Dental Treatments

Treatment list

Invisalign orthodontics

Choose the nearly invisible way to straighten your teeth. The convenience and ease of use of the Invisalign system have made it the choice of over half a million people. In fact, Invisalign has been effective in giving hundreds of thousands of people amazing new smiles.

People prefer Invisalign because:

  • Most people won’t notice you’re in treatment.
  • It won’t disrupt your lifestyle.
  • No unsightly metal wires or bands to irritate your mouth.
  • Faster treatment times generally.

Invisalign uses a series of clear aligners that are custom-moulded to fit you. The virtually invisible aligners gradually reposition your teeth into a smile you'll be proud of.

Remove your aligners to eat, brush and floss Change aligners every two weeks Your teeth move little by little Regular progress checks with Dr Carroll Results often in 12 months

Invisalign®, the clear alternative to braces, has been chosen by over 500,000 people who want beautiful smiles.

Only dentists who have been trained and certified can treat patients using Invisalign technology.

Dr Carroll has completed a comprehensive training program in the use of Invisalign and is now one of only a few dentists in the region certified to treat patients using invisalign technology. Free initial consultations are available with Dr Carroll, call today to take the first steps towards achieving the smile of your dreams.

for more information see www.invisalign.co.uk


Hygienist therapy/Gum Disease Treatment. (top)

Do your gums bleed when you brush? Do you avoid flossing regularly? If the answer to either of these questions is ‘Yes’ then you almost certainly have some gum disease around your teeth. Gum disease is the most common disease in the world and is responsible for bad breath, bleeding gums and is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Recent research also links gum disease to heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. See http://www.perio.org/ for more information.

Hygienists are most often used to treat gum disease although, if severe, referral to a Periodontist is recommended for specialist treatment. http://www.de-waal.co.uk/

Dental hygienists are specially trained to work with the dentist in giving care to patients.

They play an important role in dental health care and are mainly concerned with gum health, showing people correct home care and applying preventive materials to the teeth and gums.

What is the hygienist’s role in the practice?
The hygienist’s main role is to professionally clean the teeth for the patient. This is usually called scaling and polishing. However, perhaps their most important role is showing the patient the best way to keep the teeth free of plaque. The hygienist will work with your dentist to provide care tailored to your needs.

Why is this treatment important?
Regular professional cleaning combined with your home care will help keep your mouth healthy. A clean and healthy mouth will improve your appearance, help you to keep your teeth and give you fresh breath.

Can a hygienist help prevent dental disease?
This is what the training of the hygienist is all about. Carefully removing the deposits that build up on the teeth (tartar) and teaching you how to prevent it reforming again, will go a long way to slowing the progress of gum disease. By discussing your diet, and recommending other preventive measures, tooth decay can also be prevented.

For more information see http://www.bsperio.org/


Porcelain Veneers (top)

Porcelain veneers are thin facings of porcelain cemented onto teeth to improve their position and appearance. Beautiful results can be achieved – have your own dazzling smile!

Some of the tooth surface usually needs to be removed to provide space to fit the veneer. This is usually only a small amount of reduction (approximately 0.7mm) but if teeth are badly misaligned or discoloured then greater amounts of tooth may need to be removed.

Veneers last a long time. Research has shown over 90% of veneers last 10 years or more. Of course this is an average figure and the actual lifespan for individual cases will vary.
If veneers need to be replaced it is usually possible to repeat the process.

Because veneers often require only a small amount of tooth structure to be removed they have few long-term side effects. However if teeth are badly misaligned or discoloured then larger amounts of tooth structure needs to be removed. This may increase the risk of nerve damage inside the tooth. Whilst rare, it is usually possible to treat this problem by root filling the affected tooth.

As veneers are made in the laboratory it is possible to control the final colour and shape of the final veneer. This means that veneers can be made to mimic natural teeth creating beautiful smiles.
                                 


Before with crowding 


Six veneers to eliminate crowding.

For more information visit http://aacd.com/.


White Fillings (top)

White Fillings, which are also known as composite fillings, allow teeth to be filled and rebuilt utilising more aesthetically acceptable materials.

White Fillings do not contain mercury and are an ideal choice for achieving long-term strength in filled teeth. Teeth that are heavily filled with large silver amalgam or mercury fillings are at risk of fracturing because the tooth is spread apart by these traditional filling materials. These teeth can be rebuilt with composite inlays, which hold the tooth together as opposed to spreading it apart, preserving the remaining healthy tooth structure.

