Your questions, answered.

Most healthy adults with missing teeth are suitable candidates for dental implants. The key requirements are healthy gums and enough jawbone to support the implant. Factors such as gum disease, smoking, and certain medical conditions can affect suitability, but they don't necessarily rule implants out. The best way to find out is a consultation, where we assess your teeth, gums, and bone using 3D imaging and discuss the right option for you.

Yes — same day crowns are milled from high-strength dental ceramic and, with good care, offer durability comparable to traditional laboratory-made crowns. As with any crown, how long it lasts depends on your bite, oral hygiene, and habits such as grinding. If your situation calls for a different material, we'll let you know before treatment begins.

We set aside time in our schedule for genuine dental emergencies and will always do our best to see you as soon as possible — often on the same day. Call the practice as early as you can and describe your symptoms; our team will triage your situation and fit you in at the first available opportunity.

Both straighten teeth effectively — the right choice depends on your case and lifestyle. Aligners are nearly invisible, removable for eating and cleaning, and generally more comfortable, which makes them popular with adults and teens. Traditional braces can be better suited to certain complex tooth movements. At your consultation we'll assess your teeth honestly and let you know whether aligners can achieve the result you're after.

No — wisdom teeth that come through fully, in a good position, and can be kept clean are often fine to leave alone. Removal is recommended when wisdom teeth are causing problems or are likely to: pain, repeated infection, decay in the wisdom tooth or the tooth in front, cysts, or impaction (where the tooth is stuck against the neighbouring tooth or jawbone). Regular check-ups and X-rays let us monitor your wisdom teeth and act only when there's a genuine reason to.

Implant placement is carried out under local anaesthetic, so you shouldn't feel pain during the procedure itself. Most patients tell us the experience is far more comfortable than they expected. Some mild soreness or swelling in the days afterwards is normal and is usually well managed with over-the-counter pain relief. We'll give you clear aftercare instructions and check in on your recovery.

Root canal treatment has an unfair reputation. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic, and most patients find it no more uncomfortable than having a filling — in fact, it's the treatment that relieves the severe pain caused by an infected tooth. Some tenderness for a few days afterwards is normal and usually manageable with over-the-counter pain relief.

Yes — we welcome patients from all Australian health funds. Your rebate depends on your individual level of cover, so it's worth checking what your fund includes for general and major dental. We also offer payment plans to help make treatment more manageable. If you'd like, we can provide an itemised quote to give your health fund before treatment so there are no surprises.

We take a digital 3D scan of your prepared tooth, design the crown on screen, and send the design to an on-site milling unit that carves it from a solid block of dental ceramic — usually in under an hour. The crown is then colour-matched, glazed, and bonded to your tooth in the same appointment. You leave with your permanent restoration, with no second visit needed.

Clear aligners are a series of custom-made, nearly invisible plastic trays that gradually move your teeth into position. You wear each set for around one to two weeks, about 22 hours a day, before moving to the next in the series. Treatment is planned digitally from a 3D scan of your teeth, so you can see the expected result before you begin. Because aligners are removable, you can eat, brush, and floss as normal.

With good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups, the implant itself can last for decades — often a lifetime. The crown attached to the implant typically lasts 10 to 15 years before it may need replacing due to normal wear. Looking after your implant is much like looking after a natural tooth: daily brushing and flossing, plus routine professional cleans.

Treatment time depends on how far your teeth need to move. Minor corrections can take just a few months, while more complex cases may take 12 to 24 months. Most patients notice visible changes within the first few months. We'll give you a personalised estimate at your consultation after assessing your teeth and bite.

The cost of dental implant treatment varies depending on how many teeth are being replaced, the complexity of your case, and whether any preparatory work (such as bone grafting) is needed. Because every mouth is different, we provide an individual quote after your consultation, so you know exactly what's involved before committing to anything. Payment plans are available to help spread the cost of treatment.

