Archive for April, 2010

Good oral hygiene makes Weston-super-Mares dentist’s job easier

From an early age we are always taught that if we look after our teeth then they will look after us. Our parents teach us the importance of brushing and flossing and that if we do that correctly we can avoid much unnecessary dental treatment in the future. It seems like such a simple deal to make; clean your teeth and they will stay healthy. Yet it seems by the increase in cases of tooth decay and the fact that 90 per cent of adults in this country will suffer gum disease at some point in their life, that we are perhaps forgetting the valuable childhood lessons.

Effective oral hygiene takes place mostly at home but should also include a six-monthly visit to a Weston-super-Mare dentist for a check up. They can make sure that your teeth are in good condition and outline any action you need to take to clean them more effectively.

A good oral hygiene routine includes brushing twice a day for three minutes. This should ideally be done with a soft-bristled brush angled at forty-five degrees to the gums. If possible, you should brush your teeth after every meal for the best chance of removing plaque and bacteria but this may not always be feasible. Flossing should be performed carefully once a day. This will help to remove bacteria from the tiny spaces between the teeth and also stimulate the gums around the base of the teeth. Your dentist may also advise you to use a tongue scraper or other dental implement such as an inter-dental brush.

Looking after your teeth well should only take you a couple of extra minutes a day. By following the few simple rules laid out for you by a dentist you will hopefully have to see a lot less of them in the future, only stopping in once every six-months for a quick check and a chat.

April 24, 2010 at 7:04 am | oral hygiene | No comment

Experience the power of Lumineer veneers at Chepstow dentist

There are a number of companies that manufacture dental veneers. One of the biggest and most popular is Cerinate. Their most recent addition to the market is Lumineer veneers. Lumineers are a special type of incredibly thin veneer that can be used to reshape your smile and enhance the colour of stained teeth. They are also perfect for unevenly spaced and worn down teeth.

What is it that makes Lumineers different from any other dental veneer available? Well, firstly they are made of very thin yet tough porcelain that is about the same width as a contact lens. This means that little preparation work is needed before application. In fact there is very seldom a need to remove any of the teeth’s natural enamel, which can happen with some other laboratory-manufactured veneers. This also means that the whole process is completely reversible should you at any point need to remove the veneers without damaging the teeth.

Lumineers are so thin they can be placed directly over the top of existing dental restorations such as porcelain crowns and other veneers. This comes in very handy when the veneers themselves begin to develop stains after about fifteen years. Whereas some other veneers would need to be ground down or forcibly removed before the application of fresh veneers, Lumineers can simply be placed over the top.

Not all dentists offer Lumineer veneers because they have to be registered as an official representative of Lumineers. However, dentists in Chepstow offer Lumineers to restore the appearance of your teeth to give you the bright, even and healthy smile you have always wanted.

April 23, 2010 at 4:47 am | dental veneers | No comment

Create your dream smile with porcelain veneers from Bath dentist

Everybody dreams of having the perfect Hollywood smile but for some people this is far from a reality. There are many problems that can affect the appearance of teeth, which can cause embarrassment and low self-esteem. For example, teeth that suffer from discolouration can add years to the appeared age of the patient and also look very unhealthy. Teeth that are suffering from worn enamel can also look unhealthy and unattractive.

The modern world is a very image conscious place and having great teeth and a beautiful smile really could give you an advantage both in your personal and professional life. There is one simple and very effective cosmetic dentistry procedure that could transform the appearance of your teeth. Porcelain veneers are ceramic caps that are fitted over the top of the existing teeth. They are cemented in place using tooth coloured dental bonding for a solid and resilient fit.

Porcelain veneers are very thin, some only as wide as a contact lens, which means that minimal or no enamel removal is needed before treatment. The veneers will cover any discolouration or staining and will also create the appearance of even and well-proportioned teeth.

The procedure of fitting porcelain enamels can take as little as one appointment with a Bath dentist once the initial preparation and manufacture work has taken place. The latest technology is even allowing the possibility of veneers designed, manufactured and fitted in the same day. Either way, porcelain veneers give you the chance to have the healthy and beautiful looking teeth you have always wanted. Porcelain veneers vary in price depending upon the extent of treatment needed and each individual patient. Although they may be more expensive than other cosmetic dentistry treatments, they are also the most spectacular.

