Halloween 2020!

Happy Halloween! While we love giving out goodies, Halloween spirit was alive and well at Heritage House Dental. We hope everyone’s Halloween was as Spooktacular as ours was!

 

10 Years At Heritage House Dental

10th anniversary

2020 marks Heritage House Dental’s 10th Anniversary!

Earlier this year we asked our patients to share their first/favourite memory of Heritage House Dental with us and pinned them to our timeline board. We would like to thank everyone who participated. Unfortunately the celebrations this year will be at a distance, but we want to thank each and every one of you for a wonderful 10 years and we look forward for more memories to come!

Take a look at some of our favourite moments over the past 10 years, you might even spot yourself!

2010 Grand Opening with Hazel McCallion

2012 March Break Camp

2012 Britannia Public School Spring Fair

2013 Doors Open Event

2014 ALS Bucket Challenge

2014 in Dominican Republic with Dr. Nicole Maciel

2015 Victorian Christmas

2016 Dress For The Cause

2016 Ride For Heart

2016 Victorian Christmas

2017 Britannia Public School Spring Fair

2017 Ride For Heart

2017 St. Patrick’s Day

2018 Basketeers Donation

2018 Halloween

2019 Dress For The Cause

2019 Summer Camp

2019 Walk For Heart

2019 Victorian Christmas

 

Common Myths About Root Canal Treatments

Root Canal Treatment

 

Root canal treatment is often thought of as an extremely painful procedure. With several myths revolving around the treatment, someone who may be unfamiliar with the procedure could possibly fear it. To help you better understand, we will walk you through these myths to reveal the truth behind root canal treatments, and perhaps you will see the procedure should not be feared at all!

 

Myth #1 ROOT CANAL TREATMENT IS PAINFUL.

TRUTH: Root canal treatment does not cause pain, it in fact it results in the exact opposite – it relieves pain!

Root canal treatment will relieve your pain while saving your natural tooth. The treatment will begin with a local anesthetic, and once the area receiving the root canal treatment is numbed, the procedure will feel similar to a filling with the only difference being the time it takes to complete.

 

Myth #2 ROOT CANAL TREATMENTS REQUIRE MANY TRIPS TO THE DENTIST.

TRUTH: Most root canal treatments are completed in one visit to the dentist!

Due to cutting-edge technology and the latest techniques practiced, the majority of root canal treatments are performed in a single dental appointment.

 

Myth #3 IF THE TOOTH DOES NOT HURT, THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE ROOT CANAL TREATMENT.

TRUTH: Root canal treatments may be required to save the natural tooth even in the absence of pain.

Everyone’s case is different, but there are some clinical situations where a tooth will require a root canal treatment even though the you may not feel any pain. Your dentist will asses the area, and if the pulp (the centre of the tooth that contains the nerves, connective tissues, and blood vessels) is infected or damaged, a root canal treatment will be required to save the tooth.

 

Myth #4 ROOT CANAL TREATMENTS CAUSE ILLNESS.

TRUTH: There is no valid scientific evidence linking root canal treatments to diseases elsewhere in the body.

Current studies show root canal treatments are safe and effective procedures.

 

Myth #5 PREGNANT WOMEN CAN NOT HAVE A ROOT CANAL TREATMENT.

TRUTH: Root canal treatment is generally considered safe during pregnancy.

Every pregnancy will be different; therefore, it is important to check with your doctor and dentist for guidance along the way. Be sure to inform your dentist of your pregnancy prior to your appointment and they will be sure to take any and all precautions necessary.

Myth #6 EVEN WITH A ROOT CANAL TREATMENT THE TOOTH WILL COME OUT EVENTUALLY. 

TRUTH: Root canal treatments are meant to last a lifetime!

Your tooth after a root canal treatment should last a lifetime. Ensuring your tooth to remain healthy after a root canal treatment will depend on maintaining proper oral hygiene and regular visits to your dentist.

 

Myth #7 FAILED ROOT CANALS NEED TO BE EXTRACTED.

TRUTH: Even though a root canal treatment is considered to have a high success rate, there are some cases where a failure is encountered.

If you find yourself in this position, the next step would be an endodontic re-treatment under an operating microscope. Should this procedure not be an option, a limited number of cases may require a root end surgery, also known as apicoectomy. These two options are the preferred alternative treatments to a tooth extraction as the goal is always to save the natural tooth.

 

Myth #8 EXTRACTING THE TOOTH IS BETTER THAN RECEIVING A ROOT CANAL TREATMENT.

TRUTH: Your natural tooth is very important for functions such as chewing and speaking.

There are several options available for missing teeth, such as dental implants, fixed dental bridges, and removable dentures; however, these alternatives can require longer treatment time and will be more expensive than saving your natural tooth with a root canal treatment.

 

IN SUMMARY: Root canal treatment should be thought of as a positive experience. There are many myths that may cause fear of the treatment, but after reading this article you can see that a root canal treatment should not be feared. It is a common procedure to save your natural tooth!

