ADORE DENTAL | KANGAROO POINT, BRISBANE
ASKED & ANSWERED.
The questions we hear most, answered honestly. If yours is not here, ask us. We would rather you asked than guessed.
OR CALL 07 3532 8604 | OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY, FROM 7:30AM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
GETTING STARTED.
For anyone at the very beginning: no idea necessary, no commitment implied.
What happens at a complimentary consultation?
We listen first. You tell us what is bothering you or what you would like to change, we take a proper look, and where it helps we take photos or a 3D scan so you can see what we are seeing.
Then we talk through your options, including doing nothing for now, with what each one involves and what it costs. You leave with a plan in writing and time to think about it. Nothing is decided in the chair.
You can see exactly what is and is not included on our complimentary consultations page.
How do I know which treatment is right for me?
You do not need to know, and most people do not. Plenty arrive having read about veneers when bonding would do it, or about implants when the tooth can still be saved.
Our job is to lay out what your actual options are and price them side by side so you can compare properly. If the conservative option would do what you are after, we will say so.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly with us for anything we offer. If your case would be better handled by a specialist, we arrange that referral ourselves and stay involved afterwards.
I don't know what's possible for my teeth. Is that okay?
More than okay, it is the normal starting point. You do not need the vocabulary or a plan. “I do not like how this tooth looks” or “this one has been aching” is plenty to work with.
It's been years since I saw a dentist. Will you lecture me?
No. However long it has been, and whatever the reason, we are interested in where things are now rather than how they got there. You will not be the first person to walk back in after a long gap, and it is a far more ordinary thing than it feels like from the outside.
Are you taking new patients?
Yes, for general dentistry, cosmetic treatment and emergency appointments. You can book online or call us on 07 3532 8604.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
PRICING & PAYMENTS.
Clear about prices. The full detail lives on our pricing page and in the price guide.
How much does treatment cost?
It depends what you need, so our price guide gives starting prices rather than one figure. After we have looked, you get a written quote with the item numbers on it before anything is booked, so you can check it against your health fund.
WHY ARE PRICES SHOWN AS STARTING PRICES?
Because the same treatment can be two different pieces of work. A straightforward extraction and a surgical one, a front tooth root canal and a molar with four canals, six veneers and ten. A single headline price would be accurate for almost nobody.
A starting price tells you where treatment begins before you come in, and the written quote replaces it with your actual number.
How do payment plans work?
We work with Humm and Denticare, and the right one depends on the amount and the timeframe. These are credit products: the terms, including any fees or interest, come from the provider rather than from us, and we go through them with you before anything is agreed.
Afterpay and Zip are accepted as ways to pay on the day rather than as payment plans. You can read all the options and their terms on our pricing page. If cost is the thing holding you back, say so. It is a normal conversation and it changes what we suggest.
Will my health fund cover this?
If you have extras cover, most funds contribute to general dentistry. How much depends on your level of cover and what you have already claimed this year. Cosmetic treatment is generally not covered.
Your quote includes the item numbers, so you can ring your fund and get an exact figure before you commit rather than after.
Will I get a quote before anything begins?
Yes, in writing, with the item numbers, before anything is booked. If something changes once we are underway, which occasionally happens with decay that turns out to be deeper than the X-ray showed, we stop and talk to you rather than carry on and add it to the bill.
Do you charge for the consultation?
Cosmetic consultations are complimentary, and you can see exactly what that includes and what it does not on our complimentary consultations page. A general dental examination is a paid appointment, because it is a clinical assessment with X-rays rather than a conversation about options.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
YOUR FIRST VISIT.
The practical stuff, so nothing about the day is a surprise.
What should I bring?
Your Medicare card and health fund card if you have one, a list of any medicines you take, and the name of your previous dentist if you would like us to request your records. If you have had X-rays elsewhere recently, bring them or tell us where they are so we are not repeating anything unnecessarily.
How long will I be there?
A new patient examination and clean is usually about an hour. A complimentary cosmetic consultation runs around thirty minutes to an hour depending on who you see. Emergency appointments are booked at an hour so there is room to actually deal with the problem rather than just look at it.
Will I have treatment on the first visit?
Sometimes, if it is straightforward and you want to get it done. But nothing happens without you knowing what it is and what it costs. If the plan is bigger than one appointment, the first visit is about working out what the plan should be.
