August 16th, 2010
Just as in other fields of healthcare and the wider world, technology is having an incredible effect on the world of dentistry. A new technology called Cerec is revolutionising the way dental treatments are being carried out and offer a glimpse into the future of dentistry.
Cerec utilises CAD/CAM technology, which stands for computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture and is vastly improving both the speed and quality of dental treatment. Cerec technology has been made possible by the development in other areas, such as digital x-rays and three-dimensional imaging. This allows dentists to create an exact image of the patient’s teeth, which they can see instantly on their computer screen. Using this image, they can then design veneers, crowns and inlays that can then be manufactured in a fraction of the time.
The manufacturing process also utilises the incredible powers of computer technology. Whereas in the past a crown would need to be manufactured in the lab by building up layer upon layer of enamel, a Cerec crown can be milled form a single block in as little as six minutes. This incredibly means that you can go into a West London dentist’s surgery and have a crown designed, manufactured and installed in the same appointment. For a procedure that could take as long as a month from start to finish in the past, this chair-side surgery represents a huge leap forward.
It is also possible to use Cerec technology to create a whole row of dental veneers that can completely transform a smile. Your West London dentist is now using Cerec technology to treat patients. Make an appointment to find out if you can benefit from the new technology.
August 1st, 2010
A bright smile is such a great way of showing people that you are confident and happy, many of us have stained teeth, and we don`t smile a lot because of it. Getting your teeth artificially whitened is such an expensive way of solving the problem, or it was until a few years ago says a City of London dentist. There is another way to brighten your teeth up, and it doesn’t involve expensive veneers, it uses a bright intense light source to do the job instead. It costs around an average of £300 and is done in one session lasting about an hour. The technicians are all highly trained and many are their own bosses, so a bargain or two can be had with regard to pricing and top ups. They will make you comfortable in a specially designed chair, and then a gums shielded in your mouth to protect the soft tissue from getting burnt by the light. A gel is coated onto the teeth and the blue intense light is focused on the gel, it makes your teeth whiter by reacting with the enamel and the gel to create more whitening cells to run into your teeth. It is done in 3 x 15 minute bouts, which are applied in the one session. Once you`re finished you`ll be advised as to how to look after your teeth to keep them brighter for longer.
July 8th, 2010
There are many problems that can affect the teeth and spoil the appearance of the smile. These can often be very difficult to deal with, not because of any physical pain, but because this can cause self-confidence and emotional issues if you’re afraid to show off your smile. Fortunately, there are many cosmetic dentistry treatments ranging from simple to complex, affordable to expensive and big to small that can restore the appearance of the smile and give you your confidence back.
Just to give you a few examples, for teeth that have lost their sparkle or have been damaged by discolouration from food and drink such as red wine, coffee or the use of tobacco products, there is the option of tooth whitening. This involves placing a whitening agent against the surface of the teeth, bleaching the enamel and turning the teeth white. Not only will this restore your smile but it can also help to make you look much younger. Teeth whitening is readily available and equally as affordable.
For more serious issues of discolouration and enamel erosion, it is possible to have a set of porcelain veneers to completely cover the existing teeth and transform the appearance of the teeth. Veneers produce simple but stunning results and last for up to twenty years if properly maintained.
The list of cosmetic procedures is vast and constantly growing as new techniques and technology gradually emerge making treatment more efficient and effective. Treatments such as Cerec have significantly improved procedure time for crowns and veneers and new tools such as dental lasers and Waterlase have made the treatments safer and more comfortable for the patient. London W1 dentists can give you more information about the best cosmetic procedures for you and tell you what is possible to do to your teeth to give you the smile you want.
July 4th, 2010
City of London dentists are always looking to use new technology to improve the standard of dental treatment. New devices and tools are being developed all the time aiming to make treatment more effective and efficient, not to mention more comfortable for the patient. One of the most incredible new dentistry tools to have been developed is Cerec. This is a revolutionary new system of making dental crowns, veneers and inlays that is set to change the face of dentistry.
