About Us

Yes. Our office has teamed up with Health Smart Financial Services to now provide you financing options with 0% interest.

As a courtesy to our Patients, our office staff will assist you with your insurance. We will gladly complete all the paperwork your carrier needs to expedite your treatment coverage, however, patients are responsible for the balance portion of their treatment costs as well as any treatment procedures that their insurance company does not cover. Your portion of treatment costs will be collected after each visit.

When you come in for your dental cleaning appointment, you can expect a similar process every time. First, your Abbotsford dentist will scrape the plaque and tartar off your teeth with a scaler. You’ll hear a scraping noise, but this normal. Once we remove the plaque, we clean your teeth with a special toothpaste designed to remove bacteria and infiltrate those hard-to-reach spots. To complete your dental cleaning at Medora Dental Care, you will receive a fluoride treatment. Your dentist will also look for signs of needing a root canal, tooth extraction, or other services during the cleaning.

At Medora Dental Care, we recommend patients in good oral health visit the dentist for a cleaning twice a year. However, if you have a history of gum disease or other oral health risks, our Abbotsford, BC dentist may suggest more frequent appointments. Be sure to keep your dentist aware of your health history so we can recommend the appropriate number of cleanings per year and suggest other general dentistry services.

Among the most significant benefits, you get from frequent dental cleanings is preventing more severe conditions. Corrective dentistry for more serious issues gets expensive quickly, and the team at Medora Dental can identify risk factors early with routine cleanings and exams. With these preventative measures, you’re less likely to feel the effects of your oral health on your wallet. Dental cleaning also helps to stave off receding gums and dental pain.

Dental cleaning is your first line of defense against damaging bacteria and tooth decay. Without proper cleanings from a dentist at Medora Dental Care, you run the risk of periodontal disease, tooth discoloration, and possible, the need for tooth extraction. Oral diseases may develop, requiring even more dental visits to our Abbotsford office. Investing in a few yearly dental cleanings will save you time and money in the long run, significantly reducing your risk of more extensive conditions.

While twice-yearly dental cleanings are essential to the health of your teeth, they can’t maintain your oral health alone. Between cleanings, you’ll need to keep up with a crucial hygiene regimen. Always brush and floss at least twice a day, and ideally after each meal. If you can’t brush after each meal, make sure to do so every morning and night. Use anti-bacterial mouthwash as a further preventative measure. Medora Dental Care can recommend the best mouthwash brands for your oral health. Be sure to replace your toothbrush every two months or so, and always use soft-bristled brushes. Ask our Abbotsford staff about what to look for when purchasing a new toothbrush. Stay vigilant of any problems arising with your oral health. Should you notice something abnormal or experience dental pain, get in touch with Medora Dental Care right away.

In between routine dental cleanings, there’s always a chance you may need additional cleaning or exam to ensure your mouth is healthy. Besides toothaches and other pain, you’ll notice a few other signs you may need a dental cleaning. Loose teeth typically mean the gums are damaged or receded and need treatment. In some cases, receding gums may be visible. Excessive bleeding in the gums often indicates plaque buildup, which we can fix this with a cleaning. Bad breath, too, shows the need for an additional dental cleaning. This is often a symptom of an infection. Should you experience any of these symptoms or other causes for worry, it’s always best to be proactive and schedule an appointment with Medora Dental Care. Contact our Abbotsford, BC dentist office to request the next available time.

Many of our Abbotsford patients harbor misconceptions about periodontal disease. This is totally understandable with all of the misinformation readily available on the internet. In short, periodontal disease is an infection of the gums. It damages your teeth’s support structure and can lead to extractions. There are two categories of periodontal disease. The first, gingivitis, is less severe but may eventually develop into the second, more serious, category periodontitis. Because the periodontal disease may begin with few symptoms and develop into a severe, structurally damaging condition, it’s crucial to visit your dentist at Medora Dental Care for regular checkups.

