CLICK TO VIEW MENU
If you’re experiencing tooth sensitivity when biting into hot or cold food or feeling pain in a part of your mouth when you eat something sweet, you might need a dental filling. Having dental fillings restores your teeth to their full function and addresses any pain or sensitivity you might be feeling.
What Are Dental Fillings?
When you have active decay on a tooth, the acidic nature of the bacteria causes the surface of the tooth to be eroded away. The result can be a small hole or cavity. If the cavity is deep enough, it can expose your tooth root, which can lead to pain and discomfort. Because it is possible to have cavities in your teeth and not be aware of them, regular visits to your dentist are the most effective way to manage tooth cavities.
What Material Types Are Available For Dental Fillings?
The choice of material is usually recommended by your dentist, based on your lifestyle and budget needs.
Some of your filling options for fillings include:
Amalgam
Amalgam is one of the most affordable and longest lasting filling types but because of its noticeable metallic look, it is better suited for use on back teeth
Composite
Composite fillings are made from a durable acrylic resin that is designed to match the natural colour of your teeth. This type of filling is typically used for small to medium-sized fillings where the teeth must withstand moderate pressure.
Gold
While gold fillings were all the rage in your grandparents’ era, they’re fairly uncommon now. Sure, gold is an ideal material for fillings thanks to its durability (over 20 years) — but it’s also very expensive. Because of the cost, gold is not used as commonly anymore. Furthermore, most people want their fillings to match the natural colour of their teeth.
Porcelain
Porcelain looks very closely like natural teeth. It is stain resistant and very strong. It does have a higher cost than composite resin and amalgam.
What is a Denture?
Dentures are replacements for missing teeth that can be taken out and put back into your mouth. While dentures take some getting used to and will never feel exactly the same as one’s natural teeth, today’s dentures are natural-looking and more comfortable than ever.
Types of denture based on material used:
• Acrylic
• Cobalt Chrome
• Cosmetic Semi-Flexible Denture
Partial dentures are often used instead of other tooth replacement methods when the surrounding natural teeth are not strong enough to support structures such as dental bridges, or when more than one or two teeth are missing.
The partial dentures are fitted to the part of the gum line that they will sit on, and fasten to nearby natural teeth to keep from falling out of place. They are not permanently fastened, however, and can be easily taken out at any time for cleaning and while sleeping.
Full dentures, otherwise known as complete dentures, are dentures that replace all of your natural teeth. You can have them fitted for your top or bottom gum line, and are held in place by suction and/or the help of an oral adhesive. Just like partial dentures, they are easily removable.
There are some other kinds of full and partial dentures that differ from traditional permanent dentures including a type called immediate dentures. These dentures are created before the teeth that are being replaced with dentures have been removed and are used immediately after tooth extraction and during the healing process, which can be up to six months long. These dentures can be more easily refitted than permanent dentures to accommodate for mouth changes as the swelling in the gums and jaw subsides while healing. The immediate dentures will be disposed of once the healing process is complete and your mouth is ready for permanent dentures.
Overdentures are an alternative that can be used if traditional dentures prove to be extremely uncomfortable or if you have a few natural teeth left. Overdentures are fitted over the roots of natural teeth and either rest on these or on dental implants, if there are no natural teeth to fit over. Some find this type of denture more comfortable and they are also easily removable.
Dentures will feel a bit strange to begin with, but you’ll soon get used to wearing them.
It is necessary to remove your dentures at night unless advised otherwise by your dentist. By doing this you are allowing your gums to breath and rest as you sleep. When you remove them, they should be kept moist – for example, in water or in a suitable overnight denture cleaning solution – to stop the denture material from drying out and altering in shape.
Keeping your mouth clean is just as important when you wear dentures. You should brush your remaining teeth, gums and tongue every morning and evening with fluoride toothpaste to prevent tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems.
It’s important to clean your dentures daily to remove plaque and food deposits as unclean dentures can also lead to problems such as oral thrush, tooth decay, bad breath & gum disease.
Dentures may break if you drop them, so you should clean them over a bowl or sink filled with water, or something soft such as a folded towel.
When you first start wearing dentures you should eat soft foods cut into small pieces.
Avoid chewing gum and any food that is sticky, hard or sharp-edged.
You can gradually start to eat other types of food until you are back to your old diet. Never use toothpicks.
You shouldn’t need to use denture fixative (adhesive) if the dentures fit properly. However, if your jawbone has shrunk a lot, adhesive may be the only way to help retain them. Your dentist will advise you if this is the case.
Adhesive can be removed from the denture by brushing with soap and water. Any adhesive left in the mouth may need to be removed with some damp kitchen roll or a clean damp cloth.
You should continue to see your dentist regularly if you have dentures, even if you have complete dentures, so they can check for any problems.
Dentures should last for several years if you take good care of them. However, your gums and jawbone will eventually shrink, which means the dentures may not fit as well as they used to and can become loose, or they may become worn.
You should make an appointment with your dentist if:
If poorly fitting or worn dentures are not replaced, they can cause great discomfort and lead to mouth ulcers, infections or problems with eating and speech.
Root canal treatment (RCT) also known as root canal therapy is used to treat a dying, dead or inflamed tooth pulp. The dental pulp is commonly known as the ‘nerve’.
