To help you make the best possible decisions, we will try to answer all your questions.
Here is a list of questions that come up most often.
Can’t find your question? Call us at 514-273-3818 or send us an email. We will answer you as soon as we possibly can.
Sometimes called cosmetic dentistry, aesthetic dentistry includes dental treatments that aim to improve the beauty of your smile. Everyone knows that a more seductive smile can bring about more successful personal and professional relationships, in addition to boosting self-esteem. Aesthetic dentistry includes all sorts of techniques and allows, for example, to modify tooth or gum contours, improve smiles, etc., as well as to porcelain veneers on a certain number of teeth.
In reality, aesthetic dentistry is an artistic practice that takes years of training, education, and experience to master. Its goal is to improve your appearance thanks to a personalized smile design and the restoration of teeth that are in bad shape. To obtain superb results, advanced scientific techniques must be used, as well as high-performance technological materials and equipment.
Since the patient’s comfort is our central concern during aesthetic dental treatments, our team does all it can to make your Spa dentaire Laurier visit a positive experience. We offer a massage service, soft mood music and a few spa-style extras that you won’t expect, but above all, we offer human warmth.
Here are some of the more common aesthetic treatments that we execute daily in our clinic. Click on them to find out more!
A radiant smile allows you to embrace a whole new lifestyle and take a bite out of life without hesitation!
Are you concerned about dental X-ray radiation? We are too! This why we think it is important that you know how things unfold at our clinic. At Spa dentaire Laurier, we use digital radiography to reduce your exposure to X-rays to a strict minimum.
Naturally, we must avoid all exposure to X-rays, dentist visits included. In excessive doses, they can cause serious damage. Dental X-rays are still associated with an increased cancer risk, more specifically meningioma, a type of non-cancerous brain tumour. Here are bits of useful information:
Did you know that a few minutes outside exposes you to the equivalent radiation of three digital X-rays? Also, each time you travel by plane from one ocean to another, you are exposed to the equivalent of eight teeth X-rays?
Radiation is inevitable, but not necessarily harmful. In fact, according to certain articles published by radiologists, low doses of radiation contribute to efficiently reduce the risk of certain types of cancer!
There is no doubt that regular tooth radiography is worth it. Don’t hesitate to talk to us about your concerns regarding X-rays and dental treatments.
Comfort comes in many forms. Our sanitary standards guarantee a worry-free environment for you.
Sterilization of the premises and of instruments as well as the prevention of cross-diseases should concern every dental clinic. One of the main sources of contamination is water. Our autonomous filtered water supply system produces 99.9% pure water, and this is the water we use in all treatments.
All instruments connected to the water system that come into contact with patients are heat-sterilized by autoclaving after their use, Articles that are not heat-sterilized are thrown out and new articles are used for each patient.
Spa dentaire Laurier strictly respects or surpasses the safety and sterilization standards recommended by the Ordre des dentistes du Québec. We constantly update our infection prevention techniques to ensure your security and peace of mind. Here are some of the techniques that we presently use:
This is a general question, and the answer can vary as much as asking, “how much does a car cost?” The price varies depending on the quality, design, and fabrication of the final product, but also on the quantity of care and of follow-ups before and after the treatment. Although cost is an important factor, it shouldn’t be the only thing that determines your choice of provider and cosmetic dentistry treatment. If you had to choose a brain surgeon or even a quality restaurant or hotel, you probably wouldn’t only consider the price.
First of all, ask yourself this:
As in all fields, the price you are willing to pay depends on the value you attach to the article you are purchasing. No two patients are alike. At our clinic, cosmetic dentistry and functional dentistry are adapted to the needs of each patient. The cost of our cosmetic treatments can vary from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. Why? Because cosmetic dentistry can vary from basic procedures, such as teeth whitening, to a complete dental reconstruction. There exists no single systematic approach in cosmetic dentistry. We estimate that each patient should benefit from a combination of treatments adapted to his needs and that ensures a beautiful, personalized smile.
Cost Factors
The factors that influence our fees include the cost of ultramodern materials, dental technologies, our commitment to continuous training, and our dentist’s and dental personnel’s skills. These are some of the elements that have contributed to Spa dentaire Laurier’s evolution.
