At Clifton Dental Studio in Bristol we frequently use the technique to improve the smiles for people, and with it their lives. This might sound like a bold statement but a smile is very important to people. It provides our patients with increased confidence which can make them better communicators, improving their career paths and their personal interaction. Many people are ashamed of their crooked or chipped teeth and, as a result, keep their mouths closed more than they would like. A porcelain veneer can change all that.

Basically, a porcelain veneer is a custom-made laminate which is attached to the front of a broken tooth to give you a more perfect smile. Porcelain is a ceramic material with similar properties to your natural teeth making it an ideal and realistic alternative. The surface is quite impervious so it is ideal for fighting off further staining and decay from sugars, wine and cigarettes. This does not mean you can stop brushing your teeth though!

It is possible to choose the shade of your veneer to match the natural colour of your teeth so they won’t look out of place in your mouth. They are also more long lasting than composite veneers, which makes them a popular choice in today’s dental market place. They can last up to 15 years compared to seven years for composite versions.

Before they can be added, some material is removed from the teeth so it can make your teeth more sensitive, but compared to crowns the shaping required is not so extensive. All in all, porcelain veneers are an excellent step to a perfect smile.

Oral hygiene is something we take seriously at Clifton Dental Studio, for patients from Weston-super-Mare and all around the country. And, believe it or not, we do not want you to have to visit us too many times either! Good oral hygiene helps to prevent the build-up of calculus and plaque which are the main causes of gum disease and tooth decay. The primary way in which you can help reduce the chance of these problems affecting your teeth is by regular brushing. Using a mouthwash is a good additional method to help deal with plaque.

The other main thing you can do to look after your teeth is to try to keep a healthy diet. Sugar is one of the main causes of tooth erosion and can be found in a huge range of food and drinks. Red wine and beer are particularly bad for sugar content so, if you like a drink, take extra care of those pearly whites.

Smoking is also a problem for good oral hygiene. In addition to potential for diseases like mouth cancer, like red wine it will stain your teeth. Bad breath is also a problem so, if you smoke you should think about quitting. If you don’t, don’t start!

Even if you do all these things, it is still important that you visit your dentist for a regular check up. No matter how diligently you look after your teeth problems can still occur and it is important to get in early.

A 6 month smile is a discreet system of orthodontic braces which straightens out the front six to eight teeth. Most results are achieved after 6 months or so – hence the name. The front six to eight teeth are the ones which you display when you smile – hence the second part of the name! They are discreet because the use brackets and wires which are the same colour as your teeth. No-one need ever know you were wearing them.

The principle is simple but you will need to leave some room in your diaries for a few appointments. You need an initial consultation to discuss your unique requirements, then if you go for it, you’ll need to come back to get a mould of your teeth. Using this, the dentist at Clifton dental studio will make up a template to make sure the wires and brackets are on the best place for your teeth. If you are lucky, the some experienced dentists or orthodontists might be able to put the brackets in place without the need for a template. This is not a skill you should expect from everyone though!

When the braces start doing their job and your teeth start to move, you’ll need to make adjustments – to your braces as well as your life. Every 5-6 weeks your dentist can make changes and at the end the change will be permanent.

There are different ways of coping with dental phobia. First of all, make sure your dentist is aware and supportive of your fear. At Clifton Dental Studio in Bristol, we think that establishing a connection with your dentist is a good way to calm your nerves as trust is usually a major factor in dental phobia. You can also get therapy or counselling to help with the problem. Often talking your way through your fears will help to alleviate some of the symptoms. Another method which some people use is hypnotherapy. This works better for some people than it does for others but is a proven form of therapy for many which does not involve taking medication.

One of the most common and effective ways to solve anxiety issues for patients from Swindon is through distraction. This is carried out by some dentists as standard to help keep patients calm. For example, many dentists at Clifton Dental Studio play music or have the radio on in the background during treatment. If your dentist does not have a music player available, then why not take your own?

These days when patients come down to Clifton Dental Studio in Bristol we still use titanium although research is always been conducted into new materials. A ceramic material called Zirconia is often used in orthopaedic procedures and has the advantage of being similar in colour to teeth. However, this is still not in common usage due to the extensive testing required to join the market place.

Even if you have just suffered a single tooth loss it is still important to have the gap filled, as over time surrounding teeth may drift, leading to an incorrect bite and further dental problems. If you have several teeth missing from the same area, then dental implants coupled with a fixed bridge are a long lasting and stable solution to your problems. If you have lost a full set of teeth, dental implants for the retention of dentures may be the answer.

Before dental implants were such a standard part of dentistry, dentures and bridges fixed to opposing teeth were the only way to replace missing teeth. However, both of these methods have a number of drawbacks, including bone degeneration, further tooth loss and instability when eating and speaking.

Having dental implants fitted is quite a straightforward procedure these days and offers a greater level of security than dentures or bridges. If you take care of your dental implants properly, they can last a lifetime. So, if you have a requirement for implants, do not delay in visiting your dentist. The Mayans knew what they were talking about!

