Dental Implants is a post from: Dental Implants

Dental veneers are very thin laminates, usually made of porcelain or ceramic material that are cemented to the front surfaces of your teeth in order to improve their cosmetic appearance.
Dentists usually make the analogy that dental veneers do for teeth much the same job as false fingernails do for the nails.
Dental veneers are very easy to fit. The procedure is quick and painless, and the end result will be a perfect smile.

When should I consider Dental Veneers?
Here are some of the many reasons that you might want to consider having dental veneers fitted:

1. You have stained teeth. Sometimes teeth whitening just can’t remove all the stains on your teeth that have been caused by years of smoking and drinking tea, coffee and wine. Dental veneers can hide the stains and marks that cannot be removed by other means
2. You have crooked teeth. If your teeth are not overly crooked, dental veneers can be placed over the front in order to give the teeth a straight appearance
3. You have damaged or chipped teeth. Teeth can become chipped and damaged through an accident, through decay or by continual grinding. Porcelain veneers can be placed over damaged teeth to give them a perfect appearance once again
4. You have gaps between your teeth. If you have uneven spaces and gaps between your teeth, porcelain veneers can be fitted in order to close all the gaps and improve your smile

How are dental veneers fitted?
Having dental veneers fitted will usually involve at least two visits to your dentist. On the first visit, the dentist will prepare your teeth for the dental veneers by drilling a small portion of the front of the teeth away, corresponding to the thickness of the veneer to be fitted. This will ensure that the dental veneers will have a natural look once they are in place. The dentist will then take an impression of your teeth using dental putty. This will be sent to a dental laboratory and used to construct the dental veneers for your teeth. In the meantime, your dentist may fit temporary veneers in order to protect your prepared teeth.
On your second visit, your dentist will fit the custom made dental veneers. First of all, they will be tested for fit, and any necessary adjustments will be made. Once this has been done, the teeth will be cleaned and then roughened with a special acid in order to create a good surface for the dental veneers to adhere to. The veneers will then be cemented permanently in place.

What are dental veneers made of?
The most commonly used veneers are made from porcelain, although composite veneers are also available. Porcelain veneers are designed to offer a more natural appearance, are stronger and longer lasting.

Dental Veneers is a post from: Dental Implants

Mini dental implants are a smaller version of normal dental implants. They were originally designed to be used as a ‘holding’ implant before the normal, full sized implant is inserted.
Mini dental implants have since been found to be a good alternative in their own right to full sized implants. The FDA has granted formal consent to use mini dental implants as a long-term solution. Mini dental implants have been shown to be reliable, although there have been some concerns about their effectiveness. They have been used to good effect as a means of fixing loose lower dentures.

Why choose mini dental implants?
Mini dental implants are regularly used as a solution for people of advanced years as they are gentle to place and cause very little discomfort. They are also often chosen by patients who can’t afford the cost of or are unsuitable for full sized implants. For example, if a patient’s x-ray shows bone loss, then a bone graft may be required before a full sized implant is inserted. If this is not a good idea on the grounds of health or age, mini dental implants may be a good alternative.

How are mini dental implants fitted?
Mini dental implants are much easier and gentler to fit than full size implants. The dentist will administer a local anaesthetic and then drill a small hole or holes in the jawbone to create a space for the implant. Your denture will be will be fixed to the implant using a metal attachment which can be snapped on and off. The process usually doesn’t take more than one hour to complete.

How much do mini dental implants cost?
The cost of mini dental implants generally cost less than normal dental implants and are an inexpensive way to secure a denture. The final cost will depend on the number of mini implants being done and the complexity of the work required.

Mini Dental Implants is a post from: Dental Implants

1. Fractured implants. A fractured implant will need to be removed and replaced with a new one. A new, wider implant can be inserted, and once healing has occurred, replacement teeth can again be fitted
2. Incorrect positioning. If several implants are fitted, there could be a problem with their overall position and alignment. Uneven pressure or overloading can cause one of them to break
3. Rejected implants. There are a number of factors that can cause a dental implant to be rejected. These include infection, overloading, bruxism (tooth clenching or grinding) and insufficient bone supply. If osseointegration fails to occur, the implant can detach itself from the jawbone and a new type of implant, extra bone grafting or a different type of restoration will be required.
   Dental implants which fail fairly early on in the procedure often do so due to poor treatment preparation, bad implant choice or bone graft rejection. Failures that occur later are usually due to changes in the way you bite, teeth clenching or a poor dental hygiene regimen
4. Poor implant design

Factors that can increase the chances of dental implants problems include:

• Not enough bone at the site of implant, which can cause failure to osseointegrate
• If the patient is a heavy smoker
• Undue stress on the implant, perhaps caused by inefficient or incorrect placement of the implant

Dental Implants Problems is a post from: Dental Implants

1. The cost of the implant itself
2. The cost of placing the implant in your jaw
3. The cost of the crown, bridge or denture which will be fitted onto the implant
4. The cost of restoring the implant by fitting the crown over it

Make sure that you fully understand what is included in the price you are quoted. For examples, you may be told that a dental implant will cost £700, but on closer inspection, this is the cost of the implant itself and not the cost of the crown or restoration work.

