A dental implant is not a new innovation, the research was started in the 1950s in Sweden and Oxford, the results of which have been revolutionised of late says a Sunbury dentist. They are the ultimate in false teeth and are a real God send for the patient who has lost a tooth or two, and doesn’t want to wear a denture on a plate. The patient first consults a dentist with a tooth problem, this could be a misaligned or crooked tooth, it may be a chipped, cracked or discoloured tooth or even worse a decaying tooth. Once it has been decided that a veneer won’t solve the problem by covering it up, the decision may be made to extract it. The patient then has pictures taken of the gap left, and the teeth either side of the rogue one. An orthodontist will then make the new tooth, this will look just like the old one in colour, size and shape, except it will be more perfect than nature’s last attempt. The new implant has a screw on the bottom of it, the dentist will now drill into the jaw line and screw and glue a plate in place, this has an inner screw hole and into this is placed the new implant. After three to six months the implant will fuse into the jaw and for all intents and purposes the implant acts, feels and works just like a natural tooth. Multiple implants can be fitted in this way, and they last a long time, if they in turn become damaged then they can easily be replaced in a few sittings. This has completely turned around the false tooth industry, especially for those patients that cannot wear dentures on a plate. The new implant can literally be used just like the old tooth, and it can be cleaned in just then same way so there’s no need for a glass of water each night, glue or any special cleaning materials.
A dry mouth has many causes and a few consequences, one of which is dental cavities says a Molesey dentist. The warning about the relationship formed by a dry mouth and cavities isn’t a new one; cavities are formed by the acid that is made by the bacteria in our mouths, mainly feeding off sweet and sugary food residue. Diabetics are familiar with his problem as one of the main symptoms of diabetes is a dry mouth, the acid can produce quickly and do its damage on the enamel of the teeth. Chemotherapy patients are another victim, as if they don’t have enough problems already. We need the saliva that our glands produce in order to neutralise oral acid, which is the single most problem we have with oral care. Drinking water is one answer, but when you’re on chemo or a diabetic with a high sugar level, then this in itself causes more problems. The answer in some prolonged cases is a dental sealant, this is a solution that a dentist will usually reserve for his younger patients aged between 6-10 years old. The problem occurs in children who cannot get a brush into their cavities due to the smallness of the cavities. A plastic filling is used to replace the enamel that is burned away by the acid, acid cannot burn away plastic, so this preventative treatment is a really clever one. This won’t work in all cases though, and so it needs the patient to be aware of the problem and use other methods to counteract the acid problem. Drinking water and swishing it around the mouth will go some way to doing the job, but if you don’t want to keep visiting the loo every 20 minutes, then just swish and spit.
Dental sealants are usually given to children who are between 6 and 10 years old, it is a measure that protects their teeth from further damage caused by acid production and normal wear and tear. The cavities that cause the problems are usually on the teeth at the back of the mouth, this is normally due to a couple of reasons, firstly these teeth are the most common used to chew food, secondly these teeth are hard for children to clean as most tooth brushes are too big to get into the cavities and eliminate the bacteria deep in the tooth. The solution is a simple one though and it works very well, it lasts for about 10 years and is also easily repairable during that time. Similar to a normal filling the tooth is numbed and the cavity is cleaned with a drill, then the cracks are cleaned out to get rid of any hidden bacteria. Acid is then brushed into the cavity and left for a few minutes; this is to give the next stage a better bonding surface. The acid is rinsed with a water spray, and then the area is air dried to make sure it is completely dry. The plastic solution of the filler is brushed on using a hard, short bristled brush, then that solution is bombarded with an intense light source to set it hard. If it cracks or becomes chipped it can easily be repaired using the same method. This method is a very successful way of protecting the teeth of our children in their most vulnerable years; it doesn’t mean though that we can be lax in their oral hygiene care. They need to floss and brush as usual to prevent other problems, and make their teeth last well into their adulthood.