April 17, 2010 at 6:16 am | dental veneers | No comment

Get back your smile with dentures from Weston-super-Mare dentist

Dentures are artificial teeth used to replace teeth that are missing due to decay or disease or perhaps as the result of some kind of physical trauma. They incorporate a whole or part dental arc with synthetic gum tissue to create the appearance of a full set of teeth. Most people are probably aware of dentures and will know somebody who uses them, especially if you are of a certain age.

Although the standard of dental care in the UK has improved dramatically over the last fifty years, there is still quite a big chance that you will lose some or all of your teeth at some point later in life. Once a certain number of teeth have been lost, it often becomes very difficult to eat and talk with only a few remaining teeth. A Weston-super-Mare dentist might then suggest the removal of the remaining teeth (depending on their condition) and the use of dentures.

A well-fitting set of dentures should stay in place by suction alone, but often due to gum erosion the dentures feel loose. If this is the case then you should always go to see your dentist. The options usually involve adjusting the dentures to fit better over the gums or to start using denture adhesives. Although a more modern alternative may be to have mini-implants fitted into your jawbone. Like the larger dental implants to replace single missing teeth, mini-implants are screwed directly into the jaw and fuse with the existing tissue. They can then act as a base onto which can be clipped and unclipped the dentures. This will keep them secure and alleviate any anxiety about loose dentures.

Dentures are the most suitable solution for patients who have many missing teeth. They restore the appearance and functionality of your original teeth, meaning you will no longer have to be embarrassed about your smile.

April 13, 2010 at 12:39 am | dentures | No comment

Affordable teeth straightening with Inman aligner from Bristol dentist

Do you suffer from slightly misaligned teeth? If you do but think that braces are too much of a sacrifice to make those final few adjustments, then you may be interested to learn about the Inman aligner. This is an orthodontic aligner developed in the US at the tail end of the last millennium. The Inman aligner offers incredibly fast straightening results, with straighter teeth being noticeable in as little as six weeks. The other main advantage of the Inman aligner is that it is completely removable and involves no fixed brackets or wires.

The Inman aligner works by using a very powerful, coiled spring to manoeuvre teeth into the desired position. It is also very discreet with only a thin metal wire being visible across the front of the teeth. This makes it ideal for teenagers who may be sensitive about wearing very noticeable braces. They are also perfect for young professionals keen to make a good first impression with a winning smile but who wish to avoid the stigma of being a more mature person wearing metal braces. In fact, because the aligner works so quickly and effectively, they are also becoming very popular with brides-to-be, who want to do everything possible to look their best on their special day.

Many dentists use Inman aligners as a precursor to other cosmetic treatments. For example, the Inman is often used in tandem with teeth whitening procedures and can also be worn with veneers as part of a wider smile makeover. You may have seen this in action in one of the many TV makeovers shows that feature cosmetic dentistry. Bristol dentists offer the very affordable Inman aligner to patients keen to improve the appearance of their smile and avoid unseemly metal braces.

April 9, 2010 at 4:37 am | inman aligner | No comment

Overcome dental phobia with help from Swindon dentist

The sweat starts running down your back. Your heart begins to beat faster and your breathing becomes heavier. You’re looking around for a way out and starting to panic. These will be familiar feelings to you if you have ever suffered from a phobia of any kind. Most of us are scared of certain things but when the fear takes over completely it becomes a phobia, something which can be very difficult to overcome.

Unfortunately for the health of many teeth, one of the most common phobias in the UK is dental phobia. There is something about the traditional image of the dentist that makes some people very afraid and stories about patients not having visited the dentist in several decades are very common. This might seem like a trivial matter but it means that they are not receiving the dental treatment they need and could be putting the health of their teeth and their overall health at considerable risk.

It is also true that many of the reasons why people initially developed a fear of the dentist no longer exist. Modern dentistry is vastly different to the dental practices that may have caused many of these dental phobias years ago. Modern dentists are trained to deal with extremely anxious patients and many people find that just talking through their concerns with a dentist can help them to face their fears.

There are other modern methods to deal with dental phobia, including aromatherapy and breathing techniques. These can help patients to relax before an appointment, allowing them to gain the dental treatment they often desperately need. Feel free to discuss your fears with a Swindon dentist who will be happy to help.

