Dr. Hagen Knothe will try to assist you in retaining your natural tooth for as long as possible. Our philosophy at 4U Dental Care is: “The best tooth replacement is NO tooth replacement.”
Albeit implants are getting remarkably close to Mother Nature, the original is still the best.
A root canal and a professionally restored tooth can give you several years of added tooth life, function, and esthetics.
Root canal treatments can become necessary when your tooth has a deep cavity or a trauma caused by a blow to the tooth or constant excessive grinding. The resulting damage to the core or pulp of the tooth can cause symptoms like pain, swelling, sensitivity to temperature and pressure, discoloration of the first (enamel) and second (dentin) outer layers of the tooth. The bone surrounding the root can get infected, and an abscess may develop and spread to neighbouring tissue cavities, which can cause, in rare cases, potentially life-threatening infections.
The goal of the root canal therapy is to clean and disinfect the hollow space inside the tooth and root (root canal system) and tightly seal it with a rubber-like material to prevent a future invasion of bacteria. This procedure can often be accomplished with one appointment, sometimes two. The length of the appointments depends on the type of tooth (molars have more canals than incisors) and the size and shape of the individual canals.
The next step in preserving the tooth is to repair it with a robust and natural-looking restoration. A crown accomplishes strong support and natural function perfectly.
Modern technological innovations like motor-driven rotary files, apex locators and digital radiography are great tools to facilitate the therapeutic process.
Let your dentists at 4U Dental Care help you to keep your natural teeth for the long haul.
Wisdom Teeth Extractions
WITH OR WITHOUT THEM?
To answer a common question right at the beginning: “No, wisdom teeth don’t make us wiser, if we keep them longer.” So, no big loss there.
Beyond that, there are not many advantages to keeping them. They often cause problems like gum infections, cavities, root resorption, chewing muscle and jaw joint disorders, TMD (Temporo-Mandibular-Dysfunction), the formation of cysts and tumours around them and limitations in proper oral hygiene.
If wisdom teeth get infected, they cause pain, swelling, fever, illness, malaise and can limit swallowing and mouth opening.
The main reason why wisdom teeth cause problems is because of their position inside the mouth. They are also called third molars, and as such, they hide behind the first and second molars and are the last teeth to grow in. Usually, they don’t have enough space to grow properly. So, they tend to erupt only halfway and crooked, just barely lifting the overlying loose gum tissue, which creates a trap for food debris and bacteria. Also, their location in the far corner of your mouth makes it difficult for your toothbrush to reach them effectively.
In a few cases, the jawbone is large enough to accommodate the third molars in proper alignment. If that is the case, and the patient has excellent oral home care habits, wisdom teeth don’t have to be removed.
Another exception is when wisdom teeth are entirely encased in the jawbone, and no communication with the oral environment exists, so bacteria will never reach them.
Early removal of wisdom teeth in your teens or early twenties is advantageous for several reasons:
- Roots are not fully developed and shorter and are at a greater distance to anatomical structures.
- The jawbone is more flexible compared to older patients.
- The likelihood of complicating pre-existing general health conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular disease is reduced.
- The healing capacity of younger patients is better and faster.
The removal of wisdom teeth is usually accomplished with a combination of local anesthesia (numbing) and some form of sedation (mild, moderate or deep).
For aftercare, we provide pain killers and antibacterial medications, sterile gauze and written home instructions.
You should plan for one day of recovery after the surgery. The initial swelling usually diminishes within three to five days, and the gum tissue closes in over the wound during the first week or two.
If you are interested in more information about Wisdom Teeth Removal contact Aurora’s 4U Dental Care, Dr. Nooshin Sotodeh and Dr. Hagen Knothe will be happy to assist.
Periodontal & Gum Surgery
THE FRAME IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE PICTURE
When dentists talk about teeth and gums, they sometimes use language like ” White and Pink Esthetic,” or analogies like teeth being the picture and gums framing them.