The best way to calculate the cost of your smile design is to schedule a preliminary appointment for a complete exam, which will include a computerized smile simulation and smile analysis. During this visit, we can discuss your concerns as well as the smile you wish to obtain. We will also provide you with an overview of the means that will allow you to reach the dental goals that are important to you. After the exam, we will be able to discuss specific solutions in terms of treatment as well as the cost of each solution. We will also discuss our interest-free financing plans with eligible patients. This may very well help you make your new smile more affordable than ever!
Dental pain is one of our main concerns. Today, thanks to the progress accomplished in the medical materials and drug fields, the treatments are a lot more comfortable, according to our own patients. Once a treatment plan has been decided upon, don’t worry: we will be able to answer all your questions related to discomfort and pain control.
Don’t put off your cosmetic dentistry treatments till later because you fear pain, especially if this care is necessary to the longevity of your teeth. Give us a chance to show you what today’s cosmetic dentistry can offer you!
At Spa dentaire Laurier, our absolute priority is you, the patient. We sleep better at night if you do too! We use all sorts of different techniques to help you relax and even to find your stay with us relaxing. We adapt our solutions to your specific needs and sedation preferences.
Call us and ask to speak to one of our treatment consultants: they will gladly address all your concerns.
Lots of people wait until their teeth cause them pain before addressing the issue. This must be avoided at all cost, not only to conserve optimal health, but also for your wallet!
It’s difficult for us to give you a precise calendar before we meet, since each case is unique. However, on average, an in-clinic tooth whitening procedure takes about an hour and a half. The installation of composite and/or porcelain veneers can be done in a single visit.
Other times, as is the case with bridges, smile designs, and complete dental reconstructions, we will need to install temporary restorations on the very first visit.
When our lab completes the fabrication of your porcelains, we will install your crowns, veneers or permanent bridges.
Spaces between teeth, which dentists call diastema, can be unaesthetic and can make teeth look like tiny stakes. Certain TV personalities, such as David Letterman or Madonna, have decided to celebrate this particularity, while others look for solutions to fill in the gaps. When the diastema is located between the two front teeth, the smile’s appearance can be considerably compromised. The spaces may be the result of genetics or may be caused by tongue pressure, which may cause gaps between teeth.
Diastema can be treated by a qualified cosmetic dentist using different procedures. The treatment can be done using traditional orthodontics or with the help of the Invisalign procedure. We may also consider the installation of porcelain or composite veneers.
Twisted or pivoted teeth are one of the commonest cosmetic concerns. Twisted teeth can bring about inadequate contact with adjacent teeth and trap food between teeth, which may damage gums. This can also promote dental cavities and other related problems. On the cosmetic side, the smile may be unequal, and even create the illusion that certain teeth are darker than others.
Traditionally, the only solution for straightening teeth and adjusting the occlusion was orthodontics, specifically by the use of metal braces. However, the field of orthodontics has much evolved and procedures such as Invisalign were crafted and have considerably widened the field of possible solutions.
Thanks to complete dental reconstruction and smile design, a skilled cosmetic dentist can use porcelain restorations to carry out “instant orthodontics” by installing porcelain or composite veneers.
A radiant white smile is often associated with an attractive general appearance. Unfortunately, a brilliant smile can be hard to maintain. There are many reasons why teeth get stained or discoloured. Certain foods and drinks, such as coffee, tea, or soda, are more likely to stain teeth. Certain types of medications may also stain teeth. For example, the antibiotic tetracycline was widely used to treat certain illnesses. One of the major side effects of this drug was an accentuated discolouration of teeth. The stains caused by tetracycline are grey or dark brown and are impossible to eliminate without professional help. Smokers teeth almost always have a greyish tint. Medications, lifestyle habits, trauma, and diet are a few of the factors that may affect the teeth’s colour.
The recommended solutions depend on the colouration’s intensity. These vary from good dental health habits to composite or porcelain veneers, to whitening toothpastes or a professional teeth whitening treatment.
A tooth may be chipped or broken by biting into hard foods, accidentally hitting a hard surface, or following a sporting or car accident, or from any other type of trauma. Certain fractures are visible, while others are not as evident and can only be detected by a qualified professional with the help of X-rays and other diagnostic tests.
Depending on the gravity of the fissure, the restoration will either be in the form of a white filling, a porcelain veneer or a one-visit crown. If the nerve is affected, other types of care may be required. More serious fractures can require root canal work or even an extraction of the tooth and its replacement by a dental implant or a porcelain bridge.
