SERVICES WE
PROVIDE
- General Dentistry
General dentistry covers a wide range of procedures. This includes the initial consultation and diagnostics such as x-rays, CAT scans and wax moulds for replacement teeth.
In terms of treatments, you will find that your general dentist will offer some or all of the following:
- Fillings: teeth can be filled with a variety of materials which include gold, porcelain and composite resin.
- Crowns: these are artificial teeth or ‘caps’ which can be fitted over broken or damaged teeth. These will maintain their structure and protect them from further damage.
- Bridge: this is a structure which contains an artificial tooth or ‘pontic’ which is anchored to a couple of crowns. These crowns fit over the natural teeth on either side of a gap which help to secure the false tooth in place and so ensure a natural looking appearance.
- Root canal treatment: this procedure is carried when the tissue or ‘pulp’ within a tooth becomes infected. This procedure can be performed by a general or specialist dentist.
- Dentures: these are basically a set of false teeth. If you have quite a few teeth missing, as a result of an accident or disease then dentures can help. They are removable false teeth which look and behave in much the same way as natural teeth.
- Dental cleaning: this can take the form of a ‘scale & polish’ or advice on brushing and flossing.
- Bonding: this is the name given to the procedure in which a type of resin is used as a ‘glue’ to stick a material, such as a veneer to a tooth. Often used to treat stained or damaged teeth.
These are the most common services offered by a general dentist. However, you may find that your general dentist carries out a range of cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth whitening, veneers, and cosmetic bonding.
- Aesthetic Dentistry
What is Aesthetic Dentistry?
A beautiful smile does not only consist of pearly white and well-formed teeth. The demand for Aesthetic dentistry has increased in recent years. It is the dentist’s responsibility to not only appreciate the expectations of their patients, but also to arrange treatment in such a way so as to present an aesthetically acceptable result, harmoniously adding to the facial features.
The aesthetic analysis in dentistry is the methodology by which the dentist analyzes all the parameters and elements that are gathered from the clinical examination of the patient, the x-rays, plaster casts and highlights the potential disharmony in the smile, in color, the position and teeth dimensions, as well as to the correct or excessive exposure of the gingival tissues.
The aesthetic analysis is an essential step in every cosmetic intervention that takes place in our practice. The use of all information from the aesthetic analysis has a common denominator: the output of the final result must restore or maintain harmony throughout the face.
Although the field of aesthetics has a subjective character, the aesthetic analysis is designed for the final desired outcome based on specific rules and proportions and even pre-invasive, that is, before any therapeutic action begins.
The ideal analogy is the proportion between the individual elements that constitute a pretty image, a nice face, and a charming smile. Thus, a highly aesthetic result is achieved in a predictable manner, which will satisfy the most stringent aesthetic requirements. The final aesthetic effect is designed and presented to the patient either externally on models made from the mouth or intraorally.
Thus, the patient immediately understands the proposed shape and size of the teeth, makes possible modifications, and based on the final picture in the models or in the casts, the treatment plan is drawn up and carried out in all subsequent stages.
- Dental Implants
Why should I get a dental implant?
A dental implant is an artificial replacement of tooth root that is anchored in the jaw-bone to provide support to a crown, bridge or even a full denture in place. Dental implants are made of titanium, a material that is well tolerated (biocompatible) by the human body and quickly integrates with bone tissue.
When placing an implant, the oral surgeon achieves a close contact between the surface of the implant and the bone. With time the implant integrates into the jaw-bone creating a robust and durable support for the replacement tooth. If there is a requirement for the replacement of more than one tooth an implant supported bridge or a full denture is secured on implants.
In some cases when there is not enough jaw bone to support an implant, bone grafting procedures may be required. Bone grafting is a totally safe and highly successful treatment that involves the “building up” or increasing the bone to the jaw by using your natural bone from another location and by using donor, processed or synthetic bone materials. Your dentist might discuss the options for you based on the pricing and suitability to your body. Often the new bone can be obtained even from inside the mouth. Your implants will be placed after the grafted bone has fused or become a healthy, integrated part of the existing bone. The amount of time the integration requires varies depending on the place of the graft and the density of the bone. It may take three or more months.