Cerec works by using the power of 3D imaging and digital x-rays. These allow the dentist and instant view of the patient’s teeth in three dimensions. The image can be saved and is very accurate. This allows the dentist to design a new dental restoration on the computer with a great degree of accuracy. But here comes the really clever bit. Once happy with the design, the dentist can then send this information to a milling machine that is linked to the computer. This then sculpts the new restoration from a singe piece of porcelain. This process can take as little as six minutes per tooth and the resulting crown or veneer is perfectly accurate and sized and ready to be fitted into the mouth. The dentist can then fix the crown or veneer in the normal way using dental bonding.
This whole process can be achieved in little more than an hour meaning dental restorations, which used to take up to two weeks from start to finish can now be achieved in just one appointment. As you can see this is quite an amazing advancement in the field of dentistry and one which you too can now experience at your City of London dentist.
June 12th, 2010
About 7 per cent of men and 14 per cent of women are affected by something known as a gummy smile. This is when an excess of gingival, or gum, tissue encroaches upon the teeth and makes them look uneven and disproportionate to the rest of the mouth. This can be an unattractive and embarrassing condition that can cause a lack of self-confidence. The condition is usually caused by genetics but can be the result of other health conditions such as high blood pressure prescriptions.
In the past, the way to remove this excess tissue involved using a scalpel. This obviously doesn’t sound very pleasant even though the procedure was relatively painless. However, improvements in dental technology have led to the introduction of the dental laser. This has many uses in modern cosmetic dentistry but it can crucially be used to remove excess gum tissue, with several key advantages. Firstly, it uses a great deal of heat, which will not hurt the patient but will cauterise the tissue that it cuts. This also means that the cuts are sterilised and will heal much faster than if they were cut with a scalpel.
This gum contouring using a laser is also very accurate and can be used to create a very pleasant and even looking smile, where all the teeth are even and proportionate to one another. In some cases the tissue may grow back to some extent but this is unlikely. Gum contouring is a very easy and quick procedure that can be accomplished in only one appointment with a London W1 dentist. It is also very affordable and will bring an end to the embarrassing gummy smile that may have been lowering your self-confidence all these years.
June 2nd, 2010
Cerec has only recently become available for dentists to use and only a small number of them currently have the technology. However, there can be little doubt that Cerec represents the future of dentistry. Cerec has been made possible by the advent of another key technological advancement, namely the digital x-ray. Thus form of three-dimensional imaging has allowed the dentist to have access to an instant picture of the patient’s teeth, without having to wait for the images to develop. This means the dentist can see the size and scale of the problem immediately, and more importantly, can use this image to design a new dental restoration on the computer.
Now comes the really clever bit, when the dentist is satisfied with the new restoration they can then send the information to a computer-guided mill, which manufactures the new crown or veneer from a single piece of porcelain. This can be especially chosen to closely match the colour of the patient’s existing tooth enamel. This whole manufacturing process can take as little as six minutes per tooth, which when compared to the two weeks a dental crown used to take, it is quite a remarkable leap forward. To fond put more about Cerec and to see if it could be suitable for you, ask your West London dentist at your next appointment.
May 13th, 2010
Everywhere around us we see technological developments changing the world we live in. New inventions and ideas are being used to make once complicated and drawn out processes simple, fast and effective. This technological advance has also affected the world of modern dentistry.
Over the last ten years, a number of new machines and techniques have been introduced that have shortened waiting and appointment times for patients and made treatment more accurate and effective. Perhaps one of the most important of these inventions is the digital x-ray. Replacing the conventional x-ray, digital technology has made it possible to create three-dimensional images of patient’s teeth instantly. This removes the need for developing images, which could take up to two days to achieve properly.
This instant and incredibly accurate information allows dentists to make quicker and more informed assessments and diagnoses. It has also had the effect of making dental restorations achievable in only one visit. Using digital x-rays, new technology called Cerec can process the information created by a dentist using the 3D image to sculpt dental crowns and veneers from a single piece of porcelain. Crown and veneer manufacture has often been a lengthy process, taking between two and three weeks, but can now be achieved in just one appointment.