Teeth may be missing from your mouth for a variety of reasons. This may be due to trauma or an accident, periodontal disease or cavities that have caused irremediable tooth destruction. In turn, this can bring about more cavities, TMJ problems, and cosmetic woes.
Cosmetic dentistry offers all sorts of solutions for replacing missing teeth, for example, dental implants, porcelain bridges and dental prostheses. These solutions can be used alone or combined with other treatments to satisfy your global cosmetic needs and re-establish tooth functionality. It is important to get the advice of a highly qualified cosmetic dentist concerning the solutions better tailored to your needs.
Grey fillings or “amalgams” were the restoration method of choice for many years because of their low cost, ease of installation, and relative durability and solidity. On the other hand, in the last few years, their use has progressively gone down for many reasons, namely because of persistent concerns regarding their eventual harmful effects on health and the development of new cosmetic solutions.
Amalgams contain mercury. However, scientists have been unable to unequivocally declare the toxicity of grey fillings. On the other hand, it is undeniable that the use of mercury by dentists can have a detrimental effect on the environment.
From a strictly cosmetic point of view, it’s certain that the metallic colour cannot be confused with the teeth’s natural colour. This is particularly concerning when the front teeth are involved.
Amalgams have paradoxical properties: grey fillings can last a long time, they can weaken the dental structure over time since they corrode and the internal pressure exerted in the tooth ends up fracturing it.
The replacement of old and deficient grey fillings can take different forms depending on the level of restoration to execute: this can range from white fillings to porcelain veneers and to porcelain crowns.
Bruxism is the technical term for teeth clenching or grinding. This habit wears teeth and can cause facial pain. Persons who suffer from this involuntarily clench their jaw too hard and too often, at inappropriate moments, like in their sleep or while concentrating.
People affected by bruxism are often diagnosed too late to save their teeth. Many people aren’t even aware that they have adopted this habit. Others mistakenly believe that their teeth must touch once in a while. Approximately one in four people suffer from bruxism.
Bruxism can directly or indirectly cause a variety of problems with unsightly effects, such as tooth pain, moving teeth, the destruction of parts of teeth, etc. It may also bring about tooth hypersensitivity and headaches.
Treatment of bruxism depends on its causes, and your dentist can help determine what solutions are best for you. When stress is a factor, one must first learn to relax. People who have trouble managing stress may have to seek advice from expert resources, and the dentist may prescribe muscle relaxants to relax the jaw muscles. We may also prescribe a dental Night Gard to wear. This will prevent damage to your teeth while you sleep. To relieve muscular pain and help the patient regain a smile, dental treatments may be necessary.
Tooth decay is an illness: bacteria destroy the tooth’s structure. Enamel and dentine progressively deteriorate, thus producing dental cavities or holes in the teeth. If untreated, this illness can cause pain, tooth loss or infection.
Depending on the severity and location of the affected areas, different dental treatments allow teeth to be re-established in their form, their function, and aesthetic ideals, namely white fillings, composite veneers, porcelain veneers, and porcelain crowns.
Other measures can be useful, for example better eating habits and the application of fluoride lacquer by a professional. This is why numerous dental health organizations from around the world recommend preventive measures and prophylactics such as regular dental and oral hygiene and a change in diet in order to prevent tooth decay.
Gum disease is characterized by swelling or redness of the gums (soft tissue) around your teeth. It is caused by the bacteria in plaque, a colourless film that sticks to your teeth. These bacteria secrete toxins that irritate the gums.
If you do not eliminate plaque from your teeth with regular brushing and flossing, and you have certain genetic predispositions, it can accumulate over time and not only infect your gums, but the bone that supports your teeth. If this illness is not treated by a dentist, you even risk losing your teeth as a result of your body’s reaction to the bacterial infection.
Periodontitis also risks dramatically transforming the appearance of your smile. As it wears the bone around your teeth, it can expose the yellowish roots and leave holes between your teeth at the gum level, giving them an unsightly appearance.