This allows teeth to be safely and aesthetically restored achieving a more attractive smile

Where a tooth is not too heavily filled but has a silver mercury filling which is noticeable when a patient smiles or opens their mouth a white composite filling may be used as an alternative. Deciding to have a bonded white composite filling means that your tooth will increase in strength and become more fracture resistant as the filling is bonded to the sidewalls of the tooth thus increasing its strength and reducing the chances of fracture occurring.

The fillings themselves blend into the natural surrounding colour of your teeth and provide an unnoticeable restoration. They can also used for cosmetic repairs in front teeth and as an economic alternative to veneers or crowns.

For more information visit http://aacd.com/.


Inlays (top)

Composite inlays can replace moderate to large silver mercury fillings. An inlay is a stronger alternative to a bonded composite filling and is used on teeth that are heavily damaged. With this method the technician makes a small piece of composite in the laboratory, which is then bonded, into the tooth cavity to give a strong restoration and tooth. Should the tooth be too badly damaged for a composite inlay then an all porcelain crown or cap can be placed.

       

For more information visit http://aacd.com/.


Tooth Whitening (top)

We are all individuals and as such our teeth vary just as our hair and skin colour do. However, some people may not be happy with their existing tooth colour and wish for a lighter, brighter appearance. In situations where the teeth are healthy and in good alignment in the office Power (laser) whitening or at home whitening procedures may be the answer.

This is one of the simplest methods of improving your smile and is a highly effective way of lightening the colour of your teeth until you are happy with their shade. 'Laser' or 'Power Whitening' lightens the teeth using a photosensitive gel, which is applied to your teeth. A light source is then held a couple of inches away from your teeth which then brightens your teeth. The whole process takes approximately one hour for upper and lower teeth.

One of the many benefits of this style of whitening is that your teeth become white instantaneously. Alternatively, "at home whitening" can be used which involves using a customised mouth guard into which you add a small amount of whitening gel which is then worn overnight. After two to three weeks your teeth will gradually lighten - whitening when prescribed by a dentist is a very reliable, safe and effective method of brightening your smile, harmless to the teeth.

See http://www.britesmile.com and http://aacd.com/  for more information.


Crowns (top)

A crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth – covering the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and/or to improve its appearance.

The crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line. A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:

  • To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
  • To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down
  • To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left
  • To hold a dental bridge in place
  •  To cover misshaped or severely discoloured teeth
  • To cover a dental implant

There are many types of crown, which can be made, all of which have advantages and disadvantages these include:

1. Porcelain Bonded to Metal
The substructure of these crowns is of a dark precious metal with porcelain bonded to the metal. This type of crown is used where the crowns are subject to heavy biting forces and porcelain by itself would not be strong enough. Their downside though is that they do tend to show a dark line around the gum line which aesthetically is not the best thing. They also do not reflect the light as well as All Porcelain Crowns, and can appear yellow and false.

2. Gold Crowns
Compared with other crown types, less tooth structure needs to be removed with gold crowns, and tooth wear to opposing teeth is kept to a minimum. Gold crowns withstand biting and chewing forces well and probably last the longest in terms of wear down. Also, they rarely chip or break. The metallic colour is the main drawback. Metal crowns are a good choice for out-of-sight molars.

3. All Ceramic Crowns
These have fantastic properties. They reflect light in such a way that they do not appear as "false teeth" but look real and alive. They contain no dark metal so there is no chance of a dark line appearing around the neck of the crown.
All ceramic crowns are an excellent choice for front teeth.

        

See  http://www.techceram.com for more information.


Mouth Guards (top)

When participating in any form of contact sport, a mouth guard (or gumshield) should be an essential piece of equipment to guard against potential injury to your teeth. A preventative measure such as wearing a mouth guard can avoid unnecessary distress, pain and suffering which might otherwise occur as a result of damage to your teeth in the event of an impact or collision. Once teeth are damaged, it can be very difficult to reliably predict how and if they will repair themselves.

Many store bought over the counter mouth guards do not provide the necessary protection required from a mouth guard. A loose fit can cause dislodging of the mouth guard in the mouth during sports which in turn could lead to suffocation or blockage of the airways.

