Encore Dental Clinic

Custom-fitted mouth guards at Encore Dental are fabricated from precise dental impressions taken directly in the clinic, producing a fit that is categorically more protective and comfortable than anything available off a pharmacy shelf. Night guards are designed for patients who grind or clench their teeth during sleep — a habit known as bruxism that can quietly wear down enamel, crack existing restorations, and strain the temporomandibular joint over time. Dr. Denise Lu, Dr. Jiya Jung, and Dr. John Kim each assess a patient's degree of grinding, bite force, and any existing tooth wear before selecting the appropriate guard material and thickness, and the finished guard is adjusted at a follow-up fitting to ensure a stable, comfortable bite. Sports guards are fabricated using the same impression process and are customized for the specific demands of each athlete's sport — allowing clear communication, comfortable breathing, and a secure fit that stays in place during contact. Unlike boil-and-bite alternatives, a custom sports guard from Encore Dental distributes impact forces evenly across the arch, significantly reducing the risk of tooth fractures, lip lacerations, and concussions. Both types of guards can be ordered with Saturday morning or Tuesday evening appointments, and the clinic recommends having guards checked and potentially replaced every one to two years as teeth and bite patterns can shift over time.

Custom dental crowns at Encore Dental are crafted from high-quality tooth-coloured porcelain and are used to restore teeth that have been significantly damaged by decay, fracture, large old fillings, or root canal therapy. The process begins with a consultation where the treating dentist — Dr. Denise Lu, Dr. Jiya Jung, or Dr. John Kim — reviews digital X-rays and, where applicable, a 3D scan of the tooth to determine the best approach. At the first appointment the tooth is shaped, an impression or digital scan is taken, and a well-fitted temporary crown is placed to protect the tooth while the permanent restoration is fabricated at the dental laboratory. The permanent crown is seated and permanently bonded at a second appointment, typically two to three weeks later, with final adjustments made to ensure the bite feels completely natural. A well-made crown placed at Encore Dental is designed to last 15 to 20 years or more with proper home care and regular checkups, and patients are encouraged to maintain their usual recall schedule to monitor the crown margin over time. The clinic's TVs and headphones in every treatment room make the crown preparation appointment — which can run 60 to 90 minutes — noticeably more comfortable, and the extended Tuesday evening hours provide a convenient slot for patients who work during the day.

Dental sealants are one of the most effective and underutilized preventive tools available, and the team at Encore Dental has been recommending them to families in Port Coquitlam for nearly three decades. The procedure involves painting a thin, tooth-coloured resin coating into the deep pits and fissures of the back molars and premolars — the areas where toothbrush bristles simply cannot reach — to create a smooth, bacteria-resistant surface. No needles, no drilling, and no discomfort: the entire process for all applicable teeth takes only a few minutes and can be completed during a routine cleaning appointment. Sealants are most commonly applied to children's and teenagers' newly erupted permanent molars, which are at the highest risk of developing cavities in the years immediately after eruption. Adults with deep grooves or a history of pit-and-fissure decay can also benefit, and the team at Encore Dental assesses candidacy as part of each routine exam. A well-applied sealant can provide up to 10 years of protection and is a cost-effective investment compared to the expense of filling a cavity in the same tooth later on. Encore Dental's Saturday hours make it especially convenient for parents to bring school-age children in for sealant application without pulling them out of class.

Encore Dental exclusively uses tooth-coloured composite resin fillings rather than traditional metal amalgam, a choice the clinic made based on both aesthetics and the structural advantages of modern bonding technology. Composite material is matched precisely to the patient's existing tooth shade and bonds directly to the tooth surface, which means less healthy enamel needs to be removed during cavity preparation compared to older amalgam techniques. The procedure is completed in a single appointment: the area is comfortably numbed, decay is carefully removed and the cavity disinfected, the composite is applied in thin layers and cured with a light, then shaped and polished to a natural finish. For patients who need a filling but dread the dentist's chair, Encore Dental's treatment rooms are equipped with TVs and headphones, and the team — including Dr. Jiya Jung, who is known for her exceptionally gentle technique — takes time to ensure every patient feels informed and at ease before starting. The clinic's extended Tuesday hours until 7:00 pm and Saturday availability mean most patients can schedule restorative work without taking time off. Composite fillings placed at Encore Dental are durable, mercury-free, and aesthetically seamless, and with proper home care they can last many years before replacement is needed.

Root canal therapy at Encore Dental is performed with a calm, step-by-step approach designed to relieve pain rather than cause it — a distinction the team works hard to communicate to patients who arrive anxious about the procedure. Thorough local anaesthesia is administered before any instruments are used, and the dentist waits until the patient confirms they are completely comfortable before beginning. The infected or inflamed pulp tissue is removed using specialized rotary instruments and disinfecting irrigants, the canals are shaped and sealed with biocompatible gutta-percha, and a temporary filling is placed while the tooth heals. A protective crown is typically recommended at a follow-up appointment to restore full strength and function to the treated tooth, since teeth that have undergone root canal therapy can become more brittle over time without a crown covering them. Dr. John Kim, who leads more complex surgical and restorative cases at Encore Dental, oversees root canal procedures alongside the rest of the team, and oral sedation is available for patients whose anxiety goes beyond what local anaesthetic alone can address. The TVs and headphones in every treatment room at the clinic provide an additional layer of comfort during what is often a longer appointment, and the team follows up with patients after treatment to make sure recovery is progressing smoothly.

Encore Dental uses fully digital radiography throughout the clinic, which produces a fraction of the radiation of traditional film X-rays while delivering sharper, instantly viewable images. The dentist can pull up X-rays on the operatory screen within seconds and walk the patient through exactly what they are looking at — a practice the team has refined over nearly three decades of care in Port Coquitlam. Hidden inter-proximal cavities, early bone loss, root abnormalities, and impacted teeth all become visible with digital radiographs in ways that even thorough clinical examination cannot achieve on its own. X-rays at Encore Dental are ordered on a case-by-case basis guided by each patient's oral health history and current risk level, rather than taken automatically at every visit. New patients typically receive a full-mouth series or panoramic image to establish a diagnostic baseline, while established patients may only need bitewing X-rays at their recall appointments. Dr. John Kim also uses cone beam CT imaging for implant surgery planning, giving the team a precise three-dimensional picture of bone density and anatomy before any surgical procedure begins.

Encore Dental has been delivering comprehensive dental exams to Port Coquitlam families since 1996, and that long history means the team genuinely knows their patients rather than meeting them fresh at every visit. Each exam covers a thorough visual inspection of teeth, gums, and oral soft tissues; a bite and alignment assessment; oral cancer screening; and a review of medical history that can affect oral health. Dr. Denise Lu, Dr. Jiya Jung, and Dr. John Kim each bring their own clinical strengths to the exam process, and findings are reviewed chairside using the clinic's digital imaging and 3D scanner so patients can see exactly what the dentist sees. Exam frequency is tailored to each patient's risk profile rather than applied as a blanket rule — most healthy adults and children are scheduled every six months, while those with active gum disease, a history of frequent cavities, or complex restorative work may be seen more often. The clinic's extended Tuesday hours until 7:00 pm and Saturday morning availability mean working adults and school-age children rarely have to sacrifice a weekday to stay current with their exams. Early detection is central to the Encore Dental philosophy: catching a small issue at a routine exam is almost always simpler and less costly than treating a problem that has been allowed to progress.