Can I bring someone with me?
Yes, and plenty of people do, particularly for consultations where there is a lot to take in. Bringing someone who will remember the second half of the conversation is a sensible idea rather than a nuisance.
Will I see the same dentist each time?
For a course of treatment, yes, that is how we plan it. For a check-up or an urgent appointment, it depends who is available on the day, and we will tell you when you book. If you would rather wait for a particular dentist, say so and we will find their next opening.
Do you see children?
Yes. We see children for check-ups, cleans, fillings and general dental care, and a first visit can be nothing more than a look, a count and a ride in the chair.
If a child needs treatment that would be better done by a paediatric dentist, we will tell you and arrange it. If you are booking for a child and an adult together, say so when you book so we allow the time.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
NERVOUS PATIENTS & SEDATION.
There is no wrong way to feel about the dentist.
I'm anxious about coming in. What can you do?
Tell us when you book, and tell us again when you arrive. It changes how we go: we slow down, explain as we go, and stop when you need us to.
Some people book a first appointment purely to sit in the chair and talk, with nothing done at all. That is a completely reasonable way to start and it is often the appointment that makes the next one possible.
What sedation options are there?
Local anaesthetic and happy gas are provided here as part of your appointment. Happy gas is breathed in through a small nosepiece and takes the edge off without putting you to sleep. We do not offer oral sedation.
For more involved treatment, twilight sedation and general anaesthetic are delivered at our clinic by an independent team of specialist anaesthetists. They assess your suitability, take your consent for the anaesthetic, and quote and bill their fee separately from ours. Sedation is not suitable for everyone, and the risks are explained before anything is booked. You can read more in our risks and considerations.
Is sedation available for an emergency appointment?
Happy gas can often be used at short notice. Twilight sedation and general anaesthetic cannot: those are arranged in advance with the anaesthetic team, so they are planned treatment rather than something we can add to an urgent visit. For an emergency we would settle the pain first and plan the rest properly afterwards.
Can I stop partway through?
Yes. Agree a signal with us at the start, a raised hand is the usual one, and we stop when you use it. Knowing you can stop is often the thing that means you do not need to.
Does it help to bring headphones?
For a lot of people, yes. Bring music, a podcast or something to watch, and use it. Some of what people find difficult is the sound rather than anything else, and there is no reason to sit through it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
COSMETIC TREATMENT.
Veneers, bonding, whitening and aligners: how to tell which one you are actually after.
Veneers or bonding? How do I choose?
Bonding is composite added to the tooth and shaped by hand, usually in a single visit. It costs less, it can be repaired if you chip it, and it involves little to no preparation of the tooth. It stains over time and needs replacing sooner.
Veneers are custom porcelain made by a ceramist. They hold their colour better than composite and tend to last longer, they cost more, they take a few weeks, and a failed one is replaced rather than repaired. For chips and small edges we usually suggest bonding first. Full detail on both: composite bonding and veneers.
What's the difference between non-prep and minimal-prep veneers?
How much of your own tooth you keep. Non-prep means no tooth is drilled or reshaped, so the tooth underneath stays intact, though the surface is etched so the porcelain bonds and that change is permanent. Removal is possible later, but taking porcelain off is a procedure rather than peeling off a sticker. Minimal-prep means a very small amount of enamel is reduced in specific places, and that part is permanent, so the tooth will need covering from then on.
Should I whiten before or after other work?
Before, always. Porcelain and composite do not change colour, so they are matched to whatever shade your teeth are on the day. Whiten first, settle on a shade, then match the new work to it. Doing it the other way round is an expensive thing to have to undo.
How white will my teeth actually go?
It varies. It depends on your starting shade, what is causing the discolouration and how your enamel responds, so a number given before anyone has looked at your teeth does not mean much. Discolouration coming from inside a tooth rather than the surface may not respond at all. We record your starting shade so you can see the change for what it is.
How long does cosmetic work last?
It depends on the material and on you. Bonding and whitening need maintaining sooner, porcelain lasts longer, and grinding shortens everything. We will give you a realistic range for your case and what affects it, and if you grind your teeth a night guard is part of the plan rather than an optional extra.
What we will not do is put a lifetime figure on any of it, because too much of it depends on things nobody can predict.
Can I see what it will look like first?
