We have our first video testimonial from one of our patients. Written testimonials from other dental implant, cosmetic and orthodontic treatments is visible on our Patient Testimonial page.
Dental implants are better than bridges
After your dentist has extracted a tooth, you have three options to replace the missing tooth:
- A denture
- A dental bridge
- A dental implant
Nobody would like to wear a denture, especially for just a single missing tooth. That leaves either a bridge or a dental implant. The treatment time needed for a bridge is much shorter than that for a dental implant and as it doesn’t involve surgery, you may feel more confident with this option. It is important to realise that a bridge has a major disadvantage. It uses your adjacent natural teeth for support and this exerts extra pressure on these teeth which eventually can cause major problems. This short animation shows what happens to the teeth supporting the bridge over time.
When people think about cosmetic dentistry, they think it will cost thousands of pounds to improve their smile. The constant barrage of make-over programmes on T.V. where people are given new smiles with the use of veneers doesn’t help. Veneers are a great way to improve your smile but a simpler and cheaper option is also available that can give your smile a boost – tooth whitening.
Tooth whitening is one of the easiest dental treatments as it requires no drilling or injections. It can improve your smile quickly and can make you look younger. As we age the enamel covering our teeth starts to discolour, looking more yellow than pearly white. Several studies have been carried out showing that there is a difference in perceived age when before and after teeth whitening pictures of the same person are shown to an unbiased panel.
There are two types of whitening:
- Home whitening – impressions are taken and special whitening trays are made. Whitening gel is placed inside these trays and they are worn for several hours, usually while you sleep.
- Power whitening – also known as laser whitening, the teeth are whitened while sitting in the dental chair, usually in less than one hour.
The home whitening system is the cheaper one of the two but both will result in giving your smile a whiter and more youthful appearance.
Why Wear A Denture When You Can Have An Implant?
Many patients come to our Buckinghamshire Dental Implant practice fed up of having to wear a denture that replaces a missing front tooth or teeth (known as a partial denture). Dentures tend to move during eating and food can get stuck underneath them. This can lead to bad breath, gum disease and decay. If it is an upper denture, it will have to sit in the roof of the mouth and cover a large part of the palate. This reduces taste sensations from food and the amount of space the tongue has to move. Dentures are also meant to be taken out before going to sleep, not the most romantic notion!
A bridge can be made to replace a missing tooth or teeth but this requires utilizing adjacent teeth and is not always possible. This is where implants come in. They can replace the missing tooth or teeth without relying on the adjacent ones and they look, feel and act just like natural teeth.
Here is a recent case in which we used a single implant to replace a one-tooth upper partial denture. The patient was extremely happy to not have to wear the denture ever again.
Patient wearing a one-tooth denture that covers the roof of the mouth
A single-tooth implant leaves the roof of the mouth free. The implant tooth feels completely natural and much more comfortable.
Adult Orthodontics in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
We are pleased to announce that the Bank House Dental Centre is the only practice in the Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire region to offer all three of the latest treatments available in adult orthodontics:
Each orthodontic treatment uses its own unique method to straighten teeth so one appliance may be more suitable for you than the others. Unlike other practices in the area, we are able to offer all three technologies under one roof.
Following a free consultation, we are able to advise you on the most appropriate solution to suit your individual requirements and fit in best with your lifestyle.
Gum Treatment Can Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes
Over the last decade many studies have been carried out that show a strong link between periodontal (gum) disease and cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and strokes). Several thousand patients have been assessed who have never had a heart attack or a stroke and it has been found that the patients with gum disease also had signs of atherosclerosis, a process that causes narrowing of the arteries due to a build-up of material on the inside of their walls. Research has also shown that this link between gum disease and atherosclerosis is especially the case in the carotid arteries (in the heart) and the arteries of the brain. When the arteries of the heart or brain narrow, less blood flows through them resulting in less oxygen being delivered and eventually causing either a heart attack or stroke respectively. As well as this, the material that builds up on the inside of the walls can either weaken the artery, causing an aneurism (a localized, blood-filled balloon like bulge) or break off and get stuck in other blood vessels, causing thrombosis.
