Our Services

Cosmetic Dentistry

"Would you like whiter teeth?"

"If you could wave a magic wand and have the smile you've always dreamt of, what would improve for you?"

Our office specialises in Cosmetic Dentistry, the art and science of achieving a beautiful smile. This unique aspect of dentistry can treat a wide range of cosmetic problems whilst offering a variety of options of fees.

Drs Bob Gibbins, Mimi Tam and Lissome Leung have the broadest experience in cosmetic dentistry utilising state-of-the-art techniques learnt directly from the world’s leading experts.

Over the years, we have treated hundreds of clients who thought their teeth were beyond repair. This is often not the case. We offer full mouth rehabilitation for those clients who think they are beyond hope. Please see our Smile Gallery for “before & after” photos of clients who thought there was nothing anyone could do for their smiles, and were truly amazed at what we achieved for them.

 

 

Do you have discoloured, stained or yellowed teeth? Your smile can be bright and white again. We are one of the only dental practices in Cairns to offer rapid In-Office Tooth Whitening with Zoom!® In just over an hour, your teeth can lighten 6 to 10 shades.

Perhaps you have worn or crooked teeth? Spaces, gaps, chips and irregular teeth can be transformed to ideal proportions and colour using Porcelain Veneers, to give you the celebrity smile you have always dreamed of.

If you have old metal fillings, crowns or bridgework, these can be made to look natural again.

We can even transform a “gummy” smile. If you feel uncomfortable with the amount of gum showing when you smile, we can easily and painlessly reshape and lift your gum-line to ideal proportions with our revolutionary Waterlase® laser.

However, every client we treat has individual needs and expectations of what they would like in their smile, and every case we see requires a unique approach and treatment plan tailored to the individual’s concerns. It is very difficult to tell you over the phone or via email what you need to have done in order to achieve your best smile. As such, we request that you make an appointment for a full smile assessment, where our dentists will able to determine your needs, assess your smile in detail, discuss at length with you your best treatment options, and tailor a treatment plan to your individual desires.

 

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers represent the state of the art in cosmetic dentistry today. Veneers are hand-crafted to create beautiful facings for individual teeth.

Porcelain veneers are virtually as strong as your own teeth and can be used to correct a wide range of cosmetic dental problems. Veneers can be used to brighten very discoloured teeth, to lengthen worn or chipped teeth, to reshape disproportionately large or small teeth, to close unsightly gaps, or to correct misaligned or crooked teeth.

Porcelain veneers, unlike Bonding, do not discolour over time. Porcelain does not pick up stains from everyday consumption of substances such as coffee, tea or red wine.

Preparing a tooth for a porcelain veneer requires very little re-shaping of the existing tooth. This ensures minimal trauma to the existing tooth and a longer-lasting healthier smile.

Porcelain veneers can give you the smile you’ve always dreamed of in as little as two visits.

 

Bonding

Dental bonding involves the adhesion to your teeth of a specialised resin material that becomes as strong as your own teeth and virtually as hard as your own enamel. It is an inexpensive way of correcting minor cosmetic anomalies.

Bonding can be used to close unsightly gaps and to restore chipped and worn teeth. The bonding procedure generally takes only one visit.

Bonding resin materials are chosen to match the colour of your teeth, so that it appears natural. If you desire a whiter smile overall, we recommend that you bleach your teeth prior to the bonding procedure, either by using a custom made At-Home Bleach Kit, and/or having an In-Office Zoom! ® Whitening appointment.

Bonding, unlike porcelain veneers, is not a permanent solution. Bonding, unlike porcelain, does pick up stains, and depending on your dietary and oral habits, may last around 5 to 10 years before requiring a new treatment.

 

Metal-Free Restorations

For those concerned about having any metal in their mouth, it is now common to have a well-restored dentition with no metal at all. Most clients prefer to have all tooth-coloured restorations. At Future Dental, we never place amalgam fillings.

