You wouldn’t expect your hair to look great without daily brushing, frequent washing, and regular trips to a hairdresser. In the same way our teeth and gums need regular daily cleaning, and regular and consistent professional maintenance.90% of the population suffer from inflammation of their gums, which is noticeable by occasional bleeding or redness around the edges of the teeth when brushing or flossing. Left unchecked and untreated, this inflammation, known as gingivitis, starts to destroy the fibres that hold our teeth to the underlying bone. Once these fibres are destroyed, they cannot be regenerated, and so for gums, prevention really is better than cure.
For patients who are prone to gum disease, or who have dental implants, we suggest professional maintenance every three months, as this is the time it takes plaque to mature and produce the toxins that destroy gum fibres. Added to which, regular visits reduce the chances of needing much more intensive and invasive appointments where the plaque has calcified, and is much harder to remove. Your dentist or hygienist will be able to spot gaps in your home-care, and recommend the latest products to help you care for your teeth and gums.
Porcelain veneers are a minimal and conservative option to transform the shape, alignment and colour of your teeth and are a fantastic treatment for many people.After consultation to assess the exact result you are looking for, any minimal preparation work can be carried out and an impression can be taken to design the appearance of the veneers.
When the final porcelain veneers are made they are bonded to the teeth using strong cement resulting in a new smile.
There are a few patients for whom veneers are not suitable due to tooth wear but your dentist will be able to discuss your suitability with you.
This involves taking an impression of clean teeth prior to the manufacture of custom made trays and is effective in the vast majority of people.The whitening agent comes in the form of a syringe dispensed gel. The gel is carefully applied in the trays prior to use.
We supply an initial kit of 10 syringes with trays.
The effects can last for up to 12 months, the longevity is mainly dependent on tea, coffee, red wine consumption and smoking habits.
The trays are re-usable providing a large amount of dental treatment has not been carried out however syringes can be purchased in batches of 5 when required.
Occasionally patients unfortunately lose some or all their teeth either through gum disease or tooth decay. The World Health Organisation describes the loss of teeth as a disability, as people have reduced ability to chew, and are often psychologically wounded by a lack of confidence in their appearance. Missing teeth allow the lips to sink, making people look older than they really are.Implants are one answer to missing teeth, but if people are not able to have dental implants for reasons of health or cost, another option is dentures. Dentures (also sometimes known as plates), are teeth set on an acrylic base which is a custom made fit to the patient’s mouth. Where some teeth remain, they can be used to stabilise the denture; otherwise the denture is kept in by suction and to an extent the patient’s tongue and lip control (which can take a few weeks to develop).
Dentures should be seen as a replacement for no teeth, rather than teeth, as without dental implants to secure them, they cannot be as firm as natural teeth, particularly in the case of lower teeth. However they can look very natural, are not too expensive, and for some patients can provide all the function and appearance that they require. It’s definitely worth consulting your dentist to see if dentures might work for you. If you think that implants would be your preferred option we have a list of trusted implant surgeons to which we can refer you for excellent care.
Root canal treatment (also known as endodontics) is needed when the blood or nerve supply of the tooth is infected through decay or injury. If the nerve becomes infected the infection may spread through the whole length of the tooth and may eventually lead to an abscess.If root canal treatment is not carried out the infection will spread and the tooth may need to be taken out. The aim of the treatment is to preserve a functional tooth without prejudice to general health. The root is cleaned and filled to prevent any further infection.
Root canal treatment is a skilled and time-consuming procedure, which can sometimes need two or more visits.
