Archive for the ‘Orthodontic procedures’ Category
UK Guide to Tooth Whitening
July 28th, 2010Over the last ten years, Tooth Whitening has become one
of the most popular dental cosmetic procedures available.
This guide was written to help you navigate through the
many options you have available to whiten your teeth,
and discover which option works best for you.
Developing an underbite
June 17th, 2010Question: I am 62 and my teeth are badly worn. I had an even bite but due to excessive wear I now have an underbite and my teeth are getting smaller by the year. I have been advised by a consultant at the dental hospital that it is impossible to halt. I can see my appearance changing as my lower jaw is beginning to jut out and my upper lip loses its support. I am desperate restore my appearance. I haven’t had a lot of work done to my teeth and they are fairly good. Please help me. I wear a night shield.
Answer: Tooth wear is a relatively common problem and in severe cases the teeth can be worn down to gum level. The damage can be reduced by wearing a soft or hard ‘nightguard’. Restoration is often by means of dentures on top of the worn teeth (overdentures), or crowns and bridges, depending upon how many teeth are missing and how much tooth structure remains. Normally this type of treatment can be carried out by the ‘prosthodontics’ department of a dental hospital or by a dental specialist.
Lower denture difficulties
June 17th, 2010Question: I have recently lost my remaining lower teeth and find the lower denture not very stable. I have heard of ‘denture clinics’ which offer more satisfactory dentures, and also of mini implants. Your comments on the advantages of either of these (quite expensive) options would be gratefully received. Also how one finds recommended clinics offering these options.
Answer: It is true that complete lower dentures are very often a source of discomfort and looseness. Dental implants or mini-implants will provide the most benefit in your situation. Although mini-implants are smaller and less traumatic to place, they have generally been less well-researched. They are weaker and may not last as long as conventional implants although they are much less costly. The denture will clip onto the implant with various types of attachment, although these often require regular maintenance. You will usually need to make a new denture although in some cases the existing denture can be modified. Any type of implant work can be complicated so you need an experienced dentist. There are now a number of postgraduate implant qualifications or you can contact a General Dental Council registered ’specialist’.
Growing Gap – Dr Keith Cohen answers
June 17th, 2010Question: I am 57, and have had regular dental treatment/care all my life, but have always had a gap between my two front teeth. As I get older and my gums recede, this gap is growing and I hate it. Can I do anything cosmetic about it without extractions? My gums do appear to be fairly delicate, though my dentist does not say that I have any particular disease. I have asked his opinion about this, but he was not very forthcoming.
Answer: As we grow older, gums quite often recede, and this can be worsened by gum disease and brushing out teeth incorrectly. If the teeth are healthy the simplest way of reducing the space would be by bonding some composite restorations to the side of the teeth. Another option would be with veneers or crowns if the teeth are more heavily restored. However, if the space is quite large then the appearance can also be improved by partially closing it.
Smoking and Implants – Dr Keith Cohen answers
June 17th, 2010Question: I have been told that I cannot have implants as I smoke – and even if I gave up it would be at least a year before I could – is this true?
Answer: Smoking does reduce the success rate for implants and with regards to surgical procedures, it can produce complications, so to an extent this is true. Having said this, a number of other elements need to be considered, for example, how much you smoke, and over what time period, your general medical health and whether or not the procedure is likely to be straightforward – which will depend upon how much bone there is in which to place the implant. Another dentist may be prepared to carry out the treatment, depending upon your situation, so it may be worth asking for an opinion from a ‘dental specialist’. If you are determined to proceed, and a dentist is willing to carry out the treatment, you need to accept that there may be ‘reduced success’ which means that one or more implants might not integrate and need to be removed or replaced.
What is the invisalign technique?
April 15th, 2010The Invisalign technique is a great way of straightening mildly irregular teeth for people who want to see an improvement in their smile, but don’t want to wear fixed braces.
A series of clear plastic aligners are worn over a period of time to straighten teeth. The aligners need to be worn a minimum of 22 hours per day and are taken out for eating and drinking. They need to be changed every two weeks and so the patient is given several aligners to take home between orthodontic visits, but still need to be seen by an orthodontist every 6-8 weeks. Often the teeth need to be reduced in size (filed) by a fraction of a millimetre as part of the treatment. The advantages of this technique are that the aligners are very aesthetic and can be removed for social occasions and cleaning. However, they won’t work if they are not worn for a substantial part of the day!
Invisalign cannot solve every orthodontic problem, but the results for many people can be impressive. Our orthodontists are Invisalign accredited and have experience of using this technique.