As far as it appears on the surface, both methods work very well, both in procedure and look. The biggest difference is seen in the different ways they both solve certain problems, and of course the cost. Lets look at teeth whitening first says a Sunbury dentist, this is a method that doesn’t necessarily need a dentist as most practitioners are trained in few days. Most of this is done at salons and is a quick method, although it doesn’t last for too long compared to veneers. A home bleaching kit is also available on the net and at most chemists shops, this involves just mixing a solution and then putting it into a gum shield, that then goes onto the teeth and bleaches them white or at least a whiter shade of white. The salon method involves a gel that is applied to the teeth, the gums, lips and tongue are protected by a rubber shield, and an intense light source then bombards the teeth to react with the gel, this is done over an hour in 3 x 15 minute sessions. Veneers are a different story all together; they can be used to not only whiten teeth, but to cover up defects. A veneer is a thin covering much the same as a false nail; it is glued to the tooth in much the same way too. It can cover a multitude if sins also, and that can be anything from a chipped tooth, to a crack and even a misaligned tooth in some cases. It lasts a lot longer as well and they are easily replaced if they come loose or get damaged. Obviously veneers cost more than a simple whitening, which can cost as little as £200 or even less for the home kits, but the advantages of veneers outweigh the cost against just a quick whitening.
Dental plaque goes hand in hand with periodontal disease, but they are not the sort of bed fellows that you want to be associated with says a Surbiton dentist. Plaque is the dead bacteria that has already attacked our mouth area and produced acid that will wear down the enamel on our teeth, it sounds disgusting and it is, so let that thought always be with you and help you to keep it at bay. If left to accumulate on the teeth plaque will turn into tartar, which although it is removed every 6 months at our dental check ups, it will damage the tooth root and weaken it. This is the most common reason for premature tooth loss in the U.K. Gum infections are caused by the same process, and it is all down to the food that we leave in our mouths after eating. Flossing and the neutralisation of acid production will go a long way to preventing this process happening in the first place. Once periodontal disease occurs it will eat away the gums and cause irreparable damage to the part of the gums that protect the root of the tooth. Gingivitis is the worse case scenario, and this is a serious incurable problem. The best any dentist can hope to do for you is to keep the disease at bay, and prevent it progressing along the gum line. Washing the mouth constantly by drinking water throughout the day, will also keep acid production down and subsequently the production of plaque. Brushing in between the teeth should be a part of normal oral care on a daily basis, which will assist the flossing in keeping these areas clean and residue free. It is part of every dentists program of preventative care, ask your dental nurse for more advice on keeping plaque down in the mouth.
Dental cavities are caused by the wearing down of the enamel of the tooth, this is a natural process of eating, but the matter is exasperated by bacteria that produces acid and wears away the enamel much quicker, says a Weybridge dentist. The symptoms are a soreness in the tooth (toothache) and an infection of the gums; this is caused by the bad bacteria in the mouth seeping into the cracks that are prevalent in most cavities. Gum and teeth infections can be a simple infection, or it can develop into a more complex problem. An abscess is probably one of the worst things that can come out of a cracked cavity, and the symptom of that is an excruciating pain, swelling and a few sleepless night. The treatment for dental cavities can be a simple filling or a more complicated root canal treatment. A filling would involve a dentist drilling out any enamel that is likely to crumble and cause problems under a filling. The filling is a mix of metals that are antibacterial, and will fill the cavity whilst also sealing in the chamber of the tooth to prevent further infections. This is then topped off with a porcelain crown to make the tooth harder and better wearing. The other method is a root canal, this involves drilling out all the inside of the tooth, then scraping out the bacteria that has got into the cavity chamber. Again the hole is filled with an antibacterial material and sealed off with a porcelain crown. It then needs the patient to start a regime of good and disciplined oral hygiene; this includes flossing which prevents further tartar building up on the tooth root, making it weaken, which results in the loss of the tooth prematurely. Prevention is always preferable to a cure, just ask any dentist.
Crooked teeth are the bane of some people’s lives, they missed the opportunity of having braces in early life, and in later life they are stuck with the crooked teeth. They can affect us with lots of social problems as well as oral problems and eating, says a Surbiton dentist. However, a cure as such is now easily and readily available in every town, village and city. Veneers are the most common method used, and they work well on most patients, on patients that have extraordinarily crooked teeth an extraction and a replacement dental implant will go with the veneers to complete the job. They come in two forms, a thin veneer and a thicker porcelain veneer. The first one is similar to a false nail and is fitted in much the same way, that is to say it is glued on to the tooth and acts as a shield that hides the crooked tooth. They last 3-5 years and are easily replaced when they become damaged, stained or chipped. The porcelain ones are made from a clay and are shaped to the original teeth; this requires the tooth to be ground down by the thickness of the veneer. Then it is cemented in place making sure the seal is complete to prevent infections. They can last from 10-15 years and in between they can be polished, repaired and replaced. When they need replacing they can only be replaced once due to the thinness of the tooth, but that gives a general lifespan of porcelain covered teeth of 30 years maximum. After that a coating of a porcelain paste can be applied to the thin tooth, this is allowed to harden and then shaped and polished to look like the original tooth.