April 9, 2010 at 4:35 am | dental phobia | No comment

Permanently replace missing teeth with dental implant from Bristol dentist

One of the first things we notice about people when we first meet them is their smile and their teeth. If a tooth is missing in a smile it is instantly obvious and if you have suffered a missing tooth you are almost certainly very aware of this fact. This can be embarrassing and lead to all manner of efforts to force smiles without opening your mouth. Having a defect such as a missing tooth can be bad for your self-confidence and could be holding you back in other areas of your life and even affecting your relationships.

It may also be affecting the health of your other teeth. Missing teeth cause unwanted movement of the remaining teeth, which leads to misalignment and sometimes painful bite complaints such as TMJ. Therefore, Bristol dentists always recommend replacing a missing tooth or teeth as soon as possible.

One of the most popular and permanent ways of doing this is with a dental implant. Implanted directly into the jawbone, a dental implant is a small titanium screw that acts as a base for an artificial crown. Because it replaces the root of the tooth as well as the visible part, it has many advantages over other dental replacements. For example, it will not prohibit the eating of certain foods which dental bridges and partial dentures might.

Dental implants are almost always permanent and will not need replacing after a number of years. This means that once you have had the operation you can get on with your life and never have to worry about it again. Ask your dentist for more information about the benefits of dental implants.

April 7, 2010 at 4:38 am | dental implants | No comment

How regular are your dental check ups with Bath dentist?

Dental check ups are one of the most effective ways of keeping your teeth clean and healthy and avoiding unwanted dental complications such as decay and disease. Although the majority of oral hygiene is carried out at home with brushing and flossing it is very important that you give your Bath dentist the opportunity to examine your teeth on a six-monthly basis to check for the telltale signs of dental disease.

Brushing and flossing will remove the majority of plaque and bacteria from your teeth and gums if performed correctly but all too often patients miss small spaces between the teeth and around the base near the gums. It is the areas that are hard to reach that your dentist will be able to examine and check for the onset of enamel erosion and tartar. Even the most effective dental hygiene routine can fall foul of decay in the harder to access parts of the mouth. Your dentist will be able to clean these areas and also give advice on how best to look after your teeth in the future.

Dental check ups serve a number of other purposes. Oral cancer is on the increase in the UK. This is a very unpleasant disease that can be treated effectively as long as it is caught early. Early treatment of oral cancer will give you a greater than 80 per cent chance of beating the disease, which otherwise could be fatal. Your dentist will check your mouth for the symptoms of oral cancer as part of a routine check up.

A dental check up should take little more than half an hour, which every six-months is hardly a lot of time. This half an hour could really make the difference to the health of your teeth and prevent the need for plenty more hours in the treatment chair repairing decayed teeth.

April 5, 2010 at 8:30 am | general dentistry | No comment

Treatment times reduced thanks to digital x-rays at Swindon dentist

Of all the modern technological advances in dentistry, few have been as revolutionary and useful as digital x-rays. They have reduced waiting times and treatment times and also made possible a new series of treatments that are changing modern dentistry.

Digital x-rays produce an immediate and three-dimensional image of the patient’s mouth and teeth onto a computer screen. This has replaced the old style traditional x-rays which produced two-dimensional black and white images. This ;also needed developing that could take up to several days depending on the number of patients.

Swindon dentists can now get an incredibly accurate image of the patient’s teeth almost immediately, which they can then use for further treatment. One of the newest methods of treatment is called Cerec. This allows dentists to produce dental restorations such as crowns, veneers and dental inlays in only one appointment. The process is able to work because of the images produced by the digital x-rays. The dentist can use this image to create a dental crown or veneer on the computer. When satisfied with the size and shape he can then utilise a computer-guided machine to sculpt the restoration from a single piece of porcelain. This takes as little as six minutes per tooth and represents an astonishing leap forward in dental technology.

Digital x-rays have not only improved the time of treatment but they have also improved its quality. The images available now are accurate to microscopic degrees. This has allowed treatments to become more accurate and means dentists no longer need to rely on clumsy and time-consuming dental moulds.

April 2, 2010 at 12:12 pm | general dentistry | No comment

 

 

Dr Gerrard's smile makeover photos have been selected to be featured on the cosmetic dentistry guide - an educational resource with information on teeth whitening, dental implants, dental veneers, invisalign and much more. He is also an expert on the Inman Aligner Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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