General Dentistry
We understand that not everyone is looking for the ‘Hollywood Smile’ and we are focused on providing dentistry for everyone’s needs. What might be considered “routine dentistry is still “special “ to the individual, receiving it and we never forget that a procedure we have performed countless times is a different experience from the receiving end! Here is a little information on the general aspects of dental care we offer:
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Check-ups: Identifying any problems and discussing a plan to deal with them.
Check-ups or examinations lie at the heart of what we do. It can be likened to the MOT for your car, making sure your mouth is “road worthy “. We take these opportunities to consider the overall health and wellbeing of your whole mouth. We’ll assess the condition of the teeth, how the dental restorations in your mouth are performing, how clean the teeth are, and the condition of the gums and bone around your teeth.
We check for any problems with the jaw joint and, very importantly, we examine the soft tissue of the whole mouth to check for any abnormalities there. This is why we still want to see those individuals who have no natural teeth left. It’s also an opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have about your oral health – so it’s more important than ‘just a wee check-up’ really.
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Removing plaque, tartar, and stains to improve appearance, freshen breath, and combat gum disease.
In our hygienist room there is a little cartoon on the wall that says “No you don’t have to clean all your teeth, only the ones you want to keep!” That just about sums it up.
The thorough cleaning and gum treatments offered by our hygiene team are there to make your teeth look better, feel better, but to fundamentally help prevent their loss by gum disease. The hygienists are uniquely placed to provide you with specific, personal advice on how to look after your teeth between visits. Cleaning your teeth properly is not a skill we are born with, we need to be shown and our hygienists, Tricia and Jenny, have a range of products to try in your mouth to help you find the most effective and simplest to use. These products are available to buy at reception for your convenience.
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Replacing areas of a tooth lost through decay or damage.
The idea of “drill and fill” is well consigned to the past but still with the high sugar content of the modern diet we enjoy despite the improvement in dental care of the 21st century we still commonly find a need for fillings in our patients mouths. Now however with better routine care and regular visits we aim to keep both the size and number of fillings to a minimum. We have a range of materials at our disposal to find the most appropriate one for any situation.
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Sometimes a simple filling won’t solve the problem.
We offer rootfilling where this procedure can often extend the life of a natural tooth, which has, or is developing an abscess. When explaining this treatment to patients we sometimes compare a tooth with an iceberg. Famously an iceberg has most of its bulk below the surface of the sea, teeth have much of their structure below the surface of the gum. During a rootfilling the internal structure of the entire tooth is painlessly cleaned, shaped and filled before the part of the tooth seen above gum level is restored leaving a tooth which appears and functions normally. Many teeth are saved from extraction using this procedure.
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A custom made covering for a heavily filled or broken tooth
There is a limit to how much filling a tooth can withstand before needing extra strength, support and protection in the form of a custom made crown. A crown is made in a dental laboratory using an impression or print taken of the tooth, which the technician uses to rebuild the original tooth from. Depending on choice and budget they are made from a variety of materials but whichever material used the end result will be an improvement on the longevity, functioning and appearance of the tooth.
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As the name suggests a bridge is a means of restoring a space.
A small space within a row of strong teeth can be filled using some of the neighbouring teeth to support a dummy tooth which sits right up at the gum level. It is fixed into the mouth and is not removable. A bridge can be bonded using a wing on the back of the neighbouring tooth or can be formed with a crown going right over the supporting tooth or teeth. Suitability in each individual case has to carefully assessed and options discussed.
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Replacing multiple lost teeth.
In these days of modern dental care more and more people are holding on to many of their natural teeth through their entire life. However circumstances have not always made this possible for everyone. We acknowledge this and care for those who have not been able to keep their own teeth with respect and compassion. We work closely with our highly skilled local registered dental technician to care every bit as professionally for our patients needing denture provision as any other type of treatment.
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We go to great lengths to try to make dental care for children as free from fear and anxiety as possible. Many adults tell how their issues with dentistry stem from negative experiences as a child and we are doing our level best to stop that .We want the next generation of adults to have happier tales to tell regarding dentistry. We know our efforts are working as mums and dads tell us how news of upcoming visits are met with enthusiasm even celebration and excitement …this brings us huge pride and satisfaction that we are not failing these families.
We have a dedicated kids website linked to this main site – check it out!
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When we are not trained ourselves to provide all the treatment that is in the interests of an individual patient we look to outside specialists to lend their expertise.
No one individual can provide all the advanced care that 21st century dentistry offers today. When we feel a patient needs expertise no one within our team can offer we refer to a colleague who has the training to solve the particular problem from impacted wisdom teeth, to placing implants, to straightening crooked teeth. Sometimes a combination approach is possible where we work in conjunction with a colleague to make a most convenient and cost effective solution. This team working means our patients can access the very best specialist care available while we as general practitioners commit time and resources to continually adding to our repertoire of skills and techniques.