Cerec, also known as chair-side dentistry, is changing the way dentistry works and represents a clear indication of the way forward for dental treatment. London W1 dentists are already using this amazing new technology to offer the most up-to-date treatment to their patients.
May 7th, 2010
Cosmetic dentistry is the process of treating teeth to improve their appearance and not necessarily for any health purposes. It has become increasingly popular over the last twenty years, as people have begun to realise the importance and benefits of having a healthy looking and attractive smile.
There are many different treatments that can be used to improve the appearance of the teeth. It is also possible to utilise a number of treatments in conjunction as part of a wider smile makeover. One of the most well-known and widely practised cosmetic treatments is teeth whitening. This involves treating teeth that are affected by discolouration and staining. Teeth whitening treatments use an active gel containing hydrogen peroxide, which penetrates the enamel and returns the discoloured areas to a whiter state. This will make the teeth look cleaner and healthier and have the subconscious effect of making you look younger.
Other treatments include having cosmetic bonding applied to the teeth to replace enamel that may have been worn away over time. Cosmetic bonding is a composite resin that is mixed to look like the colour of the existing enamel. It is then applied to the required areas of the teeth before being set hard with the heat of the dental laser.
City of London dentists can also use dental restorations made of ceramics to restore the appearance of damaged or unhealthy looking teeth. Porcelain veneers and crowns are caps that are cemented over the top of exiting teeth to improve their aesthetic appearance. A whole set of veneers will completely transform the appearance of even the most unattractive teeth in as little as one afternoon. Ask your dentist to find out more about the array of cosmetic dentistry treatments available and how they could benefit your teeth.
March 17th, 2010
The array of dental procedures available at City of London dentists has been growing almost exponentially over the last decade as new technology opens up the possibility of dentistry and cosmetic dentistry. New technology and new equipment means that even many standard procedures can now be carried out quicker and safer, and most importantly, less painfully.
Standard dental treatment for gum disease and dental decay is still top of the agenda for most dentists but improvements in treatment have made even this easier for patients. The old-style silver amalgam fillings have been replaced by the safer, tooth coloured dental bonding fillings, which work just as well but do not ruin the appearance of teeth. Other classic dental restorations such as crowns and veneers have been revolutionised by new technology such as digital x-rays and computer-aided manufacture. The rise of chair-side restoration means that crowns and veneers can now be designed, manufactured and fitted in a single appointment, an incredible leap forward and an idea of the potential future of dentistry.
Dental lasers have also been introduced over the last few years replacing many surgical implements such as the dreaded scalpel. Lasers can be used to sculpt gum tissue, harden bonding and even in the cavity filling and root canal treatments to replace the dentist drill. The many advantages of lasers include the sterilisation effect of heat which reduces the chances of infection and speeds recovery.
All of this new technology and much more is being used to improve dental treatment to make treatment better for the patients. If you have not visited a dentist for some time it is a good idea to make an appointment to see what new possibilities there are to improve the appearance and condition of your teeth.
February 19th, 2010
It seems that every year there is another breakthrough in the world of dentistry that provides patients with safer and easier treatments. The latest in this line of developments is a new dentistry tool called Waterlase. This pioneering new technology can be used for a variety of treatments on both the teeth and the gums making treatments much more comfortable than has previously been possible.
Lasers have been used for a number of years now in dental treatment because of the advantages they have over other equipment. Because lasers use heat the chances of infection are greatly reduced. They also have a cauterising effect, which means that wounds are sealed immediately after incision so that there is reduced blood loss and recovery times are vastly improved.
Waterlase was first used in the US at the very end of the 90s and has been successfully used across the country by thousands of dentists. The technology is now being more and more widely used in the UK and represents a genuine technological shift in the future of dentistry. Waterlase is even being used as an alternative to the much-feared dentist’s drill in many procedures. Waterlase removes the need for pressure and vibration to achieve the same results as the drill and uses a fine mist of water to limit the affects of heat in the mouth.
Waterlase is an incredibly accurate tool that is being used right now by Central London dentists to treat patients with a variety of complaints. Ask your dentist about the possibilities at your next appointment.
