January 4th, 2012
In days gone by, if you went to your dentist in the city of London, you didn’t really have a lot of options to choose from when having a dental procedure done. You were knocked out with a hammer and then your teeth were then attacked with a road drill, or if there were any doubts, the dentist would yank it out. Okay, so that may be a little over the top, but technological changes in the dental world now mean that you are more integrated with your dentist and get more of a say in what you would like to have done. There are so many operations involved in dentistry these days that the choices become overwhelming at times. Basic procedures such as having a filling and root canals can be done with a laser if you so choose, that is virtually painless, removing the choice of anaesthetics, but the use of lasers truly come into their own when it comes to the options in cosmetic dentistry. Such things as gum contouring, teeth whitening and dental implants have never been easier thanks to this new technology. Of course, you can still get your teeth into shape using tried and tested methods such as crown placements, veneers and bridges. You really are spoilt for choice with what’s on offer these days so you would be wise to do lots of research beforehand in order to get what is best for you.
December 31st, 2011
What’s an endodontist I hear you cry, people of west London? Well Endodontics is one of those specialist dental treatments that deal mainly with the nerves of your teeth and if you have suffered from a trauma due to injury, the roots of your teeth have become infected, or simply, you have let things get out of hand and are suffering from tooth decay, your regular dentist will call in an endodontist to solve the problem. One of the more common problems is that of tooth decay and this means that you will have to have root canal treatment in order to save the tooth. This means the nerves within the tooth have become badly infected and have to be removed. This is done by first removing the bad pulp in the tooth to enable the nerves to be drilled out and then once done the tooth is then filled and topped off with a crown. In some cases the nerves of the tooth can be saved by deep cleansing. Endodontics also covers traumas and accidents in order to protect the nerves after the event and to at least try to keep the tooth in the mouth at all costs.
August 16th, 2011
A whole branch of dentistry is not well known by many people in the general public and yet it is a vital part of maintaining oral hygiene. It is called endodontics and it is concerned with the interior of teeth rather than the exterior. It is so important because it is the interior of your teeth that is the part that is effectively ‘alive’ and it needs to be taken care of. A very important procedure that forms part of endodontics is the procedures known as root canal treatment.
The inside of your teeth is called the pulp chamber. This is contrary to what many people believe of teeth: that they are solid. On the contrary, your teeth are actually hollow and inside the hollow is a mass of important material that is collectively known as ‘pulp’. This name doesn’t do justice to the complexity of the material that is housed there. Inside a tooth you will find nerves and blood vessels and they are vulnerable to infection if a patient suffers from an accident affecting the mouth or an infection gains access to the inside of the tooth.
In these cases, dentists will need to get access to the pulp chamber to remove the infected material. The obvious way might seem to drill through the teeth, but this is not a desirable way of doing it as the hole that would be created in the tooth would have to be filled. Instead, dentists in Central London and beyond prefer to enter the tooth through the root canal which is the area that the nerves and blood vessels can get into the tooth through. This is what constitutes root canal treatment.
July 15th, 2011
Most of the problems that many people are familiar with when it comes to teeth, are those affecting the outside of teeth, such as cavities or excess plaque. In fact there is a whole other side to dentistry that is concerned with the vital interior of your teeth. This is called endodontics and the word, which might not be familiar to that many people, has its origins in the Greek words for inside (‘endo’) and teeth (‘dontics’).
Far from either being solid blocks of enamel or hollow and empty, your teeth have many vital things inside them. This area is called the pulp chamber and it contains a number of tissues, veins and nerve endings. It should be adequately protected by the hard outer layer of your teeth but sometimes problems can occur with the material in the pulp chamber and they will need to be sorted out so that your teeth does not become beyond repair.
If this happens then endodontic surgery will be required. The most common form of endodontics is root canal treatment. This is necessary if an infection has begun in the pulp chamber, perhaps through a trauma that affected the mouth or a result of a deep cavity that has allowed germs into the chamber and an abscess has formed.
Rather than drilling into the tooth, root canal treatment involves gaining entry to the pulp chamber via the root canal which carries the nerves and veins into the tooth through the root. The pulp chamber is cleaned out so that no infection remains and the tooth can return to good health.
Find out more information about the complex and vital work that goes into endodontic surgery from your West London dentist.
July 1st, 2011
If you are experiencing sudden pain in your mouth that is impairing your ability to eat and drink properly then it might be that you have developed an abscess in one of your teeth. This can be particularly painful and will need to be dealt with so that the problem is unable to spread to the rest of the mouth and require more drastic measures.
Abscesses can have a variety of causes. If a cavity has gone untreated then it might be allowing germs to enter the interior of a tooth and causing the pulp inside the tooth to become infected. This can be common in teeth in elderly patients too, who are more likely to develop small cracks in their teeth that can allow compromising germs inside.
A one-off accident that has affected the mouth can also lead to a tooth abscess if the pulp has been damaged and infected and not cleaned out properly. Those with weaker immune systems might be susceptible to this eventuality. Swelling in the face can occur in severe cases of tooth abscesses.
