General Dentistry in Kamloops

Most of what keeps your teeth healthy isn't dramatic. It's a cleaning twice a year, a filling caught before it becomes a problem, a crown or molar that's been through a lot. That everyday work is general dentistry, and it's the majority of what we do at our clinic on Fortune Drive.

Fortune Dental & Implant Centre has served Kamloops' North Shore from the same location for more than 45 years. We look after whole families - kids in for a first checkup, parents in for a cleaning, grandparents in for a denture adjustment - and we handle nearly everything under one roof, so you're rarely referred across town.

And if dental visits make you uneasy, say so. Sedation is available for any procedure on this page, from a routine filling to a wisdom tooth extraction.

A checkup and cleaning every six months is the least expensive dentistry you will ever pay for. Our registered dental hygienists remove the plaque and hardened tartar a toothbrush can't reach, polish the tooth surfaces, and check your gums for early signs of trouble. Your dentist then examines your teeth, bite and soft tissues, and takes X-rays when they're due. If we find something, you'll hear what it is, what your options are, and what it costs before anything gets booked.

Fillings repair a tooth once decay has been removed. We offer tooth-coloured composite fillings, which blend in with natural enamel, as well as traditional silver amalgam. Most fillings take a single appointment of under an hour, and the area is fully frozen first — you'll feel pressure and vibration, not pain. Catching a cavity while it's small usually means a filling. Waiting often means a crown or a root canal instead.

A crown is a cap that covers a tooth completely, restoring its shape and strength after a large filling, a crack, or a root canal. Crowns can be made from all-ceramic, ceramic fused to metal, or all-metal. Which one we recommend depends on where the tooth sits and how much force it takes when you chew: back teeth need strength, front teeth need to look natural. We'll walk you through the trade-offs before we start.

For further information, check our useful links section.

Complete and partial dentures replace missing teeth and restore your ability to eat and speak comfortably. The process normally runs four to five appointments over four to six weeks, because getting the fit right takes time. We'll be straight with you about the trade-offs: upper complete dentures generally fit and function well, while lower complete dentures can be harder to stabilize, particularly where bone support has been lost. If that's your situation, implant-supported dentures are worth discussing before you commit.

For further information, check our useful links section.

A root canal saves a tooth whose nerve has become infected or has died — usually the source of that deep, throbbing ache. We open a small access hole, clean out the infected tissue, then seal the space with gutta-percha, a rubber-like filling material. The reputation is worse than the reality: with modern freezing it feels much like having a filling done, and the relief afterward is immediate. We also re-treat root canals done elsewhere that haven't healed as they should.

For further information, check our useful links section.

A bridge replaces a missing tooth without surgery. The teeth on either side of the gap are prepared to take crowns, with an artificial tooth fixed permanently between them. Unlike a partial denture, a bridge stays put. If you'd rather not alter the neighbouring teeth, a dental implant may suit you better — we place those in this office too, and we're happy to compare the two options for your situation.

For further information, check our useful links section.

We offer in-office whitening as well as take-home kits with custom-fitted trays. The take-home option works more gradually and gives you control over the final shade. Whitening isn't right for everyone — significant sensitivity or untreated decay need to be dealt with first — so we start with a short assessment. It's also worth knowing that whitening won't change the colour of existing crowns, veneers or fillings, which is something to plan around if you're considering both.

For further information, check our useful links section.

Sometimes a tooth can't be saved, or wisdom teeth come in at an angle and crowd everything around them. We perform routine extractions and surgical wisdom tooth removal in-office, with or without sedation depending on how you feel about it. You'll go home with clear aftercare instructions and a number to call if anything doesn't feel right.

For further information, check our useful links section.