Category “General dentistry”

Mercury Free Dentistry as Delivered by Dentists for Patients from London

February 22nd, 2012

Today, Ash Wednesday, is the first day of Lent, which often involves given up sweets, chocolate or another favourite treat until the start of Easter, to honour Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert. Giving up such sugary sweets is not only good for your spiritual health but also your physical health and is the very best way of preventing the developing of cavities and tooth decay.

One of the most common procedures dentists provide is the filling of cavities. Through a process known as ‘filling’ damages to teeth are repaired. Fillings may be required for a number of reasons, including general wear and tear associated with normal activities, such as eating and nail biting and decay, which has arisen due to poor oral hygiene.

During a filling procedure a London serving dentist will use local anaesthesia to numb the afflicted area. Once the anaesthesia has begun working the decay (if applicable) is removed using a drill or dental pick or, in more advanced cases, a laser. After all of the decay is removed, the tooth is shaped to prepare it for filling. The final step is to fill the tooth and send the patient on their way.

Fillings are generally harmless, quick procedures and millions are performed each year around the world. While there is nothing to be concerned about when it comes to the procedure itself, some holistic healthcare professionals raise concerns about the use of mercury in some amalgams used in fillings.

Dental fillings can be administered as metal amalgams made of mercury, silver, tin and other metals, or they can be administered as composite resin, gold or ceramic. Metal amalgams are the least expensive type of fillings on offer, but there is concern over the amount of mercury used in their creation and the effect this can have on patients.

The World Health Organisation has reported findings that the mercury used in amalgams is not likely to stay ‘locked’ within the amalgam. Instead, the mercury can slowly leak into the body, causing severe illnesses. While the topic is still in debate around the world, some cultures have completely banned the use of metal amalgams.

While the jury is still out on the effects of mercury in dental amalgams, those needing fillings should be aware that mercury is capable of penetrating all living cells in the human body. It is also more toxic than lead and arsenic and scientists and researchers are still unsure about how much mercury is safe for humans.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in General dentistry | No Comments »

How Much of a Turn Off is Bad Teeth for People When Visiting Your Valentine in London?

February 13th, 2012

Tomorrow, February 14th we celebrate Valentine’s Day, but will your teeth guarantee you a date or a lonely meal for one?

If you read magazines or visit dating or relationship websites on a regular basis, you will probably be aware that a nice smile is one of the most important features for most people who are looking for a new partner. Your smile can affect the way you behave and act around others, as well as the way you look and people who are not happy with their smile can come across as shy and lacking in self-esteem.

Historically, an attractive smile has always been associated with beauty, success and status and this is still true today. If you catch a glimpse of the red carpet at an awards ceremony or scrutinise magazine adverts you will notice that the majority of film stars, singers and models all have perfect smiles.

Why are bad teeth such a turn-off?

If you have crooked, twisted or stained teeth or missing teeth, this can have a huge impact on your overall appearance and even the most stunning face can be dented by an unattractive smile. Bad teeth can be associated with poor oral hygiene and a lack of self-esteem and self-respect, as well as impacting on confidence, which is an important trait for many people when they are looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend.

What can be done to improve your smile?

There are so many things that can be done by dentists serving London patients to improve the aesthetic appeal of your smile, from brushing twice a day every day, to having cosmetic dental treatment. A good oral hygiene routine, which should include brushing for two minutes twice a day, flossing and using mouthwash, is key to healthy looking teeth and will help to prevent discolouration and oral health diseases. Cosmetic dental treatments, including veneers, tooth whitening, cosmetic bonding and orthodontic treatment, can help to correct existing problems, such as staining, chipped and crooked teeth and create a beautiful, natural smile.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Dental crown, General dentistry, Veneers | No Comments »

How Patients from London Should Deal with Dental Emergencies

February 10th, 2012

Dental appointments come around like clockwork every few months but every now and then we need to see a dentist in between our check-ups because of a particular problem. Usually you can just call your surgery and make an extra appointment, but what happens if someone in your family suffers a dental emergency outside of the clinic’s opening hours? After all, accidents and injuries can happen at any time of the night or weekend and dentists do not work on call like doctors.