Making an appointment to see your City of London dentist is crucial in sorting out a tooth abscess. They are trained to deal with such things and can remedy the situation to your satisfaction. It is possible that a tooth abscess will be so severe that it needs the tooth to be removed. More likely is that root canal treatment will be needed in order to clear the interior of the tooth of its damaging infection. The risk of tooth abscesses is just another reason to go and see your dentist every six months for a check up.
June 25th, 2011
If you have a persistent pain in one of your teeth, life can suddenly seem very difficult. Going to work might seem like the last thing you want to do and that morning cup of tea suddenly becomes more of an issue than it ever has before. If it is showing no signs of going away you should definitely report the problem to your dentist as it might be that your tooth is abscessed.
Abscessed teeth can often be the result of one off accidents which have affected your face. Not only will your tooth hurt but there might be a noticeable swelling to the side of your face as well. It is important that this is dealt with as soon as possible.
Neglecting to report such a situation might lead to having to have the tooth removed. If there is damage to the hollow interior of the tooth (called the pulp chamber), then root canal surgery can usually rectify the problem. But if this is not carried out soon enough then the tooth might fail and simply have to be removed.
Pain of such magnitude in your mouth is unlikely to just go away of its own accord so you should not hesitate in booking an emergency appointment with your London W1 dentist. It might be that some major work is required in order to restore your teeth your health. You shouldn’t wait until your next six months check-up because it might have got worse by then. Remember: you only get one set of healthy teeth in a life time so it is not worth playing fast and loose with their integrity.
November 4th, 2010
Even in London’s W.1, sometimes a tooth will decay (possibly fall out), either through injury or bad oral hygiene and to avoid any further complications, action must be taken. In most cases a crown may be required to restore the tooth to its former glory. A crown is like a cap that that fits over the damaged tooth (or an implant in the case of a missing tooth) and mimics the look of the original. Once the decision is made to have a crown fitted, then it’s down to your choice of material the crown is fabricated from. Ceramic/porcelain’s are the more natural looking choice though they are not very strong (as are all-resin ones), so their placement is important to avoid too much biting pressure. A hybrid of these is the porcelain over metal crown and a lot stronger. If it’s bling you’re after then the obvious choice is gold alloy. These are very hard wearing and resistant to biting pressures. Having a crown fitted can be done in two visits (or in the case of CEREC treatment, one sitting). The tooth must be prepared and in the case of decay or damage, a root canal may be necessary first. Once a mould is taken and the crown fabricated, then it is cemented into place. Prices start from around £150 for a resin crown and up to £500 for a gold one.
September 22nd, 2010
When teeth become infected as the result of dental decay it can be a very painful experience and one that can cause you a lot of misery and anxiety. Infections are almost always started by plaque and bacteria eroding the protective layer of enamel that coats the teeth. This forms dental cavities which are further exposed until the enamel is finally penetrated and the softer more sensitive inner part of the tooth is exposed. Infections then take hold in these cavities and begin to attack the dental nerve which is why it so painful. If this is not remedied quickly, the nerve will eventually die and the tooth will fall out.
Obviously this is not something that you want to happen so it is always advised that you see a dentist if you think you may have an infection. One of the most common ways of treating infections that have penetrated to the centre of the tooth is with a root canal treatment. This is a most feared procedure but if performed with anaesthetic should be no more painful than a filling.
The Central London dentist will drill down into the centre of the tooth and remove any infected matter. They will then fill the cavity with medicine to remove any residual infection. The cavity then needs to be filled ands covered with a dental crown to protect the tooth from further damage. Root canal treatments are a very successful way of saving your tooth from infection and ultimately loss. With modern technology and tools there is no reason to fear a root canal. In fact it could be just the treatment to save you from a lot of unnecessary pain.
July 21st, 2010
Dental technology is advancing all the time. New tools and devices are being used to improve the quality and efficiency of treatment and one such device is the new Waterlase laser tool which uses a gentle spray of water to make dental treatments more comfortable and less unpleasant for patients. A relief, I’m sure for those of you who aren’t exactly keen on going to the dentist . Unlike the old-fashioned dentist’s drill, which uses heat, vibration and pressure to be effective, Waterlase lessens the impact on the mouth meaning patients require less anaesthetic and in some cases, none at all.
With Waterlase, your appointments will not last as long and you will be free to carry on your normal business much sooner and with far less discomfort. You also most likely wont need a nasty anaesthetic injection before surgery, common with other tools. This has understandably made Waterlase very popular with patients. For dentists, it means that operations and procedures can be carried out quicker and with fewer appointments.
Lasers themselves are not new to dentistry but the revolutionary use of water with Waterlase has improved upon the existing technology. Lasers can be used in many dental procedures including for fillings, crowns and root canal surgery. The other benefits of lasers at London W1 dentists are that they sterilise the wounds and make recovery time quicker. They can also cauterize any open tissue making the chance of infection significantly less. Ask your dentist about the new Waterlase technology for your next procedure.
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