Dental implants will enable the edentulous patient to eat, chew, talk, smile, laugh confidently, so much that he or she will even forget that your teeth are not naturally theirs.
- Teeth Whitening
What is Teeth Whitening?
By teeth whitening, we can make the teeth’s appearance brighter and whiter, giving you a smoother smile. Teeth whitening is a simple, painless, safe, quick and effective procedure.
Tooth whitening lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discolouration. Whitening is among the most popular cosmetic dental procedures because it can greatly improve how your teeth look. Whitening is not a one-time procedure. It will need to be repeated from time to time if you want to maintain a brighter colour.
We can give you a whiter, more youthful and beautiful smile by using the latest whitening methods.- Teeth Cleaning
What is Dental Cleaning: Overview, Benefits, and Expected Results
Definition and Overview
Dental cleaning is a preventative procedure performed by dentists or dental hygienists to maintain or achieve optimum oral health. In a dental cleaning procedure, the dentist aims to remove the dental plaque and tartar that have accumulated on the teeth to protect them from cavities or dental caries as well as other tooth and gum problems. While teeth cleaning can be done at home using a toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss, each person still needs a deeper, more thorough cleaning that only a dentist can provide. This is because regular brushing and flossing cannot completely remove plaque and tartar that tend to stick to the surface of the teeth.
Who Should Undergo and Expected Results
All individuals are advised to undergo professional teeth cleaning at least once every six months for preventative maintenance. If the patient has existing oral problems or disorders, the cleaning should be done more frequently.
Also known as prophylaxis, the procedure removes mineralized plaque or tartar deposits on the teeth surface to prevent the dental problems they can cause when left undisturbed. These deposits can easily accumulate even when a person carefully and regularly brushes or flosses his teeth. Routine brushing may slow down the accumulation of plaque but cannot prevent it completely. The word prophylaxis comes from a Greek word that means “to prevent beforehand.”
Plaque is a soft, sticky film that is infested with bacteria. The long-term accumulation of plaque can easily lead to cavities and, eventually, to tooth decay. Tartar, on the other hand, are hard calcium deposits that build up over time in the same manner that limescale builds up on a kettle or water pipe. In most cases, it has the same color as the teeth, making it hard to notice for some people. In some cases, however, it has a brown or black color. If tartar is not removed, the teeth condition becomes ripe for the growth of bacteria. Through professional dental cleaning, the surface of the tooth is left clean and smooth so bacteria will have a hard time sticking to it.
The goals of regularly having teeth professionally cleaned are to:
- Prevent cavities
- Maintain good oral health
- Prevent periodontal disease
- Prevent too much tartar from building up
- Remove surface stains
- Prevent bad odor
How Does the Procedure Work?
Professional dental cleaning can be performed either by a dentist or a dental hygienist. The procedure involves the use of three cleaning techniques:
Debridement – Debridement is used when tartar has accumulated on tooth surfaces. Using this technique, the dental hygienist will use a variety of dental instruments to carefully loosen the deposits and remove them from the teeth.
- Tooth polishing – Performed after debridement, polishing is the process of making the surface of the teeth smoother.
Dentists and hygienists usually use the following tools or instruments when performing dental cleaning:
- Ultrasonic instruments – These are instruments that use tickling vibrations to gently but effectively loosen up large pieces of tartar. At the same time, it sprays a cool mist of water to wash away the small debris as they come loose. Once the larger pieces have been removed, dentists usually change from ultrasonic instruments to finer hand tools.
- Scalers or curettes – These are smaller hand tools that dentists use to manually remove smaller pieces of deposits. They are very effective in scraping off tartar and plaque.
- Polisher – This is a hand tool with a soft rubber tip that slowly moves to polish the tooth surface.
