Treatments

We may recommend that you see one of our hygienists for a dedicated session of cleaning. Most people benefit from regular professional cleaning as this significantly reduces the risk of gum disease.

Gum disease (periodontal disease) is caused by the presence of certain bad bacteria on your teeth. The bacteria accumulate to form soft deposits or plaque. These deposits can easily be removed by brushing and flossing. In most people these deposits harden over time to form tartar which cannot be removed by brushing alone. Tartar can only be removed by gently scaling the teeth which our hygienist can do for you. The hygienist will also spend time going over cleaning between your teeth either with floss or very small interdental brushes. Good hygiene at home is essential to prevent problems.

Excellent oral hygiene not only prevents gum disease but reduces dental decay too. Decay is prevented by good brushing with fluoride toothpaste and avoiding eating sugary foods and drinks between meals. This can be difficult with our modern diets as many foods contain hidden refined sugars. We recommend that you brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and carry out thorough interdental cleaning at least once a day.

We carry out free check ups on children under the age of 18.  We will recommend either 6 monthly or annual examinations depending on their age and risk of decay. From the age of six upwards we continually assess a child’s need for orthodontic treatment and will make a referral to a local orthodontic specialist where appropriate.

 

Fillings

Fillings can be very small and quick to carry out. Conversely a large reconstructive filling that replaces a lot of lost tooth structure can require a lengthy appointment.
 
The choice over which material to use depends of the size and shape of the cavity. There are certain situations on the back teeth where a metal filling may be more suitable. We will discuss the choice of filling with you every time. Naturally we will always take your wishes into consideration with regard to filling types.
 

Root Canal Treatment

Root treatment is required when bacteria get into the hollow centre of a tooth where the pulp and nerves are. Bacteria usually get into this space by means of a cavity or part of the tooth fracturing off or by a hairline crack in the tooth. Once the nerve becomes too inflamed or infected the tooth becomes very painful to temperature change and to biting. The usual symptoms are extreme sensitivity or a painful throbbing sensation, which can be made worse with hot foods and is often exacerbated by lying down. The number of root canals in each tooth varies from one to four, as a general rule the further back in the mouth the tooth is the more canals it may have.
 

Crowns

Crowns can be made from ceramic (porcelain), metal (gold) or both. Porcelain crowns can be made to match you existing teeth very closely and are used in all areas and always at the front of the mouth. Crowns are used to improve the appearance of front teeth or to reinforce severely damaged teeth, this reinforcement is most commonly needed on back teeth.

All metal crowns are made from a high gold content alloy. These are very hard wearing and can be used at the back of the mouth where chewing forces are the greatest. Gold crowns will outlast porcelain crowns at the back of the mouth because the porcelain eventually wears down and may fracture. The worn porcelain surface is very abrasive and can accelerate wear of the opposing teeth. Gold and silver crowns, although not very aesthetic have none of these problems. We will always discuss what type of crown is best with our patients before embarking on treatment.
 

Bridges

Bridges can be made out of the same materials as crowns and can be divided into two main categories. Adhesive bridges and crown based bridges.

Adhesive bridges require very little drilling of the supporting tooth. When the bridge eventually needs replacement the supporting tooth has not be damaged and can be used again. Adhesive bridges are more commonly used to replace front teeth where the chewing forces are less.

Crown based bridges require reducing the size of the teeth on each side of the space in a similar way to that required for crowns.  The bridge is then cemented the prepared teeth. These bridges work very as they are very strong and can be used anywhere in the mouth where there are strong enough supporting teeth.
 

Gold Onlay / Inlay

An onlay is half-way between a filling and a crown, they are used on severely weakened back teeth that don’t quite require a crown. Their main advantage is that they don’t require quite so much tooth reduction as a crown but are just a good at reinforcing a tooth to stop it from cracking. This means that when eventually the onlay needs replacement it is still possible to have a crown as there is plenty of tooth left.
 

Porcelain Veneers

Veneering of front teeth to improve their appearance can be achieved using white filling material or porcelain. Using white filling material is relatively inexpensive compared to porcelain, however, it is only suitable in certain situations and porcelain provides a better cosmetic result.

Porcelain veneers almost always require some removal of the enamel on the surface of the tooth beforehand. An impression is then taken and sent to the technician who makes the very thin porcelain covering called veneers. These are then glued onto the teeth on a further visit.
 

