Medland FAQs
Dental services with a difference
Below are some of the frequently asked questions we receive at Medland to assist you with your dental health. If you have any further questions below please contact our friendly team.
We look forward to taking care of you and your family’s oral health.
- 07 3426 5777
Medland Dental FAQs
For frequently asked questions and further information about the services at Medland Dental, specific treatments and treatment options please go to our services pages and pre-treatment information pages.
Below are some of the more general questions we receive about Medland Dental.
Working with an on-site laboratory staffed by highly qualified and talented dental technicians and ceramists is yet another way that we provide technical excellence and exceptional care. It is all part of the Medland Difference.
Having our dental laboratory on-site allows Medland to provide options that many practices cannot. We can manage complex rehabilitative and cosmetic cases as your Medland Dentist works hand-in-hand with the technician who will be creating your crowns, bridges, veneers, or implant-supported restorations from the initial consultation stage, throughout the planning and trial stages, to completion and beyond.
Having our dental laboratory on-site also means that we don’t accept compromises with the outcome of your dental treatment at Medland. Other practices might choose to accept a crown, bridge or veneer that does not quite fit or look quite right as the crown, bridge or veneer would need to be sent away to be fixed and you return for another appointment. At Medland, if it does not quite fit or the contacts are not quite right, it will be fixed by the on-site lab during your appointment. If the colour or shape is not a perfect blend with your other teeth and it does not look like your own natural tooth, having the ceramist who made your crown, bridge or veneer on-site means they can perfect it during your appointment.
Having an on-site laboratory gives you more choices, convenience and exceptional outcomes without compromise.
Read more about the on-site laboratory and how it benefits you.
At Medland one of our main goals is to make our patients feel more at ease and comfortable during dental treatment. From your first contact, it’s obvious that Medland is not your average dental practice.
When you walk through our front door it is our goal to make you feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible. During your first appointment, we’ll start by simply listening to your concerns, allowing you to talk us through your previous treatment, experiences and concerns. It is often more relaxing to do this out of the surgery and in the comfort of one of our private lounge areas.
Your Medland Dentist can then discuss and identify your main fears related to dentistry and then implement strategies to provide support and overcome and manage your anxiety and in some cases, dental phobia.
The Medland Dental Team will never make you feel like your dental fears, anxieties or phobias are an inconvenience to us. It is our goal to take the fear out of dentistry.
Dental emergencies should be addressed at the earliest possible convenience and are best managed by your dentist.
Delaying treatment may not only make it more complex, but may also unnecessarily increase your discomfort. If your dental emergency occurs within office hours, contact us to ensure prompt management of your concern.
For after-hours dental emergency treatment, we provide an on-call service for existing, active patients where we will endeavour to accomplish pain relief and provide advice. In extreme cases, especially severe facial swelling, management by a hospital emergency department may be required.
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Our patients are our greatest ambassadors and we welcome your referrals. We also like to know who provided the recommendation in order to thank them personally.
Medland has built a proud reputation of exceptional dental care of our patients for many years.
In fact, many of our patients will tell you this is the best dental practice they’ve ever visited. The practice has grown over the years through the referral of friends and family of many of our satisfied patients.
Medland Dental is close to public transport and nearby parking if driving to and from your appointment.
We also offer a free courtesy car service* to take patients to work or home following their dental appointment.
To learn more about this service or to arrange a lift after your next appointment please talk to our front office team.
* The Medland Courtesy Car is available from 8.00am to 4.00pm. To see where our Courtesy Car Service operates, click here. Please note our Courtesy Car service is subject to availability and does not operate over the Christmas and New Year period.
Yes. We are happy to see children, in fact, many of our younger patients are now parents themselves and bring their children to see us as well.
At Medland, we strive to provide a fun, friendly and welcoming environment for our youngest patients.
Developing good oral habits from a young age can set your child up for success and a lifetime of great dental experiences.
Read more about Children’s Dentistry at Medland.
Yes. Medlands has a long history of implant placement and satisfied patients.
Dental implant procedures can be used to replace a single tooth, several teeth, or to fabricate an implant-supported denture or bridge. Unlike a conventional crown or bridge, a dental implant replaces both the tooth and its root. It looks and feels natural, and it’s strong and durable.
The dental implant doesn’t rely on surrounding teeth for support, and no healthy tooth structure has to be lost in the process.
At Medland Dental our team of dental professionals work together to ensure you receive the very best of care.
