At Hillcrest Dental Centre & Tamahere Dental Centre, we offer a wide range of dental treatment to our patients along with some services that aren’t on offer at all dental practices. We have high-quality equipment including digital x-rays which allow us to diagnose and treat dental problems quickly. All our dentists will take time with you to discuss and explain the options for your particular dental needs including the costs involved. We will ensure all your questions are answered and give you enough information to make the best decision for you.
If you are looking for a dentist in Hamilton, we'd love to help you!
A note regarding fees/prices: in general, we can't give you an estimate over the phone, as the cost for your treatment will depend on the dentist's findings. If you would like to know the estimated cost for your treatment in advance, we recommend booking for a examination and x-rays, after which the dentist will be able to give you a plan and quote.
Examinations & x-rays
Good oral health is all about prevention. Regular 6 monthly or yearly examination of your mouth, teeth and gums to detect and treat any problems early is wise- before they become painful and expensive.
A normal dental examination will usually consist of a clinical examination along with the use of x-rays. We will assess the state of your teeth, but also your gums, the jaw bones and jaw joint, tongue, roof and floor of your mouth, and soft palate.
If you have noticed any changes in the state of your teeth or other tissues like lumps or bumps, cavities (holes), broken or chipped teeth or fillings, sensitive or sore teeth to eating or drinking, or anything else that concerns you, it is important to let your dentist know so we can address the issues.
Dental Hygienist
Dental hygiene is crucial to quality tooth care. Hillcrest Dental has an Oral Health Therapist on staff to look after all your dental hygiene needs.
Our dental hygienist works with our dentists to provide:
examination and assessment of your gums
education to help you prevent dental disease, like decay and gingivitis
in-depth scaling and polishing to remove plaque, tartar and stains
tooth-whitening advice and treatments
Gum health is just as important as tooth health and we are thrilled to be able to provide you with this service.
Fillings & Restorations
We do composite (white) and amalgam (silver) dental fillings at Hillcrest Dental Centre & Tamahere Dental Centre. Each has their advantages. We will discuss with you the best filling material for your tooth.
Amalgam fillings have been the most widely used, time tested and cost-effective material for fillings in back teeth. Composite fillings are becoming the most widely used today, because of their excellent appearance.
Fillings are often placed to restore a tooth affected by caries (decay), but they can also be placed to improve the appearance of a tooth or if a tooth is broken whilst eating or as a result of an accident. Accidents are usually covered under ACC, but it is important to discuss this with your dentist as there are forms to fill out for this.
If a tooth has a large filling and is at risk of breaking, you may be recommended to have a crown placed on this tooth to protect it and improve the long term prognosis for the tooth.
Wisdom Teeth
Hillcrest Dental Centre offers the removal of wisdom teeth and other teeth that will be difficult to remove.
Having a mouth that is too small for wisdom teeth to grow through properly causes recurring problems. These problems include pain and infection, potential damage to adjacent teeth and crowding.
We understand that having wisdom teeth removed can be an unpleasant, nervous and uncomfortable experience, but at Hillcrest Dental Centre we do everything we can to help make the experience easy, relaxed, stress-free and as painless as possible.
We offer intravenous (IV) sedation, where the dentist administers a small amount of the sedative medication via a vein in your arm and you relax. Many people doze, and don't remember their procedure. It lasts for a few hours so you will need someone to drive you home and supervise you for the next 12 hours.
Please feel free to talk to your dentist about any concerns you may have during your visit or any upcoming visits and we will work with you to find a solution.
Tooth Extractions
At Hillcrest Dental Centre & Tamahere Dental Centre, we work with you, and do our very best to help you keep your teeth as long as you want them for. Sometimes, however, some teeth are unable to be restored or saved, which can be as a result of a fracture, abscess, a large cavity (hole) or other nerve damage leading to pain, sensitivity and discomfort. Occasionally it is not beneficial to keep certain teeth, resulting in the need for their removal.
Once a tooth has been removed, your dentist can discuss with you the options available to replace the missing tooth. This can include an implant, bridge or partial denture. If the removal of the tooth is as a result of an accident, it is important to discuss this with your dentist as it may be covered under ACC.
We also do extractions as requested by Specialist Orthodontists for patients who are undergoing Orthodontic treatment.
At Hillcrest Dental Centre we also offer the removal of wisdom teeth and can perform other difficult extractions and are able to provide this service under IV sedation.
Teeth Whitening
The tooth whitening product we use at Hillcrest Dental Centre & Tamahere Dental Centre is SDI Pola Day. The dentist or oral health therapist takes an impression (mould) for a model of your teeth. A thin, custom fitted, clear plastic tray that fits over your teeth is made. At home you place the whitening gel into the tray, and place the tray over your teeth. This is worn for 30 minutes daily. Results are usually seen after the first day, but maximum whitening may take 7-10 days. Your dentist will check on your progress. It is a more effective tooth whitening system than the 'do-it-yourself' kits available at pharmacies.
It is important to remember that white fillings and crowns often do not change colour together with the rest of your teeth, so these may have to be replaced after you have reached the desired shade.