If your dental emergency has been caused by an injury, perhaps you have lost a tooth after falling over or playing sports, then the best thing to do is to head to your local Accident and Emergency department. Not only will they be able to check you out and make sure that you haven’t suffered any less obvious injuries, but they will also be able to put you in touch with the emergency dental service in your local area.

Most towns and cities, including London, house excellent private dental practices that are happy to attend to your needs on the very day of your accident. Emergency appointments are readily available, and you will be put in contact with a team that is reassuring and accommodating.

In the event of a dental emergency, there are a few things that you can do to help your own dentist or the emergency surgery to treat you. For example, if one of your teeth is knocked out you should rinse it carefully and try to see if you can place it back in the hole – never force it into position. If this doesn’t work, put the tooth in a glass of milk and get it and yourself to a dentist as soon as possible; in many cases knocked-out teeth can be reattached so long as you get to a surgery within one hour.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in General dentistry | No Comments »

How important is your six month check-up with London dentists?

January 27th, 2012

Well all know the importance of regularly visiting the dentist and – whether those visits are scheduled biannually or a bit more frequently – it’s imperative that we have routine check-ups. Your dentist can speak with you and determine if you would need to visit more often than just twice a year.

Typically, a dentist will make this assessment based on your oral health and any risk you may have for future problems. As a general rule of thumb the healthier your gums, teeth and mouth are the longer you can go between visits to the dentist, but this is a decision that should be made by a dental professional.

Although they may seem like pointless activities, six-month check-ups provide an opportunity for your dentist to examine your mouth, teeth and gums, and provide you with appropriate advice and/or instructions should you have any concerns. For instance, your dentist can advise on the effects your diet, smoking and alcohol use may be having on your teeth.

Another benefit of attending frequent dental check-ups is the opportunity for monitoring your teeth and preventing potentially serious problems from developing. Often, many dental ailments can be stopped before they progress into being something that requires loads of treatment. By visiting regularly, your dentist can keep an eye on problem areas, including checks for problems that you may not feel or see. For example, cavities, gum disease and oral cancer are often painless until they have progressed into the more advanced stages, but can be prevented with thorough, routine checking.

In addition to check ups, some dentists suggest that their patients have regular visits with a hygienist as well. This is another preventative method that could save you from unnecessary pain and problems. During a routine check up, a hygienist would be able to look for clues that could lead to the prevention of oral cancer and gum disease. Regular hygienist appointments will benefit patients because it ensures teeth, gums and mouth are maintained and in good physical health.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in General dentistry | No Comments »

Futuristic treatments used by dentists in London today

January 21st, 2012

Using lasers in the dental clinic may sound like some far-fetched futuristic prediction, but lasers are actually already widely used by dentists in the UK and researchers are always coming up with new uses for these clever gadgets in all areas of medicine. Some patients have expressed their concern about the safety of laser dentistry, but there really is nothing to worry about. The lasers used in dental treatments are very safe and are controlled at all times by the dentists themselves. It is just another tool that your dentist can use, in the same way that he would use a scaler to clean your teeth or a drill to fix your cavities.

The most common use of lasers in dentistry is during teeth whitening procedures. The teeth are coated with a special whitening substance, which reacts when it is exposed to a laser. This leads to quicker results than the usual teeth whitening treatments and it is also much more effective than previous products used in dental clinics. This is quite a superficial use of lasers compared to some of the new dentistry techniques that are being developed.

Gum lifts may be one of the newest cosmetic dentistry procedures available, but as more and more clinics invest in their own laser it is a procedure that is likely to gain popularity. If you feel that your smile is too gummy or you are suffering from a ‘gummy smile’, the laser can be used to “cut” away the unwanted areas of gum, leading to a more confident smile. Gum lifts are already common in Hollywood and as lasers become an accepted part of dentistry in the UK, they will become as normal as teeth whitening or braces.

