August 21st, 2010
We have all seen what happens to a smile when a tooth is missing. A gap in the dental arc is pretty much the first thing that you notice when somebody smiles at you, but it is not just the aesthetic damage that is cause for concern. Missing teeth leave hollows in the gums that provide the perfect place for bacteria and plaque to build up. This hollow area is very difficult to clean with a conventional brush and can lead to damage occurring to other teeth in the dental arc. This process will repeat itself over and over until ultimately the teeth are all under threat.
Like any solid defence, your teeth need to be at maximum strength to successfully battle dental disease and decay. This is why your City of London dentist will always recommend that you try and replace missing teeth as soon as possible.
One of the most effective ways of doing this is to have a dental bridge designed and fitted. Just like it sounds, a dental bridge spans the gap created by the lost tooth with an artificial tooth. This tooth, known as the pontic, will be very realistic and match the other teeth for maximum cosmetic effect.
The pontic is normally held in place by dental crowns on either side of the gap. Small resin strips attach the pontic to the crowns to restore both the appearance and functionality of the tooth. Dental bridges are very effective and also the most affordable of all the dental substitutes. If properly maintained, a dental bridge from a City of London dentist can last as long as twenty years, although the average lifespan is between ten and fifteen years.
August 17th, 2010
You have probably all heard of dental crowns but you may not know exactly what they are and what they can do for your teeth. Our teeth are constantly under attack from plaque and acid and bacteria that lives in the mouth. The mouth and surfaces of the teeth are the perfect warm and moist place for bacteria to thrive and the acid they release will eventually begin to erode the teeth. This will cause cavities that can lead to the development of an infection on the inside of the tooth. If the dentist catches this decay early enough it may be possible to fill the cavity with dental bonding in a procedure called a filling. However, if the tooth is damaged beyond this state you may need a root canal treatment to remove the infection from the sensitive area at the centre of the tooth.
After this treatment has been carried out, the tooth will then need a dental crown to protect it from further damage. A crown is a specially designed cap, made of porcelain or porcelain and metal, that is cemented over the top of the tooth covering all the area exposed above the gum. This will then act as barrier to further decay and allow the tooth to function as normal.
Dental crowns are also used to repair teeth that have been damaged during an accident. Dental trauma such as breaks and chips can be very serious and a dental crown may be the only option to prevent a great deal of further pain and treatment. Dental crowns from London W1 dentists are also used in cosmetic repair work such as dental bridges.
June 8th, 2010
Tooth decay and gum disease can cause significant damage to the teeth that can be very painful and unpleasant. When decay gets to a certain point, it can no longer be treated with improved cleaning and a dental filling. If the tooth has been sufficiently damaged it will need further protection in the shape of a dental crown. The same is also true of a tooth that has been damaged as the result of a dental trauma. Chips or cracks that cannot be repaired with dental bonding will need to be protected with a dental crown.
Dental crowns are ceramic or metal (or both) caps that fit over the whole part of the tooth that protrudes above the gum. It is the cemented in place and in this way protects the tooth from further damage and attack form plaque and bacteria. Dental crowns have been used for many years to protect the teeth. They last between ten and twenty years depending on how well they are cared for.
The manufacture of dental crowns used to involve taking several dental moulds and x-rays and then gradually building it up out of layers of porcelain. Some dentists still use this method but new technology called Cerec uses digital x-rays and three-dimensional imaging to allow a computer-guided mill to sculpt the new crown in a matter of minutes. This new technology has also improved the accuracy of treatment as well as speeding up treatment times for all patients. Ask a London W1 dentist for more information about dental crowns.
Dental crowns can also be used to protect teeth after root canal treatments. The dentist will apply the crown to protect the tooth from becoming infected again and against further damage due to a weakening of tooth structure.
June 7th, 2010
Teeth can be lost for many reasons. It could be due to some kind of physical trauma like a sporting injury or a motor vehicle accident. It may be due to eating a hard bit of food that cracks or severely damages the teeth. Or it could simply be due to decay or gum disease. Whatever the reason for having a missing tooth, it is often a very nasty experience that involves a lot of pain and embarrassment. Even after the initial pain has subsided the appearance of the teeth with a missing space can be the source of many self-confidence issues.
