Kyle Hornby

Dentist

77 Water Street North Kitchener ON, N2H 5A6 Show map

About
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About

At Enamel Republic (formerly Danube Dental Clinic), our Kitchener Dental Team has been providing award-winning Family and Emergency Dentistry in Kitchener-Waterloo for 40 years. Our Dental Office is located in the heart of Downtown Kitchener and we are proud to be owned by a local family that is serious about supporting the community. We have built a longstanding tradition of providing transparent care that is conservative and based on minimal intervention.

Our Kitchener Dentist keeps it simple: we only recommend treatment when it is absolutely necessary for keeping your teeth and gums in proper function. No fluff. No unnecessary extras. In an era of crafty marketing and high-pressure salesmanship, we take the opposite approach: full transparency, complete information, and unwavering support regardless of the treatment you choose. Rest assured, the Patient-First model of dental care is alive and well in Downtown Kitchener. That’s the Enamel Republic difference!

Education and Training

University of Western Ontario DDS 2012

Provider Details

MaleEnglish

Kyle Hornby

If I Use a Waterpik Do I Still Need to Floss?
Hi, I'm Kyle Hornby and I'm a Kitchener Dentist. I operate a dental clinic that has been a staple in Downtown Kitchener since 1977. Every week I write about 2-3 dental issues and answer commonly asked patient questions to help improve the dental content available to the public. This week, I'd like...
How to Keep Your Dental Implant Forever!
Ok, so dental implants...what are they and why are they so popular? Here are what I think are some pretty good answers to those questions.A dental implant includes a surgical screw that threads into your jawbone and a tooth crown that attaches to it. It's a tooth replacement solution and it's...