The evolution of dentistry from the reactive, treatment focused care of the past to the modern prevention focus of today, has seen Medland Dental evolve too. Today, Medland Dental employs more prevention-focused practitioners than treatment-focused practitioners.
Those prevention-focused practitioners are Dental Hygienists and Oral Health Therapists.
A Dental Hygienist or Oral Health Therapist is a tertiary trained, registered dental practitioner. Just like a Dentist, they are required to complete continual professional learning and ensure they practise dentistry in line with registration standards required by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and Dental Board of Australia.
Oral Health Therapists complete a Bachelor degree focusing on preventive and basic restorative dentistry. A Dental Hygienist specialises solely in the delivery of preventive dental services.
Working as a team allows our Dentists, Dental Hygienists and Oral Health Therapists to deliver technically excellent care in all areas of dentistry whilst focusing on the particular area of dentistry in which they excel.
Your Medland Dentist will refer you to see one of our Dental Hygienists or Oral Health Therapists when you enter our Active Maintenance program.
Dental Examinations and Treatment undertaken on adults are not covered under Medicare at Medland Dental, or other private dentists. There are government dental centres throughout Brisbane but you must meet Queensland Health’s eligibility criteria and there are often lengthy waiting times for appointments.
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a Government funded dental benefits program for eligible children aged 2-17 years. Eligible children are provided with up to $1,000 in benefits for basic and preventive dental services. Medland Dental is accepting new Child Dental Benefits Schedule patients and existing eligible Medland Patients will be transferred to the new scheme. Medland Dental will be providing both bulk-billed and privately-billed services under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule. Click here for more information.
At Medland, We Prefer Not Being Preferred™
Medland is not contracted to a particular health insurance company, meaning there is usually a gap after claiming on your health fund. Our patients often ask us why we have chosen not to have a “preferred provider” relationship with private health insurance companies.
Did you know the term “preferred provider”is a phrase coined by health insurance companies?
Private health insurers may show a preference towards particular healthcare providers because they have a financial relationship with them. It is a common misconception that providers are “preferred” based on their level of skill and quality of care.
Unfortunately, it is a recommendation based on inflating the health insurance companies’ bottom line. They pocket the premiums, get a share of the providers’ fee and then control the rebate patients receive. They also have a say in how these “preferred” providers are staffed and operated, and the treatment options their clinicians can provide their patients.
It makes you wonder; in regard to your extras cover, who’s really benefiting here?
At Medland, we are proudly independent. We are not controlled by any insurance companies. Choosing to remain independent allows us to always strive for excellence, to select only the best clinicians and staff, as well as control our exceptional standards of practice. Superior dental care tailored to the individual has always been our highest priority.
So when it comes to your choice of dental provider, who would you prefer?
Read more about the Medland Difference.
#iprefermedland
Yes. Our front office team will indicate your fees to you when booking your first appointment so that you know what the financial commitment is for that appointment.
During this first appointment your Medland dentist will provide a written treatment plan for future appointments once they have discussed with you your treatment options to reach your dental goals. At Medland Dental we will always give you an itemised estimate of treatment fees and where possible, several treatment options to suit financial and personal preferences.
Read more about dental fees and payment options at Medland Dental
Due to the nature of dentistry it is often difficult to advise our patients how much an appointment will cost before they have seen the dentist. When you come in for an examination appointment you will be given a written estimate outlining the costs of all recommended treatment. Our friendly Front Office Coordinators can assist you with any enquiries you may have.
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a new Government funded dental benefits program for eligible children aged 2-17 years. Eligible children are provided with up to $1,000 in benefits for basic and preventive dental services. It replaces the Medicare Teen Dental Plan.
Medland Dental Centre will be accepting new Child Dental Benefits Schedule patients and existing eligible Medland Patients will be transferred to the new scheme. Medland Dental Centre will be providing both bulk billed and privately billed services under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule. Click here for more information.
General dental concerns FAQs
Below are some of the questions our Dentists, Hygienists and Oral Health Therapists often receive about dental and oral health.
Sensitivity is a very common complaint. The idea of eating ice-cream or having a cold drink is enough to make many of us cringe. Commonly sensitivity results from a loss of enamel protection on teeth. This can occur due to a plethora of causes including intake of large amounts of acidic food and drinks such as carbonated soft drinks, cracked teeth, gum recession leaving the tooth root exposed, excessive brushing damaging the enamel – commonly around the gum margin of the tooth and, cavity development, to name but a few. The good news is that sensitivity can often be managed and does not have to be accepted as a normal part of life.