To find out if you have a gum illness, your dentist and hygienist must inspect your teeth and gums. Since gum disease can be more easily controlled in its early stages, it is important that you consult your dentist or hygienist if you notice one of the following signs:
What the experts say:
Current research reveals alarming information on the effects of periodontitis on your global health. Numerous studies, many published by l’Ordre des Dentistes du Québec and the Journal of Periodontology, confirm that people suffering from periodontitis are exposed to other serious illnesses. The reason for this is that infected gums produce bad bacteria in your bloodstream, and these bacteria can then spread to other organs in your body.
Periodontal bacteria can contribute to the following problems:
Factors that increase the risk of contracting this illness:
This illness can affect your health in many ways, and this is why it is very important to diagnose it and treat it as soon as possible.
Patients suffering from periodontitis need more than two regular cleanings per year. Periodontitis may be treated during a gum laser therapy session and by appropriate personal care at home. In its advanced stages, periodontitis cannot be cured completely, but can be controlled and limited it thanks to good maintenance. Once the bone that surrounds teeth starts to get damaged, periodontitis may only be limited and not eliminated.
Treatment for periodontitis is very important to prevent additional bone loss, which may lead to full-blown tooth loss.
The source of bad breath is generally located in the mouth, where bacteria decompose food fragments. This process causes what we call volatile sulfur compounds, which emit a rotten egg odour. The bacteria at the origin of this process need a low-oxygen environment. Thus they usually occupy hard to access spaces, such as pockets around teeth and fissures on the tongue.
If you have bad breath, it would be useful for you to get a complete dental exam, and a detailed gum exam. The habit of keeping your mouth as clean as possible will contribute to reducing the bacteria that can cause bad breath: brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing or interdental brushing are minimal considerations in this case. It would also be a good idea to clean your tongue with your toothbrush or with a tongue scraper to eliminate the bacteria that settle in the fissures on your tongue. You can also use mouthwash and brush your teeth with baking soda.
In a smile, we usually see the upper eight to ten teeth and not much of the gums above them. However, certain physiological and pathological conditions can overexpose the gums.
In certain cases, the excessive exposure of the gums makes teeth appear shorter and gives the appearance of a gingival smile. Just like your nail cuticles, gums can cover your dental structure, leaving your teeth with a shorter and square appearance instead of their natural shape. For others, it is excess bone that causes the “gummy smile”.
A cosmetic dentist with an artistic sense and adequately shaped may offer solutions to this.
For example, a gum graft, also called gingival re-contouring, can constitute an immediate solution. Dr Comeau uses a laser to remove excess gum to give teeth their ideal shape and to create a more uniform gum contour. This is generally a short procedure that causes only minimal discomfort.
When the gingival smile exposes multiple cosmetic flaws, the white fillings, the composite veneers, the porcelain veneers, or the porcelain crowns can help. Of all the problems a cosmetic dentist is called upon to solve, this type of smile design is more complex since all of the tiny imperfections become very apparent.
Tooth pain can take the form of throbbing sensations, dull pain, or intense and regular twinging in or around a tooth. The pain can vary in its intensity and go from mild discomfort to unsupportable sensation.
The source of this pain may be, for example, a nerve irritation in the tooth’s root, a dental cavity, an infection of the dental pulp or a root fracture. It may also be due to infection of the gums and bone, or inflammation around the wisdom teeth.
There exist natural home remedies to treat pain, but it is essential that you consult a dentist for evaluating and treating the source of the pain. When left untreated, the cavities may continue to progress and effect a progressively larger zone. Dental infections can also become more serious, to the point of necessitating additional treatments, while the gums may become very swollen and painful.
This sensitivity corresponds to a tingling sensation or a shot of pain in one or more teeth. The sensation may be constant or intermittent. Intermittent sensitivity may be due to hot or cold drinks or food, cold exterior air, or contact with an object.
Possible causes of dental sensitivity:
Furthermore, aging causes enamel discolouration (external surface of the tooth), which exposes dentine (initial internal surface of the tooth) and causes sensitivity.
We mainly concentrate on cosmetic dental procedures such as the installation of porcelain veneers, one-visit crowns, and porcelain bridges, as well as teeth whitening. Of course, we also offer general dentistry services (cleaning, fillings, etc.), but the difference is that we take into account the final result and our concern remains to make you appear in your best light.