Lasers can also be used in the preparation of teeth fillings, in place of the dreaded drill. Instead of needing a local anaesthetic in order to drill the affected tooth, a laser can be used to cut away the damaged parts, leaving the cavity ready for filling. A much quicker, cleaner and less painful way of getting a filling than the old-fashioned method!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Cosmetic dentistry, General dentistry | No Comments »

Harley Street Dental Studio’s Richard Lee in London is an Ambassador for Crest Toothpastes

January 18th, 2012

Harley Street Dental Studio’s very own Dr Richard Lee is now the International Brand Ambassador for Crest toothpastes, one of the biggest dental companies in the US.

Richard has changed the smiles of many happy patients and from all walks of life, but he still understands that a beautiful smile must also be a healthy one. With his years of experience, training and skill, Richard has brought health and beauty to the smiles of all ages and he hopes to further his smile changing work with his new role with Crest.

If you are in the US you will be lucky enough to see Richard Lee in action promoting the Crest toothpaste range. It is a partnership we believe will work well for all of us and improve the smiles of countless individuals.

Crest have been producing dental products since the 1940s and were the first to add fluoride to their toothpastes during the 1950s, cutting the rate of dental decay in America by over 50%. By the 1960s the American Dental Association were able to confirm that Crest toothpastes successfully prevented tooth decay, and in 1976 Crest toothpaste with fluoride was listed as one of the 100 greatest discoveries within the last century by the American Chemical Society.

Crest continues to produce outstanding dental products, which now not only protect teeth and gums, but also whiten and enhance them for truly healthy, gorgeous smiles.

In his new role as International Brand Ambassador for Crest toothpastes, Richard hopes to bring beautiful smiles to people outside of the clinic, which are both beautiful and healthy, with the help of Crest’s great range of products.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in General dentistry | No Comments »

Dental check-ups with London dentists can save you money

January 17th, 2012

It can be difficult in these days of financial hardship to work out how best to spend your family’s precious money. Food has to be put on the table, bills have to be paid and it can be tempting to look upon the six-monthly dental check-up as something of a luxury. However, skipping your regular trips to the dentist could easily become a false economy, as while you save yourself a few pounds on the cost of a check-up, you could face a much larger bill when you develop serious dental health problems in the future.

Most dental check-ups these days also include a scale and polish appointment with a dental hygienist. This is a vital part of keeping your teeth healthy as possible, as there are some parts of  the mouth that are difficult to keep clean no matter how hard we try. The dentist is also a good source of information and advice, especially if you have been having problems cleaning your teeth. They may be able to suggest a particular product that can prevent problems from developing, advice that you won’t hear if you skip your six-monthly check-up to save some money.

Perhaps even more importantly, it is at regular appointments where many potentially serious dental health problems are identified. Anything from tooth decay and gum disease, which could end up with the patient losing teeth if no action is taken, to children who may need orthodontic work, to correcting crooked teeth before they become fixed in position – early identification of all of these problems means they are easier, and therefore cheaper, to fix.

Imagine that a patient decides to skip your scheduled appointment at the dentist, not realising that they are already exhibiting the early signs of gum disease, perhaps because they are not flossing correctly. Soon the problem will become more serious, but by the time there are obvious symptoms, such as pain or bleeding gums, the problem has started to attack the tooth itself. All of a sudden, the cost of the initial missed dental check-up will pale into comparison with the costs of root canal work, false teeth or dental implants to fix a damaged smile. Dental check-ups are an essential expense and appointments shouldn’t be missed if possible.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in General dentistry | No Comments »

Is it time to replace the replacement with the help of dentists in London?

January 15th, 2012

If you have ever had missing or damaged teeth replaced or repaired in the past, then you were probably warned by your dentist that different treatments have different lifespans. The fact is that if you have your teeth replaced or repaired at an early age, then you are likely to need to replace or repair the original restoration at some point. Restored teeth can also be damaged in accidents, in the same way that natural teeth may be knocked out, while poor dental hygiene can cause gum disease or cavities, creating problems for the false teeth as well as the remaining real ones.