Although the onset of gum disease often shows few symptoms, you will start to notice some as the disease progresses. These depend on the stage and of your periodontal disease (whether you have gingivitis or periodontitis). Most of the patients we see at Medora Dental Care have many of the following symptoms:

• Bad breath
• Sensitivity to warm or cold foods and drinks
• Painful chewing and eating
• Visibly receding gums
• Swollen gums
• Shifting teeth
• Loose or missing teeth

Periodontal disease has numerous causes. Plaque buildup as a result of too few dental cleanings is a common culprit of the condition. Left unchecked, plaque and bacteria inflame and damage the gums, leading to infection. Many of the patients we treat at Medora Dental Care have tartar, which is hardened plaque buildup, they need to be removed. Tartar further increases your risk for periodontitis and needs treatment from your Abbotsford dentist. Like with plaque, leaving tartar unaddressed leads to a slew of problems, including bone and tooth loss.

Your family dentist in Abbotsford, BC can offer several treatment methods for your periodontal disease. At Medora Dental Care, we often recommend scaling and root planing. This periodontal treatment doesn’t involve surgery and uses “deep cleaning” techniques to remove plaque and tartar. Much like a standard dental cleaning, your dentist will scrape along the gum line, but they will also smooth the root surface. This practice reduces the bacteria on the tooth, decreasing the chance of decay and damage. In some cases, gum disease needs surgical periodontal treatment to be effective. If a patient has significant bone loss, Medora Dental Care typically suggests periodontal surgery.

Good news! Despite a reputation for pain and discomfort, periodontal treatment doesn’t generally hurt. You may have slight discomfort, similar to when you receive a root canal, but our team strives to be as gentle as possible. At Medora Dental Care, it’s our goal to make your visit to our Abbotsford office as painless as possible.

The team at Medora Dental Care highly recommends seeking prompt treatment for all stages of periodontal disease. Although the initial symptoms may not seem severe, they often develop into something more serious. As time goes on, sufferers of periodontal disease may need a tooth extraction and are at increased risk for heart attack or stroke as the disease progresses. The periodontal disease puts your outward appearance at risk as well. The loss of teeth changes your smile, and the deteriorating bone in your face may change your shape. Chewing and speaking become more difficult as the periodontal disease worsens, greatly hampering your quality of life. Because of these risks, we encourage our Abbotsford patients to get started on treatment as soon as possible.

Periodontal treatment is typically an ongoing process to prevent the disease from coming back. Generally, your Abbotsford dentist will recommend special mouthwashes and toothpastes designed to fight periodontitis. In follow-up visits, your dentist will take special care to remove any tartar and plaque buildup occurring in the meantime. Other than this “maintenance therapy,” patients at Medora Dental Care rarely need additional dental visits, besides regular checkups of course. Concerned you may need periodontal treatment? Don’t fret—contact Medora Dental Care to schedule a prompt appointment.

Many patients who visit our dental clinic in Abbotsford are unfamiliar with veneers. They’ve often heard the term before, but they don’t know what they involve. Veneers are thin shells bonded to the teeth to create a natural appearance. We craft veneers from tooth-colored materials and attempt to match your natural tooth color as closely as possible. They function similarly to porcelain crowns, but they are not interchangeable. Veneers at Medora Dental Care are meant as a cosmetic solution, rather than a restorative one.

The two most common types of veneers are porcelain and composite resin. Veneers made of composite resin are low-cost options for cosmetic dentistry. They work to cover discoloration but don’t last as long as other materials. On the other hand, porcelain veneers from Medora Dental Care tend to have a longer lifespan and offer a top-quality natural appearance. Porcelain is resistant to staining as well, so you won’t need to worry about discoloration on your tooth’s new surface.

Our Abbotsford patients choose veneers for several reasons. However, we most often recommend veneers for patients whose teeth are stained, chipped, or misaligned. Many people we treat at Medora Dental Care experience negative self-image as a result of less-than-ideal teeth. Whether your teeth came in crooked during childhood or you chipped a tooth in an accident, veneers may be a solution for you.

