16th Avenue Dental

Yes, we are always happy to welcome new patients to 16th Avenue Dental. Give us a call to schedule your first appointment.

We recommend calling 403-282-9141 first so we can prepare a room for you, but we do prioritize same-day requests for patients in pain. Calling ahead helps minimize your wait time and ensures we have a dentist available to see you immediately upon arrival.

Absolutely! We enjoy seeing kids and being part of their growth. Our team is great at alleviating stress and fear for our younger patients.

At 16th Avenue Dental, we strictly follow the specific codes in the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. A specific emergency exam (Code 01205) is billed according to the current provincial standard, ensuring you pay a fair and regulated rate.

Dr. Cathy Zhao is fluent in Mandarin and understands Cantonese, allowing us to serve a diverse range of patients.

Please check our current operating hours. If we are closed and you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms—such as severe facial swelling affecting your breathing or major trauma—please visit the nearest hospital emergency room.

Yes, several of our dentists, including Dr. Zhao, Dr. Huang, and Dr. Lo, are certified Invisalign providers.

In most cases, yes. Most dental insurance plans classify emergency examinations, X-rays, and immediate pain relief (such as fillings, root canals, or extractions) as 'Basic' or 'Routine' restorative services. These are typically covered at a higher percentage than major cosmetic procedures.

We are located at 16 Vogell Road, Units I&J in Richmond Hill, just west from Hwy 404 and 16th Avenue.

We always prioritize saving your natural tooth. We typically recommend extraction only when a tooth is 'non-restorable' – meaning it is too damaged by decay, trauma, or gum disease to be fixed with a filling or crown. We use digital X-rays to confirm if removal is the healthiest option for you.

No, the procedure itself should not be painful. We use powerful local anesthesia to completely numb the area before we begin. You may feel a sensation of pressure or pushing as the tooth is loosened, but you should not feel sharp pain.

Most patients feel 'back to normal' within 48 to 72 hours. However, the socket itself takes a few weeks to fully heal. You should plan to rest for the rest of the day following your appointment and avoid strenuous activity for at least 2-3 days.

Tooth extraction costs vary depending on tooth complexity, such as a simple loose tooth versus an impacted wisdom tooth. At 16th Avenue Dental, pricing strictly follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide for fairness and standardization—simple extractions (erupted teeth) at $174.55 CAD and surgical ones (complicated cases) at $314.75 CAD per the 2026 guide. Contact us for a personalized assessment, including X-rays if needed, along with a precise quote and insurance pre-authorization before treatment.

For the first few days, stick to a soft food diet. Good options include yogurt, lukewarm soup, pudding, mashed potatoes, and smoothies. Important: Do not use a straw, as the suction can cause a painful condition called Dry Socket.

Call us immediately at 403-282-9141 if you experience uncontrollable bleeding, severe swelling that worsens after 3 days, fever, or a throbbing pain that radiates to your ear (a sign of Dry Socket).

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different things. TMJ stands for the Temporomandibular Joint—the actual hinge connecting your jaw to your skull. TMD stands for Temporomandibular Disorders, which is the medical term for the condition where this joint or the surrounding muscles are inflamed, painful, or dysfunctional. Essentially, you have a TMJ, but you may suffer from TMD.

Not necessarily. A night guard is primarily a protective device. Its main job is to prevent your upper and lower teeth from touching, which saves your enamel from wearing down and prevents cracks. While the guard guides your jaw into a more relaxed position (which can reduce the intensity of clenching), it does not always stop the brain from sending the signal to grind. For patients who continue to clench heavily while wearing a guard, we may recommend therapeutic Botox® to relax the muscles directly.

We generally advise against this for TMJ patients. Over-the-counter 'boil-and-bite' guards are often made of soft, rubbery materials. While they cover the teeth, this soft texture can actually trigger a 'chewing reflex' in some patients, causing them to clench more during sleep. Additionally, if the fit is not precise, it can shift your bite and worsen jaw joint pain. A custom dental splint is made of durable, medical-grade material designed specifically to stabilize the joint, not just cover the teeth.

In mild cases, particularly those caused by temporary stress or a minor injury, symptoms may resolve with rest and home care (such as soft diets and warm compresses). However, for patients experiencing chronic clicking, locking (trismus), or persistent headaches, the condition rarely resolves without professional intervention. Ignoring long-term symptoms can lead to permanent joint damage or accelerated tooth wear, so early assessment is recommended.

Because TMD is often a chronic condition rather than a simple infection, treatment is usually a process of management rather than a 'quick fix.' Many patients feel relief from acute pain within a few weeks of using a custom splint or receiving therapeutic Botox®. However, achieving long-term stability may require ongoing maintenance, such as wearing your night guard while sleeping or performing daily jaw exercises.