Much controversy surrounds the use of dental amalgam fillings because of the perceived harmful effects of mercury. We do not concur with that belief but totally agree with the practice of removal of amalgams under certain circumstances, although for different reasons. Amalgam is a robust filling material which can last for many decades. However, having worked continuously using high power magnification for nearly 30 years, we have made some close observations as to the damage amalgam fillings commonly cause. As the metallic filling has a tendency to expand and contract under temperature changes at a different rate to your tooth structure as you eat and drink, stresses are set up in your teeth. The result is frequent cracks in your teeth, fracture of affected cusps, and a painful condition called Cracked Tooth Syndrome. If you grind or clench your teeth, you are more vulnerable to this problem.

Because of the inherent ability of amalgam to cause tooth fracture, we have found that amalgam fillings are the highest individual cause of the need to crown or root-canal teeth.

We do not offer amalgam fillings at all for the above reasons, and also that we find that the clients who seek out our practice generally prefer not to have them at all.

Whilst we do not offer amalgam in any circumstances, if you already have amalgam fillings in your teeth, they are unlikely to cause you any problems until you reach your mid-thirties. Younger teeth retain their natural resiliency which resists fracture. Once you reach your mid-thirties, you are at significantly greater risk of tooth fracture due to amalgam fillings. As such, we do recommend the routine removal of amalgam fillings as a preventative procedure.

So what are the replacement alternatives? In general, for clients with good oral hygiene and low current decay activity, we use composite resin tooth-coloured fillings to replace smaller amalgams. For large amalgam fillings which leave thin unsupported tooth structure, often crowns are the best solution.

 

Crowns

Crowns, commonly referred to as “caps”, are dental restorations that cover over and entirely encase the visible portion of the tooth to which they are cemented. In comparison, fillings only fill in or cover a small portion of a tooth. Crowns last for decades and look beautiful.

There are several reasons why a tooth needs a crown:

1. To strengthen a tooth. A tooth that has lost 30% or more of its coronal tooth structure is very weak, even when filled with the best fillings materials available. We usually recommend that a heavily-filled or decayed tooth be crowned before it collapses.

2. To restore a tooth to its original shape. A tooth that is broken or that is very worn down from years of grinding is often flattened and ineffectual at chewing. A crown would be the ideal method of restoring a tooth’s anatomy to provide an efficient chewing surface and very aesthetic result.

3. To improve the cosmetic appearance of a tooth. A crown encases the entire visible of a tooth and can therefore be used to idealize the cosmetic appearance of a tooth. Crowns can correct cosmetic problems such as discolouration, crowding and poor alignment, and aberrations in size and shape of a tooth.

4. To stop the progression of Cracked Tooth Syndrome (CTS). A cracked tooth initially presents with a sudden sharp pain when biting down, which immediately subsides once you release the biting pressure. It may not be painful every time you bite, just when you bite into certain things at certain angles. A crown acts like a splint to hold the crack in the tooth together, protecting the tooth against biting forces, thus preventing the progression of the crack further down into the tooth. If the tooth is not crowned, the crack can progress towards the “nerve” of the tooth, causing it to become inflamed and resulting in the need for root canal therapy.

So what types of crowns are there and how do you decide which type of crown is best for your tooth? To best determine which type of crown you need, we will need to perform a thorough assessment of your teeth, your bite and your smile. However, the following will give you a good guideline.

All-Ceramic crowns: Empress or Lava crowns containing no metal at all are the most aesthetic and beautifully life-like restoration. We generally use all-ceramic crowns in aesthetically critical areas, for front teeth and premolars.

Porcelain-fused-to-Gold crowns: For molars, we generally recommend a porcelain-fused-to-gold crown. The gold core provides strength against the heavy biting forces that a molar must withstand, whilst the porcelain exterior affords excellent aesthetics.