The treatment is used to treat an inflamed pulp or a dental pulp that has become necrotic (has died). A Dead or necrotic nerve can lead to the formation of an abscess.
Inflammation of the tooth pulp or pulp deaths can be caused by trauma such as a blow to the tooth or mouth, crack or split in the tooth, deep dental decay (dental caries), or a reaction to a very deep filling or the placement of a new crown on a compromised tooth.
Problems experienced during the acute phase include pain and swelling. However, in most cases, the patient does not feel any symptoms at all and therefore routine radiograph or x-ray is required to help with the diagnosis.
Root canal treatment can be performed in one or two visits. First of all, your dentist will create a small hole in the top of your tooth and then removes any dying or dead pulp using a series of specialised fine files. After the canals have been shaped to enable filling, they are soaked with a strong antibacterial solution that makes all the bacteria ineffective.
After the antibacterial irrigation, the dentist will dry the root canals using small, sterile paper cones and then fills the canals with a soft rubbery like material known as Gutta Percha. The final step in the management of the root filled tooth is the placement of a permanent restoration.
Sometimes, this may be a simple filling. However, in most cases, a crown or complex restoration is needed.
Root canal treatment is not painful as dentists and endodontists usually use local anesthetic during all the stages. However, you may experience a minimal post-operative discomfort which can be controlled using analgesics for a day or two.
We sometimes need to refer you to our visiting and external specialist endodontists that limit their practice solely to endodontic treatment. They perform routine as well as difficult and very complex procedures, including root canal treatment, root canal re-treatment and endodontic microsurgery.
When your teeth decay, the normal procedure is to remove the decay and fill the teeth in with an old-fashioned ‘filling’. However over time such a tooth can deteriorates over time, and if it has lost its structure, another filling is just not possible.
The solution to this is to place a ‘crown’ structure on the tooth to prevent it from being fractured and destroyed. A crown is the ideal way to keep your teeth.
The crown is an artificial restoration that partly or completely encircles the tooth, being stuck down with a specialised, safe form of dental cement. Thus making it strong and natural looking.
If you have a tooth which has had root canal treatment, this tooth is especially likely to become brittle and weak. But a crown will not only save the tooth but give you the nice appearance of a new tooth, with a colour and shape to match your other teeth.
A bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Depending on the type of Bridge, one or both ends of the bridge are attached to an adjacent tooth (or implants) and the replacement area is filled with a new artificial tooth or teeth.
Crowns and Bridges have evolved considerably over the last decade with constantly improving technologies, materials and methods. Advances in materials science and dental adhesive technology have now made it possible to create metal-fee, aesthetic and extremely strong and durable restorations. They give stability to your bite, enabling you to chew food with confidence.
Gum disease is extremely common. Most people will experience it at least once, and it’s even more common in older people. It causes your gums to bleed and is often characterised by bad breath. Some people get more severe gum disease than others. This may have specific causes such as diabetes or smoking, but some people are just more prone to gum disease.
The early stages of gum disease—known as gingivitis—is commonly identified by blood when brushing, swollen or sore gums, as well as bad breath. If left untreated, the more severe form (periodontitis) can develop which can lead to bone and tooth loss.
What are the early signs?
Treatment will begin with a thorough examination. One of our dentists will inspect your mouth for signs of gum disease, and will then walk you through what causes it, and how to get rid of it. Your dentist will then create a treatment plan tailored to the severity of the disease.In most cases, treatment will involve the following:
In most cases, gum disease can be treated in an easy and comfortable manner. Anaesthetic may be used in certain cases. Once your treatment is completed, you’ll be re-examined and reassessed to ensure treatment has been successful.
Gum disease can easily go unnoticed as it does not always cause pain or discomfort. Over time, the disease can damage the bone supporting your teeth, making treatment much more complicated.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of gum disease—bleeding gums, swelling, soreness, and bad breath—we strongly recommend you book an appointment with your dentist. If caught early, it can be treated much more easily.
You should visit your dentist for a check-up immediately. Your dentist will be able to assess your condition and make recommendations for treatment.
Your dentist may measure any “pocketing” that may be present around your teeth. X-rays may also be taken to observe for damage to the bone.
This assessment will be important for creating a treatment plan for your needs.
Tooth extraction helps to maintain the overall health of your mouth, whilst this is usually due to an overly damaged tooth, there are a number of dental issues that extraction corrects, including:
If a tooth extraction is necessary, we will talk you through the best way to carry out the procedure for your circumstance. Only once you are comfortable with the treatment plan, will we proceed. Normally a local anaesthetic will be injected into the gum surrounding the tooth to remove any chance of pain or discomfort.
The tooth extraction itself, involves gently widening the pocket and extracting the tooth. Usually the extraction can happen in one movement but occasionally the teeth will have to be broken up into several pieces and removed individually. For complex extractions involving removal of bone and sectioning of roots,, we may need to stitch the pocket if that is needed to aid its healing. After the procedure, we will talk you through the best ways to look after area of the extraction, this might involve using specialised mouthwash or a course of antibiotics. Normally, a treatment plan will be decided to fit a replacement tooth.