However, there are a number of ways to replace missing teeth. This could involve using a partial denture, often known as a plate, or even a dental implant. But one of the most popular ways of replacing missing teeth is with a dental bridge. This involves constructing a bridge between the adjacent teeth to the vacant slot. This is achieved using dental crowns and an artificial tooth known as a pontic.
In some cases, if the teeth are in good enough condition, the pontic can be attached simply with resin bonded strips rather than remove healthy enamel to attach dental crowns. Your City of London dentist will be able to make an assessment about which is the most suitable for your teeth.
A dental bridge will replace the cosmetic and functional use of the tooth, although some care must be taken to avoid very hard foods. They will last somewhere between ten and twenty years depending on how well they are cared for.
May 2nd, 2010
One of the most common ways to replace missing teeth is to construct a dental bridge. Dental bridges are made using two dental crowns, attached either side of the vacant tooth space supporting an artificial tooth called a pontic. This creates the appearance of a full set of teeth, restoring the cosmetic appearance and also the functionality of the tooth.
It is important to replace missing teeth for a number of reasons. Missing teeth leave hollows in the gums, which can be breeding grounds for bacteria. This can cause further damage to the other teeth, resulting in further tooth loss. Missing teeth also encourage the remaining teeth to lean into the gaps and also rotate. This can cause interruptions in bite that can cause bruxism and painful jaw conditions such as TMJ.
One or more missing teeth can also cause problems with facial tissue. The teeth act as rigid supports for the facial muscles and if they are missing can cause unattractive sagging. A dental bridge will restore the support offered by real teeth and prevent other teeth moving around in the dental arc.
Although dental bridges are usually made using dental crowns, if the adjacent teeth are in good enough condition then a City of London dentist may choose to attach the pontic using resin bonded strips. This will remove the need for any unnecessary enamel removal which is often needed before fitting a dental crown. There are other dental restorations available in the form of dental implants and partial dentures but many patients opt to have bridges because they are affordable and involve minimal surgery. If you have suffered a missing tooth and are keen to replace it, ask your dentist about the possibilities of dental bridges.
April 15th, 2010
Teeth can be damaged in many ways. Chips, cracks and breaks can occur as the result of sporting injury, motor vehicle accidents or from any other kind of head trauma. Broken teeth can be very painful and also expose the sensitive inside parts of the tooth to the risk of infection and disease. Teeth can also be damaged by dental decay and enamel erosion. This again leaves them vulnerable to attack from disease, which could eventually lead to tooth loss. When teeth are damaged in this way it is necessary to protect them from further injury and also to restore the cosmetic appearance.
One of the oldest and most effective ways of protecting teeth is to fit a dental crown over the top. A dental crown is a ceramic or metal and ceramic cap that is designed to fit over the damaged tooth, covering all parts of the tooth above the gum line to act as a barrier to further damage. A Central London dentist will first need to remove some of the existing enamel so that the crown can fit comfortably over the top. The crown, which will have been made in laboratory conditions to be the same size and shape as the original tooth, will then be cemented over the top using composite bonding.
Crowns are made from metal and ceramic as these are very versatile and strong materials. Ceramics such as porcelain also have a very similar appearance to tooth enamel, giving an improved aesthetic appearance. Once firmly in place the crown will perform all the functions of the original tooth.
Crowns are also used after certain dental surgeries and treatments to add a dimension of protection to the teeth. If dental decay has causes significant damage that a filling is not sufficient to protect the tooth, then a crown may be used to offer greater protection. Crowns are also used after root canal treatments to prevent further infection
March 4th, 2010
A dental crown is a simple alternative to more complicated dental solutions, says a W1 London dentist. A crown is exactly that in every sense of the word, and we all know that a crown, like wallpaper, can cover up a multitude of sins. Problems that a crown can solve range from discoloured, chipped, cracked and misaligned teeth, although it isn’t always the answer in some extreme cases, it is in most. The procedure is as simple as the solution itself, and involves, in most cases, just 2 visits to the dentist. On the first the dentist will assess if the damaged tooth can be repaired by a crown, if it can he will then take a series of photographs and do some simple tests, all of which are completely painless. The crown is made for that specific tooth, and that specific problem whatever it is. A colouration test is done to make sure that the crown will fit in naturally with the surrounding teeth. When the crown is ready to be fitted the dentist will numb the area and the tooth, then he will grind down the front of the tooth, they will take just enough off so that the thickness of the crown will fit on perfectly to keep the height. The crown is simply then cemented to the tooth and that’s it. Maintenance is simple and you can clean the crown as you do the other teeth. A crown mustn’t be confused with a veneer which is a completely different thing altogether, a veneer is a much thinner version and is more a cosmetic device, where as a crown will solve a lot more serious problems and last a lot longer. Most dental surgeries provide this service, and some consultations are free.