Full Gold crowns: A full gold crown is the strongest crown of all. In severe clenchers and grinders, and in out-of-sight positions, a full gold crown is often the longest lasting choice.

Bridges : A Bridge is a laboratory custom made device which is anchored to adjacent teeth to replace one of several missing teeth or occasionally to splint loose neighbouring teeth. Several types of bridge can be used. The simplest involves a silver looking metallic wing that is bonded to the tongue side of neighbouring teeth. This holds the missing tooth. This type of bridge is an adhesion bridge.

Advantages:

• The most economical choice

• The most conservative in relation to minimal preparation of anchoring teeth.

Disadvantages:

• A small percentage become de-bonded and need to be bonded back on. This can only be done 1 or 2 times before replacement will the full crown type is needed.

The more common and stronger type is one that involves placing crowns on the adjacent teeth and joining these to a new tooth to replace the missing tooth or teeth.

Advantages:

• Strongest

• Best Appearance

• Longest Lasting

Disadvantages:

• Most costly

• More preparation needed to anchoring teeth

 

Implants

A dental implant is used to replace a single missing tooth or multiple missing teeth. It is an artificial tooth root that an oral surgeon or periodontist places into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Implants are the gold-standard option for the replacement of missing teeth.

Confidence about your smile affects how you feel about yourself, both personally and professionally. Do you hide your smile because you worry about gaps left by extracted teeth? Or perhaps your dentures don’t feel secure. Perhaps you have difficulty chewing. Implants overcome all these problems.

Implants are teeth that look and feel just like your own. In fact, they are so natural-looking and feeling that you may forget you ever lost a tooth. Under proper conditions, such as placement by an oral surgeon or periodontist, and diligent oral hygiene practices, implants can and will last a life-time.

What can dental implants do?

1. Replace a tooth without affecting bordering teeth. Implants are actually far more tooth-conserving compared to a conventional bridge. Implants don’t sacrifice the quality of the adjacent teeth like a bridge does because neighbouring teeth are not altered to support the implant.

2. Support a bridge and eliminate the need for a removable partial denture.

3. Provide support for a full denture, making it far more secure and comfortable. They will allow you to once again speak and eat with confidence, offering freedom from the irksome clicks and wobbles of dentures.

Are you a good candidate for implants?

Ideally, implant patients should have good quality and quantities of bone in which to seat the implant, and have a healthy mouth free of gum disease and infection.

If you have been missing teeth for many years, you may not have sufficient bone to allow for successful placement of an implant. In this scenario, you may require bone grafts to the area via procedures known as sinus augmentation and ridge modification. Bone grafts greatly improve appearance and increase your chances for successful implants that can last for a lifetime.

To be a good candidate for implants, you will need to have excellent oral hygiene. Implants are just like your own teeth and require conscientious at-home care - in order to keep your implant clean, brushing and flossing still apply. After treatment, we will work closely with you and periodic follow-up visits will be scheduled in order to monitor your implant, teeth and gums to ensure they remain healthy.

 

Whitening

At Future Dental, we offer two options for whitening your teeth. You may choose between at-home Tray Bleaching or in-office Zoom!® Whitening. It is possible also to combine the two methods for dramatically whiter and brighter teeth.

Tray Bleaching involves the use of custom-made bleach trays, fabricated individually to fit snugly over your teeth. A small amount of specially formulated bleaching gel is applied inside the trays and the trays are worn over your teeth for 15 minutes to an hour, every day, for 10-14 days. Some types of discolouration require longer periods to be most effective. You will notice a gradual but dramatic change in the brightness of your teeth. Tray Bleaching is comfortable, painless and affordable, and the trays plus any excess bleach can be reused in the future should you require touch-ups.