The above case shows a required a root canal treatment due to chronic apical periodontitis with sinus tract on a tooth that has a long lasting large restoration. Treatment was preformed in a single visit being able to preform the root canal treatment in-spite of calcific root canal systems under magnification using an operating microscope. As you can see in the progression throughout the x-rays the natural tooth was saved, being functional and asymptomatic.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Daniela Bololoi DDS

  Member of:

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL TRUMATOLOGY

CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ENDODONTICS 

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ENDODONTISTS

 

How Are We Responding to COVID-19?

This spring has been anything but normal and although there have been many changes, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your health and safety. With your safety being our utmost priority and to help flatten the curve, we have made a few changes to our clinic.

Acrylic Social Distancing Barriers

For the safety of both our patients and team, Heritage House Dental has installed Acrylic Social Distancing Barriers. The use of the Acrylic Social Distancing Barriers reduces the airborne contaminants and the spread of viruses while simultaneously providing a fully transparent view to communicate from either side of the barrier.

Social Distancing Practices

To help flatten the curve, Heritage House Dental has implemented new Social Distancing Practices to the clinic. To make it a little easier for you when you arrive, we have placed signs throughout the office to know exactly where you can stand and sit at a distance from any other party in the clinic.

Acrylic Room Separators

To prevent the transmission of potential airborne contaminants and minimize shared air, our office went through a major makeover adding acrylic separations between each operatory and common areas.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Where social distancing is not possible, our team is prepared with their PPE, such as face masks and face shields. To take a step further, we also ask all patients to wear a face mask or covering while in the building.

 

HEPA with UV-C Light Technology and Surgically Clean Air Purifiers

Heritage House Dental uses Surgically Clean Air Purifiers as well as HEPA Filters with UV-C Light Technology to improve the quality of the indoor air for our patients and team. These world-class medical-grade air purifiers remove chemicals, toxins, germs, odors, and most importantly they destroy airborne viruses to help reduce the spread of illness.

 

A Look At Your Next Appointment

After four long months, the ministry of Health has lifted the restrictions that were placed back in March. While Heritage House Dental has always followed strict infection control standards, during these unprecedented times the standards have been raised and in order to keep us all protected during this pandemic and in the future, we have updated our protocols. When we see you at your next appointment, things will be a little different.

COVID-19 Pre-Screening

Prior to your visit with us, we ask that you fill out a COVID-19 pre-screening form which will be emailed to you. Please note if you are accompanying a minor or are a caregiver attending the appointment with a patient, you will also be required to fill out a pre-screening form prior to the appointment.

Before You See Us

To follow proper social distancing measures, we ask you to arrive 15 minutes early to your appointment and call us upon your arrival. We will be using a virtual waiting room and we ask you to remain in your car or wait outside of the clinic, and once your chair is ready for you we will let you know when to enter the clinic. Please note we are asking for all patients to come to their appointment alone.

Once you are notified to enter the clinic we ask for you to read through our COVID-19 screening prior to entering the building. Once inside you will be asked to sanitize your hands, put a mask on, then proceed to the reception desk where a staff member will check you in and take your temperature.

There are several sanitizing dispensers throughout the clinic for your convenience. Please note if you are a caregiver entering the clinic with a patient, you will also be asked to follow these steps.

To make social distancing a little easier for you, we have placed signs throughout the office to know exactly where to stand and sit at a distance from any other party in the clinic.

PPE

During these unprecedented times, our team has taken action wearing more personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks and face shields.

You will also notice a few more changes inside the clinic to maintain a physical distance, such as an acrylic social distancing barrier surrounding the reception desk, acrylic room separators in each operatory, and social distancing signs.

 

mississauga dentist

operatory

Please note in order to maintain social distancing, appointments will now be spaced out. Although this will restrict flexibility for scheduling your appointment, it will allow us to follow appropriate social distancing measures.

Your safety is our utmost priority! The protocols listed above are designed to create the safest environment for you, other patients, and our team.

We thank you for your patience and loyalty throughout this ordeal. We value your trust and look forward to welcoming you back!

 

Tooth Pain Symptoms and Possible Problems

Have you ever experienced sensitivity to cold or hot foods while eating? How about some discomfort upon biting or chewing? Or maybe your tooth has constant sharp or dull pain. As different as they may seem, all of these are symptoms of a tooth ache and just like the various symptoms, there are also various possible problems that can be causing your tooth ache.

In order to understand why the dental pain occurs it is interesting to know that every tooth is formed by two surrounding layers of hard structure and also has an inner network of blood vessels and nerves that is known as the pulp. In a healthy tooth, the pulp is completely sealed off from the outside environment, but in the event of brake through this natural shield, an inflammation of the pulp could occur and a tooth ache may persist. The most common reasons for a tooth ache are: tooth decay, inflammation of the pulp, a crack in the tooth, or a dental infection.