Tooth Whitening

Tooth whitening’s major benefit is that it has a huge improvement on the appearance of your smile without the need for any drilling of the teeth. Crowns and some types of veneers when used on otherwise healthy unfilled teeth are invasive procedures. They will only shorten the life of the front teeth in the long term.
Bleaching of the teeth can be done at home in your own time. Existing crowns and fillings will not lighten so we will need to assess your suitability for this type of treatment.

If you have just one discoloured natural tooth it may be possible to bleach just this tooth so it matches the rest of your teeth.
 

Dentures

Dentures are a very cost effective way of replacing several teeth. There are two main types of denture, either made entirely from plastic or made with a cast metal frame combined with plastic. Either way dentures can look very natural as denture teeth are made to match the other teeth in the mouth.
Plastic dentures are generally straight forward to make. However as plastic is weaker than metal a greater thickness is required and some people can find that they are bulky. Cast metal frame (chrome) dentures can be much thinner and made to clip to the remaining teeth so that they are more stable than plastic dentures. In the upper jaw chrome dentures can cover much less of the palate; this is far more comfortable than full coverage of the palate required for plastic dentures.
 

Implants

Dental implants are used to replace one or more missing teeth. They are made from titanium and are installed into strong parts of the bone. As the surrounding bone heals it grows onto the implant surface locking it into place. The new porcelain tooth is then attached to the implant, once attached it is not removed. Implants are one of the most predictable and successful ways of replacing a missing tooth, this means that they will outlast all other means of replacing teeth. In contrast to using a bridge to support a new tooth, implants no drilling of the adjacent teeth. This ensures that the adjacent teeth last as long as possible. The implant cannot become decayed but it must be kept clean to avoid gum problems. The new porcelain tooth will match your existing teeth very closely to produce the best cosmetic result.
 

Dental Laboratory Work

Crowns, bridges, onlays, inlays, veneers, dentures and gum shields are all made by dental technicians. We only use high quality laboratories that are based in the UK. Different labs specialise in different skills, we try to use local labs where possible We will need to take a highly accurate impression of your teeth which is then converted to a plaster model for the technicians to do their work.
 

Local Anaesthetic

We routinely use a local anaesthetic injection. We may use a local anaesthetic gel which applied immediately before the injection and left to take effect. We find this technique helps to reduce any uncomfortable sensations in most areas.

 

Extractions

Your wisdom teeth don't usually need to be removed if they are impacted but they are not causing any problems. This is because there is no proven benefit of doing this and it carries the risk of complications.

You should make an appointment to see your dentist if you're experiencing severe pain or discomfort from your wisdom teeth. Your dentist will check your teeth and advise you about whether they need to be removed.

As with any teeth problems, it's important to see your dentist as soon as possible rather than waiting for your regular dental check-up.

Your dentist may remove your wisdom teeth or they may refer you to a specialist surgeon for treatment.

Before the procedure, you will usually be given a local anaesthetic injection to numb the area around the tooth. You'll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed, as your dentist or oral surgeon needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth.

In some cases a cut (incision) may be needed in your gum and the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces before it is removed. The time it takes to remove the tooth will vary.

After your wisdom teeth have been removed, you may experience swelling and discomfort, both on the inside and outside of your mouth. This is usually worse for the first three days, but it can last for up to two weeks.

As with all surgery, there are risks associated with removing a wisdom tooth. These include problems such as infection or delayed healing, both of which are more likely to occur if you smoke during your recovery.

Another possible complication is "dry socket", which is a dull, aching sensation in your gum or jaw, and sometimes a bad smell or taste coming from the empty tooth socket. Dry socket is more likely to occur if you don't follow the after-care instructions given by your dentist.

There is also a small risk of nerve damage, which can cause problems such as pain or a tingling sensation and numbness in the tongue, lower lip, chin, teeth and gums. This is usually temporary, but it can be permanent in some cases.
 

Apicoectomies

With an apicoectomy, the root tip, or apex, is removed along with the infected tissue. A filling is then placed to seal the end of the root.

An apicoectomy is done only after a tooth has had at least one root canal procedure and retreatment has not been successful or is not possible.

The dentist will make a small incision (cut) in your gum and lift the gum away from the tooth and bone. The dentist may need to use a drill to gain access to the root. The infected tissue will be removed along with the last few millimeters of the root tip.

To complete the apicoectomy, the dentist will clean and seal the end of the tooth's canal. 
 

Oral Referral

We currently accept Intermediate Minor Oral Surgery referrals through the Patient Contact Centre which are carried out through  the NHS.  We also accept private referrals for minor oral surgery directly.