The Zoom!® In-Office Whitening System also produces dramatically whiter teeth, but requires only an hour to achieve this result. You may have seen Zoom! used on the “Extreme Makeover” television series. Our practice, Future Dental, is one of the only dental clinic in Cairns that offers Zoom! Whitening. It is one of the most effective tooth whitening systems available. This procedure uses a combination of lighting and hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth—by 6 to 10 shades - in one, or sometimes two, brief office visits. Zoom! Whitening is ideal for anyone looking for immediate results and is the perfect choice for the busy individual.

The Zoom! Whitening procedure is simple and efficient. It begins with a short preparation to isolate your lips and gums. Your dentist then applies the proprietary Zoom! Whitening Gel, which is activated by a special whitening lamp. A five-minute fluoride treatment completes the procedure. You'll be amazed with the results. In most cases, teeth get even whiter the first few days after the procedure.

The Zoom! light activated gel is a scientifically formulated, pH balanced hydrogen peroxide that, when activated by the Zoom! lamp, gently penetrates teeth to remove deep stains and discoloration. With proper care and an occasional touch-up at home, your whiter smile can sparkle for years to come.

We are often asked if whitening or bleaching your teeth will cause them any damage. Whitening your teeth will not damage your tooth structure in any way. Teeth are, however, slightly dehydrated by the bleaching process, and you will notice transient hypersensitivity to cold food and drinks. This does not linger and any sensitivity will disappear within 48 hours after completion of your whitening regimen. Whilst bleaching, your teeth will also stain much more readily. As such, we recommend you refrain from eating or drinking coffee, tea, red wine and heavily-coloured foods for at least 48 hours after completion of your whitening regimen, as this can hinder the bleaching process.

 

Stain Removal

We recommend a six-monthly professional scale and clean to ensure the lasting health of your teeth and gums. However, a scaling session with your dentist is often insufficient for the removal of deep-seated stains, such as those caused by smoking, caffeine and red wine consumption.

The revolutionary Prophyflex, which combines water and fine powder in a high-pressure slurry, is recommended for patients with heavily stained teeth. It removes all stains quickly, comfortably and far more effectively than a regular scale and polish, leaving you with a far whiter and brighter smile.

 

 

Laser Gum Reshaping

Sometimes people show too much gum when they smile. Laser Gingivoplasty can reduce the gummy smile and allow normal full length teeth to be shown. Crowns or veneers are used often with this treatment to create that beautiful smile. If the line of the gums over your front teeth is not symmetrical, sometimes just a little gum lift over individual teeth can make a big difference to a confident smile.

 

Root Canal Therapy

For a number of possible reasons teeth nerves sometimes die. This will ultimately result in abscess formation which at times can be a very painful emergency. Once a nerve dies and an abscess develops. There are only 2 options available Root Canal Therapy or extraction of the tooth. While it may seem at first that removing the tooth may be the cheaper option, in fact it may in the long term become a far more costly option.

Once a tooth is lost, the balance of forces holding the teeth in a stable position is lost and tooth movement in adjacent and opposing teeth invariably occurs. This is a slow process over may years but the ultimate result is problems with food packing between shifting teeth and subsequent gum, decay problems and potential for bite problems with join pain or headaches.

To replace missing teeth is often far more costly than the Root Canal Therapy. Root fillings are not an absolute guarantee that no further problems will occur. Statistically the tooth has about a 90% or better chance of not further infection or pain. Back teeth that have Root Canal Therapy almost always subsequently need a full crown as non-vital teeth are more brittle and usually break deeply obliquely below the gum if they break. Most Root Canal treatments are completed in 1 to 2 visits.

 

Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Appliances

Snoring can not only affect intimate relationships and cause suffering for other family members, it can also at times indicate a much more serious and potentially life-threatening condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA).

We can help determine if your snoring is a more serious problem. Occasionally, snorers need full sleeping studies to diagnose and initiate treatment for sleep apnoea.

Frequently, less serious cases can be readily overcome with anti-snoring appliances. These are called mandibular advancement splints, and we can construct them for you. Mandibular advancement splints are now considered the most effective way of treating mild to moderate cases of OSA.