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay refers to a cavity formation on the outer layers of the tooth. This typically occurs over time by plaque accumulation (a sticky collection of bacteria that accumulates from sugar and starches). When plaque continues to build up it produces acidity that will demineralize the hard enamel of the tooth, resulting in weak areas and eventually holes in the tooth. Over time the enamel brakes down and that is when a cavity forms. Even though tooth decay is for the most part painless, as the decay spreads towards the inner layers of the tooth it becomes more sensitive. This sensitivity will be felt by the pulp of the tooth.

Inflammation of the Pulp (Pulpitis)

When the tooth decay extends deep into the pulp, reaching the network of blood vessels and nerves, it could become inflamed. The inflammation can lead to pressure could build up inside the tooth and surrounding tissues. Inflammation of the pulp may not only occur from tooth decay, other conditions that could possibly lead to pulpitis are trauma to the tooth or the result of a series of invasive procedures in the past on the tooth. The main symptom of pulpitis is an exaggerated sensibility with various stimulus, mostly temperature related being either cold or hot.

Cracked Tooth

A cracked tooth is a frequent encounter associated with excessive force applied when biting on certain hard objects such as ice or popcorn, it could also be associated with severe clenching, grinding, or trauma to the mouth (such as a blow to the face in sports or a car accident). The American Association of Endodontics had identified five types of cracked teeth: craze line, fractured cusps, cracked tooth, split tooth, vertical root fracture. Symptoms of a cracked tooth may include sharp pain when biting, chewing, or sensitivity with cold, hot or even to sweet or sour foods.

Dental Infection

A dental infection will typically occur in association with an untreated deep cavity or pulpitis. As previously mentioned for a cavity and pulpitis, a dental infection will likely begin with a build up of bacteria inside the pulp network. The infected pulp will have only one place to drain – at the tip of the root. The pressure from the draining infection into the surrounding areas will be perceived as constant pain that will likely worsen when chewing on the tooth or even the slightest tap on the tooth. If left untreated, pain may become severe and swelling can occur.

 

After looking through the different symptoms and possible reasons of a tooth ache, it is important to know that regardless of the source of pain, any ongoing symptoms should be addressed by a dentist for further assessment and treatment that will help relive the pain and save your natural tooth.

Dr. Daniela Bololoi DDS

Member of:
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL TRUMATOLOGY
CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ENDODONTICS  
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ENDODONTISTS  

 

Share a Memory for a Chance to Win

2020 marks 10 years open at Heritage House Dental!

To celebrate this milestone, we will be holding a monthly draw in our front reception all year long.

To enter, simply fill out the ballot sharing your favourite or first memory from our office, and you will have a chance to win.

Be sure to check it out during your next visit with us!

 

FREE 2020 March Break Camps

Heritage House Dental invites you to join us for our Free March Break Camps. That’s right! Camps at the dental office!! Camps are free, fun and educational. This is a great opportunity to bring your little one as a first introduction to the dental office.

Kids will enjoy:

  • Fun and interactive presentation by a Registered Dental Hygienist
  • Crafts and games to help your child learn how to maintain a healthy smile for life
  • Introduction to our Sugar Bugz Be Gone program with an invitation to become a Tooth Hero
  • Goody bag to take home with educational materials on dental health to further their learning experience

The following dates are available:
Monday, March 16, 2020
Thursday,  March 19, 2020

View the video below to see all the fun we’ve had in previous years.

 

 

Santa Celebrates 10 Years Cavity Free!

This year we celebrated our 10th Annual Victorian Christmas, a fantastic tradition that grows in popularity every year. This year was very well attended, with Ron Starr, our Mississauga Councillor, dropping by to say hello to the big man himself, Santa Claus.

Every year, we make sure that Santa has his annual dental check-up while he is in town, and we are happy to report that he has been cavity free for the 10th year in a row! Mr. Starr and many children were excited to have their photo taken with Santa after his check-up. Some of these children have been attending our Victorian Christmas every year for ten years, and we love to watch how their bond with Santa grow each time they see him.

Our guests also had lots of fun singing carols, and savouring many tasty baked treats during this event. To help the Sugar Bugz get home after indulging in these sweets, we introduced the children to our popular Sugar Bugz Be Gone program. Children love these fun, colourful cartoon characters, and they are a great way to teach the wee ones how to maintain healthy smiles for life.

Heritage House Dental would like to thank everyone that attended this wonderful event. We also thank you for the donations to our food drive and for your continued support. We look forward to seeing you next year at our 11th annual Victorian Christmas!

 

Basketeers 2019

It’s that time of year again and like every year, to kick start the holiday season, Heritage House Dental is proud to donate to the 2019 Basketeers.

Each year violence and abuse drive more than 100,000 women and children out of their homes. Basketeers is an organization that assists these women as they transition back into the community after leaving a shelter.

The simple necessities and niceties of life are bundled in a basket and gifted to women as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. Many of us would take the contents for granted but they are invaluable to these courageous women and their children, as they embark on a new beginning.

The doctors and staff at Heritage House Dental take pride in giving back to the community. We wish everyone a Happy Holidays!