- Fluoride – Dentists may also apply some fluoride during a teeth cleaning. Available in foam or gel, fluoride helps to strengthen the teeth to compensate for the negative effects that plaque and tartar had on them. If fluoride is applied, the patient will be advised not to eat, drink, or rinse the mouth for at least 60 minutes after application.
- Paradontosis
What is periodontitis?
Periodontitis is a serious infection of the gums. It’s caused by bacteria that have been allowed to accumulate on your teeth and gums. As periodontitis progresses, your bones and teeth can be damaged. However, if periodontitis is treated early and proper oral hygiene is maintained, the damage can be stopped.
What are the stages of periodontitis?
Periodontitis starts as inflammation and gets worse over time.
Inflammation (gingivitis)
Periodontitis begins with inflammation in the gums known as gingivitis. One of the first signs of gingivitis is that your gums will bleed when you brush or floss your teeth.
You might also notice some discoloration on your teeth. This is called plaque. Plaque is a buildup of bacteria and food debris on your teeth. Although bacteria are always present in your mouth, they only become harmful when conditions allow them to increase dramatically. This might happen if you don’t brush or floss, or get dental cleanings on a regular basis.
Early periodontal disease
In the early stages of periodontitis, your gums recede, or pull away, from your teeth and small pockets form between gums and teeth. The pockets harbor harmful bacteria. Your immune system tries to fight the infection, and your gum tissue starts to recede. You’ll likely experience bleeding during brushing and flossing as well, and possibly some bone loss.
Moderate periodontal disease
If left to progress to moderate periodontal disease, you might experience bleeding and pain around the teeth and gum recession. Your teeth will begin to lose bone support and become loose. The infection can also lead to an inflammatory response throughout your body.
Advanced periodontal disease
In advanced disease, the connective tissue that holds your teeth in place begins to deteriorate. The gums, bones, and other tissue that support your teeth are destroyed. If you have advanced periodontitis, you might experience severe pain while chewing, severe bad breath, and a foul taste in your mouth. You’ll likely lose your teeth.
Treatment is aimed at removing plaque and bacterial deposits on your teeth and gums.
Oral hygiene practices
Your dental care team will give you instructions on how to reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth, which involves keeping your teeth and gums clean. Your dentist will give you advice on how to use tooth brushes and dental floss properly, and may recommend other oral hygiene products like a water pick or mouthwash.
Here are a few tips for keeping your teeth healthy:
- Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
- Consider using an electric toothbrush, which may be more effective.
- Floss at least once a day to remove plaque.
- Visit your dentist at least twice a year for a professional cleaning.
- Don’t smoke or chew tobacco.
Professional cleanings
During a professional cleaning, your dentist will remove plaque buildup and tartar from your teeth and their roots, and then polish your teeth and treat them with fluoride. Any periodontal pockets that have formed could require deep cleaning to enable healing. A deep-cleaning method called scaling and root planing will help scrape off tartar and also remove any rough spots on the tooth root where bacteria tend to gather.
Antibiotics
In some cases, your dentist will prescribe antibiotics to help with persistent gum infections that haven’t responded to cleanings. The antibiotic might be in the form of a mouthwash, gel, or an oral tablet or capsule.
Follow-up appointments
Your dentist will want to follow up with you after a few weeks, and then about every three to six months after that to assess your progress. If periodontal pockets are still present, the dental team may recommend other treatment options, like surgery.
- Cavity Protection
What is a Cavity?
Tooth decay is the softening of your tooth enamel and refers to the damage of the structure of the tooth caused by acids that are created when plaque bacteria break down sugar in your mouth. If this loss of mineral from the enamel is left untreated, a cavity, or hole in the tooth, can eventually occur. Without treatment, these holes can grow larger over time and may even destroy the whole tooth.
The plaque acids can also eat away at the next layer of the tooth (dentin) and eventually cause what is known as a root cavity. As a result, nerves in your teeth become exposed and you may feel pain when you eat or drink. If you feel pain near the root of your tooth, chances are you may have some form of tooth decay and should consult with a dental professional.
Taking good care of your teeth is an important part of maintaining your overall health and wellness, and that includes preventing the dreaded dental cavity. A dental cavity is one of the most common results of tooth decay and could be a sign of poor oral health and hygiene.