For veneers, yes. You wear a trial smile in temporary material made from your design, so you see the plan on your own teeth before any porcelain is made, and it can be adjusted at that stage. For bonding we shape it in the chair with you looking. For aligners we can show you the planned movement from the scan, though a plan is a projection rather than a promise.
Do I have to have straight teeth for veneers?
No, but position matters. Veneers change a tooth’s shape, colour and surface, not where its root sits. Where teeth are significantly out of line, aligners first usually mean thinner veneers and less preparation, and sometimes it means you finish aligners and decide you are done.
What if I don't like the result?
The stages exist so that this gets caught before anything is permanent. With veneers it is the trial smile, with bonding it is shaping it in front of you, with whitening it is the recorded starting shade.
If something is not right after treatment, tell us as soon as you notice. Some things are adjustable, some are not, and we will be straight with you about which is which rather than leave you wondering. What each treatment can and cannot be undone is set out on our risks and considerations page.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
GENERAL & PREVENTIVE CARE.
Check-ups, cleans, fillings and the everyday work that helps you need less of everything else.
How often should I come in?
Every six months suits most people, but it is not a rule. Some people need more frequent visits because of gum disease, a dry mouth or a history of decay, and some can safely go longer. We will tell you what makes sense for your mouth rather than default to six months for everyone.
Why do I need X-rays?
Because a lot of what matters cannot be seen by looking. Decay between teeth, bone levels, infection at a root tip and the position of wisdom teeth all show up on an X-ray and nowhere else. Dental X-rays use a low dose of radiation and we take them when they will change what we do, not routinely for the sake of it. If you have had recent ones elsewhere, tell us and we will request them instead.
Does a clean hurt?
It should not, though it can be uncomfortable if your gums are inflamed or there is a lot of build-up, and that tends to be the case if it has been a while. Tell us if you are feeling it and we will adjust, take breaks, or numb the area. It is not something to grit your teeth through.
My gums bleed when I brush. Is that normal?
Common, but not normal, and it is usually the first sign of gum inflammation. It is worth having looked at, because gum disease caught early responds well to treatment, while advanced gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss in adults. It is also easy to live with for years without doing anything about it.
What's the difference between a check-up and a clean?
The check-up is the examination: we look at your teeth, gums and soft tissues, take X-rays where they are needed, and tell you what we find. The clean is the treatment: removing plaque and hardened build-up your toothbrush cannot reach. They are usually done in the same appointment, and the price guide lists them together.
Do you do fillings that match my teeth?
Yes, composite fillings are shade-matched and are what we use routinely. Where a tooth has lost too much structure for a filling to hold, we will tell you that and talk about a crown or an onlay instead rather than place a filling we expect to fail.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
EMERGENCIES.
If it cannot wait, call 07 3532 8604 rather than using a form. We answer the phone faster than the inbox.
What counts as a dental emergency?
Pain that is stopping you sleeping, eating or getting through the day. A tooth that has been knocked out, broken or loosened. A lost filling or crown that has left a sharp edge or an exposed nerve. Swelling of the gum, face or jaw. Bleeding that will not stop.
If swelling is spreading towards your eye or under your jaw, or you are having any trouble breathing or swallowing, that is a hospital emergency rather than a dental one. Go to your nearest emergency department, or call 000.
Can you see me today?
Often, yes. Call as early in the day as you can and we will tell you the soonest we can get you in. If we cannot see you quickly enough, we will say so on the phone rather than leave you waiting, and we will tell you what to do in the meantime.
Emergency appointments are booked with enough time to deal with the problem rather than only look at it. Settling the pain comes first, and the permanent repair is often a separate visit once things have calmed down.
What if it's after hours?
Leave us a message and we will come back to you when we open. If it cannot wait, your options are the emergency department at your nearest hospital, or 13 HEALTH on 13 43 25 84 for advice over the phone.
For bleeding that will not stop, or swelling that is affecting your breathing or swallowing, call 000.
I'm not a patient here. Can I still come?
Yes. Emergency appointments are open to new patients, and coming in once for a problem does not commit you to anything afterwards. If you would like us to request your records from your usual dentist so we have your history, we can do that with your permission.
What should I do about a knocked-out tooth?
For an adult tooth, hold it by the crown and not the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline, and do not scrub it. If you can, put it back into the socket and bite lightly on a clean cloth to hold it in place. If you cannot, keep it in milk and call us straight away. Time matters here more than anything else.
