Everyday dentistry, done properly
The routine appointments that keep everything else from becoming complicated, for you and for everyone in your household.
We're always accepting new patients
Seven Sails is open to new patients of every age, across Nanaimo and central Vancouver Island. No waitlist, no referral, no barrier to getting started.
If it's been a long time since your last appointment, please read that as an invitation rather than a warning. We don't lecture. Whatever the state of things, we've almost certainly seen it before, and the only conversation worth having is about what happens next.
Routine and preventive care
Comprehensive exams and imaging
A full examination of your teeth, gums, bite and soft tissue, supported by digital radiographs and intraoral photography. We'll show you what we see on the screen rather than describing it at you.
Professional cleaning
Scaling and air polishing to remove plaque, tartar and stain, including from the areas a toothbrush has never once reached.
Oral cancer screening
Included in every comprehensive exam, never sold as an extra. Early detection is the single largest factor in oral cancer outcomes, and it takes us about ninety seconds.
Fillings
Tooth-coloured composite restorations, placed conservatively. With the Solea laser, most fillings can be completed without freezing, which means no numb afternoon and, for many patients, no needle at all.
Extractions
Simple and surgical extractions, including wisdom teeth, with PRF available to support faster healing. Where a tooth can be saved, we'll always tell you what saving it would involve before we discuss removing it.
Periodontal (gum) disease treatment
Gum disease is the most common reason adults lose teeth, and it's usually painless until it's advanced. We screen for it at every exam, and treat it with scaling, root planing and advanced laser-assisted periodontal therapy where appropriate.
Air polishing, a genuinely better cleaning
Most dental cleanings in Nanaimo are still done the way they've been done for decades: scaling, then a gritty paste and a rubber cup.
We use air polishing instead. A precisely controlled spray of fine powder, air and water lifts stain and biofilm away from the tooth surface, along the gumline, and out of the grooves and spaces a scaler or a cup physically can't reach.
What patients notice is that it's faster and considerably more comfortable: no scraping sensation, no pressure, and much less of the sensitivity that follows a traditional cleaning. What we notice is that it's more thorough, and gentler on enamel and existing restorations.
How often should I come in?
For most people, every six months. If you're managing gum disease, smoke, have diabetes or are prone to decay, we may recommend three- or four-month intervals. That's a clinical judgment, not a sales target, and we'll always explain our reasoning.
What your hygienist is watching for
Your hygienist usually spends more time with you than anyone else in the practice, and is often the first to notice a change: early decay, receding gums, an unusual patch of tissue, signs of grinding, a restoration beginning to fail. Prevention isn't a lesser form of dentistry. It's the part that decides how much of the other kind you'll ever need.
Restorative dentistry
Rebuilding what's been damaged, designed digitally and in many cases made in our own lab.
Crowns and bridges
A crown rebuilds a tooth that's too damaged for a filling. A bridge replaces a missing tooth using the teeth on either side. Both are designed digitally and, in many cases, produced in our on-site lab, which means fewer appointments and a better fit.
Root canal treatment
Root canal treatment has a reputation it no longer deserves. It removes infection from inside a tooth and saves a tooth that would otherwise be lost. Using the Solea laser, we can clean root canal systems more accurately and efficiently than conventional instruments alone: a more thorough result, in less time, with less discomfort.
Bone grafting
Where bone has been lost to infection, injury or long-term tooth loss, grafting rebuilds the foundation needed to support an implant. We perform bone grafting in-house.
Cosmetic dentistry
The best aesthetic result is usually the one that removes the least healthy tooth structure.
So we take a conservative approach. We begin with the least invasive option that will genuinely achieve what you're after, and we're honest when a treatment isn't worth what it would cost you in enamel.
GLO professional whitening
The GLO system combines a hydrogen peroxide gel with LED blue light and gentle, controlled warmth. Together they speed up the gel's action, so you get better results in less time. And because the mouthpiece is closed, the gel stays where it's meant to, which significantly reduces the sensitivity people associate with whitening.
Available as a supervised in-practice treatment, a take-home kit, or a combination of the two.
Crown and bridge for aesthetic restoration
Where a front tooth is damaged, discoloured or worn, a well-designed crown can restore both appearance and function. Designed digitally, matched to your surrounding teeth, and in many cases produced in our on-site lab.
In pain? Call us first.
If you have a severe toothache, a broken or knocked-out tooth, a lost crown or filling, facial swelling, or an injury to your mouth, phone the practice. We keep time in the schedule for urgent care and will do everything we can to see you quickly.
You don't need to be an existing patient of Seven Sails to be seen in an emergency.
What counts as a dental emergency?
- Severe or persistent tooth pain, particularly pain that wakes you at night
- Swelling of the face, jaw or gums, which can indicate infection and should be treated urgently
- A knocked-out permanent tooth: keep it moist in milk or saliva and call immediately
- A broken, cracked or chipped tooth
- A lost filling or crown
- Bleeding that doesn't stop
- Something lodged painfully between teeth
Common questions
Yes. We see patients of every age, and children are welcome as part of a family. We're a general practice rather than a paediatric specialist office, so for children who need sedation or specialised paediatric care, we'll refer you to a colleague who does that work all day long.
Yes, to all major insurers. Most patients pay only their portion at the end of the appointment. How direct billing works
No. It's the single most common thing patients apologise for, and it's never necessary. We're interested in where things stand today and what you'd like to do about it.
Yes, wherever the schedule allows. Just let us know when you book.