Patients who’ve chosen veneers often rave about the results. Veneers can transform your smile into the one you’ve always wanted—bright, white, and properly aligned. Our staff in Abbotsford work to match the color of your veneers precisely to the color of your natural teeth. Even your best friends and family won’t be able to tell the difference. If you have unsightly chips or cracks, veneers cover them up as well. Further, veneers preserve most of your natural teeth, especially when compared to other cosmetic dentistry solutions like dental implants. Plus, veneers are stain-resistant!

With proper upkeep, veneers from Medora Dental Care will last you quite a while. Most porcelain veneers have a lifespan between five and ten years, but some can last up to 15 or more. If you opt for the less expensive composite resin veneers, expect them to last three to five years on average.

Before you decide on veneers, you and your Abbotsford dentist will need to determine if you’re a good candidate. If you have significant tooth decay, veneers likely aren’t the solution for you. In these cases, it’s best to take care of the tooth decay itself rather than attempting to cover it up. Fortunately, the dentists at Medora Dental Care can help you remove your tooth decay with our extended family dentistry services. Besides tooth decay, you may want to reconsider veneers if you tend to grind your teeth. Your dentist may approve of your veneers, but they may also prescribe a mouthguard to keep you from damaging the veneers during the night.

Have you decided on veneers? Learn more about the three-step procedure to getting the smile you’ve always wanted. Your first visit to Medora Dental Care in Abbotsford, BC involves a consultation with our knowledgeable team. We’ll evaluate your oral condition and take x-rays. At your second visit, we’ll remove a small portion of your tooth, take an impression to be sent to a dental lab, and place temporary veneers. The final step to your new smile takes place at a third appointment. Now, your dentist will remove the temporary veneer and bond the permanent veneers to your teeth. Congratulations! Your smile is good as new.

Like with any dental procedure, there is some maintenance involved after the fact. Fortunately, this aftercare isn’t tedious or difficult. You’ll want to avoid potentially damaging hard, crunchy foods while eating with your new veneers. Your Abbotsford dentist may also recommend a mouthguard to protect the veneers from teeth grinding at night. Besides these two measures, regular brushing and flossing is the only other care you’ll need to complete for your veneers. On very rare occasions, veneers can detach from your natural tooth. Should this happen, be sure to contact Medora Dental Care right away.

When a patient struggles to relax during a dental procedure like a root canal or tooth extraction, they may request IV sedation. Your Abbotsford, BC dentist will inject a sedative into your veins, which will then relax your muscles and put you in a sleep-like state. IV sedation doesn’t truly cause a patient to fall asleep, but it does result in a semi-awake state. This way, patients aren’t fearful of the procedure and have little memory of it once completed.

The team at Medora Dental Care recommends IV sedation to patients for several different reasons. Most often, we use IV sedation with our Abbotsford patients who have a phobia of the dentist. Typically, these patients need more than simple laughing gas to calm down. In some cases, all patients will be subject to IV sedation. This may be the case if patients are scheduled for longer operation with lots of complexity. Procedures such as dental implants, tooth extraction, and mouth reconstruction will likely use IV sedation to ensure the comfort of the patient.

If you plan on receiving IV sedation, you’ll need to take a few steps in preparation for your visit to our dental clinic in Abbotsford, BC. Be sure to not eat or drink for eight hours leading up to your appointment with Medora Dental Care. If you need to take additional precautions before your procedure, your dentist will give you more thorough instructions.

Our patients at Medora Dental Care find several benefits from requesting IV sedation during their dental procedure, no matter the complexity. During the procedure, they have little to no sense of smell or sound, and as a result, experience very little anxiety amid the treatment. After completing the procedure, most of our patients discover they remember almost nothing about the procedure itself. IV sedation is especially beneficial for those undergoing prolonged operations, as patients have no sense of time when sedated. We hope to offer IV sedation also improves our patients’ perception of family dentistry as a whole and shows them it’s possible to have an anxiety-free experience at the dentist.