One of the most common questions we are asked here at Harley Street Dental Studio is how long a particular procedure or treatment will last and when a restored tooth is likely to need replacing. After all, these are often expensive treatments and patients want to be sure that they are getting their money’s worth. In the same way that the early signs of tooth decay are often spotted at routine check-ups, early problems with repaired teeth, dental bridges and other restorative work can often be fixed much more easily if they are seen before the damage is irreparable. This is why it is still important to attend regular appointments with your dentist even if you have a mouth full of false teeth.

Other signs to look out for to indicate that your restored teeth may need repairing or replacing is pain or discomfort, difficulty speaking or swallowing and feeling rough edges rubbing the inside of your mouth. If the problem is a minor one, the damaged tooth can often be repaired, either in your mouth or by removing the offending item and sending it away to a specialist laboratory, although this would depend on what type of treatment you had chosen in the first place. In some cases, the restored tooth or teeth will themselves need to be replaced. You can always go with the same procedure that you initially chose, but now may be a good opportunity to explore what new treatments are available for your particular dental problem.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Dental crown, General dentistry | No Comments »

What does root canal treatment involve when carried out by London dentists?

January 14th, 2012

Root canal is one of those dental procedures that a lot of people have heard of, but not many people understand. Thanks to sitcoms and films, root canal treatment has a bad reputation, as it is nearly always used to comic effect when a character has to have something really nasty done at the dentist. In truth, root canal treatment isn’t very painful, either during or before the procedure, and it can actually prevent discomfort.

If your dentist tells you that you need root canal, or endodontic therapy, it means that the pulp of a tooth has become damaged and infected. The pulp makes up the inner part of each tooth and can be damaged when the outer layers are weakened by plaque and tooth decay. If you try and avoid the dreaded root canal, this minor infection can soon become an abscess, which will be incredibly painful and can often cause the patient to lose the affected tooth or teeth completely.

Root canal is one of the many treatments offered by Harley Street Dental Studio. We understand that it is never good news hearing that you need such an extensive procedure, but all our dentists will be happy to answer any questions you may have, whether at the initial appointment or subsequent consultations.

Once it has been decided that root canal is the best way to treat your dental problem, the treatment itself is very routine and straightforward. During the first appointment the area is numbed with a local anaesthetic so you feel no pain and the dentist will drill a tiny hole into the outer layers of the tooth in order to access the infected pulp. X-Rays will often be taken to check the extent of the damage and the interior of the tooth will be cleaned out in order to remove the damaged tissue.

Patients undergoing root canal will then need to come back for a second visit when, again, the affected tooth is numbed and the dentist uses the same hole drilled before to insert a man-made filling. The hole will be sealed over using either a crown or a permanent external filling. Once the anaesthetic wears off you may feel some discomfort, but this is nothing compared to the pain you would feel if you ignore the signs of an infected tooth!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in General dentistry | No Comments »

What happens during a dentist referral to dentists in London?

January 7th, 2012

The team at Harley Street Dental Studio employ the highest standards available in modern dentistry to deliver the most advanced treatments in a comfortable and relaxing environment. When you come to us for a dental referral we will ensure that you feel at ease and have the ultimate experience during your treatment, as well as before and after.

You can be sure that we will endeavour to build a relationship with each of our patients and referrals, and to keep our focus on you, our patient. A typical referral will begin with you arriving at one of our offices, and ideally feeling relaxed and comfortable in the environment we have created.

At your initial consultation, we will get to know you and determine what work would benefit you. We achieve this by having an informal chat with you, during which we will go over procedure options and answer any questions your may have. Because we will offer you our complete range of treatment options, we put you in charge of the treatment you receive, allowing you to make the decisions on your care.

If the situation warrants, we have a same-day emergency procedure scheme in place that we could employ during your consultation. If this is not necessary, we will go over the payment details and options, ensuring you are aware that we provide a range of flexible payment options.

We’ll also make sure you are aware of the services we provide outside of normal operating hours and give you information on how best to reach us. Lastly, we hope to have impressed you with our thorough consultation, our impeccable appearance and manners and our prompt handling of your appointment. We hope that you feel like you have been treated like royalty, because at Harley Street Dental Studio, that’s how we strive to be: above average.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in General dentistry | No Comments »
« Older Entries