Teeth can be lost or damaged due to trauma or disease and we know how upsetting this can be. Our dentists can redesign and rebuild badly damaged smiles using a combination of the latest techniques and most advanced materials. Treatments which may be used include crowns and bridges, veneers, dental implants and tooth coloured fillings.
Full mouth rehabilitation will generally require a number of different procedures which are very carefully planned. Although treatment can be complex, our dental team will gently guide you through every step of the process ensuring it is smooth and trouble-free.
Our surgery is equipped to carry out more advanced treatments such as dental implants and bone grafts so you will be cared for by our dedicated and highly trained staff right throughout your full mouth rehabilitation. You will find we are always here to answer any questions you may have or to discuss any aspect of your treatment as your comfort is paramount.
We will always recommend the most conservative treatments to restore teeth, but a tooth that is particularly badly damaged or which has lost a substantial amount of its natural structure may need to be crowned. A crown covers up the entire tooth, right down to the gum line. The purpose of a crown is to restore strength and structure to a tooth and to protect it against any further damage. A crowned tooth will be strong enough to eat normally and can be made from a variety of materials such as, ceramic, porcelain, porcelain fused to metal or gold. Crowns are custom made to match the adjacent teeth’s shape and colour. All-ceramic crowns are used to restore front teeth, and look particularly beautiful.
If one or more teeth are missing, we may suggest a bridge to fill the gap. A dental bridge is supported with crowns on the teeth adjacent to the space and which are attached to the replacement tooth or pontic. Bridges are made from the same materials as crowns and can be entirely metal-free. Modern ceramics are strong enough to be used for full-arch all-porcelain bridges.
Have you noticed your teeth look a little stained or discoloured? This can be due to lifestyle choices or as a natural part of aging, but there is a solution. We can provide patients with safe, easy-to-use and effective home teeth whitening kits. Each kit is fully customised to give optimum results. It includes fitted mouth trays that are individually made for each patient and these fit closely over your teeth, protecting your gums from the whitening gel.
Our clinic uses the gel based whitening system as this has active ingredients to help reduce any tooth sensitivity. The gel contains fluoride to help improve overall tooth health and there are several concentrations for increased treatment flexibility. If you have sensitive teeth then we may prescribe a less concentrated gel for increased comfort. Although whitening may take slightly longer, you will still achieve excellent results without any discomfort.
It is important to have a dental examination and teeth cleaned before using any whitening treatment, as your teeth must be strong and healthy and free from disease. A proper check-up will ensure your teeth are whitened safely and comfortably and our dentist will discuss the results that can be reasonably achieved.
Veneers are often used to help improve a smile as this treatment is very versatile. Our porcelain veneers are custom-made to fit over the front surfaces of a tooth and are permanently bonded in position. A veneer can help improve the shape and colour of a tooth and is ideal for replacing worn areas or for hiding chips or cracks in teeth. Porcelain veneers can also be used to close or minimise gaps in between teeth. Veneers may be an alternative to braces, correcting a tooth that is only slightly out of alignment.
This treatment can also be very effective when used in conjunction with teeth whitening, particularly where a tooth may be internally stained and cannot be easily bleached. Some patients may opt to have multiple veneers while others might only need one or more carefully positioned veneers to help perfect a smile. Treatment is easy and non-invasive and the results can be stunning.
Our clinics use tooth coloured restorations to repair tooth decay in back teeth. If the cavity is large then we will recommend a porcelain inlay or onlay as a composite resin filling is not strong enough to restore larger areas of decay.
Porcelain inlays and onlays are extremely strong and very beautiful. They are made to exactly fit the cavity, restoring a tooth so it can be used normally. This type of restoration is quite conservative as it preserves the maximum amount of healthy tooth structure. Inlays are used to fill cavities in the central part of the chewing surface of back teeth, but onlays can repair larger areas of damage and decay which may involve one or more of the tooth cusps or raised points on a tooth.
Each porcelain inlay or onlay is custom-made in a dental laboratory. After the tooth is prepared we will take a detailed impression which is used to fabricate your inlay or onlay. The finished restoration can be fitted and bonded in place during your next visit.
Increasing numbers of adults are choosing to straighten their teeth and most wish to do so discreetly. Clear aligners is ideal for this purpose as it uses virtually invisible clear plastic aligners that fit tightly over the teeth, applying gentle pressure to move them. Clear aligners isn’t just for adults as it can also be suitable for teenagers and is able to correct a wide range of orthodontic problems.
One of the really nice things about clear aligners is its use of the very latest digital technology. As part of the planning process, our dentist will take x-rays, impressions and photos of your teeth. These are used to create your treatment plan and allow us to show you virtual images of your teeth before, during and after treatment. You’ll get to see how your teeth will move and we find it is a great way for our patients to assess the effectiveness of treatment, even before it has begun.
As well as being discreet, clear aligners is very easy to use and has minimal impact on everyday life. The aligners are taken out whenever you eat or want to brush your teeth, so there is no need to avoid hard or sticky foods and no need to spend ages cleaning around tricky brackets and wires.
During your treatment you’ll be provided with a series of aligners. Each set of aligners is worn for two weeks before being exchanged for the next set in the series until treatment is completed. All you need to do is wear the aligners for at least 22 hours each day. We’ll also need you to visit our practices every so often just so we can check treatment is progressing well.
