Initial Check-up and Consultation

This involves taking past medical and dental history, initially. Usually, a panoramic and some small radiographs are then taken. A comprehensive dental treatment plan is then prepared with all the information assimilted. This is then discussed, in detail, with the patient.

Various choices of alternative treatment types would be offered to the patient and a breakdown written estimate of dental fees would be provided. Patients can then take this away and make an informed decision as to whether they wish to proceed with the treatment type of their choice.

Prevention

We aim to help you keep your teeth for life. At every check up we screen patients for the presence of dental decay, gum problems, soft tissue problems - worrying ulcers, their oral hygiene efficacy, orthodontic problems, etc.

Oral hygiene instructions are reinforced regularly to keep up dental motivation. Diet advice in terms of minimising dental decay is provided. Composite sealant restorations for deeply grooved teeth are offered to protect these teeth from dental decay.

Cosmetic

Everybody likes to have a nice smile, and with modern dental techniques and materials this is becoming more easily achievable. We are able to provide various forms of dental cosmetic treatment.

The pictures below show a mid-line gap closed with white composite restorations.

Composite (White) Anterior Restorations

These tooth coloured restorations can be matched to your individual tooth colour. Placing composites is a technique sensitive procedure and we always allow enough time to carry out this type of creative work. We carry a range of different types of composite material namely microfill, macro-hybrid and nano-hybrid, so that we can use the one most appropriate, for the restoration concerned.

Posterior (White) Composite Restorations

Modern macro-hybrid can be used in most cases to restore back teeth instead of silver amalgam fillings inorder to improve aesthetics.

The pictures below show silver filling having been replaced with a macro-hybrid composite.

Crowns

Badly broken down teeth and root treated teeth can be strengthened and improved in appearance significantly, by crowning. Porcelain fused to metal alloy or all ceramic crowns can be provided. Full gold crowns are also available. We also provide porcelain veneer facings which require minimal preparation and can cosmetically enhance the appearance of a discoloured tooth considerably.

PFM Crowns:

All Ceramic Crowns: Procera by Nobel biocare

The picture below shows a premolar tooth and a molar tooth restored with a PFM crown and a gold crown respectively.

Bridges

Bridges are fixed restorations used to replace missing teeth. The two most common types of bridges used are fixed - fixed or adhesive (Maryland) bridges. Adhesive bridges have an advantage in that they allow less removal of tooth substance.

Conventional Fixed - Fixed Porcelain Fused To Metal Bridge

Adhesive (Maryland) Bridge Minimal Preparation

Cosmetic Whitening of Teeth

Patients often ask for a 'white celebrity type smile'. This can be achieved, in most cases quite easily, by using a safe, home bleaching technique. Patients are constructed precision fit, custom soft vinyl trays. The whitening agent (10% carbamide peroxide) is then placed in these trays and worn for a few hours each day, for a period of 14 to 21 days. This procedure is safe and carefully controlled. It produces a 'bright white smile' with long lasting results. The patients are reviewed after their treatment when "before and after" treatment results are compared. We do not offer single visit bleaching treatments as these involve the use of a very strong bleaching agent which is difficult to handle, can produce undesirable side effects and the long term results are not as good as those achieved with 'Home Bleaching'. Also increased sensitivity with use of high concentration peroxide products can be marked. This is why we do not offer single visit power bleaching. The home whitening technique, using 10% carbamide peroxide, we offer is very safe and produces excellent long lasting results.

Porcelain Veneers

The picture below shows porcelain veneers made in the dental laboratory and then cemented onto the central incisors. providing enhanced dental aesthetics.

Prosthetics

For patients who are unfortunate enough to have lost teeth it is very important to receive complete or partial dentures that are comfortable and provide a natural appearance. We take two sets of impressions, a primary and a secondary impression,using special trays to record the mouth anatomy more accurately, so that the final fit of the denture is precise. We use reputable dental laboratories that produce good quality work. After fitting the denture we have follow up appointments to make sure that the patient is coping well with the new denture. This is essential for a denture to be successful.

Both acrylic and cobalt / chromium, partial or complete prothesis, can be provided with or without precision attachments. Best quality materials are always used and a high quality dental laboratory is used which means our dentures fit accurately and are comfortable.

Acrylic Partial Denture Replacing Lower Back Teeth:

These are entirely soft tissue borne.

Co/cr Partial Denture Replacing Lower Back Teeth:

These are tooth borne and hence more stable and are more hygenic.

Implants

It is now possible to replace missing teeth with dental implants. An implant is essentially a specialised titanium screw which is inserted into the jaw bone and allowed to integrate to bone. When the implant is firmly attached, a crown, bridge or an overdenture can be placed on it. This is a fixed restoration. This type of treatment is technique sensitive and involves a great deal of precision. After an initial assessment, we would be able to provide you with appropriate advice with regard to the feasibilty of placing dental implants.We use the Noble Biocare Dental implant system which is highly regarded amongst the dental fraternity. We also use a digital X-ray system in order to minimise exposure to X-rays.This uses only one-tenth of the exposure of normal film based X-rays.

Implant placed within bone.


PFM crown linked to to implant.


Implant-supported replacement teech look, feel and function like natural teeth.
The bone forms a biological bond with the dental implant.

Endodontics (Root Canal Treatment)

In areas of deep dental decay, bacteria can invade into the dental pulp causing the tooth to become infected and inflamed. The infection can then spread down the root canals often leading to severe pain and swelling.

Decay progressing towards the pulp.


Bacteria have contaminated the pulp causing an infection beneath the tooth.

Root canal treatment is then required and essentially involves cleaning the 'inside of the tooth' and filling the root canals with an inert material in order to prevent future re-contamination of the tooth. This procedure is very technique sensitive and we carry this treatment out to a very high standard. In most cases we use rubber dam isolation inorder to carry out the treatment in an aseptic environment. We also use modern flexible Nickel-Titanium rotary instruments to deliver precision Root Canal treatment. The root canals are finally sealed with thermoplastic gutta percha, which is an inert material. This provides an excellent long lasting seal.

Root canal being cleaned and shaped.


Thermoplastic root filling placed to seal canals.

Diagnostic radiographs are taken through the procedure to check the accuracy of preparation and fill.