Approximately 5 to 10 percent of Quebec adults suffer from a dental phobia, which means that their fear is so intense that they avoid dental care at all costs. Many of them only visit the dentist when there is an emergency, such as if they suffer from tooth pain or a dental abscess. These people go through “avoidance cycles” (enduring the pain for a while, postponing a dental appointment, etc.) until the urgency level becomes such that an invasive treatment must be performed, which in itself risks reinforcing the feeling of fear.
If the atmosphere at the dental clinic is relaxed, these patients can progressively surmount their fear. Their discomfort can be considerably reduced thanks to support and massage therapy during the dental treatment. In more serious cases, we use a type of sedation to appease the patient.
As is the case with plastic surgery, insurance does not usually cover purely cosmetic treatments. However, treatments needed for repairing damaged or deteriorating teeth, or for replacing faulty restorations may be covered.
There exist many types of dental crowns. Here are the ones Dr Comeau uses:
Crowns on dental implants: these are crowns that sit on dental root replacements (implants) rather than on teeth.
Adults believe that orthodontics only apply to adolescents. But make no mistake, orthodontics has no age!
In adulthood, orthodontics allows for the realignment of teeth. This being the case, it is even possible to eliminate a chewing problem that causes pain.
If you are an adult, you must meet certain conditions in order to receive orthodontic treatments: you must have healthy or restored teeth, gums that are in good shape, and rigorous oral hygiene discipline.
It may be that orthodontics will not rectify all your teeth if they are very worn or if an illness of the jaw causes some difficulties such as headaches. We must sometimes call upon other disciplines in order to optimize results. The situation must first be evaluated by an orthodontist.
The Invisalign method can apply to different types of patients:
A careful exam done during the course of an initial consultation will allow us to determine if the Invisalign method is applicable to your situation. Patients who have trouble cleaning their teeth are particularly appreciative of this method. Those wishing for an invisible orthodontic treatment also appreciate this technique.
The Invisalign treatment consists in wearing shells, or trays, which are transparent envelopes that cover all the teeth. In fact, it is these shells that constitute the orthodontic straightening device called Invisalign.
Here are the treatment steps:
In fact, six months constitutes an average. Certain patients should go every three months while others only once a year. It is best to follow the advice of your dentist.
It depends on who it’s for… A conventional toothbrush can do the trick as long as you have the right technique, but many people prefer the electric toothbrush. It all comes down to personal preference.
Yes, but nothing compares to a professional whitening. It is especially efficient for removing stains. We must also warn people with thinned gums: the acidity level of these toothpastes may also make the gum recede.
Here’s one of my secrets: the best way to remove stains and even to lightly whiten your teeth at home is to mix baking soda – oh yes the white stuff that removes odours from refrigerators! – with hydrogen peroxide, which you can buy over the counter at the pharmacy. Super efficient!
No, not at all. These products destroy the proteins that colour the tooth and not the structure of the tooth itself. Teeth may be more sensitive in the short term, but will become less sensitive as time goes on.
Given the hyperacidity of soft drinks and their elevated sugar level, they can, in the case of excessive consumption, cause the demineralization of your teeth and thus, dental erosion. Moderate consumption will not generally cause any such problems. We recommend that you discuss this with your dentist.
There are certain cases where wisdom teeth must be extracted because their condition and the risk of degradation compromise the patient’s health. The best advice to follow is that of your dentist.
Yes, but this is extremely rare. After a complete exam, we sometimes decide not to intervene if the risk seems too elevated.
Maybe sinusitis, but the cavity would have to be very deep. However, recent studies show that people with gum disease are more exposed to the risk of cardiovascular disease.
No, no and no! On the other hand, brushing the wrong way may prematurely wear teeth and gums. If you still have doubts about how to correctly brush your teeth, ask your hygienist. It is always good to be reminded.
Spa dentaire Laurier offers the possibility of obtaining a virtual consultation for people interested in improving their smile. Here are the 3 easy steps to follow, once you access the online virtual consult request form page.
It’s an innovative way to do an aesthetic consultation. This can be an easy way to simply share the possibilities available for you. You can then decide if the proposal suits you and if you want to go ahead with the procedure.
Your cosmetic preview
Perfect for those interested in improving their smile but want to get a preview of what would be the end result before they commit to the procedure. It only takes 30 minutes.
Call us at (514) 273-3818for more information or to schedule an appointment for a free consultation.
Ask for your FREE virtual consult today!