Over the past few decades, the importance of healthy and firm gum tissue surrounding beautiful white teeth has increased tremendously.
A receding gum line has obvious esthetic implications by making teeth appear elongated.
Functional and health problems occur when the exposed root surface becomes sensitive to temperature or acidic food, as well as becoming more prone to decay and gum disease due to restricted access for brushing.
Connective tissue grafting is a surgical therapy used at Aurora’s 4U Dental Care to regenerate receded gum tissue.
Gum disease may affect the gums only, or in more advanced cases, it may involve the underlying bone as well.
The presence of harmful bacteria causes it. In advanced stages, it results in gum recession and bone loss, and even tooth loss.
The treatment approach to gum disease is very meticulous.
It involves nonsurgical gum treatments, periodontal surgery and regenerative periodontal surgery.
Depending on the stage of periodontal disease, there are several options. The severity of destruction will determine whether nonsurgical, surgical, or a combination of the two can be used to stall the diseases’ progress.
Lastly, crown lengthening procedures help to increase the length of teeth when they are too short for esthetic or restorative reasons or to treat a gummy smile.
Bone Grafting
A STRONG FOUNDATION TO BUILD ON
Bone grafting is an excellent procedure to increase the strength and size of your jawbone and improve the stability and longevity of dental implants.
Patients who on initial evaluation don’t qualify for dental implants due to a weak jawbone can become excellent candidates for dental implants by building up the deficient site through bone grafting.
The primary sources of the bone graft can be from your own body (autograft), human cadaver bone from a tissue bank (allograft) or a different species (xenograft from a bovine or equine origin).
For smaller jawbone deficiencies, a granulate bone graft is utilized. For larger defects, a block graft with additional particulate graft is used.
In some instances, it is possible to combine implant placement and bone grafting so that both surgical procedures can be accomplished in one appointment.
If a larger quantity of bone must be restored, the procedures are kept separate to allow the graft to take and new bone to form, before the dental implant is placed into the reinforced jawbone. The restructuring and remodelling process of the bone graft takes about four to six months.
In the upper anterior region of your mouth (the “smile zone”), bone grafting can be combined with gum grafting to enhance the esthetic outcome.
The most straightforward application of bone grafting is a procedure called socket preservation.
When a tooth is removed, the socket where the tooth used to sit undergoes a healing process, which includes atrophy or receding of bone. This process occurs at a higher rate during the initial six months of healing. The goal of socket preservation is to avoid the collapse of the bony ridge and protection of the three-dimensional size and shape of the socket to facilitate future implant placement.
Dr. Nooshin Sotodeh and Dr. Hagen Knothe will be happy to answer any other questions you may have.
Sedation Dentistry
YOUR COMFORT – OUR PRIORITY
You are not alone, according to recent Canadian studies, ten to twenty percent of the population has dental anxiety to some degree, which discourages them from seeking regular dental care.
Missing out on routine dental visits due to fear often creates a cycle of painful emergency situations and a need for more invasive procedures – and continued avoidance until the next emergency.
To break the cycle and reduce the likelihood of unwanted, inconvenient events, we suggest a more structured approach to dental care, which addresses the anxiety. The more comfortable you are in the dental chair, the more likely you are to return to have your teeth looked after.
At 4U Dental Care, we make a conscious effort to be mindful of our patients’ needs when it comes to patient comfort.
At 4U Dental Care, our team is open and sensitive to your past dentistry experiences and we will modify our approach to meet your individual needs.
Besides our personal attitude, modern dental technology has advanced the dental experience over the decades. It has improved the speed, your understanding of “what is going on,” and provides many more comfort measures.
- Computerized freezing makes numbing your teeth a very gentle experience.
- Inhalation and oral sedation assist in your relaxation.
- Digital x-rays and motor-driven instruments, compared to conventional radiographs and hand instruments, facilitate and speed-up dental procedures.
- Digital photography and patient education models or AV presentations help you to understand your condition and its remedies, supporting you to overcome the ‘Fear of The Unknown.’