No one knows exactly why the two diseases are linked but most experts believe that the bacteria that cause periodontal disease actually enter the bloodstream (this is made easier because the gums are inflamed and easily bleed when they are affected by gum disease). Once inside, they either attach directly to the inside of the arteries to make them narrower or activate the immune system to cause inflammation of the artery walls.
It is clear that periodontal disease does not cause heart disease. However, people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without it. By trying to prevent gum disease or at least treating so that it does not progress, people can help to reduce the chances of suffering from a heart attack or stroke.
Most of us, at some stage in our lives, are going to be told that a tooth (or teeth!) needs extracting. This is usually due to decay, gum disease, infection or trauma.
When the tooth is at the front of the mouth, it needs to be replaced for obvious reasons – appearance, confidence and self-esteem. Many studies have shown people with missing front teeth smile awkwardly or not at all and subconsciously put their hands up to cover their mouth.
If the tooth to be extracted is further back in the mouth and not so visible, less importance is given to it and many people are quite happy not to replace it. This, however, leads to more subtle problems, which are exacerbated when several back teeth are missing:
- loss of support for the facial muscles making people look older than they are.
- increased pressure on the remaining teeth when chewing making them more prone to fracturing.
- poor digestion.
- tilting of teeth around the missing tooth.
- over-eruption of teeth opposing the missing tooth.
- change in the bite resulting in problems with the jaw joint (TMJ).
To try to prevent these problems, it is advisable to restore missing teeth. This can be achieved using dentures, bridges or dental implants.
Dental implants are the most effective way to restore a missing tooth or teeth. The thought of it, however, frightens people but many do not realize that it is in fact less painful than having a tooth extracted.
Before implant treatment can be undertaken, the implant dentist needs to carry out a thorough examination. This begins with assessing the mouth in general and confirming that the existing teeth are all healthy. This is followed by examining the area in which the implants are to be place. This includes determining the height and width of the bone, the presence of any anatomical structures in the bone that need to be avoided and the shape of the gum. X-rays are able to show this information but occasionally a CT scan is needed. This is more likely when several implants are being placed and/or the width of bone in the area is reduced significantly.
Once the implant dentist has planned the treatment, a separate appointment is made to place the implant. This is performed under local anaesthetic but sedation can also be used to help anxious patients. A small incision is made in the gum where the implant is to be placed and a small hole is drilled into the bone. The implant is then inserted into this hole and the gum is repositioned with several stitches. As the area heals, the implant will fuse to the bone, a process called osseo-integration. The pressure applied to the implant during this healing period should be kept to a minimum but temporary crowns, bridges or dentures can be worn proved they are adjusted appropriately. After the healing process has been completed, an implant post, known as an abutment, is connected to the implant followed by the final restoration.
6 Month Smiles now available for Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
Having crooked or poorly positioned teeth can make you self-conscious and even stop you from smiling naturally. However, wearing metal braces is equally unattractive and not practical if they need to be fixed to the teeth for up to 3 years. 6 Month Smiles changes everything. It is the latest in dental cosmetic treatment from the USA and we are pleased to be the first to be offering 6 Month Smiles for Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
Six Month Smiles employs the latest cosmetic and orthodontic techniques to move teeth into their correct position. It uses tooth-coloured wires and brackets, meaning that they are barely visible. It also uses a lower force to move teeth, making it much more comfortably than metal braces.
The main benefits of 6 Month Smiles are:
- The wires and brackets are small, tooth-coloured and discreet.
- The cost is about half of traditional or invisible braces.
- Treatment time is cut by 75% compared to traditional or invisible braces.
- No drilling down of teeth (necessary for most veneer cases)
- Discomfort is minimal.
Visit a certified 6 Month Smile dentist and see how easy it is to get a straight, healthy and beautiful smile.