Causes of Cavities and Tooth Decay
There are a number of steps required for cavities to form, starting from the loss of tooth mineral (demineralization) to eating all the way through the tooth to cause a cavity. Tooth decay also occurs when foods containing carbohydrates become trapped between teeth and are not completely removed with brushing and flossing.
Major causes of tooth decay are sugary, sticky foods and beverages. The more sugar consumed, the more acid, which gets produced leading to decay. Sugar combines with plaque to weaken the enamel leaving you vulnerable to tooth decay. Each time you eat a sugary snack, your teeth are vulnerable to damage from the acids for the next 20-30 minutes. It is important to understand the causes of tooth decay so you can learn the proper way to care for your teeth and care for your health. Cavity and tooth decay factors to watch out for:
- Poor Oral Hygiene: Not brushing your teeth regularly allows plaque to build up and attack the tooth enamel.
- Plaque Formation: Plaque is caused when bacteria, acid, food particles, and saliva all combine in your mouth. This plaque adheres to your teeth and builds up over time. The acid in plaque attacks the enamel of your tooth and eventually can cause holes in your teeth, otherwise known as cavities.
- Dry Mouth: Saliva helps wash plaque from the teeth. If you have a dry mouth with very little saliva, plaque may build up more quickly.
- Eating and Drinking: This is where it all begins. Since we all have to eat and drink to live, there’s no way to avoid this, but it does play a significant role in the formation of cavities. When you eat or drink, carbohydrates remain on your teeth until you brush. Even after brushing, you may not be able to remove all food particles or carbohydrates from your teeth. Foods that tend to cling to your teeth can increase your risk for a tooth cavity. Be sure to brush your teeth regularly, especially after drinking milk or soda, or after eating dried fruit, dry cereal, hard candy, caramel, taffy, raisins, sugary cereals, cookies and breath mints.
- Bacteria and Acid: While most people don’t like to think about it, bacteria naturally live in your mouth. When these bacteria digest the carbohydrates that linger on your teeth and in your mouth, acid forms.
- Medical Problems: can contribute to a tooth cavity by causing acid from your stomach to flow back into your mouth. Similarly, bulimia increases the risk of a tooth cavity when the teeth are exposed to stomach acid during frequent vomiting. In addition, some types of cancer treatment that expose the head and neck to radiation can promote a tooth cavity by changing the makeup of the saliva to promote increased bacterial growth.
Signs and Symptoms of Tooth Decay and Cavities
As tooth decay progresses, cavity symptoms start to appear. If you notice any of these common cavity symptoms, see your dentist as soon as possible. The earlier symptoms are identified, the quicker and easier the cavity treatment will be. Tune in to your teeth, and be on the lookout for these cavity symptoms:
- Pain: A toothache is one of the most common cavity symptoms.
- Pressure: Both increased tooth sensitivity and pain when biting down can indicate a cavity.
- Pits: Cavity symptoms may include a noticeable hole or pit in the affected tooth. Sometimes the holes are only visible on a dental x-ray.
- Pus: One of the more serious and obvious cavity symptoms is pus around a tooth.
Cavity and Tooth Decay Treatment
Even the healthiest, most dedicated oral hygiene fanatics will most likely get at least one or two tooth cavities over their lifetime—even your dentist will likely get a cavity at some point. So, while preventing tooth cavities is ideal, don’t worry too much if you do get diagnosed with tooth cavities. The key is to find them early and treat them quickly.
While it’s best to avoid getting them altogether, cavities are fairly simple to treat. The most basic form of treatment for a cavity is a filling, which is when the decayed portion of the tooth is drilled away and replaced with a strong filling made of either composite resins, porcelain, silver, gold, or amalgam. Treatment for more extensive cavities includes advanced techniques such as crowns and root canals. Fillings will stop the cavity from growing any larger. So if you are experiencing any signs of tooth decay or a cavity, it is extremely important to see a dental professional immediately for treatment.