Do I need a filling for a chipped tooth?
You do not always need a filling to replace lost or chipped tooth structure. Oftentimes, it may be best to polish or smooth out small chipped areas so they are not sharp and to prevent irritation of surrounding soft tissues. Smoothing out small chips on front teeth may be a treatment of choice given that filling-based repairs often chip themselves. Patients can end up in a cycle of frequent repair on these fillings. Where a chip is larger and is possibly closer to the nerve or where the chip allows food and dental plaque accumulation, repair with a filling (or sometimes a dental crown) is advised. This will keep you from developing tooth decay and possibly infection of the dental pulp or nerve space. READ MORE
Can I drink coffee after a filling?
You can drink coffee after a filling but it is a good idea to wait for local anesthetic or "dental freezing" to wear off first. The heat from the coffee may cause some sensitivity with any treated tooth for a few days to a week post-treatment. After any filling (even shallow ones), your tooth's nerve is in an irritated state (this is called "reversible pulpitis" and means reversible inflammation of your dental pulp or nerve). This can lead to mild to severe temperature sensitivity that will typically resolve after a few days. So, while you can drink coffee after post-treatment numbness wears off, it might "zing" you for a few days. READ MORE
Should I rinse my mouth after eating after tooth extraction?
It is generally a good idea to rinse with salt water 2-3 times a day after tooth extraction. Rinsing after meals can also help to clear dental plaque and other irritants from the extraction site. At the same time vigorous rinsing and spitting out can disturb the fragile clot that seals the extraction site and forms the basis for early healing tissue. So, when you rinse, you'll want to do so gently and then let any excess drain into the sink. Rinsing post-meals while healing up from a tooth extraction is a good thing if done gently. READ MORE
What happens if a root canal gets infected?
If you've had a root canal treatment, and it's become infected again, this is just as serious as the abscess/infection you had that led to the need for initial root canal treatment. You will be best off contacting your Dentist to let them know. They will likely assess your tooth and provide antibiotics if you've suffered a relapse of infection after the initial root canal treatment. In some cases, there is the opportunity for re-treatment to clean the inside of canals again. An apicoectomy (which involves trimming the tips of the roots to eliminate infected tissue) may also be a possibility. In some cases, a re-infection cannot be treated and your Dentist may recommend extraction of your tooth. READ MORE
Do braces fix teeth permanently?
Braces can be used to improve the alignment of your teeth. However, your teeth will shift to some degree after orthodontic alignment with braces. This is called "relapse". After treatment, your Orthodontist will provide retainers to minimize shifting post-treatment. Shifting will still occur, typically to a small degree, but wearing retainers will minimize shifting to preserve the alignment you've achieved with braces! READ MORE
Can you get a bridge on the front teeth?
Generally, you can place a dental bridge anywhere if you have one or more healthy, well-supported neighbouring teeth to a dental extraction site. If you have healthy teeth on either side of your missing teeth, you're probably a good candidate for a dental bridge. Depending on how well-anchored those neighbouring teeth are, you may need to use one on each side to anchor your bridge (canines are bulky, have long roots and are good teeth for holding a bridge...lateral incisors are much smaller and therefore aren't). In some cases you might need to anchor your bridge to more than one tooth on each side of your missing tooth. Your best bet is to have a Dentist assess your neighbouring teeth for suitability as bridge anchors (also known as "abutment teeth"). READ MORE
Is jaw surgery necessary for overbite?
The necessity for jaw surgery in cases of jaw discrepancy between top and bottom (maxilla and mandible, respectively) depends on your age. If you are 10-15 years of age, you can typically restrict the growth of whichever jaw (upper or lower) is overgrown or further forward. In the case of an overbite (or "overjet"), your upper jaw is out in front of your lower jaw. If you are still developing skeletally, you could use headgear to restrict or slow the growth of the upper jaw. This way, your mandible or lower jaw, can catch up. If you are an adult, skeletal growth is complete. At this point, you can only move teeth. In cases of a dramatic jaw discrepancy you can only partially correct because of an inability to modulate skeletal growth. In these cases, with adults, the only way you can modify skeletal relation between your upper and lower jaw is to perform surgery. READ MORE
Does Invisalign turn teeth yellow?
There is no evidence demonstrating that Invisalign treatment turns teeth yellow. Invisalign utilizes plastic aligners that interact with your teeth by fitting onto bonded "buttons". The buttons are made of filling material and have different shapes to facilitate different types of tooth movement (shifting, tipping, rotation). During treatment, you'll need to be fastidious and diligent about cleaning your teeth, paying special attention to the perimeter of these bonded buttons. If dental plaque sits in these areas over time, your enamel can become demineralized. This may cause chalky areas that are white, brown, yellow or orange. So, Invisalign itself can't turn teeth yellow. However, accumulation of dental plaque and ensuing demineralization can lead to changes in the appearance of your teeth. So, during Invisalign treatment, you'll need to be even more diligent about eradicating dental plaque from the surfaces of your teeth! READ MORE
What helps blood clot after tooth extraction?
Generally, you want to achieve a good clot after tooth extraction. Sometimes you can experience post-operative bleeding or a "re-bleed" hours after your extraction. Here are a few tips to help keep a good blood clot in place: 1. Biting down on gauze to create pressure and slow blood flow at the procedure site. 2. Avoiding strenuous activity that might increase blood pressure and the risk of a re-bleed. 3. Avoiding negative pressure activities like drinking through a straw or smoking cigarettes. These kinds of activities can cause an existing, healthy blood clot to dislodge from the extraction socket. READ MORE
What are the treatment options for swollen gums?
The #1 cause of swollen gums is inflammation due to dental plaque and contaminants. The best first course of action for swollen gums is brushing and flossing daily, +/- use of a Waterpik. You can also swish with salt water on a nightly basis. Doing this for 2 weeks consistently should bring down gum swelling and inflammation. If this routine does not help, your swollen gums may be related to pregnancy, a systemic health condition such as Diabetes or possible related to medications you are taking. Mouth breathing can also lead to swollen and inflamed gums. Start with the increased brushing and flossing with intermittent salt water rinses, and then see what kind of results you get! READ MORE
How long should a deep filling hurt?
A deep filling is one that is close to or right at the nerve. Generally, we would expect some soreness or pain after repair of a deep cavity. Your nerve needs time to heal. However, you should notice an improvement in symptoms/pain every day or so if your nerve is doing well. If you wait for 5-7 days, and there is no improvement in symptoms, this could be a sign that your nerve is not going to heal or "settle down". Given that the only alternative is root canal treatment, we often encourage patients to wait 2-3 weeks if they can manage it to give a proper amount of time for nerve healing. Post-filling symptoms are due to inflammation and so NSAID medications (such as ibuprofen) tend to be superior in providing comfort when compared to Tylenol. Of course, you'll want to make sure that you can safely take NSAIDs like Ibuprofen first. READ MORE
