Tooth Whitening
Tooth Whitening is the No.1 requested and performed cosmetic dental procedure in the UK. In everyday life the microscopic pores of your teeth are pigmented with substances such as red wine, coffee and tobacco. These, in conjunction with age related changes gives your smile a stained and discoloured appearance. Tooth Whitening lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discoloration. It is effective in 95% of patients to brighten discolouration of teeth.
Tooth Whitening is the ideal procedure to have just before that important social occasion allowing you to have a radiant smile in all of your photos.
A variety of options are available today for you to brighten your smile, but dentist-supervised treatments remain the safest and most effective way to a brighter whiter smile. Your dentist will conduct an initial consultation and a thorough assessment. The options appropriate to your case will then be thoroughly discussed with you to provide a customised Tooth Whitening procedure.
What is tooth whitening?
A simple technique using hydrogen peroxide to lighten the shade of your teeth. This is our most popular procedure to dramatically improve your appearance, at significantly less cost and inconvenience than other techniques.
How does it work?
Tooth Whitening is most effective on surface stains caused by age, or pigmented foods and drinks. The whitening of your tooth occurs due to breakdown of the peroxide gel providing highly active oxygen free radicals. These effectively break up the unattractive pigmented molecules causing the stain to be removed, providing you with a brighter whiter smile.
The lighter the stain the easier it is to whiten. The most severe discolouration (e.g. tetracycline staining) may require a longer period of active Tooth Whitening with subsequent veneers.
They differ in the type of chemical used and its active concentration. Scientific literature and research indicates dentist-monitored Tooth Whitening is the most effective and safest way to lighten discoloured teeth.
You may have existing tooth coloured restorations such as crowns or white fillings, these will not alter in shade.
How white will my teeth get?
This is your choice. Generally the longer you bleach your teeth the whiter they become. In today's cosmetic conscious society shades accepted in the past have been superseded by the pearlescent whites that people now accept as normal. The general dental consensus is the shade of the teeth should match the whiteness of a person's eye.
Procedure
A preoperative shade of your teeth is taken prior to commencing any Tooth Whitening procedure. Once your treatment is complete, a post-operative shade is taken.
Home Tooth Whitening
On your initial visit to our dental practice, your dentist will take an impression (mould) of you teeth. From this, a customised tray is made to snugly fit to your teeth. These trays ensure that there is minimal leakage and maximum cosmetic effect
Once constructed the trays will be checked for accuracy of fit and specific instructions will be provided on your tooth-whitening regime. Customised trays are loaded with the easily applicable peroxide gel and worn for between 2 and 4 hours for up to 8 days.
A brief visit after active treatment to your dentist ensures that a Tooth Whitening effect has occurred and that you are pleased with your result.
Power Bleaching – In House Tooth Whitening
This system is perfect for those who want an instant result. State of the art equipment is used to whiten and brighten your smile by up to 8 shades in only 60 minutes.
Your teeth maybe professionally polished to ensure optimal efficacy of the Tooth Whitening procedure. Your dentist protects your gums and surrounding tissues with a barrier membrane. The active tooth-whitening agent is then applied to your teeth. A light shined onto the Tooth Whitening gel to allow maximum activity of the carbamide peroxide. The Tooth Whitening gel is replaced several times during the procedure to give optimal results.
Once the treatment period is completed you will be shown how in 60 minutes your dentist has transformed your smile into the smile of your dreams.
Occasionally a combination of two treatment types maybe used to ensure optimal results.
Review
Cigarette smoking, tea, coffee, red wine and other pigmented substances are best avoided in the initial post-operative period. If these specific instructions are not followed you may see the whiteness start to fade in as little as one month.
After a period of time, due to the nature of today's lifestyles you may notice that the whiteness of your smile may have faded. Many people undergo a yearly "top up" procedure to maintain their bright white smile. You must discuss your whitening schedule with your dentist and, talk about products that would work best for you.
It is important to employ a strict oral hygiene regime encompassing professional hygiene intervention. You will be shown the most appropriate method to ensure optimal oral health. Regular recall and review is essential to ensure an optimal status of your smile.
What are the common side effects?
The majority of our patients undergo Tooth Whitening without any adverse effect. A small number of patients may experience mild sensitivity and/or irritation of the gums. There are several ways in which this can be resolved, in the vast majority symptoms settle within the first few days.