For most people, a check-up and professional clean every six months is ideal. Regular visits allow us to catch small problems — early decay, gum inflammation, worn fillings — before they become painful and expensive to fix. Depending on your oral health, we may recommend a different schedule: some patients do well with annual visits, while others benefit from cleans every three to four months.

All-on-4 treatment may suit people struggling with loose dentures, failing teeth, or the loss of most or all of their teeth. It isn't suitable for everyone — like all surgery, implant treatment carries risks, and outcomes vary between individuals. The best way to find out is a consultation with Dr Steve, who will assess your individual situation together with a Next Smile Australia dental surgeon and recommend the treatment solution best suited to you. Payment plans are available.

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a Medicare program that covers part or all of the cost of basic dental services for eligible children. Eligibility is based on your child's age and whether your family receives certain government payments — you can check eligibility through your Medicare account. Mention CDBS when booking and our team will confirm what your child's visit is covered for.

Professionally supervised teeth whitening is safe for most people. Because we examine your teeth and gums first, we can identify anything — like decay or gum disease — that should be treated before whitening, and tailor the strength of treatment to suit you. Some people experience temporary sensitivity, which typically settles within a few days. Dentist-supervised whitening is also stronger and more predictable than over-the-counter kits.

A dental implant is a small titanium post that is placed into the jawbone to act as an artificial tooth root. Once it has bonded with the bone, a custom-made crown is attached on top, giving you a replacement tooth that looks, feels, and functions like a natural one. Implants can replace a single missing tooth, several teeth, or support a full set of new teeth.

Severe or persistent toothache, facial swelling, a knocked-out or broken tooth, bleeding that won't stop after an extraction, a lost filling or crown causing pain, and dental injuries from accidents or sport are all dental emergencies. If you're in pain or unsure, call us — we'll assess your situation over the phone and advise the best next step. Facial swelling that affects your breathing or swallowing needs urgent hospital care — go to your nearest emergency department.

All-on-4™ is a fixed implant system that replaces a full arch of teeth using just four dental implants — a permanent alternative to a removable denture. Your new teeth are fixed in place, so there's no taking a denture in and out, no slipping while eating, and no adhesives. For people used to wearing dentures, All-on-4 treatment can provide the closest feeling to having natural teeth back.

A same day crown is a custom ceramic crown that is designed, milled, and fitted in a single appointment using digital CAD/CAM technology. Instead of taking impressions, sending them to a laboratory, and wearing a temporary crown for a couple of weeks, your tooth is digitally scanned and your permanent crown is made on-site while you wait.

Most people have some swelling, tenderness, and jaw stiffness for a few days — it typically peaks around day two or three and then settles. Stick to soft foods, avoid smoking and vigorous rinsing in the first 24 hours, and use the pain relief we recommend. Many patients are back at work or school within two to four days for straightforward removals; surgical removals can take a little longer. You'll go home with clear written aftercare instructions and a number to call if anything doesn't feel right.

Act quickly — an adult tooth has the best chance of being saved if it's reinserted within about 30 minutes. Handle the tooth by the crown (the white part), never the root. If it's dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline. If you can, gently place it back into the socket and bite down on a clean cloth to hold it in place; otherwise, keep it in milk (not water) and call us straight away. Do not reinsert baby teeth — call us for advice instead.

The late teens are the ideal time for a wisdom teeth assessment — usually between 16 and 20, when the teeth are developing but the roots haven't fully formed. A panoramic X-ray shows us how your wisdom teeth are positioned and whether they're likely to cause trouble, so any removal can be planned early, when it's typically simpler and recovery is faster. If you're already getting pain, swelling, or pressure at the back of your mouth at any age, book an assessment sooner.

Nearly all of your appointments happen locally with Dr Steve Tangney and the Tidy Tooth team in the Batemans Bay area. As a Next Smile Australia patient, you'll only need to travel to the Next Smile All-on-4™ Super Clinic in Wollongong for a pre-surgery consultation and the day of your surgery itself — everything else, from your first consultation to your ongoing care, happens close to home.