TMJ, or Temporomandibular joint disorder to give it its full name, is a condition affecting the joint of the jawbone and skull on both sides that can be the cause of great pain but about which very little is known. For many years it was though that TMJ was caused by stress or other mental anxiety disorder. This may be part of the reason for TMJ but current explanations are leaning more and more to dental problems being the underlying cause.
It is now believed that interruptions in bite (the way the top and bottom teeth sit together) can cause disruption to the joint and associated muscles, which can eventually become very painful. Bite can be interrupted when teeth change position in the mouth as a result of tooth loss or other dental trauma. This can alter the way the top and bottom jaw align causing the joint to rest in an unnatural position. Over time this can cause stress to the joint and muscles, leading to pain.
It is believed that about one in ten people in the UK will have some form of TMJ in their life although the majority will never have it diagnosed. Diagnosing TMJ is notoriously difficult and it is often the last avenue to be explored because of the wide range of symptoms it can cause. TMJ can cause pain in the face, neck, head and even shoulders which makes it very difficult to locate the exact cause. Dentists can test for TMJ using the clench test, which involves keeping the mouth firmly shut to examine for pain. Further tests involve construction elaborate jaw reconstructions to test for misalignment.
TMJ can be treated with over the counter pain relief and also with specially constructed dental appliances to be worn at night to prevent further misalignment. If you are suffering with an unexplained pain in the head or neck, make an appointment with a Kingston upon Thames dentist and ask about TMJ.
Teeth whitening has become a huge phenomenon over the last decade with more and mote patients wanting to brighten their smile. Because the smile is one of the first things that people notice about each other when they first meet, it is only natural to want to make a good impression. Whiter teeth can make you look younger and more attractive and can even boost your own self-confidence. Teeth whitening can be effective for people of all ages.
Although it is very popular, many people are still unsure exactly how the whitening process works and what different procedures are available. There are hundreds of products on the market that claim to whiten teeth with results that vary widely. Many products are available over the internet but dentists recommend that these should be avoided as they can cause damage to the soft tissue. It is very important to choose the right product for your teeth and the best way to do this is to consult your Molesey dentist.
The dentist can advise which product is most effective for your individual teeth and can carry out most whitening procedures in the surgery. They can also prepare less-concentrated trays to be used at home. Most whitening treatments take about two weeks to show results but this will depend on the original nature of the teeth.
If applied by a professional dentist there are few risks involved in teeth whitening procedures with only some minor sensitivity being experienced by some patients which usually disappears after a few days. Whitening can last up to three years and radically affect the appearance of your smile.
Six Month Smile braces are a revolutionary new orthodontic straightening system, pioneered in the US, that is now sweeping the UK offering incredibly fast teeth straightening. More traditional straightening methods involve wearing braces for as much as two to three years to achieve results that Six Month Smile braces can achieve in just six months.
Six Month braces can be used to treat most forms of misalignment including all forms of bite issues as well as overcrowding and spacing problems. A dentist will assess your suitability for the treatment at an initial consultation where they will take x-rays and photographs. They can then give you a more thorough idea of how successful the treatment could be for your teeth and how much it is likely to cost. Both of these factors obviously depend on the nature of the orthodontic concern.
Once the braces have been fitted you will be required to visit the dentist every four to five weeks for a check up. Treatment with Six Month Smile braces may cause some discomfort at the beginning and after adjustment appointments but this is common to all orthodontic straightening procedures and is rarely more than mild and temporary. It is also important to stress the level of discretion offered by the treatment. Unlike traditional train-track braces, the nickel wires used in Six Month braces are tooth coloured and very discreet and very hard to notice unless standing at very close quarters to the patient.
Six Month Smile braces from a Sunbury dentist are perfect for putting the finishing touches to a beautiful smile. For the millions of people in the UK who feel anxious about their teeth, Six Month Smile braces could offer the perfect solution in just six months.