Never put a child’s baby tooth back in. It can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Keep the tooth, press a clean cloth on the gum to control bleeding, and call us.
This is general first aid and not advice for your specific situation. If you are unsure about anything, call us on 07 3532 8604.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
RISKS, SAFETY & YOUR RIGHTS.
The part that is easy to leave off a website. We would rather you read it here than find out later.
What are the risks of dental treatment?
They depend entirely on what is being done, which is why we go through the ones relevant to you before anything starts rather than hand you a general list. Broadly: anything that removes tooth structure is permanent, anything bonded or placed can chip, wear or come away and will eventually need replacing, and outcomes vary between people even when the work is the same.
Our risks and considerations page sets out what applies to each treatment. It is worth reading before a consultation rather than after.
Why does everything on this site say results vary?
Partly because we are required to, and partly because it is true. Two people can have the same treatment, done the same way, and get different results, because they start from different teeth, heal differently and live differently.
A specific outcome is not something anyone can promise in advance. We would rather tell you what is realistic for your teeth at the consultation and let you decide from there.
Is treatment safe?
No treatment is risk-free, and we are not going to tell you otherwise. What we can tell you is how risk is managed here: we assess before we treat, we use the least invasive option that will do the job, we explain what could go wrong before you agree, and where a case is beyond what we should be taking on we refer it.
If someone tells you a dental procedure is completely safe, that is a claim nobody is in a position to make.
Which treatments are considered higher risk?
Some cosmetic procedures, including veneers and teeth whitening, are classed as higher risk under national guidelines and carry extra requirements around how they are advertised and consented to. That is why our cosmetic pages spend as much time on limits and permanence as on results, and why the consultation covers what could go wrong as well as what you are hoping for.
How do I know a treatment is right for me and not just being sold to me?
Ask us what happens if you do nothing, and ask what the conservative option would be. Both are fair questions and you should get a straight answer to each.
We will tell you when bonding would do what veneers would, when whitening is enough, and when a tooth can still be saved. If we recommend something more involved, we will explain why the simpler option would not hold.
What happens to my information?
Your records and anything you send us are handled under our Privacy Policy. We do not share your details for marketing, and photos of your teeth are only ever used publicly with your written consent, which you can decline or withdraw without it affecting your treatment.
What if I'm not happy with something?
Tell us first, as early as you can. Most things are easier to put right when we hear about them straight away, and we would always rather have the conversation than not.
You can raise it with your dentist directly, or ask to speak with Dr Ellie Kim (DEN0002313013), our principal dentist. If you would rather take it outside the practice, you have the right to do that at any point, and it will not affect the care you receive here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
APPOINTMENTS & PRACTICAL DETAILS.
Hours, parking, records and the rest.
What are your opening hours?
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:30pm. Saturday, 8am to 4pm. Closed Sunday.
Where are you and is there parking?
Lot 26/91-95 Linton Street, Kangaroo Point. There is paid parking on site plus free street parking nearby, though some streets have time limits. The closest bus stop is Main Street at Linton Street, at the end of our street. Full detail and a map on our contact page.
Is the practice accessible?
Our entrance is up a set of stairs. There is a wheelchair lift, but it is out of service at the moment. We share the building with other tenants, so the repair sits with building management rather than with us, and we are chasing it. If stairs are difficult for you, tell us when you book and we will have someone meet you and help you in. If stairs are not possible for you at all, call us before booking and we will be honest with you about what we can and cannot accommodate while the lift is down.
How do I book, change or cancel?
Book online any time, or call us during opening hours. To move or cancel an appointment, let us know as early as you can and we will find you another time. Appointments are held for you, so the earlier you tell us, the more likely someone else can use the slot.
Can you transfer my records from another dentist?
Yes. Give us the name of your previous practice and we will request your records and any recent X-rays, with your permission. It saves repeating things and gives us useful history.
Do you offer everything in-house, or refer out?
Most things are done here. Some cases are better handled by a specialist, whether that is an oral surgeon, an endodontist, an orthodontist or a periodontist, and where that applies we will say so, arrange the referral and see you afterwards. Being told you should see someone else is a good sign rather than a bad one.
CONTACT US
GET IN TOUCH WITH US.
Whether you're ready to book or just curious, we'd love to hear from you. We'll get back to you as soon as possible.