Teeth that have been root-filled may benefit from internal bleaching, where a stronger whitening gel is placed inside the tooth. This procedure is done at the dental clinic and may require several visits for the desired shade to be attained. If these teeth are deemed to be too discoloured, a veneer or crown can be placed to improve its appearance.
Root Canal Treatments
This treatment is an option when pain in a tooth becomes severe and continuous or an abscess has developed. The nerve tissue inside the tooth is removed and replaced with a special rubber filling material. It usually takes 2 or 3 appointments to complete and is therefore a more expensive option than the alternative extraction.
A tooth may develop pain if it has a large cavity (hole) or existing filling in it, it is broken or has been traumatised (ACC accident related or otherwise), or it has developed a fracture. If any of these things are left untreated the tooth may become sensitive to hot and cold, it may be sore to pressure when eating, or it may spontaneously throb, ache, pulse and sting.
An abscess can sometimes remain within the jaw bone under the gum, or it can show as a swelling of the gum near the affected tooth. Again, if left untreated, there is risk of significant facial swelling and this will require emergency treatment – it is important to tell the receptionist if you have any of these symptoms as they will need to arrange for you to be seen immediately.
Free Adolescent Care
Hillcrest and Tamahere Dental Centre are proud to be able to provide free, quality dental care to adolescents from school Year 9 until they turn 18 in association with the Ministry of Health.
For children under Year 9, please call 0800 TALK TEETH
Crowns & Bridges
Crowns are tooth-shaped caps which fit over your teeth. Crowns can be used over teeth that are heavily filled, discoloured or have been root-filled. They can also be used cosmetically to improve the appearance of your front teeth. Crowns can also be placed if a tooth is broken whilst eating or as a result of an accident. Accidents are usually covered under ACC, but it is important to discuss this with your dentist as there are forms to fill out for this.
Crowns provide strong, attractive, long term protection for your mouth. They are made of either porcelain or gold. The porcelain ‘tooth' may have a gold or metal core for added strength. Your dentist can tell you which of your teeth would best be protected by crowns before problems develop.
A Bridge is a group of crowns joined together which is bonded into the mouth to replace a missing tooth. The alternative option for replacing a missing tooth can often be an implant.
Dental Implants
Dental Implants are placed to replace one or several missing teeth. Teeth can be lost as a result of an accident (Accidents are usually covered under ACC, but it is important to discuss this with your dentist as there are forms to fill out for this), fracture, abscess formation or congenitally missing (never formed).
The placement of the implant is a very precise procedure and is usually carried out together with a specialist oral surgeon. Your dentist and the oral surgeon will work closely together to achieve a result that meets your needs and expectations.
Cone Beam CT Scans
Dental cone beam computed tomography (CT) is a special type of x-ray equipment used when regular dental x-rays are not enough. Your dentist or specialist may require a CBCT to see a three dimensional (3-D) image of your teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bone in a single scan.
Non-Specialist Surgery
We have dentists who have an interest in Oral Surgery at Hillcrest & Tamahere - we can remove wisdom teeth, remove teeth as requested by Specialist Orthodontists for patients who are undergoing Orthodontic treatment and perform minor oral surgical procedures.
If there is a lump or a bump in your mouth; on your gum, cheek or tongue that shouldn’t be there. If you have recently had a tooth or teeth removed and you now have sharp pieces of bone coming through the gum – these can usually be easily taken out, but occasionally they will require a surgical procedure to remove them and smooth the underlying bone. Or the gum has healed, but it is uneven and lumpy, this can usually be corrected at Hillcrest Dental Centre or Tamahere Dental Centre. Please feel free to contact us and book an appointment for an assessment.
Once a tooth has been removed, your dentist can discuss with you the options available to replace the missing tooth. This can include an implant, bridge or partial denture. If the removal of the tooth is as a result of an accident, it is important to discuss this with your dentist as it may be covered under ACC.
Note, we are not Specialist Oral-Maxillofacial Surgeons and we will refer you to them when it is in your best interest.
Periodontal Treatment
Gum disease (gingivitis) or periodontal disease is a bacterial infection caused by accumulation of dental plaque and tartar on the teeth. It is a disease that affects the gums and bone around a tooth. Bleeding gums are a sign of gingivitis and if left untreated can develop into periodontitis. Eventually, teeth affected by gum disease or periodontitis can present with a sharp pain, a dull ache, an abscess or they become loose and may need to be extracted.
Treatment of gingivitis and periodontal disease involves cleaning the tooth root surface with special instruments. This is usually done with local anaesthetic to avoid discomfort.
IV Sedation
We offer intravenous (IV) sedation for patients who are very nervous or who are having an unpleasant procedure (eg extractions). The dentist administers a small amount of the sedative medication via a vein in your arm and you relax. Many people doze, and don't remember their procedure. It lasts for a few hours so you will need someone to drive you home and supervise you for the next 12 hours.
We understand that visiting the dentist can be an unpleasant, nervous and uncomfortable experience, but at Hillcrest Dental Centre & Tamahere Dental Centre, we do everything we can to help make the experience easy, relaxed, stress-free and as painless as possible. Please feel free to talk to your dentist about any concerns you may have during your visit or any upcoming visits and we will work with you to find a solution.
