Striving to provide the best possible treatment to all our patients.
General Dentistry
Checkups
A dental examination shows how healthy your mouth is. After your examination, you and your dentist can discuss the results and plan the best way to deal with any problems.
As part of your routine dental examination your dentist will be checking for any signs of mouth cancer.
Mouth cancer can appear as
- An, often painless, ulcer that fails to clear up after about 2 weeks;
- A growth or swelling which has been present for more than about 2 weeks; or
- Sometimes as a white or red patch in the mouth
Most things will turn out to not be cancer but if you have any concerns about any of the above please book an appointment immediately.
It is common at examinations to have dental xrays (radiographs) taken.
There are different types of radiographs that we use
- ‘Bitewings’ are taken approximately every 2 years in adults to check for decay underneath fillings and between the teeth, but not the roots,
- ‘Periapical’ films are placed next to a specific tooth to show the entire tooth including its root,
- ‘Panoramic’ radiographs are large and show all the teeth and the jaw. You have it taken in a separate room, the machine moves around your head whilst you stay still.
Radiographs require tiny amounts of radiation. If you are concerned about safety it may be helpful to know that:
- The amount of radiation involved in taking a dental xray is very low – you are likely to be exposed to more radiation in one aeroplane flight than in a lifetime of dental radiographs;
- Your dentist will only take radiographs if they are needed;
- Xray machines are checked regularly to make sure they are only using the intended amount of radiation; and
- You can still have dental radiographs taken whilst pregnant – it has been proven to be safe and cause no harm to your unborn baby. Your dentist will still likely ask if you are pregnant, and we find that some people would rather wait until after they have had their baby.
Kids general dental checkups
From brushing their first tooth to their first trip to the dentist, here’s how to take care of your children’s teeth.
A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Follow these tips and you can help keep your kids’ teeth decay-free.
Toothbrushing Tips
It’s important to use a fluoride toothpaste, as this helps prevent and control tooth decay.
Children aged up to 3 years
- Start brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around 6 months, but it can be earlier or later).
- Parents or carers should brush or supervise toothbrushing.
- Brush teeth twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
- Brush last thing at night before bed and on 1 other occasion.
- Use children’s fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label)
- Use only a smear of toothpaste.
- Make sure children don’t eat or lick toothpaste from the tube.
Children aged 3 to 6 years
- Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
- Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.
- Brushing should be supervised by a parent or carer.
- Use children/family fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.
- Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
- Spit out after brushing and don’t rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won’t work as well.
Children aged 7 and over
- Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
- Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.
- Use fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm of fluoride (check label).
- Spit out after brushing and don’t rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won’t work as well.
Children aged 7 and over should be able to brush their own teeth, but it’s still a good idea to watch them to make sure they brush properly and for about 2 minutes.
How to help children brush their teeth properly
- Guide your child’s hand so they can feel the correct movement.
- Use a mirror to help your child see exactly where the brush is cleaning their teeth.
- Make tooth brushing as fun as possible by using an egg timer to time it for about 2 minutes.
- Don’t let children run around with a toothbrush in their mouth, as they may have an accident and hurt themselves.
Taking your child to the dentist
- NHS dental care for children is free.
- Take your child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can advise you on how to prevent decay and identify any oral health problems at an early stage. Just opening up the child’s mouth for the dentist to take a look at is useful practise for the future.
- When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits.
- Take your child for regular check ups as advised by the dentist.
Fluoride varnish and fissure sealants
- Fissure sealants can be done once your child’s permanent back teeth have started to come through (usually at the age of about 6 or 7) to protect them against decay. This is where the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are covered with a special thin plastic coating to keep germs and food particles out of the grooves. The sealant can last for as long as 5 to 10 years.
- Fluoride varnish can be applied to both baby teeth and adult teeth. It involves painting a varnish that contains high levels of fluoride onto the surface of the tooth every 6 months to prevent decay. Some children may need this more often. It works by strengthening tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay.
Fillings
A filling replaces part of a tooth that has been lost because of decay of through accidental damage. There are 3 main fillings materials.
Silver fillings – Made of amalgam – a mixture of mercury with other metals, such as silver, tin and copper. Amalgam is soft at first, but quickly becomes hard once placed in the tooth.
Composite fillings – Made of a mixture of very fine glass particles in resin. After the tooth has been prepared an acid will be used to etch the tooth surface, then a resin bond will be used before putting the filling in, in stages, using the light to set each layer. They come in a range of shades so they can be matched to the colour of your teeth
Glass ionomer fillings – The softest of the 3 fillings, it is also white but only comes in one shade, often placed at the gum lines and in children’s teeth
Crowns and Bridges
A crown is a type of dental restoration used to restore the form and function of a tooth that has been broken, weakened by decay or contains a large filling. A couple of appointments are required to make a crown. The first appointment involves the preparation and impressions and the second is when the crown is fitted. Crowns are made in a lab by a dental technician and can be constructed from a variety of different materials. Your dentist will be able to provide you with the information about the different types of crowns.
In addition to crowns, inlays and onlays can also be made by the lab to restore the form and function of a tooth. An inlay sits in a hole in the tooth whereas an onlay sits on the tooth to build up the shape, similar to a crown but higher up.
A bridge is used to ‘bridge’ the gap of a missing tooth or teeth and is a fixed option to replace missing teeth. A couple of appointments are required to make a bridge. The first appointment involves the preparation and impressions and the second is when the bridge is fitted. The preparation of a bridge involves altering one or more teeth adjacent to the gap. Some bridges have crowns at each end, whereas others are fixed to the surface of teeth next to the gap. Bridges can help to distribute the forces of your bite correctly and prevent the remaining teeth from moving out of position. If the supporting teeth are not strong enough to support a bridge then a denture or implant may be a suitable alternative.
Dentures
Dentures are used to replace missing teeth and are usually made of acrylic or a combination of metal and acrylic. Denture construction requires several visits where the dentist takes impressions, carefully registers your bite and trials the appearance of the denture. Dentures can help improve the way you look, chew and speak and are an affordable and effective option to replace multiple teeth. It can take a bit of time to get used to your new dentures and they will never feel like your own teeth. If you are new to dentures your dentist can explain what to expect and how to look after them.
There are different types of denture available at Webheath, please ask your dentist to see if you are suitable.
Acrylic dentures – Conventional dentures, can have teeth added onto it and relined to tighten after a number of years.
Cobalt chrome dentures – a metal framework to clasp on to the teeth, making it very secure, the metal is stronger than acrylic so is thinner on the roof of mouth/ in front of the tongue.
Flexi dentures – flexible partial dentures can bend and lock into the undercuts of teeth to make them more retentive.
Implants
Implants are one way of replacing missing teeth. Unlike normal replacement teeth, dental implants are mounted onto posts which are inserted into the jaw during surgery.
We don’t provide implants here but if you have had a tooth out the dentist can give you an idea if you would be suitable for an implant and recommend a dentist who places them.