White Fillings&Composite Bonding
White Fillings are used to replace old amalgam (metal based) fillings, or to restore decayed,chipped and cracked teeth.
Composite Bonding is the application of tooth coloured nano-technology resin to restore decayed, chipped, or discoloured teeth and to close spaces between teeth. They consist of a resin-based matrix and an inorganic filler. Composites are soft when applied and are set hard using a special light. They are commonly used and the procedure is usually carried out in a single visit.
Provision of direct composite restorations is relatively quick and one of the most cost effective cosmetic dental procedures. Composite resin is a versatile, clinically proven, successful and aesthetic material that can be used in many common clinical situations.
Procedure
This depends on the reason for prescribing the treatment, in some instances there is no need for drilling or preparation of your tooth, the need for local anaesthesia may also be eliminated.
Your dentist selects the shade of composite that matches your tooth. The tooth surface will be etched with an acid gel then coated with a liquid that allows the tooth coloured resin to bond to your tooth. The composite resin is then sculpted, shaped and then hardened with a special light. The material will be further trimmed and shaped. Once this has been completed, meticulous polishing will be undertaken.
The procedure usually is a single visit of 30 minutes; however this maybe longer or involve multiple visits depending on the extent, complexity and number of restorations you require.
Review
You may experience mild sensitivity in the immediate post-operative period, in the vast number of cases this is temporary. Composite restorations usually last several years before needing to be repaired or replaced. Cigarette smoking, tea, coffee and other pigmented substances may discolour composite restorations. It is therefore important to employ a strict oral hygiene regime encompassing professional hygiene intervention. You will be shown the most appropriate method to ensure optimal oral health. Regular recall and review is required to ensure the status of your composite restorations.
Crowns
Dental Crowns, also known as “caps,” preserve the functionality of damaged teeth. Crowns may be used to protect a cracked tooth, restore functionality of a tooth with excessive decay, or replace a pre-existing crown. The purpose of a dental crown is to encase a needy tooth with a custom-designed material. Dentists today have a variety of conservative treatment options through which to restore teeth. If possible, these options should be explored and discussed before selecting the full coverage crown.
A crown is custom made precision item that is cemented over your tooth or implant to completely cover it. Traditionally crowns have been described as metal or ceramic fused to metal. However, advancing technology has provided materials based on Zirconium. These materials are very strong and durable thus eliminating the requirement for a metal substructure for your crown. Ceramic crowns now are the gold standard in providing the ultimate aesthetic result.
Crowns are prescribed as a part of a treatment to restore teeth that have:
- undergone root canal treatment
- severe tooth surface loss
- been heavily restored
- poor aesthetic appearance
- replace existing crowns with poor appearance.
Procedure
Initial consultation, assessment and planning will occur with one of our dentists. All options appropriate to your case will be thoroughly discussed. Preoperative pictures and tooth shade taken in UK , is in your dentist in Poland , so the process is initiated. Impressions maybe taken to allow our ceramist to provide a diagnostic wax up, this will physically allow you to visualise and approve the intended outcome.
A sufficient amount of tooth substance and appropriate "core" must be in place prior to provision of a crown. Once this has been established the process of crown preparation begins.
At your second visit the tooth to be crowned will be prepared. This occurs according to specifications required to provide a premier functional and aesthetic outcome. An impression will be taken of the tooth and sent to our ceramist along with your smile design and custom prescription.
A temporary crown will be constructed, to provide you with an aesthetic, functional and protective provisional restoration. In the mean while our ceramist will follow your custom prescription to hand craft your crown.
The preparation procedure usually is a single visit of 60 minutes, however this maybe longer or involve multiple visits depending on extent, complexity and number of crowns.
At your final visit the provisional crown is carefully removed and your custom made crown tried in. A thorough quality control programme is initiated to ensure that you are about to receive a product of premier quality. You will be shown the crown at this try in stage. Once you confirm that you are pleased with the appearance and fit, your dentist will cement the crown to your tooth.
It is generally accepted that between 1 in 5 and 1 in 8 teeth crowned go on to become non-vital and require a root canal treatment.
Review
It may take a couple of days for you to become accustomed to your new crown. However, you will be invited to return a few weeks after the provision of your crown to review your oral health status, condition of crown and feed back of the cosmetic result. It is important to employ a strict oral hygiene regime encompassing professional hygiene intervention, as a crowned tooth is not protected from decay or gum disease. You will be shown the most appropriate method to ensure optimal oral health.
