Please e-mail your questions to contact@piperassociatesdentalpractice.co.uk or
leave a message on the practice phone.
The British Dental Health Foundation of which I am a member is also another good reliable
source of information.We have a connection to their web
pages.
Popular Topics in descending order.
- Cosmetic
dentistry
- Amalgam fillings
- Dental implants
- Mouth cancer
- Gum disease
- Joint problems
- Mouth ulcers
The mouth is a very sensitive part of the body with an abundant nervous supply.
We always rub some anaesthetic ointment gel onto the gum using a cotton wool
bud to numb the skin first. After a minute wait the injection is given in this
site. By numbing the skin first it makes the injection more comfortable especially
as it is given slowly. The needles are very fine and always one use only.
We have 4 types of local anaethesia for different medical histories, ages, weights, types of treatments and regions of the mouth.
It is a gel that is applied to the teeth and whitens teeth.It is very conservative
and all patients have been pleased with the gentle results. There is hardly any
downside and is a win win situation.
All our instruments are sterilised at 136C to kill all bacteria and viruses.
A lot of products with use are disposable and are thrown after one use. All surgeries
are cleaned continually throughout the day after each patient and they are thoroughly
cleaned and disinfected at the end of the day.
As long as the gum condition is now healthy and stable a gum coloured veneer
can be applied to the natural teeth.It is made of silicone with various natural
shades of gum colouring.It makes the teeth much more aesthetic.
The factors are smoking, poor oral hygiene and hereditary.
When a tooth is very broken down or heavily filled a crown a cap will
build up the tooth to restore its appearance and function.
Crowns are made of tooth coloured porcelain or gold or a combination of the
two materials.
If the crown can not be seen choose gold because it is the strongest, most
hygienic,finest margins and needs smallest amount of tooth removed. It
is chosen by dentists for themselves and family. The only downside is
the poor appearance. All-porcelain crowns are the choice for superb aesthetics.The
margins are wider and strength is lower.Used specially at the front of
the mouth.
A good compromise is porcelain
bonded to gold.It is stronger but there is a compromise
on margins and opaqueness. All the costs are identical.
A bridge fills a space with a dummy tooth which is joined to a neighbouring
tooth which is crowned. A bridge cannot be removed for cleaning.
Research papers have shown a typical 3 tooth bridge only averages up to 10
years before needing replacement. The simpler the design the better.The
best is one dummy tooth joined to only one neighbouring tooth.
The conventional is gold covered with porcelain.It can involve 2 units or
3 and above. A considerable amount of tooth or previous filling material
needs to be removed to make space for the porcelain.
Another sort is a Maryland bridge
which is a dummy tooth joined to the back of a neighbouring
tooth by metal which does not show.It has a tendency
to de bond after 5 years on average but can be rebonded.Only
a very small amount of tooth substance is removed.
There are plastic or acrylic dentures which are more bulky,cover the
palate and tend to be food traps. They tend to mask taste and and can
affect speech. They can be designed so that aesthetics are good.
There are dentures with chrome bases
which rest on natural teeth, are more slender and
take less space. The artificial teeth can be very aesthetic.
Taste is better.
For social reasons definitely yes.Be careful as saliva flow is reduced over
night. Therefore you need both very good oral hygiene and very good denture
hygiene and then no further snacks or drinks overnight except water.
The patient is asked
why they are attending,who recommended them,
a medical and dental history, examination of
external head neck and facial tissues,examination
of soft tissues of mouth and front of throat,
examination of gums, teeth and restorations and
an x ray or radiological examination and any
other tests as necessary.
X rays are an invisible beam similar to a light beam which will pass through
some parts of a tooth and cause an image to be formed on a sensitive film
packet which the patient holds in their mouth. This film is very similar
to a photographic film. The film is developed and fixed in a similar fashion
to a photograph. A digital sensor can be used as an alternative to film with
several advantages. We are upgrading to Kodak digital. It is the finest
of the systems with the most detail due to the increased no of lines in a
given area.The advantages are a sharp reduction in radiation dose, convenience,
reliability of storage and display on all screens in the practice.
As a rough guide 2 dental x ray films are equivalent to the amount of radiation
a passenger in a plane trip from London to New York would receive from the
sun.
They enable hidden parts of the tooth to be seen, e.g. curly roots, measure
the length of roots for endodontics, hidden teeth, cysts and abscesses,
decay under fillings and crowns.
Yes and for aesthetics it is often the premier choice. White braces are available
and treatment times are often quicker than children.
An implant is an artificial root made of titanium which
is embedded directly into the bone. A crown is attached
to it. It will replace a missing tooth or hold a
denture very firmly.
They are porcelain facings or laminates that are bonded
to the front teeth.They usually need replacing after
10 years.They give a very good appearance.
Yes but there are considerations.
- White fillings have superb
aesthetics.
- White fillings are weaker
than metal fillings and need replacing more
frequently.
- White fillings are slightly
acid and in deep fillings can be sensitive.
- White fillings are more of
a plaque trap under the gum.
- On smaller 1 surface fillings
white fills can be bonded to the enamel and
these fillings can be stronger and more
retentive than metal.
- White fillings need more
care and time to fabricate and are therefore about
50% more costly than metal fillings.
- With attention to detail
and good moisture control a very good white
coloured filling can be constructed.
- Persistent bad breath is
caused by smelly gases (e.g. sulphur compounds)
that are released by the bacteria that coat the gums,teeth
and stomach lining.
- Bits
of food caught between the teeth and also
on the tongue can cause an unpleasant smell.
- Gum disease
causes bad breath.
- Strong foods like
garlic,coffee and onions can add to the problem.
- Good brushing and
flossing of the teeth and gums.
- Scrape
the tongue with a spatula or tea spoon.
- A scale
and polish(prophylaxis) on a regular basis
from a dental hygienist.
- An anti-sulphur mouthwash.
- Reduce heavy intake of red meats.
- We have mouth sprays and
mouthwashes for sale that clear the volatile
sulphur products.
- Dry
mouth with lack of saliva reduces natural
oral hygiene.
- Some medications and radiotherapy
cause reduced salivary flow.
- Infections of tonsils,throat,larynx,nose,lungs
can cause this symptom.
Wear an orthodontic like appliance which thrusts lower
jaw forward.This is a simple reversible inexpensive
procedure which should always be the first choice before
more complex procedures are tried. The practice construction appliance made by a maxillo-facial technician from Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead. The cost is £165. The practice can then refer for complex and/or non-reversible procedures at Queen Victoria Hospital such as below.
Surgical trimming
of the soft palate,tonsils and nasal passages can
open the
airway.
Administration of oxygen
under positive pressure with a diving type
mask.
- Snoring
- Socially embarrassing
- Marital disharmony
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Cardiovascular implications
- Road accidents increase sevenfold
- Reduced quality of life
- Increase of depression
- Diabetes increase.
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