February 3rd, 2010
A dental crown has distinct qualities that a veneer doesn’t have, and the two mustn’t be confused says a City of London dentist. A crown is a man made cap that is fitted to a damaged tooth, that damage can be a crack, a chip or a discolouration. It is made from a silver or gold based alloy, this in turn is coated with a hard wearing material to make it naturally white in colour. Some patients prefer to keep the silver or gold effect as a form of tooth jewellery, but that is a matter of personal taste rather than a requirement of a crown. Unlike a veneer that is a thin cover for the tooth, a crown actually replaces the depth of the tooth that is damaged. The dental technician makes the crown to a certain spec, then the dentist will remove the top layer of the tooth to the depth of the thickness of the cap, when the cap is fitted in place the tooth is half real and half artificial. It looks and feels, for all intents and purposes, like the original tooth. It retains all its nerves, but that makes it just as susceptible to infection as the other teeth, unlike dental implants which replace the whole tooth. A crown should last for years and will not usually wear down like a natural tooth, it isn’t possible to get an infection in a crown as it is an artificial tooth after all, but where the crown is joined to the natural tooth,this area is prone to infection as it is the natural tooth. Cleaning of the crown is the same as for the natural teeth, and flossing is also important to prevent an infection creeping into the join. The dental cement used will usually seal the joint, but this wears down with time and so extra dental care is necessary.
January 6th, 2010
A dental crown is a perfect way to transform our teeth, especially when they have become discoloured through food and drink intake, red wine being a big contributor to this condition. Other damage to teeth that could be solved by a crown can be more severe, and they will often save the tooth making it unnecessary for an implants or a false plate. Cracked teeth are difficult to see without the aid of a magnifying glass, so often we suffer from slight discomfort and risk more severe damage because of it. A crown over the tooth will not only make the tooth look like new, it will hold a crack in check, this also applies to a chipped, or in some cases, a misshapen tooth. Think of it like decorating a room, we strip off the old paper and it reveals old holes, cracks and bad repairs. We rub down the lumps, we fill the holes and wipe over the cracks. Then we line it and put on the final, smooth top paper. A dentist in LondonW1 explained that a crown placement procedure isn’t that complicated, but the comparison is good and the end result is the same. After some preparation work to fix the crown permanently to the tooth, the dentist will apply a clean coat of cement which not only holds the crowns in place, but will also go some way to preventing more damage to a cracked or chipped tooth. The new crown can be used in the same way as all your other teeth, and the care of it will be pretty much the same. If a crown becomes loose or falls out then a dentist can easily place it back, and without too much drama. Remember to keep it in some clean water, but don’t scrub it.
December 6th, 2009
Dental crowns, also commonly known as dental caps, are a form of dental restoration cemented to damaged teeth to encase them and protect them from further damage and improve their cosmetic appearance. The crown will fully cover the whole of the tooth protruding above the gum to offer complete protection form any further damage. In this sense they differ from other restorative measures such as veneers and fillings which only cover a certain portion of the tooth. Crowns are usually made from porcelain, metal or a combination of the two. Although patients with a more expensive taste may opt to have a gold or silver crown fitted.
There are many reasons why a dentist will fit a dental crown but the most common include to increase the strength of a damaged tooth; to restore the original shape of a tooth and; to improve the cosmetic or aesthetic appearance of a tooth. When a tooth has been cracked or fractured it can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort and can expose the sensitive inside to various stimuli. A London W1 dentist would therefore need to apply a crown to protect the central nerve of the tooth and restore the shape and strength of the original. Crowns are increasingly being made using the benefits of computer technology, which is able to sculpt a perfectly sized and shaped crown in as little as six-minutes from a single piece of porcelain. This new technology means that dental crowns will have little if any affect on the appearance of the teeth.
The application process of a crown does involve the removal of some enamel to allow the crown to fit over the tooth without being too big in the mouth. This does mean that all crowns are permanent but they are only ever used if the situation absolutely demands it. A dental crown can be an incredibly useful and strong way to rebuild a tooth and can last for up to twenty years if properly maintained.
