Michael Frey received his Doctorate of Dental Medicine from the Boston University School of Dentistry in the US and practiced for most of his career in Tucson, Arizona before moving with his family to New Zealand in 2003, practicing in Nelson on the South Island. A visit to Queensland in 2007 brought them permanently across the Tasman and they settled in Bundaberg, opening Michael Frey Dental in February, 2008, after falling in love with the beautiful location and the supportive community.

On his webpage Michael has the phrase – “thoughtful dental solutions” – and this sums up very well his attitude to his patients and his overall philosophy about what dental treatment should achieve. He believes that no one should be pressured into undertaking a dental procedure that is not in their long-term interest. Michael asks his patients for their personal goals regarding their dental treatment, and gives them options that will move them in that direction.

“I never feel intimidated when I visit Michael, because he always explains everything and gives me choices. This is important to me, because as a retiree, what I want for my dental treatment may be completely different to what a young person would like. The cost is always important, as I am on a fixed income, so I can’t just splash out and have a whole range of things done. Just the basics to keep me healthy are what I am after.”

Microscopic dentistry, air abrasion and digital x-rays are just some of the modern techniques and equipment that Michael has introduced into his practice. Air abrasion, for example, is a method of removing decayed material from teeth without the use of the dreaded drill. It is especially suitable for children and people who fear having fillings, and provided the decay is in its very early stages, it is an almost painless method of preparing a tooth for a small filling.

Michael believes that keeping up to date with new technology is his responsibility as a dental professional. Everything is moving quickly these days with new techniques and equipment available that utilize the best of computer and laser technology. Michael Frey Dental's philosophy is that his patients deserve the most effective treatments available, and if that involves new technology, he will not hesitate to introduce it to his surgery.

“I am such a squib when it comes to my teeth, that I always attend my six monthly checkups so any problems can be nipped in the bud. I was horrified when Michael found early decay, and I imagined the drill boring through my tooth. When he showed me the air abrasion technique I thought - You beauty. That’ll do me. Fancy getting that treatment at a dentists Bundaberg!”

New patients are invited to visit the web page and download the Medical History form and the Patient Information form so they can fill it out before their appointment, saving them the time and hassle of having to fill out both forms while they are sitting in the surgery. These little touches are part of the commitment to patient service that Michael Frey Dental and his staff work hard to deliver.

Bundaberg has gained a dedicated, experienced dental professional with a long-term commitment to the area and to his patients. Michael reserves longer appointments than average so that you can discuss your concerns and your treatment. You can’t get better than that.

Brush your teeth every day! We all hear about the basics of Dental Hygiene and preventing cavities, but how much do we know beyond the basics? Plaque build up on the teeth is what softens the enamel and causes cavities, but what causes plaque and how can we avoid it? Plaque build up is what occurs when bacteria stick to the teeth and create colonies that harden into plaque. There are many types of bacteria that live in our mouths, some beneficial and others that are not. Effective brushing is what helps to keep bacterial colonies at bay by removing their food source i.e.; leftover food particles from what we eat.

The bacteria that make plaque on our teeth thrive on foods that are sugary and foods that stick on around and in between the teeth surfaces. Ideally we need to brush after every meal, but as this isn’t always possible then there are other things we can do to minimize the opportunities for bacteria to grow. Eating a piece of fruit such as an apple is great for a cleansing effect in the mouth, helping clear away other food debris and gently cleaning tooth surfaces. Choosing to snack on nuts or carrot and celery sticks along with some cheese is great because you are increasing your vitamin and calcium intake as well as avoiding the pitfalls of sweet snacks.

Chewing gums that are sugar free help cleanse food particles out of the teeth after eating as well as bringing acid levels back down with the production of saliva cleansing the mouth.

Regular six monthly visits to your Bundaberg Dentist for scaling and cleaning of the teeth is a great way to not only keep your teeth clean but will also prevent cavities that will require dental visits for fillings and more. Prevention really is better than cure when it comes to good dental hygiene.

When brushing your teeth, use a soft to medium bristle brush, never a hard bristle as these can damage tooth enamel surfaces and also cause tiny abrasions on the gums. It is important that your brushing technique covers the gums around the teeth as well to cleanse away bacteria. Use toothpaste if you can but if you run out, then baking soda and water also give a great clean. Mouth washes are very useful for helping cleanse the mouth and can help swish away food particles the brushing missed. Look for a mouth wash that is alcohol free. Flossing is the other vital ingredient for thoroughly cleaning around the teeth and helping to prevent bad breath. Flossing reaches into the spaces the brush cannot go and helps extract food particles as well as cleansing bacterial build up. Following these good hygiene practices will keep your teeth healthy for a life time.

Modern dentistry offers a wide range of processes and treatments to patients who present with all kinds of dental problems. The more common treatments that most of us encounter are cleaning, oral hygiene and filling any cavities that have appeared since the last visit. However, this was not always the case. In the past, much of a dentist’s work was to perform extractions, since oral hygiene was so little understood and practiced that most people had teeth that were beyond saving. A visit to the dentist happened when the patient could no longer stand the pain, and taking the tooth out was a relief.

Thankfully those days have long past, and there is a treatment for almost every situation. Again, thankfully, most dental treatments are relatively pain-free, as local anaesthetic is used for anything invasive like a filling, extraction or any other treatment that will cause discomfort to the patient. However, there are other treatments that require dental surgery and dentists these days are trained to perform most procedures.

A loose definition of dental surgery is any medical procedure that requires artificially modifying dentition through surgery of the teeth or jawbone. There are a number of different procedures that fall under this definition, the most common being endodontic i.e. surgery involving the root of the tooth, dental prosthodontics and orthodontics.

We know endodontic surgery under the more common expression of root canal, and involves invasion of the pulp chamber or root of the tooth, where several different procedures can be performed. Prosthodontics is not a term most of us would be familiar with, but includes commonly known procedures such as crowns, veneers, implants, dentures and other artificial devices designed to improve the appearance and performance of the teeth.

Crowns are typically a restoration technique to cover a tooth that has broken in part and is a method used to preserve the remaining tooth. Veneers, on the other hand, are a thin covering on the front teeth which improves their appearance. Dentures are false teeth, and implants are made of titanium and placed in the jaw for an artificial tooth to be attached, closing a gap.

Orthodontic treatment is something we most associate with wearing braces to straighten teeth that are growing in the wrong direction but also includes implants and extractions such as the practice of removing wisdom teeth which are likely to cause problems. Extensive work at a Bundaberg dental surgery may require a general anaesthetic and a short hospital stay, depending on the amount of work needed.

There are now few general treatments that most dentists are unable to perform, and for anything extensive, there are specialist roles that have developed in the profession over time. We are fortunate to have these skills and technologies available to us and we are in good hands.