Bridges
One or more missing teeth can adversely affect the appearance and functionality of your smile. Missing teeth can cause a change in occlusion (bite), shifting of the teeth, temporomandibular joint disorder speech impediments, an increased risk for periodontal disease and a greater chance of tooth decay
Dental bridges, like implants and partial dentures, are used to replace missing teeth. There are several types of fixed dental bridges (cannot be removed), including conventional fixed bridges, cantilever bridges and resin-bonded bridges. Typically, conventional and cantilever bridges require shaping of the teeth surrounding a missing tooth. Crowns are then placed on the shaped teeth and attached to an artificial tooth (called a pontic).
A resin-bonded bridge requires less preparation of adjacent teeth. It is often used to replace front teeth, provided that the gums are healthy and the surrounding teeth do not have extensive dental fillings.
Conventional Bridges
The procedure for a traditional tooth supported bridge follows that of a crown.
Resin bonded bridge
These require no or very little preparation of your tooth therefore negate the need for local anaesthetic. An impression will be taken of the tooth and sent to our ceramist along with your smile design and custom prescription.
Implant Retained Bridges
Implant retained bridges are closest man made item to replace natural teeth. Many combinations of implant supported bridge are possible. Initial consultation, assessment and planning will occur with one of our dentists. The options appropriate to your case will be thoroughly discussed with you.
Procedure
During the first visit, your dentist examines the health of your gums and other teeth to evaluate if you are a candidate for a dental bridge. If you are a candidate for a dental bridge, you are given a local anesthetic so your dentist can prepare the teeth required to support the bridge. If the support teeth are decayed or badly broken down, your dentist may have to build them back up before they can be used as support teeth for a bridge.
Next, your dentist takes an impression of the prepared teeth with a putty-like material that is used to create a model of your teeth. Your bridge is fabricated based on this model by a skilled lab technician so that it precisely fits the prepared teeth. It is important that your restoration fit perfectly to avoid additional oral health problems such as tooth decay.
While your bridge is being fabricated, your dentist fits you with a temporary bridge so the teeth and gums can be protected from damage until your permanent bridge is ready. To complete the dental bridge procedure, you must return to us for a second visit to have the bridge fitted and cemented.
Review
It may take a couple of days for you to become accustomed to your new bridge. You will be invited to return a few weeks after the provision of your bridge to review your oral health status, condition of bridge and feed back of the cosmetic result. It is important to employ a strict oral hygiene regime encompassing professional hygiene intervention, as a bridge will not protect natural teeth from decay or gum disease. You will be shown the most appropriate method to ensure optimal oral health.
Veneers
Dental veneers are custom-designed shells of tooth-like ceramic material that, when applied over the surface of a tooth, can cover worn tooth enamel, uneven tooth alignment or spacing and chips or cracks.
Dental veneers fall into the category of cosmetic dentistry because they create a bright, white smile with beautifully aligned, shapely teeth. Even better, the translucent ceramic quality of today's veneers provides a more natural look than what’s been available in the past.
Regardless of what causes unattractive teeth, dental veneers may solve most or even all of your cosmetic dental issues
Procedure
Initial consultation, assessment and planning will occur with one of our Dentists. The options appropriate to your case will be thoroughly discussed with you. Preoperative pictures and tooth shade will be taken and the design process is initiated. Impressions will be taken to allow our ceramist to provide a diagnostic wax up, this will physically allow you to visualise and approve the intended outcome. At your second visit the teeth to be veneered will be minimally prepared. An impression will be taken and sent to our ceramist along with your smile design and custom prescription. Temporary veneers are constructed to provide you with an aesthetic provisional restoration, already improving your smile. In the mean time our ceramist will hand craft your final veneers.
At the final visit the provisional veneers are carefully removed, and your custom made veneers tried in. A thorough quality control programme is initiated to ensure that you receive a product of premier quality. You will be shown the veneers at this try in stage. Once you confirm that you are pleased with the appearance and fit, your Dentist will bond the veneers to your teeth.
Review
It may take a couple of days for you to become accustomed to your new veneers. You will be invited to return a few weeks after the provision of your veneers to review your oral health status, condition of veneers and feed back of the cosmetic result. It is important to employ a strict oral hygiene regime encompassing professional hygiene intervention. You will be shown the most appropriate method to ensure optimal oral health. As with any treatment regular recall and review is essential to ensure the status of your veneers.
