Restorative Treatments

The fillings are made from a composite material of organic resin and glass/ceramic nano-particles. For large cavities we often fill the majority of the area with a flowable material which chemically hardens in just over a minute. If we need to sculpt the material to match the natural contours of your tooth we use a firmer composite. This can be carefully shaped then hardens when exposed to a specific blue lightwave curing light. We have a full palate of colours and opacities allowing us to achieve lifelike results.

It can vary, anywhere from 20 minutes all the way up to one hour per tooth. Your dentist will advise you of the length of appointment needed to correctly restore your tooth.

Normally we fit a dental dam, a fantastic device to isolate your teeth from the rest of your mouth. This keeps your tongue, lips and cheeks safely out of the way and gives us a clean dry area in which to operate. After removing plaque, tartar, decay and existing filling, the tooth is cleaned and then dried. To achieve a bond to the tooth, the surface is etched, primed and coated with an adhesive resin. Once prepared, the white filling material is placed into the tooth cavity or area to be filled, and then shaped to fit the tooth contours. A curing light is then used to harden the filling before it is trimmed and polished to look like a natural part of your tooth.

We don’t use amalgam fillings at all. That’s because we’re convinced that traditional silver amalgam fillings, which contain mercury have no place in the modern dental practice.

Amalgam fillings weaken the teeth, leading to fractures within the tooth structure. In time, they are also prone to corrode and leak, staining the filling and give the tooth an unsightly grey appearance.
From a health point of view, one of the principle components of amalgam is a mercury, a toxic metal. Overexposure to mercury can have debilitating effects on humans, and is commonly regarded as a poison.

These are just some of the reasons why we moved to amalgam-free treatment nearly 20 years ago. Since then all our patients have benefitted from dentistry that is not only healthy, but leaves their teeth looking good and feeling good for a very long time.

The most tried and tested material is a gold alloy of 60% to 80% gold. We use gold a lot on back teeth where they do not show.

Where lifelike results are needed we use ceramic crowns made of zirconia or lithium disilicate. These are highly aesthetic and bio-compatible.

Crowns cover the entire tooth right down to the gum-line. This gives the best look as the join between the crown and tooth is hidden. Even if the gum recedes a little with time this join is often barely noticeable.

Onlays are frequently used on back teeth. The join is kept as far from the gum line as possible to preserve healthy tooth structure and maintain the tooth strength and vitality. The join may be visible on close inspection but this does not detract from the overall smile as we are selective where we use this technique.

To fit a crown the outer layer of tooth, about 1mm thick, must be removed to allow sufficient space for the crown. We usually reserve this technique when all other options have been explored. This is because if the tooth decays or cracks within the crown then we may not be able to save the tooth.

Generally, it takes two appointments, two weeks apart.

During the first visit, the tooth is shaped to allow room for the thickness of the crown. A scan impression is taken of your teeth using a digital intra-oral scanner. This takes multiple photographs to record your teeth and bite in fine detail. This is a very precise process, which ensures an exact fit. Gone are the days when molds are taken with a putty setting in your mouth. A temporary crown is fabricated for you to see you through until your next appointment. The crown is custom-made by a lab technician according to the dentists’ instructions. We often take photographs, with colour reference tabs and polarising filters, to assist the technician in getting a good match.

At the second appointment, the temporary crown is removed and the tooth is thoroughly cleaned. A few minor adjustments may be required to custom-fit the crown exactly to your bite. Your new crown is then cemented onto your tooth and is ready to use straight away.

Bridges last 10 to 15 years on average and can last much longer if cared for.

It must be understood that the bridge will only last if the underlying tooth is healthy. If you have a high sugar diet, do not brush thoroughly or do not use a fluoride containing toothpaste then the underlying tooth will still decay.

Nylon dentures, as mentioned above, are a short-term fix to maintain your appearance whilst a more permanent treatment is carried out.

Acrylic dentures and those with a cobalt chromium framework can last 10 years or more. Just like people wear down their natural teeth at greatly differing rates, the same is true of dentures. We have patients with 30 year old dentures and those who wear down or break them within 5 years!

Many people tolerate upper dentures well and they can look remarkably lifelike so only you know they are not your natural teeth. Speech can be tricky to begin with but returns to normal within a few days in most cases.

Lower dentures are not well tolerated on the whole as they tend to move, rub and do not allow the same bite forces for eating as natural teeth. Using denture fixative under the lower denture can help. Our preferred option is to stabilise them with dental implants

Dentures can affect taste if they cover the roof of your mouth and can cause gagging.

If you wear a partial denture then more plaque will accumulate on your natural teeth. This renders them more susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.

For replacing small front teeth adhesive bridges are often the best choice. Little to no preparation of the support tooth is needed and they can last for years. In many cases they can be re-stuck if they de-bond from the tooth.

Conventional bridges can span larger gaps and may be a good option if you are un-suitable for implants. The drawbacks are the preparation required to the support teeth. This removal of the outer layer makes the support teeth more prone to decay and damage to the tooth nerve.

Depending on the severity of the problem this will vary. For registered patients with urgent emergencies we aim to see you on the same day.

Leaving a tooth or gum problem untreated may not only lead to a dental emergency but can affect your overall health, particularly if you have other medical conditions, such as diabetes or cardiac problems.

It is very uncommon to experience pain during the treatment. Occasionally, with a tooth that has been agonisingly painful, we may need to employ a few extra measures to fully numb the tooth so any discomfort will be minimised.

Root canal treatment is usually successful at saving teeth and clearing infection.
90% of root-treated teeth survive for 8 to 10 years.

Having a crown fitted to a chewing (back/side) tooth after root canal treatment is important for improving survival rates.

The survival of your tooth depends on a number of factors:

If an infection does return, the root canal treatment can be usually be repeated. Or if treatment has already been carried out to a high standard and the infection remains, a small operation to remove the root tip (an apicoectomy) may be carried out to treat the infection. We occasionally recommend referring you to a Specialist Endodontist if your problem is particularly complex.