OUR CUSTOM MADE SPORTS MOUTHGUARDS are professionally produced and custom fitted to each individual. A mould is taken to represent the exact size, shape and fit of your mouth. This mould is used to produce a mouth guard, which will represent the exact model of your upper and lower teeth, allowing for a snug, comfortable and tight final fit whilst providing a safe and effective form of dental protection when worn during contact sports.


Headaches, Migraine’s, and Tooth Grinding. (top)

Occlusion is the study and science of the way we bite, and the way our teeth, muscles and joints interact with each other.

At times the way we bite can cause problems leading to broken teeth and fillings. In certain instances we can also get headaches and migraines related to the way we bite.

Under these circumstances we may need to prescribe a splint such as the NTI occlusal splint from America, or on occasions, we may have to use a full coverage splint, which covers the biting surfaces of all your teeth.

These splints then relieve stress on your teeth, muscles and jaw, and help reduce further headaches and tooth wear.
See http://www.headacheprevention.com/ for more information.


Cosmetic Contouring (top)

Cosmetic contouring is a quick and relatively straightforward process involving minor reshaping of chipped, fractured or overcrowded teeth.

It is a subtle procedure, involving minimal discomfort, which allows the correction of minor flaws of the teeth to create a clean looking, uniform and straighter smile by simply ‘smoothing’ the surface of your teeth.


Cosmetic Bonding (top)

Cosmetic Bonding is a non-intrusive technique that may be suitable for you if you have minor gaps between your teeth, minor chips or fractures in your teeth or wish to change the shape or colour of your teeth.

A dental composite resin or enamel-type material is applied to the surface of your tooth. The dentist sculpts this bonding material around the tooth in order to create the required shape, colour, size and finish and achieve an aesthetically pleasing result. For more information see www.aacd.com.


Bridges (top)

This technique does exactly as its names suggests - it spans the gap and replaces the missing teeth with carefully created matching porcelain teeth which are fixed in place by attaching the porcelain teeth to the teeth each side of the missing tooth. This solution can look as natural as your existing teeth and can be virtually indistinguishable from them.

    


Implants For Missing Teeth (top)

Whether you have bridgework or wear full or partial dentures, implants can help you. Implants allow you to enjoy having replacement teeth that not only look and feel completely natural but behave naturally too.

The implant technique was discovered by Professor Branemark, a Swedish scientist whose work was based on the principle of osseointegration - which means that human bone accepts titanium as a natural part of the body and led to the development of the Branemark System and the modern day implant.

Today, this implant system is noted worldwide for its success rates and innovative accomplishments. Hundreds of thousands of patients and dentists agree, nothing restores the look, the feel and the function of the natural dentition like dental implants.

Teeth replaced by implants are fixed just like natural teeth freeing you from the shrinking associated with full dentures and the gum irritation and pain caused due to the shifting pressure of partial dentures allowing you to eat whatever you like whilst enjoying the texture and crunchiness of foods to the full. In fact implants are so secure you can often forget they're not your own and laugh and smile with complete confidence.

Can you spot the implant?

A full upper set of teeth supported by implants.


Implants for denture problems

The effects of tooth loss are numerous and can be devastating. The loss of either a single tooth or total tooth loss can cause a lack of confidence and can affect every day life. People affected by tooth loss often find eating in public difficult and traumatic or are not confident about their smile.

When teeth are lost your jawbone actually shrinks away, and from scientific research we know that wearing dentures accelerates this process. This in turn affects the muscle tone to the face reducing bone support for the lips and cheeks eventually leading to a typical denture look as immortalised by famous cartoons, where the lips and lower part of the face have collapsed producing an ageing effect on the individual’s appearance.

Now implants can help denture wearers regain their lives and happiness.

Patients with implants can not only have their smile and facial contours restored but enjoy eating healthier foods such as fruit and more fibrous foods dramatically improving their diet and general health - especially in older age. Scientific studies have shown that poor eating, as with dentures, can lead to increased chance of gastro-intestinal problems in later life and increased need for medication. Dental implants can help with digestion by allowing you to chew all types of food properly for a balanced diet. Meals at restaurants and social occasions are no longer off limits as you can eat with total confidence

For more information see www.straumann.co.uk or www.adi.org.uk