Archive for February, 2010

Protect damaged tooth with dental crown from Bootle dentist

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Cracked, chipped or broken teeth can be a great source of pain as any kind of structural damage can affect the very sensitive dental nerve in the centre of the tooth. Likewise, a dental cavity that has not been treated will eventually penetrate to the soft and sensitive central part of the tooth and cause infection or pain. But there is a dental treatment specifically designed to protect teeth from this happening.

A dental crown is an artificial tooth cap that is fixed over the top of the damaged tooth protecting all parts of it exposed above the gum line. Usually made of porcelain, metal or a combination of both, dental crowns can last up to twenty years if properly cared for and act as barrier against pain, decay and infection.

In the last few years new technology has been developed that has improved the quality and appearance of crowns. Chair-side reconstruction now allows the dentist to design, manufacture and fit a dental crown in the same appointment using the very latest digital x-raying and computer-guided equipment.

The cost of a dental crown from a Bootle dentist will depend on the severity of the damage and the nature of the treatment you want to have. Porcelain crowns may be more expensive but they are better quality and will often last longer but there are many options available to you.

Fitting a crown may involve some enamel removal so that it can fit naturally in the mouth over the exiting tooth, but as crowns become thinner and stronger this may not always be the case. They are usually cemented in place with a composite resin bonding which is tooth coloured to add to the cosmetic appearance of the crown.

Kirby dentist helps to stop bad breath

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Kirby dentists have a sure fire way of beating bad breath, a hygiene problem that can be very unpleasant and very hard to stop. It doesn’t involve any kind of specialist oral hygiene products like mouthwashes or breath sprays, it simply involves good old-fashioned dental care and improved brushing and flossing.

Nearly nine out of ten cases of bad breath are caused by problems in the mouth, so the chances are, by making changes to your dental healthcare routine you can prevent it coming back. Many people turn to mouthwashes or sprays because they think they solve the problem of bad breath but in reality they only address the symptoms not the cure. Mouthwashes have been proved to only mask the smell of bad breath for as little as two hours and in some cases can even make it worse. This happens because it upsets the natural bacterial balance in the mouth and disrupts the production of saliva.

Better brushing and flossing removes more of the bacteria and trapped food particles that decay and cause most cases of bad breath. When bacteria breaks down food trapped between teeth or in the small grooves of the tongue it releases a series of foul-smelling chemicals which are the root of most bad breath. By making the extra effort to remove these you could stop halitosis once and for all.

Dentists in Kirby can give you more information about improved dental care and the best ways to keep teeth clean so bad breath doesn’t affect your life.

Beat bad breath at Merseyside dentist

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Of all the personal hygiene problems people have, bad breath is definitely one of the worst. It can make being around someone very unpleasant, yet the fact is we have probably all had breath at one time or another, although it is true that some people suffer far more than others. The worst thing about bad breath, or halitosis as it is otherwise known, is that it is very difficult to know when you have it unless you experience the embarrassment of somebody telling you.

It is important to remember that there are several easy steps to getting rid of bad breath. This does not include the use of mouthwashes or breath sprays as many people think. Mints, sprays and mouthwashes in fact do little more than mask the smell temporarily and it will return in anything between ten minutes and two hours. In some cases, mouthwash can even make the problem worse because it destabilises the delicate bacteria/saliva balance in the mouth, the body’s natural defence against bad breath.

The key to stopping bad breath is better oral hygiene. Over 90 per cent of cases of halitosis are cause by poor oral hygiene. The main reason for this is that food particles that get trapped in between teeth and in the grooves of the tongue attract bacteria. When this begins to decay it releases nasty smelling chemicals that are carried out on the breath making it smell. More thorough tooth brushing and crucially, flossing will remove these food particles before they can begin to break down. A Merseyside dentist will be able to explain in more detail how best to clean your teeth to stop bad breath at your next appointment.

No more yellow teeth with whitening from Kirby dentist

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Having yellow or discoloured teeth can be quite unattractive and can really add years to a person’s appearance. There are many reasons why teeth turn yellow that are both man-made and completely natural. Obviously one of the biggest causes is smoking. The nicotine in cigarettes and cigars is yellow and can stain very easily. Persistent smoking over the years can cause a yellowing of the teeth that is impossible to remove with normal brushing.

The other significant cause of yellow teeth is simply age. Teeth naturally lose their colour as we get older as one of the signs of aging so anyway to reverse this process will make us look younger. That’s where teeth whitening comes in. Whitening can really change the appearance of discoloured teeth and as it has become more popular over the last decade or so, is now affordable for almost any budget.

Whitening works by applying the active ingredient, hydrogen peroxide, to the surface enamel of the stained teeth. It seeps in gradually and bleaches the enamel back to a healthier white colour. There are many different treatments on the market, some more suitable for some patients than others but results are achievable in every case.

Kirby dentists offer various forms of teeth whitening as a standard cosmetic dentistry treatment and if you have it performed in surgery there are no safety risks associated with some home-whitening kits. Ask your dentist for detail and you could whiten your teeth by up to an incredible ten shades.

Firmer skin with dermal fillers form Wirral dentist

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

If you are happy with your teeth but not happy with the wrinkles and sagging facial tissue that frames it, you may consider having the tissue artificially firmed using one of a range of dermal fillers. Cosmetic dermal fillers include collagen, fat, hyaluronic acid and various other substances and come under several brand names, the most popular being ArteFill, Radiesse and Sculptra. The main purpose of these dermal fillers is to add volume to specific areas of the face and eliminate wrinkles. In doing this they give the face a fuller, more youthful appearance that can best enhance a beautiful smile.

Once the sole preserve of the rich and famous, dermal fillers are now more readily available to everyone, and the increase in popularity and use means that a collagen injection is now as easy and accepted as going for a haircut.

If applied by a trained professional such as a physician or a dentist there is little or no risk involved when using dermal fillers and because treatments are temporary, the results will fade in time, reducing the risk of permanent damage form a bad treatment. The most common form of dermal fillers used today contain the compound hyaluronic acid, a substance that naturally occurs in the skin. This is the substance that gives skin its natural plump and healthy appearance.

Treatments usually begin with a local anaesthetic administered by the dentist to minimise discomfort during the procedure. This can either be in the form of an injection, or for those who aren’t so fond of needles, a topical anaesthetic cream applied half an hour before treatment. The whole procedure will take little more than half an hour from start to finish, and involves no surgical cutting of the skin.

After treatment, patients may experience some swelling and redness but this will subside in time and you should start to notice results within two to three days. Results will continue to improve for a month and should last up to four months before a new treatment is required. Ask a Wirral dentist about the benefits of dermal fillers and you can rejuvenate your smile