Veneers are used to cover up misshapen teeth, chipped or cracked teeth, stained teeth or to help create that dazzling Hollywood smile that many of us crave. Lumineers are a popular veneer option because they involve minimal preparation or even a ‘no-preparation’ procedure that is attractive to both dentists and patients. This technique is best used with patients who have spacing in their smile and only minor tooth rotations.

Most cosmetic dentists only remove enough surface enamel to allow a ceramist to make life-like teeth for patients so hopefully this will not leave your teeth overly sensitive – one of the biggest issues with having veneers installed. Often lumineers do not require the dentist to grind, cut or file down any tooth structure for proper placement. The veneers are adhesively bonded to the front of the teeth, making the process as much of a minimally invasive procedure as possible.

The thick nature of traditional veneers requires the grinding down of your original tooth structure. This can be a painful, anxious experience that many patients would prefer to avoid. What makes lumineers unique is that they are ultra-thin (approximately 0.2 mm) and highly translucent, allowing them to replicate the natural appearance of enamel. Once the procedure is completed, there is no tooth sensitivity or placement discomfort, so they look and feel natural from the moment they are put in place. So, when you have lumineers installed, you can eat and drink anything you want with the confidence of natural teeth.

Having a check up is important to your teeth in the same way as an MOT is for your car. It makes sure that any problems you may have do not go unnoticed or untreated and provides a little peace of mind. It should assist in ensuring that treatment is carried out at the earliest opportunity before further damage is caused. It is certainly nothing to be scared of!

A check up usually entails your dentist examining your mouth, gums and teeth and asking about the general state of your health and any issues you may have had with your teeth since your last visit. Your dentist will usually also help by giving you advice on how best to look after your teeth. For example, your diet, alcohol use and teeth cleaning habits may be discussed. Then he’ll finish off by setting an approximate time for your next visit.

At Clifton Dental Studio in Bristol we frequently have patients telling us they wish they had come in earlier but they had put off a visit. Commonly, excuses are made about not having enough time and sometimes, although they do not want to admit it, people are a bit scared of going to the dentist. The outcome is, however, always worse if you wait. So, stop procrastinating and visit your dentist!

Although not completely invisible, Inman aligners are discreet and are an excellent method of quickly straightening teeth. They look a bit like a retainer and are made up of wires and clear plastic. They work by using a different system from the main competitor on the market Invisalign aligners, using a system of springs which pull and push your teeth until they are in the optimum position.

The speed of the treatment is probably the biggest benefit of using Inman aligners rather than traditional braces to straighten your teeth. If you have a relatively simple problem, it can be fixed in as little as four weeks. Even complex problems are usually sorted out in 16 weeks. They do not need to be adjusted much so one set is all that is needed for the whole process. They are also removable which you will soon realise is very useful when you get food caught up in your braces. This way you can simply remove them when you eat, or, if you forget, you can easily take them out and give them a clean.

The one thing to remember with Inman aligners is that they are not suitable for all patients. The level of movement they are able to produce is more limited than with traditional braces and are best suited to correcting misalignments in the upper or lower front teeth. However, is this is the problem you face, then it is worth speaking to your dentist about Inman aligners as they are an effective way to fix your smile.

Enlighten tooth whitening is one of the most popular procedures used by people from Bath and nearby areas. The at-home whitening kit takes around four weeks and has a full range of strengths to match your needs. The variability of the treatment is one of its key advantages. Enlighten Evolution can whiten your teeth by up to ten shades, depending of course on how stained your teeth are.

You can also get a kit which is done partly at home and partly in a dentists’ surgery. In this version, the latter part of the treatment is done at a higher strength by a dentist to speed up the process. Of course, the complete treatment programme can also be done by a dentist. This will cost a little more but be completed in 60 minutes. At Clifton Dental Studio in Bristol we are often asked to carry out this treatment.

In each type of kit, the same products and technology are used, the strength being the only variable. The process is also broadly the same, whether you use a home kit or add in a dental appointment. Sensitivity can be a side-effect of tooth whitening but the process will not damage the enamel of your teeth or harm your gums. Why not give it a try?

Part of the reason that digital x-rays are not more widespread in the UK dental industry is that the machines can be so expensive. Partly, it is simply because the technology is so new and not every dentist has their finger on the pulse of the latest gadgets! However, it is safe to say that this process will become standard in the future.

With digital radiographs, rather than using film, this is replaced with a flat electronic pad or sensor. The X-rays hit the pad the same way they hit the film but instead of developing the film in a dark room, the image is electronically sent directly to a computer where the image appears on the screen. The image can then be stored on the computer or printed out. Not only does this speed up the development process but it allows for a higher image specification than you would get with film. This means that radiographs obtained in this manner can be digitally compared to previous radiographs in a process called subtraction radiography. This is one of the great advantages of this process.

The computer can digitally compare the two images, subtract out everything that is the same and give a clear image of anything that is different. This means that tiny changes that may not be noticeable with the naked eye can be caught earlier and more clearly with digital-subtraction radiography. If your dentist does not have the equipment now, he probably will do soon!