As we approach the busy Christmas period, it may be prudent to address any outstanding dental needs you may have, before holiday closures begin.

In particular, procedures involving laboratory work such as dentures or crowns need to be commenced with some urgency if they are to be completed before Christmas closure.

If you require a dental appointment before Christmas, please call our Morwell surgery on (03) 5134 1311 at your earliest convenience.

On Monday 2^nd November 2020 the dental surgery will be open the normal operating hours of 8:30am to 5:30pm.

Our dental surgery will be closed for the Melbourne Cup public holiday on Tuesday 3^rd November 2020.

We will re-open Wednesday 4th November at 8:30am

If you need an appointment you can call our Morwell surgery on (03) 5134 1311 and speak to our friendly staff.

Our dental surgery will be closed for the AFL grand final public holiday this Friday 23^rd October 2020.

If you need an appointment before the long weekend, you can call our Morwell surgery on (03) 5134 1311 to make an appointment and speak to our friendly staff.

We will re-open on Monday 26^th October at 8:30am.

The team at Dr Caprara Dental Surgery wish all our patients and their families a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Missing or defective teeth can not only impact the look of your smile, it can also impact on its functionality and overall health.

A dental prosthesis is a dental appliance that replaces your natural teeth, such as a missing tooth or covers up tooth defects. These dental appliances include full or partial dentures, implants, crowns, bridges and veneers, and some of them can be removable or permanently fixed in your mouth.

If you think you might benefit from a prosthesis, then Dr Caprara can explain the most effective option for your dental needs and develop for you a personalised treatment plan that will have you smiling again.

Contact us on 03 51 341311 to schedule your appointment today to learn more about your options including general dentistry and prosthodontic treatment.

We are often asked by patients about what sort of toothbrush to use. Given the key aim of the brush is to remove plaque and food debris, we always recommend one that is soft bristled. A soft bristle brush is more than sufficient for this purpose. The use of a medium or hard brush, coupled with an aggressive action, will cause damage to the tooth surface over time. Cleaning with a firmer toothbrush will not remove tartar (calculus). Tartar needs to be removed at the chairside with an appropriate instrument. Therefore, in summary, soft bristled is always best.

Remember the 4 key principles of keeping healthy teeth and gums:

1. Brush twice a day with a fluoride tooth paste.
2. Clean teeth daily with floss or an interdental brush.
3. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and limit sugar intake.
4. Visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and preventive care.

Call us today on (03) 5134 1311 to make an appointment for an examination.

Have you thought about having whiter teeth?

You may be a good candidate for chairside bleaching, using the market leading Zoom! advanced power bleaching system. Our Zoom Advanced Power bleaching offers a conservative yet effective means of whitening your teeth.

Call our dental surgery in Morwell on (03) 5134 1311 to make an appointment for a consultation. We will assess your suitability for this procedure and discuss your treatment options to ensure you get the best result.

Boost your confidence with a beautiful white Smile!

On Thursday 6th August, the Victorian Government imposed new Stage 3 Stay at Home Covid-19 restrictions on regional Victoria.

On Friday 7th August, the Victorian Branch of the Australian Dental Association issued guidance that dentists should operate at Level 2 dental restrictions if there are active cases of Covid-19 in their region of operation.

Our surgery operating regime therefore is fluid, and during periods of active Covid-19 cases in the Latrobe region, some dental procedures will be restricted under Level 2 restrictions.

What does all this mean for our patients?

1. Our dental surgery is open to practice.
2. As well as employing standard precautions to prevent cross infection, we also continue to extensively use ozone in the dental surgery as an antimicrobial agent.
3. Our friendly staff can provide guidance when scheduling your appointment, if a restriction applies in meeting your individual need.

Our dental surgery continues to adhere to the guidelines and restrictions set in place by the relevant authorities and will keep our patients updated should there be any further change.

From the team at Dr Caprara Dental Surgery we ask all our patients and their loved ones to stay safe and wish you all good health.

This week is the 2020 Dental Health Week and the Australian Dental Association are asking people to GET SUGAR SAVVY.

Do you know how much SUGAR is hiding in your shopping trolley?

We usually think of sugar as the white granules we spoon into coffee and tea or add to baking recipes. But sugar comes in many forms and they can all contribute to tooth decay. Sugar can be called over 50 different names, making it hard to detect on food and drink labels. These are known as hidden sugars. Further, products that claim ‘no added sugar’ can still contain a LOT of sugar.

When shopping most labels do not point out a product’s added sugars. To identify any added sugars present, look at the list of ingredients. The nearer the ingredient is to the top of the list, the more present in the food or drink. Hidden sugars in everyday foods can cause your sugar consumption to add up very quickly!

Avoid food or drink with high sugar concentration and give yourself an opportunity to maintain healthy teeth.

Don’t forget

• Brush with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean between your teeth with floss or interdental brushes, and
• See a dentist regularly to maintain good oral health.

If you haven’t had a dental check examination in a while, now is the time to schedule an appointment. Remember, prevention is better than cure.

Call us on 03 5134 1311 to make an appointment.

Our practice accepts the Veteran Gold Card or Veteran White card, which allows us to provide dental treatment to Veteran card holders in accordance with the Department of Veterans Affairs guidelines.

For eligible Veterans, the Department of Veteran Affairs dental schedule covers a broad range of dental services, including:

• assess the health of your mouth and teeth at regular check-ups (usually every 6 months)
• maintain the health of your gums with regular scaling
• treat any dental injuries or conditions
• repair cavities in your teeth with fillings or crowns
• provide you with new dentures
• re-line your dentures every two years, or
• replace your existing dentures every 6 years (subject to some conditions).

We encourage all eligible veterans to have regular dental examinations with a focus on prevention.

You can call our surgery on (03) 5134 1311 to make an appointment and speak to our friendly staff.

With school holidays starting next week now is the perfect time to book your children in for a general dental check-up.

Some children will be eligible for Medicare’s Child Dental Benefit Schedule. The Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule covers a broad range of basic dental services.

You can call our friendly staff on (03) 5134 1311 to see if your child is eligible.