Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

When patients make the decision to enhance their smiles through cosmetic dentistry, we like to make it easier for them to budget their treatments. Additionally, patients may choose elective dental options that are not always covered by plans. At Tumut Dental Clinic, we want to help.

For this reason, we offer payment plans through Zip Pay in Tumut, NSW. Zip Pay allows you to enjoy services now and pay later or over a predetermined period of time. If you’re not familiar with Zip Pay, a member of our team can help you apply and even explain the finer points.

Additionally, we accept credit cards to help you easily finance your dental treatments and procedures as well. In some cases, patients opt to pay with both cash and credit.

You can also choose a smile journey that allows you to better finance your dentistry—in other words, schedule your dental procedures to work with your budget across months.

At Tumut Dental Clinic, we want to make it easier for you.

If you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule a consultation, we welcome your call.

We are proud to be a destination dentist. And locally, we serve patients in Tumut, Gundagai, Tumbarumba, Batlow, Wagga Wagga, Talbingo, Cootamundra and beyond.

Often dental diseases are a slow, painless process, and you do not experience any symptoms until much later. By this time, the tooth structure and supporting gums may already have extensive damage. At Tumut Dental Clinic, we do not want this to happen to you. We do not want a small issue to grow into a complicated dental situation.

 So dental exams help assess your tooth and gum health regularly. Dental exams involve:

• Comprehensive oral checks, including cancer screenings
• Digital x-rays to uncover any lingering or evolving health issues
• Charting
• Professional teeth cleans
• Clinical photography

Your dentist in Tumut can show you up-close images of your teeth and gums as well using an intraoral camera. This helps you better understand why a treatment has been ordered, and it allows you to make informed decisions about your oral care.

At Tumut Dental Clinic, it is our goal to make sure you and your family members enjoy a lifetime of healthy teeth—preventive dentistry plays a vital role in that goal.

It’s also important to remember that oral health contributes to overall wellness.

If you would like to arrange a dental exam and teeth clean for yourself, or yourself and your family members, we welcome your call.

At Tumut Dental Clinic, we offer a few dental filling types to close tooth cavities or fractures. These options include composite fillings and ceramic inlays and onlays.

Composite tooth fillings are made of tooth-coloured or white materials. This same composite material can also bond your teeth, which means your dentist in Tumut spreads the resin across a flawed tooth or teeth to conceal chips, cracks, shape issues, discolouration or small gaps between teeth. He uses a special light to set the composite and then polishes the tooth. This is a practical and inexpensive way to alter the appearance of your teeth cosmetically. Often, dental bonding requires only a single visit.

Inlay and onlays, made of ceramic go over specific parts of a tooth to close a cavity or crack. An inlay goes between the cusps of your teeth. An onlay, on the other hand, typically goes over the cusps of your teeth.

If you have a cavity, your dentist will go over your options with you and make recommendations based on exam findings.

If you suspect a tooth cavity, would like more information on dental bonding, or if you’re considering replacing your silver fillings with composite fillings, we welcome your call.

Many patients have heard stories about root canal therapy, but these stories are typically not true. Sometimes patients want to repair a painful root infection, but they are afraid because of these tales.

The reality is that root canals are not particularly painful, but the root infection that calls for root canal therapy can be excruciating, especially if you delay treatment.

In our Tumut, NSW dental clinic, we provide gentle root canals, which restore tooth function and relieve pain.

Root canal therapy starts with a thorough numbing of the infected area. Next, your dentist relies on rotary endodontics to gently but thoroughly clear away your root and pulp infection. This technology allows for a faster and less jarring root canal therapy for you. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you experience the reality of root canal therapy compared with the mythical stories.

When the anesthesia wears off, you may notice mild discomfort for approximately a day, but this is easily treated with medications purchased in shops. This discomfort is not comparable to the agony that can arise with a full-blown abscess or root infection left to fester.

If you notice tooth sensitivity, a bump on your gum, jaw swelling or a toothache, we encourage your call. The sooner your dentist treats your root infection, the sooner you’ll feel better.

If you have a missing tooth or missing teeth, you may have considered tooth replacement. In our dental clinic, we offer dental implants in Tumut, along with other tooth replacement choices to help you restore your smile aesthetics and oral health.

A dental implant is a sturdy titanium post that replaces your lost tooth root. This post is biocompatible, meaning it bonds easily with your jawbone. After the bonding is complete, Dr Khumo Tlhalerwa, your dentist in Tumut, tops your dental implant with a tooth crown, which acts as your replacement tooth.

For more substantial tooth loss, your dentist can implant four to six posts to support an arch of restoration teeth on a denture or bridge.

Throughout the implant process, Dr Tlhalerwa makes sure you’re at ease. This includes making sure the area he’s working in is thoroughly numb. Most patients compare the minor pressure associated with implant placement to far less invasive procedures.

You may notice a day or two of swelling and minor discomfort, but pain relievers purchased in shops is generally enough to see you through.

If you would like more information about dental implants in Tumut, NSW, we welcome your call for more information or to arrange a consultation.

If your teeth are not as straight as you would like them to be, or if they overlap and appear twisted, chances are you’ve considered orthodontic therapies to correct these issues.

At Tumut Dental Clinic, we offer both traditional metal braces and Invisalign clear aligners.

While both treatments bring your teeth in line, there are critical differences between these two therapies.

Traditional bracket and wire braces, in some cases, work better for more severe alignment problems. They can be worn by younger children as well as by adults, and they require periodic tightening appointments in our dental clinic. Only your dentist can remove your braces.

In contrast, Invisalign relies on clear plastic aligners. These aligners are designed for mild to moderate alignment problems. Typically, Invisalign works well for older teens and adults. This therapy straightens your teeth through aligner changes every few weeks. You can remove your aligners when eating, brushing and flossing.

Your dentist in Tumut examines your teeth and will discuss the best option to help you align your smile.

If you would like to arrange an exam for braces or Invisalign in our dental clinic, we welcome your call. We look forward to helping you achieve a straighter and healthier smile.