In some cases, sensitivity which lasts for a significant period of time after the initial stimulus has been removed can indicate more ominous underlying issues such as damage to the “nerve of the tooth”. The important thing to remember is that not all dental problems cause discomfort straight away and it is important to continue regular dental examinations to avoid problems, or manage them early.
Get in touch with our friendly staff to book an appointment to discuss your treatment options.
The reasons for bad breath or halitosis are diverse and the first step towards improvement is determining the cause, which can be as simple as inadequate oral hygiene habits that can be altered by your oral health team to achieve optimal efficiency.
Smoking is a very common underlying cause of bad breath. The components of cigarette smoke reduce our salivary flow, limiting the protection offered by our saliva and allowing for bacteria to flourish.
Bacteria produce odorous gasses, and in large numbers this can lead to unpleasant tastes and smells in the mouth.
More complex causes of bad breath can include gum disease or infections of the oro-nasal area. Individuals are often very self-conscious about halitosis, but advising your dentist, hygienist or oral health therapist of your concerns regarding bad breath could be the first step towards a healthier mouth.
Most denture wearers experience similar problems with their dentures particularly the lower denture. Loose ill fitting dentures that move around when eating, rub, fall down and are generally uncomfortable. This leads to frustration, embarrassment and anxiety due to a lack of confidence in their dentures.
Today we can offer a real alternative to these problems with the use of dental implants to enable your dentures the stability they need to be truly functional. Our dentists will be happy to discuss this treatment option with you and discuss the advantages of implant retained dentures.
As soon as teeth appear, a baby toothbrush with tap water should be used at night after the last feed. Children’s (low fluoride) toothpaste can be introduced at 18 months and brushing should increase to twice daily by 3 years of age.
As their manual dexterity is still developing, children require assistance with brushing and flossing until about 8 years of age.
We recommend you bring your child with you from an early age to see the dentist, preferably within 6 months of the first tooth appearing.
Initially, this can be done when attending your regular appointment. This way your child becomes accustomed to coming to the dentist and, when they’re old enough, have a ride in the chair and see pictures of their teeth on screen. Early dental visits are essential to preventing dental problems. Starting at an early age when no treatment is needed also helps to form good dental habits and reduce the risk of dental phobias developing.
Despite diligent brushing and use of fluoridated toothpaste, the need for flossing cannot be overemphasised.
Bacteria in plaque are protected within a protein film requiring dislodgement in order for our salivary enzymes and the components of toothpaste to be effective.
Without regular flossing, plaque stuck between our teeth remain resistant since tooth brushing is ineffective at dislodging plaque within these areas due to the close proximity of our teeth to one another.
Some people grind their teeth and clench their jaw muscles during their sleep (or even during the day, subconsciously). This is called bruxism and is an involuntary habit. Whilst we do not completely understand at present why some people brux their teeth and some people don’t, it is thought that if you are one of these people, it will be a lifelong habit. You may go through phases where you brux more often and phases where you brux less.
It has been suggested that this may be linked to stress, but because individuals are often not even aware of their habit, over the years the gradual damage to the teeth can amount to a serious situation. Fractures or cracks in the teeth can develop, sometimes along with pain in the jaw joints or muscles in the face.
It may be hard to tell if you are grinding, especially if it happens while you’re sleeping. However, if any of these symptoms apply to you, then you could have a grinding problem.
- Teeth grinding or clenching, which may be loud enough to awaken your sleep partner
- Teeth that are worn down, flattened, fractured or chipped
- Worn tooth enamel, exposing deeper layers of tooth
- Increased tooth sensitivity
- Muscle tightness
- Earache – because of severe jaw muscle contractions
- Headache
- Chronic facial pain
Whilst bruxism cannot be cured, it can certainly be treated, usually with occlusal splint therapy and sometimes in combination with botulinum toxin injections.
Immediate management will optimise the rate of success in all dental trauma cases. Always attempt to retrieve the tooth if it has been knocked out completely. If emergency medical help is at hand ie. first aid at a sports carnival, consult them for help.
- First determine whether it is an adult or baby tooth.
- In the case of a baby tooth being knocked out, do not replace the tooth into the socket. Keep the tooth if you can find it and contact us for an emergency appointment, simply to ensure that it is in fact a baby tooth, the surrounding teeth remain sound and, the soft tissue damage is not severe.
