What are they? A crown completely covers a weak tooth above the gum line and protects it. Crowns are made of metal or porcelain, or porcelain with metal inside for strength. Only metal crowns are considered clinically necessary on molars by the NHS. An inlay covers a tooth that may have a lot of tooth
What are they? People wear dentures to replace lost or missing teeth so they can enjoy a healthy diet and smile with confidence. A ‘partial’ denture fills in the spaces left by lost or missing teeth. This is a plate with a number of false teeth on it that fits into your mouth amongst your
What are they? A filling is a dental restorative material used artificially to restore the function, integrity and shape of missing tooth structure. The structural loss typically results from caries or external trauma. Which materials can be used? Different materials can be used as fillings: Amalgam is a mixture of mercury and silver, tin and
Teeth are held in the jaw by their roots. Front teeth normally have one root but teeth further back will have two, three or four. Inside, there are nerves and a blood supply in the ‘root canal’. When the tooth is healthy, the nerves are alive but decay or injury can cause the nerves to
What is it? Root caries is a cavity located in the root surface of a tooth, usually close to or below the gum-line. Mandibular molars (lower jaw back teeth) are the most common location to find root caries, followed by mandibular premolars. Root caries has become an important dental problem because people are living longer.
What are the problems with them? Removal of wisdom teeth is necessitated by recurrent infections (pericoronitis) which causes pain, swelling and reduced opening, decay, serious gum disease, the development of a cyst or impaction of the teeth. What will the NHS Dentist do? Wisdom teeth may be removed in this surgery under local anaesthetic or
To avoid a dry socket (post operative infection of the bone), usually due to early loss of the blood clot… Avoid excessive exercise for several hours. Ideally, rest by sitting in a chair and use an extra pillow for the first night.Excessive exercise will cause further bleeding. Do not drink anything alcoholic for 24 hours.
Bruxism (Medical term for the habit of grinding/clenching your teeth). Who is most at risk? – You are more likely to suffer from bruxism if you: Have a stressful lifestyle Drink large amounts of alcohol Smoke Take medication for sleep, depression or anxiety (paroxetine, fluoxetine and setraline) Drink six or more cups of tea or coffee a
What is Fluoride? Fluoride is a natural mineral that is able to protect teeth against decay. It is not a substitute for cleaning your teeth and eating healthily. It is found in toothpastes, mouth rinses and is added to public water supplies in some areas (not in London). How does Fluoride work? If fluoride is
What is it? Keeping your teeth and gums clean, healthy and free from infection. Good oral hygiene will prevent dental decay and periodontal disease and is essential for preserving gums and the bone which keeps your teeth secure in your mouth. If you smoke you are much more likely to get periodontal problems. You are
TOOTH (dentine) HYPERSENSITIVITY and EROSION (worn teeth) What is hypersensitivity? It is a short sharp pain arising from exposed dentine (part of the tooth which is in communication with the nerve inside the tooth) in response to stimuli. These could be thermal such as hot or cold drinks, chemical such as sweet or acidic food
Your child’s first teeth will begin to erupt at about six months of age. The lower deciduous (baby) incisors (front teeth) erupt first followed by the upper deciduous incisors. These are followed a few months later by the lower, then upper deciduous first molars (back chewing teeth), the deciduous canines (pointed teeth at side of
What are antibiotics? Medication designed to help the body fight an infection by attacking bacteria. What will NHS Dentist do? You have either come to see us within one of our urgent appointment slots provided for those who fulfil the following definition: If in the opinion of the dentist prompt treatment is necessary because the
What is dental amalgam? Dental amalgam is the silver coloured material that is commonly used to fill teeth that have decay. Amalgam is a mixture of mercury and other metals in a stable form and makes strong, long-lasting fillings. Dental amalgam fillings have been used to restore decayed teeth for more than 150 years. There
Information for Pregnant or Breastfeeding Patients What is dental amalgam? Dental amalgam is the silver coloured material that is commonly used to fill teeth that have decay. Amalgam is a mixture of mercury and other metals in a stable form and makes strong, long-lasting fillings. Dental amalgam fillings have been used to restore decayed teeth
At NHS Dentist Earls Court we recognised from the outset that patients are rightly concerned about what goes on “behind the scenes”. Every patient has to be confident when they walk into NHS Dentist Earls Court that the surgery and instruments are spotless. We have always taken great pride in training our staff from their induction and
What is it? Mouth cancer is a dangerous abnormal growth that can affect any part of the mouth. What to look for? Mouth cancer can appear as: An, often painless, ulcer that fails to clear up after about two weeks A growth or swelling which has been present for more than about two weeks Sometimes
PERIODONTAL ORAL HYGIENE – (Incorporating smoking and gum disease) Around 15% of the population have periodontal disease. This means that the supporting structures of the teeth (gums and bones) are slowly being lost through the disease process. These teeth may become loose which means you are at risk of eventually losing your teeth. The main
As a practice we sometimes need to refer a patient to a specialist dentist. This can be for surgical (taking a tooth out), endodontics (taking out the nerves in a tooth), periodontics (gum treatment) treatment, amongst other treatments. NHS England have set up a system whereby all referrals must go through their offices and they