At Medora Dental Care, we often notice some confusion about the difference between IV sedation and general anesthesia. However, the two relaxation methods are quite different. General anesthesia puts patients in a deep sleep, while patients undergoing IV sedation are awake for the duration of the procedure. IV sedation puts patients in a semi-awake state, but they remain conscious. Further, general anesthesia requires breathing support and heart rate monitoring, whereas IV sedation is safe with only supervision from your Abbotsford dentist.

IV sedation is safe for almost all our patients in Abbotsford, BC. We ask patients to share their medical history with the team at Medora Dental Care so we can tell if IV sedation will cause complications based on prior health conditions. Elderly people are the most likely to experience negative effects, but we can often avoid these with smaller doses. All patients choosing to undergo IV sedation are monitored closely for the duration of the treatment.

Unfortunately, after IV sedation you will not be able to drive yourself home. Whether you’ve had a tooth extraction or porcelain crown placed, using IV sedation means you’ll come away from the procedure groggy. We want to promote the safety of all our patients in Abbotsford, BC, so we ask for you to make plans for a family member or friend to pick you up when finished. While you’ll be unable to drive, you will remain alert. If you have any further questions about IV sedation, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Medora Dental Care.

Pill sedation is a method of relaxing dental patients using medication. Typically, dental offices use a sedative pill called Triazolam. This medication used at Medora Dental Care is fast-acting and works for around two hours after ingestion. Patients only need to place the pill under their tongue and let it dissolve. Soon, patients become relaxed enough to undergo their root canal or another dental procedure. Pill sedation is popular for its high effectiveness and ease of use for patients.

Pill sedation doesn’t truly put you to sleep like general anesthesia. While some dentists in Abbotsford consult with anesthesiologists for some procedures, pill sedation doesn’t require someone with their expertise. Although you won’t be unconscious for the duration of the dental procedure, you won’t be aware of the procedure either.

There are countless reasons to take advantage of pill sedation in the dentist’s office. At Medora Dental Care, many of our patients choose pill sedation because of a fear of needles associated with IV sedation. Others have had traumatic experiences with the dentist before and fear another negative scenario. Yet other Abbotsford patients use pill sedation because of sensitive teeth, a strong dislike of the sounds and smells in a dentist’s office, and gag reflexes. Let your dentist know if you have any questions about whether sedation dentistry is right for you.

Definitely! Medora Dental Care often recommends pill sedation for patients who are concerned about their gag reflex hampering our ability to perform a tooth extraction or another procedure. Most patients find their gag reflex is virtually eliminated under pill sedation and generally have a more positive experience at the dentist.

Before your appointment, our Abbotsford patients need to make sure to avoid a few things to best prepare for pill sedation. Refrain from eating or drinking beginning at 7 PM the night before your visit to Medora Dental Care. We also ask you to stay away from caffeine and smoking for at least 12 hours before your appointment and avoid alcohol for 24 hours prior. Be sure to ask a family member or friend to drive you home from your dental appointment. This form of sedation will leave you groggy and unable to drive. Your safety is paramount to us at Medora Dental Care and following these simple instructions will help us to ensure a safe procedure.

Many patients we see in Abbotsford, BC are concerned about how they will feel after pill sedation. We understand you’re busy and don’t have time to be out of commission all day. Good news—patients who have undergone pill sedation typically feel back to normal after the procedure. You’ll likely have no memory of the procedure, but other than that, patients usually feel perfectly fine. However, we still discourage patients from driving themselves home.

As with most medical procedures, patients may experience side effects. Some of our patients report getting hiccups after the procedure. However, these typically only last a few minutes. Other patients who have received treatment at Medora Dental Care experience a case of dry mouth during or after the procedure. Because they can happen while you’re still sedated, many patients don’t have any memory of the side effects either.

Pill sedation is very safe for almost all of our patients. At Medora Dental Care, we’ll ask for a thorough medical history before subjecting you to pill sedation. Sometimes certain medical conditions make patients a poor candidate for sedation. If this is the case, we’ll work with you to come up with another solution. Please be upfront with our staff as we ensure you’ll be completely safe during the procedure. Ready to schedule your appointment? Contact our Abbotsford, BC dental office today.