What can you expect to experience while sedated?
Mild Sedation:
Tranquil relaxation often provided by nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or a tablet of medication like a sleeping aid. You are conscious and aware during mild sedation, but stress is reduced.
Moderate Sedation:
Produces a twilight-like sleep where you are responsive to verbal direction while you “daydream.” Time feels compressed, and longer appointments become easier. This type of sedation is often produced by the combination of a tablet and nitrous oxide gas.
Deep Sedation:
This is a more profound, peaceful sleep-like state. Patients will be barely aware. There may be a brief period where you are in a controlled state of unconsciousness so that you are not bothered by treatments that can cause discomfort. This is an excellent, safe, and predictable form of sedation for many patients.
General Anesthesia:
This is the deepest form of sedation, which will be performed by an Anesthesiologist in a hospital setting for safe support of breathing and cardiovascular function.
For more information on how to overcome the “Anxiety Hurdle,” book your appointment with Dr. Nooshin Sotodeh or Dr. Hagen Knothe at 4U Dental Care.
Full Mouth Reconstruction
SCIENCE AND ART COMBINED
Using the latest technologies and current techniques, our doctors have changed the smiles of many patients.
Our team combines science, technology and art to make every patient feel their best.
We pride ourselves on the ability to provide full mouth reconstruction. Dr. Sotodeh and Dr. Knothe have spent countless continuing education hours with leading authorities in cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry.
Although every patient is unique, and each case approach can be different, most full mouth reconstructions involve the following steps:
- Comprehensive exam and treatment plan.
- Treating acute dental health issues, including pain, infection, broken teeth, etc.
- Producing a diagnostic 3D, physical model of your new smile.
- Presenting the case to you for your approval to proceed.
- Preparing teeth as planned and fabricating provisionals based on the 3D model.
- Delivering definitive restorations and your new smile.
Discuss your options with our team and let us help you achieve a beautiful new smile!
Sports Guards
PROTECT YOUR SMILE
For athletes who play sports that can injure their teeth, a custom fit sports guard is an excellent way to protect their smile.
Tell us about the sports you participate in, and we will find the right guard for you.
For the fashion conscientious, we offer custom colour choices.
Night Guards
SLEEP SOUNDLY AND PROTECT YOUR TEETH
Unfortunately, we not only dream sweet dreams at night, but some of us also grind and clench their teeth, which can cause significant damage to our teeth, the bone surrounding the roots, and our chewing muscles and jaw joints.
Often a noticeable sign of grinding is excessive tooth wear, shortening, chipping and flattening of teeth. In more advanced cases, this can lead to sensitivity when chewing food or increased mobility of teeth. It can also produce pain around the cheeks or in front of the ear.
A professionally fitted dental night guard offers protection for your teeth, so you can sleep soundly and be assured your teeth won’t be harmed, even if you grind.
Oral Cancer Screening
EARLY DETECTION IS KEY
The Canadian Cancer Society estimated that 4,400 Canadians would be diagnosed with oral cancer, and 1,200 Canadians will die from oral cancer in 2015.
Not all oral cancers are found in people who smoke or drink alcohol. They can also be diagnosed in people who have no risk factors at all.
As with other forms of cancer, early detection plays a vital role in the treatment and outcome of this severe health threat. Dentists and dental hygienists are frontline professionals who look at your mouth closely during cleanings and dental checks.
Dr. Nooshin Sotodeh and Dr. Hagen Knothe will look for white and red spots, small sores (at times pain-free), or a sore that bleeds or doesn’t heal. They also look for colour changes in oral structures, lumps, thickening, rough surface structures or eroded areas, pain, soreness or numbness anywhere in the mouth head and neck region.
Two visits per year are recommended for general dental care. If you notice any unusual changes in your mouth between check-ups, call our dentist office immediately.
Dental Implants: As close to Mother Nature as it gets
“The proven, effective and safe way to replace single or multiple teeth” …
We care about your oral health
Contact us to book an appointment