Do you have to go to the dentist for a dry socket?
You'll indeed want to see your Dentist if you're experiencing Dry Socket, or Fibrinolytic Alveolitis. Either the clot has fallen out or failed to form. This clot is the seed for healing tissue and so, without it, you'll not build proper healing tissue at the extraction site. Your Dentist will typically re-numb the area, and scrape the socket walls to stimulate bleeding which will help to generate a new blood clot. The intense pain of dry socket derives from nerve fiber endings which are no longer covered by the protective clot. This means you'll likely experience a constant ache and this may get worse when you breathe air in through your mouth or when you eat or drink. Give your Dentist a call and let them know that you think you might have Dry Socket so they can help you out. READ MORE
Do you need anesthesia for cavity filling?
Local anesthesia or "Dental Freezing" is a good idea prior to your cavity repair/treatment. Some patient do well to tolerate the pain that comes with cavity repair without local anesthetic, however, many people appreciate the ability to relax knowing that they'll be numb. Also, there seems to be an idea out there that treatment is less expensive if you forego dental freezing. The use of dental freezing does not affect the cost of treatment so, go ahead and treat yourself to numbness and comfort! READ MORE
Can you drink coffee with dental bonding?
It depends. Generally, smooth, highly polished composite bonding shouldn't stain. However, it depends on the type of bonding you had completed. If the bonding was used to fully re-surface the front of your tooth/teeth (like a veneer), then if it's smooth, it shouldn't stain. If bonding was added to only part of your tooth (like when gaps or diastemas between teeth are closed), then the interface between the bonding composite and the tooth can collect stain. If you are going to drink coffee, just keep a close eye on if you are getting stain spots or lines so you can discontinue the coffee consumption if you need to. READ MORE
Wisdom teeth?
At 17, those upper wisdom teeth will start to erupt through the gums. If they are freshly through the gums, infection is unlikely. Infection can occur around the gums if there are large gum flaps over the crown or biting surface of the tooth or if you have deep gum pockets around the tooth. Infection will usually be accompanied by swelling, possibly whitish yellow pus, and/or a bad taste/smell coming from the area. This is also at least 10x more common in lower wisdom teeth. Rinsing with salt water might help. Usually, pain and pressure that come with wisdom tooth eruption comes and goes in waves. You can always have your Dentist take a look if the pain is not decreasing after a few more days. READ MORE
What are the disadvantages of removing wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth sometimes erupt into the mouth and are in a position that allows easy cleaning, toothbrushing, and flossing. In many cases, they erupt only partially. This can lead to cavities in your wisdom teeth (and sometimes in neighbouring teeth. Partial eruption (or blocked eruption/impaction) can lead to deep gum pockets around, or large gum flaps covering, portions of the partially erupted tooth. This can lead to gum infections, pus and swelling. It's important to keep in mind that there are ways to clean impacted wisdom teeth (i.e. with waterpiks and irrigating syringes such as the elbow syringe or monoject) that can decrease likelihood of adverse outcomes. Also, keep in mind that there are risks that come with wisdom tooth extraction like nerve damage, post-operative infection, jaw fracture, damage to neighbouring teeth and many more. It's best to make sure the practitioner you're seeing (whether a General/Family Dentist or and Oral Surgeon) has plenty of experience removing impacted wisdom teeth. In summary, advantages are preventing cavities and gum infections that may or may not occur if you leave your wisdom teeth in place. READ MORE
How long does tooth bonding last on front teeth?
This is a really difficult thing to estimate. It's important to understand that, while expensive, tooth bonding uses dental filling material/composite and is by far the least durable way to change the shade and shape of front teeth. Crowns/caps and veneers are far superior in terms of durability but they also cost significantly more. Front teeth endure lots of lateral or pushing force from lower front teeth during chewing. We also use our front teeth to bite into things both hard and soft. Front teeth take a lot of wear and tear over the years as a result. As an example of the heavy wear we see on front teeth, consider a 7-10 year old who has freshly erupted adult incisors (front teeth). You will notice little bumps of enamel or "mamelons" on their front teeth. This enamel is worn off and incisors are flat usually within 3-5 years. Dental bonding with composite is far less durable compared to your natural tooth enamel. So what can you expect longevity-wise from bonding? Well, you'll get wear over time and you'll also get chipping in most cases. If you grind and clench your teeth, this will place your dental bondings under even greater duress. I have seen patients return many times over the course of a decade to a cosmetic dentist for touch-ups and repairs on failed and chipped bonding. Your best course of action is to discuss durability with your Dentist prior to embarking on dental bonding. Remember, it is the least durable cosmetic option and often chosen by patients looking to minimize costs. Many end up paying more in the long run when you consider the need for repair and remedial work. READ MORE
Can you straighten teeth with receding gums?
Yes, you can straighten teeth with receding gums. In some cases, moving teeth into more ideal positions can undo gum recession. However, in many cases moving teeth for the purpose of alignment will increase gum recession so you have to be very careful. Generally, any Orthodontist's informed consent contract will make you aware of the risk of post-orthodontic gum recession and you'll have to sign off on accepting this risk before they initiate treatment. You do have the option to carry out post-orthodontic gum grafting to help limit/reduce recession, but these treatments can be very costly at around $1,000 per tooth. READ MORE
Do you have to wear a retainer after Invisalign?
You should 100% wear a retainer after any orthodontic tooth alignment whether the alignment was done with metal braces or Invisalign. If you move teeth, they will shift to some degree back toward their original position without something to hold them in place. That "something" is a retainer and it's the best thing you can do to protect your investment! READ MORE
How many years does a dental bridge last?
If you look at research on this subject, you will often see a lifetime estimate between 10 and 15 years. That seems low considering many people will pay $3,000 or more for a dental bridge (the cost depends on the number of teeth involved in the prosthesis). However, a well-done dental bridge that is maintained diligently through daily home care including brushing, flossing, and Waterpik-ing, can last more than 30 years! I have seen some patients with dental bridges that have been in place for over 40 years. The key is making sure that plaque cannot settle under bridge teeth and around supporting teeth. The #1 cause of failure on a dental bridge will be tooth decay (a cavity) on one of the supporting teeth or "abutments". Ask your Family Dentist how best to maintain your dental bridge so you can invest time and effort in protecting your investment. READ MORE