FAQs

 

How to Keep Your Teeth

Over many years of treating difficult cases, Dr Dale has realised that many people do not know some basic details about how to keep their teeth for a lifetime. For this reason, he has created several information files which you can download for free.

 

Perhaps the most important thing to realise is that there are two major diseases that lead to people losing their teeth. Most people are aware of tooth decay and this is the cause for the majority of teeth being removed in people who are younger than about 45 years old. However, as you grow older, gum disease becomes more prominent (although strangely most people never realise they have it until it is too late).  Dr Dale, therefore created the document   HOW TO KEEP YOUR TEETH which you can now download.

 

TMJ Dysfunction

About 25% of the population grind (“brux”) or clench their teeth (mainly in their sleep). About 10% do this so intensely that they excessively destroy tooth structure such that their teeth become extremely worn down and broken. This is one of the many problems that Dr Dale can help you with. However often people who have this problem also develop pain in the jaws. About 95% of the time, this pain originates in the jaw muscles. Dr Dale created this document to help people reduce or eliminate this pain.

 

Why Use Fluoride?

Dr Dale has found that many people know about fluoride treatment for teeth, but do not properly understand it. He therefore created this document for you, so that you can read about the theory behind fluoride treatment for teeth.

WHY DO I NEED A PROSTHODONTIST?

A prosthodontist is a specialist dentist (with extra qualifications and experience). As such they have the clinical skill and technical knowledge to rehabilitate mutilated teeth or dentitions.

A prosthodontist will usually focus on the replacement of missing teeth or restoring badly damaged teeth. Think of a prosthodontist as an expert in smile restoration. There’s more to a smile than how it looks, so a prosthodontist will look at addressing issues like: why the erosion occurred, eliminate any disease (eg; decay, gum disease, broken teeth, broken fillings, abscesses, malocclusion). Then through a combination of fillings, crowns, implants, dentures and or bridges, they can restore your smile as painlessly and naturally as possible.

Teeth play a vital role in our everyday life. Without teeth, the simplest of tasks like smiling and eating can be challenging and embarrassing. Tooth loss can occur for many reasons; it could be part of a natural ageing process, a bad diet, stress, the result of an accident, caused by bulimia or gastric reflux or the result of years of dental neglect and erosion. A prosthodontist will assess the damage and put together a thorough treatment plan from filling to finish. Quite often the treatment can be tailored to your desires, needs and budget.

With Dr Dale Gerke, you are in excellent hands. Over the last 45 years, there is not a lot that Dr Gerke hasn’t seen or fixed.

Following a thorough oral examination, Dr Gerke will run you through the treatment options available taking your budget and time schedule into consideration. Using his holistic and gentle approach, Dr Gerke can put together a complete care management plan (whether it is simple or complex). If required, he can involve multiple specialists like endodontists, orthodontists, oral surgeons and periodontists who will work together, not only to eliminate your current problems but also to stop problems from happening again.

Whether you’re replacing one tooth or a whole smile, Dr Gerke can find practical solutions for your prosthodontic problems.