- In the case of a dislodged adult tooth. If the tooth can be retrieved and is not contaminated, replace the tooth in the socket as soon as possible – ensure you have it the right way round! If the tooth has been contaminated with debris, rinse it in saline, milk or if both are unavailable, for 1-2 seconds under cool running water and replace the tooth in the socket. Ask the patient to hold the tooth in place by biting gently into a soft cloth. If the patient has a mouthguard but wasn’t wearing it at the time of the accident, this can also be used to hold the tooth in place. Contact us immediately for an emergency dental visit as soon as possible
- If the tooth can not be repositioned at the time of the accident, keep the tooth stored in whole milk or alternatively tucked in the cheek of the patient (being careful not to swallow the tooth) and contact us immediately for an emergency dental visit.
If the tooth is partially dislodged, and no longer in its normal position, contact us as soon as possible for an emergency dental appointment. Any delay in treatment will negatively affect the chances of success.
Nowadays it is unlikely that smokers are unaware of the health risks associated with their habit (the graphic images on the packaging leave little to the imagination); however, some people don’t know of the potentially long-term dental issues that can occur. Not only is smoking associated with bad breath and discoloured, stained teeth that don’t respond to whitening, but there is also an increased risk of developing tooth decay and gum (periodontal) disease in smokers and an increased chance of developing oral cancers.
A significant problem with smoking is that it tends the disguise the damage taking place to teeth and gums. Usually, infected gums are red, puffy and bleed when brushed. Smoker’s gums are not like this – they are pale and thin and do not bleed as easily, so the early signs of gum inflammation go unnoticed!
The nicotine in cigarette smoke acts on the blood vessels, causing them to contract. This contraction causes a reduction in the blood supply to the gums and bone, resulting in masking of the signs of disease and reduces the body’s ability to combat disease and infection.
Dental Decay
Nicotine affects your saliva and reduces the way that it can protect the teeth. Saliva can become thick and slow moving, reducing its ability to neutralise dietary acids and flush away food debris. This change to saliva is why some heavy smokers can get decay even though they may be brushing and flossing effectively.
Gum (periodontal) disease
Smokers are six (6) times more likely to have severe gum (periodontal disease) than non-smokers. Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammation that causes progressive destruction of the bone and gum tissues that support and “hold in” the teeth. Every individual progresses differently, but if left untreated, it can result in movement and looseness of teeth, infection and pain. The teeth may become so loose or painful that they require extraction.
Early periodontal disease is painless, and non-smoking patients become aware of the problem when gums start to bleed with regular brushing and flossing. In smokers, the warning signs like bleeding gums are disguised, so the condition can become quite advanced before there is any indication that anything is going wrong. Gum disease is challenging to treat, requiring regular professional maintenance as well as diligent home care. This challenge can be increased in smokers as smoking reduces the body’s ability to heal.
Oral Cancer
Young adults who smoke and drink alcohol also increase their risk of developing oral cancer by 15 times. Every day three (3) Australians are diagnosed with oral cancer and more than 80% smoke cigarettes.
Heavy drinking, defined as more than four (4) standard drinks per occasion, in combination with smoking, also dramatically increases the risk of developing oral cancer.
The good news is that with treatment and technological advances, early detection can mean a 90% chance of survival, with most abnormalities detected during routine dental visits. Of course, decreasing your risk by not smoking is always a better option!
Dental X-rays serve as an essential diagnostic tool, providing your dentist with information that otherwise would be impossible to ascertain. Due to advances in technology, dental X-rays deliver radiation at very low doses which is localised to the area of the dental film. Dental X-rays may be required at your first visit to our practice, if you present with an emergency dental complaint, or periodically to compare to baseline records. Several types of dental X-rays are available, all used for different purposes. Information obtainable from such films include an overview of the jaw and jaw joint, bone levels surrounding the teeth, areas of decay or infection and, location or presence of teeth.
Yes. When performed by a well trained dental professional, tooth whitening is a safe and easy cosmetic procedure. The degree of whitening achievable is dependant on each individual case, and mild, short-term, post-operative sensitivity occurs occasionally. However, when used appropriately in combination with remineralising agents suggested by your dentist or hygienist, results are optimised and sensitivity reduced.
On-site laboratory
Care for anxious patients
Experienced Practitioners
60+ years history
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