New MDSA® and SomnoMed® appliances are the ideal option for those who are diagnosed with OSA and who have not, for whatever reason, been able to tolerate the gold standard of treatment which is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). The MDSA and SomnoMed appliances are among the best tolerated of the mandibular advancement splints and are reasonably close to being as effective as CPAP in terms of reducing AHI (Apnoea/Hypopnoea Index) and nocturnal blood pressure.

All this means an end to snoring and a more restful sleep for you, and peaceful slumber for your family members.

 

To know whether OSA is a likely problem for you or your partner, fill out this questionnaire and check your results. Maybe we can help you.

(insert link to “The Epworth Sleepiness Scale” questionnaire)

 

Migraine & Headache Treatment

Headaches, earaches and facial aches can often be reduced with occlusal splint therapy. Our experience in this field dates back to 1973 and we are a centre for referral by specialists.

Many different splints are available and only an experienced practitioner can give you the right one for your needs.

For migraine and tension-type headache prevention, we highly recommend the NTI Tension Suppression System®. Tension-type headache patients contract their temporalis masticatory (chewing) muscles during sleep, on average, 14 times more intensely than non-headache sufferers. This abnormal pattern of muscular contraction is a main source of tension headaches. The NTI device is designed specifically to reduce muscular tension, and hence prevents and reduces the muscular-triggering component of migraine and chronic headache disorders.

The NTI also prevents nocturnal bruxism, or the clenching and grinding of teeth during sleep. Bruxism affects about 30% of the population - most sufferers are not even aware that they are grinding in their sleep, doing untold amounts of damage to their teeth.

Correct diagnosis of a dental cause of migraine and tension-type headaches is essential to successful treatment using an NTI device. Once correctly diagnosed and the device correctly adjusted and fitted, the success rate of the NTI in treating these debilitating headaches can be double than expected by the use of drugs used in conventional medicine.

The NTI is inexpensive and requires just a 30-minute appointment for its construction. Our clients usually experience rapid relief and are able to stop taking ongoing preventative medications. In clinical trials, 82% of medically diagnosed migraine patients had a 77% reduction in migraine episodes within the first eight weeks of NTI use.

The NTI is the only non-drug, non-surgical therapy cleared for the treatment of migraines. This device is one of the true miracles in modern dentistry for those who have mastered its use and offers incalculable improvements in the quality of life for headache sufferers.

 

Relaxation Agents for the Very Nervous Patient

Our practice aims to deliver exceptional service to the nervous or apprehensive patient. We treat many clients who have been traumatized by previous adverse dental experiences, and strive to deliver outstanding pain-free dentistry and genuine care.

Apart from taking extra time and care, Drs Bob Gibbins and Mimi Tam also offer the use of relaxation agents such as Penthrox to help alleviate anxiety, allowing you to slowly and gently ease your way back into feeling comfortable about dental procedures.

PenthroxTM is a revolutionary inhaled pain and anxiety relief product which will provide you with immediate relief. It is the combination of an inhaler device and a pharmaceutical agent that has been used in Australia for over 30 years by healthcare professionals for the provision of immediate relief. It is very potent and effective at alleviating fears and stress over dental procedures.

Having used Nitrous Oxide (“Laughing Gas”) for many years, and observing the level of reduction in apprehension compared to that of Penthrox, we have found our clients have a strong preference for Penthrox. As such, we now offer it preferentially for very nervous clients.

When used correctly, Penthrox is safe, effective and quick. It will provide you with strong pain relief while at the same time helping you feel more comfortable and very relaxed. You are in complete control of the level of your relief – Penthrox is self-administered via an inhaler (similar to an asthma “puffer”) so you can adjust your dosage according to your needs.

There is one downside to the use of Penthrox: it prevents you from driving home immediately after your appointment. After administering and using Penthrox, we like to keep you at the practice for about 45 minutes until you are ready to drive again safely.