Implants
Dental implants are artificial tooth replacements that are used to counter tooth loss. The procedure is categorized as a form of prosthetic (artificial replacement) dentistry, though it also falls into the category of cosmetic dentistry as well.
Although you have a number of restorative options for the treatment of missing teeth, none have proven to be as functionally effective and durable as implants. In many cases, dental implants may be the only logical choice for the restoration of all necessary functionality of the teeth and supporting structures.
Implants are alternatives to complex restorative treatment on your natural tooth such as conventional bridges, and dentures. Constructed of Titanium an implant is placed into the underlying bone of your jaw. Implants are safe, non-toxic, and biocompatible. Your bone will grow around the implant and osseo-integrate to the fixture. First tried over 30 years ago, implants evolved to provide a treatment option with 95% success rate over 10 years. Now considered the No. 1 option to replace a missing tooth, implant based treatment is the future of replacing gaps.
Dental implants are surgically placed into the bone in your jaws. They replace missing or extracted teeth. Once osseo-integration has occurred, the definitive crown, bridge or denture can be constructed. In the interim period you will be provided with a provisional restoration of the highest calibre. Traditionally, placement of implants has been a multistage procedure. However, with new scientific research, in some cases, a single stage immediate implant with definitive crown is now possible.
Use of implants and osseo-integration has been documented for nearly 30 years. This treatment option is backed by a multitude of scientific literature and clinical experience.
Implants can:
- Replace one or more teeth without affecting adjacent teeth.
- Support a bridge and eliminate the need for a removable denture.
- Provide support and retention for a denture
Procedure
The options appropriate to your case will be thoroughly discussed with you. Preoperative pictures and tooth shade will be taken and the smile design process is initiated. Impressions will be taken to allow our ceramist to provide a diagnostic wax up, this will physically allow you to visualise and approve the intended outcome. You may require specialised imaging in the form of computerised tomography. This will allow your Dentist to have a 3D reconstruction of your jaws, allowing perfect planning for the best outcome.
If there is insufficient quality and quantity of bone to place your implant into, osseo-integration will be compromised. As this is key to success you may require a bone augmentation procedure to allow your implant to have optimal status. Your dentist will discuss all of these eventualities and possibilities in the initial stages.
The placement of a single implant is a relatively minor procedure and routinely carried out under local anaesthetic, many patients report that it is easier than having a tooth extracted. In the interim period you will be provided with a provisional restoration of the highest calibre and aesthetics.
Many implant procedures require a second stage, this ensures true osseo-integration has occurred. Carried out under local anaesthetic the buried implant is uncovered, and impressions taken. These are sent to our ceramist who will hand craft your aesthetic crown or bridge. In the interim period you will be provided with a provisional restoration of the highest calibre.
At your next visit the provisional restoration is carefully removed, and your custom made crown or bridge is tried in. You will be shown the final restoration at this try in stage. Once you confirm that you are pleased with the appearance and fit, your dentist will cement the restoration to the implant.
Review
You will be invited to return a few weeks after provision of the definitive restoration to review your oral health status, condition of the implant and restoration as well as to get feed back of the cosmetic result. An implant does not suffer from dental decay but it is still very important to employ a strict oral hygiene regime encompassing professional hygiene intervention. You will be shown the most appropriate method to ensure optimal oral health. As with any dental intervention, regular recall and review is essential to ensure the status of your implant.
Bone Graft & Sinus Lift
In certain cases when a dental implant is prescribed, it is necessary to build up bone in the implant site to ensure success. This is generically known as Bone Grafting. The techniques used by us are well documented and will be discussed with you from the initial consultation if required. Bone grafting allows your dentist to increase the height and width of bone, and even fill voids. The preferred bone to use is taken from other areas of your mouth.
Your dentist may inform you that a bone graft is not required, instead opting for a sinus lift in the upper jaw. The maxillary sinus is a hollow cavity designed to make your head lighter. As we age our sinuses enlarge. If an implant was placed without appropriate planning it would not have optimal bone support. A sinus lift procedure is designed to raise the floor of the sinus, thus allowing your dentist to place your implant into solid bone, not disturbing the sinus.
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