Bear in mind that you often get what you pay for. The final cost of dental implants will depend on a number of factors, including:

1. The experience of the dental surgeon carrying out the treatment
2. The geographical location of the clinic
3. The type of implant being used. Different implant types vary in quality, and this will be reflected in the final price

Dental Implants Cost is a post from: Dental Implants

Dental Implants NHS is a post from: Dental Implants

1. What if something goes wrong? Good dental implant surgeons have around a 95% success rate. Failures can happen in the UK as well as abroad, but it will obviously be easier for you to book follow up sessions with a dentist in the UK, rather than arrange for flights abroad etc
2. After care. Again, it will be easier to arrange follow up visits with dentists in the UK. If you have work done abroad, you may need to schedule time off work, flights and accommodation for each after care visit you make
3. Regulatory Bodies. Dentistry regulations in the UK are set out by the General Dental Council. Although dental regulatory standards abroad may be very high, it is important that you do the research and find out how dentistry is regulated in the country that you are thinking of have your work undertaken in

Despite the above, it must be said that thousands of people travel abroad for cheaper dental implant treatment every year, and are extremely happy with the level of service and the standard of treatment that they receive.

Dental Implants Abroad is a post from: Dental Implants

A dental crown is a type of dental restoration which is often used to improve the strength or appearance of a damaged, cracked or broken tooth. A dental crown is sometimes called a cap. This is because the crown completely encircles the tooth, thus strengthening and protecting it. The crown is bonded to the target tooth with dental cement.

Here are some reasons why you might need a dental crown:

1. You have a tooth that has decayed so significantly that there is not enough tooth structure left to support a normal filling
2. Your dentist may recommend a dental crown if your tooth has a large cavity. This is because the crown will help to protect and support the newly filled tooth
3. If you have broken a large portion of a tooth, a dental crown may be the only way to rebuild it
4. If you grind your teeth or have an acidic diet, your teeth may erode so much that a dental crown is required to save them
5. Nowadays, it is quite common for people to have porcelain cosmetic dental crowns

When should you consider having a dental crown?
You should consider a dental crown if you have a tooth that has been damaged, or has decayed so much that it will not adequately support a dental bonding operation. If you are considering dental crowns for cosmetic reasons, you may wish to consider dental veneers instead. Unlike dental crowns, veneers don’t involve the dentist having to grind a significant portion of the tooth away.

What materials are dental crowns made from?
Nowadays, there are many different materials that are used to make dental crowns. A crown can be made from Gold or it can be made from an alloy of metals which is fused to an outer porcelain shell. The latter type of dental crown will begin to show a dark gum line as time progresses. The price of a dental crown may well reflect the quality of material used.

How are dental crowns fitted?
Usually, at least two visits to your dentist will be required. At the first consultation, your dentist will prepare the tooth in question ready for the crown.  Preparation work will consist of reshaping and tapering the tooth so that the dental crown will sit comfortably over it. In consultation with you, your dentist will also ensure that the new crown’s colour will match that of your other teeth and will fit well with your smile. Once this has been done, an impression will be taken of the prepared tooth using dental putty. This impression is then sent to a laboratory  where a skilled technician will use it to construct a dental crown that will fit the prepared tooth exactly. This process may take several weeks. In the meantime, your dentist will fit your tooth with a temporary crown.

On your second consultation, your dentist will remove the temporary crown. Your prepared tooth will then be roughened with a special acid in order to give the dental cement a good surface to adhere and bond to. Once your dentist has checked that the crown fits exactly and is the correct colour, the dental crown will be cemented in place.

How long does a dental crown last?
A dental crown still requires the same amount of care as the rest of your teeth. After all, the tooth it is protecting is still very much alive. Providing you look after it by following a sensible oral hygiene regimen, and by attending regular dental check-ups, a good dental crown will last for over 10 years.

How much does it cost to have a dental crown fitted?
This will depend on your dentist’s charges and the quality of material that is used to make the dental crown. As a rough guide, a crown can cost anything from £250 per tooth to £2,500 per tooth.

Dental Crowns is a post from: Dental Implants

A dental bridge is a false tooth or teeth (also known as a pontic) that is anchored to adjacent teeth in order to replace one or more missing teeth. The neighbouring teeth are fitted with crowns which are fused to the false tooth, thus making a sort of ‘bridge’. So a dental bridge is usually made up of two crowns which serve to anchor the false tooth in place.

What are the main types of Dental Bridge?
There are three main types of dental bridge:

1. Traditional Fixed Dental Bridge
   This is the most common type of dental bridge. It consists of a pontic that is fused between two porcelain crowns that are fixed on to adjacent teeth. The pontic itself is generally made of porcelain fused to metal or ceramics and, once fixed in the mouth, it cannot be removed.
2. Resin Bonded Dental Bridge
   These are sometimes known as Maryland bonded dental bridges. The new tooth is usually made from plastic and is fixed to the adjacent teeth via metal bands that are fixed to the adjacent teeth using dental resin. This type of dental bridge is particularly suitable for replacement of front teeth where stress is minimal and the bond can be made out of view behind the neighbouring teeth.
3. Cantilever Dental Bridge
   A cantilever bridge is used one there are healthy teeth only on one side of the gap. The bridge is fixed to one or more teeth on this side. A cantilever dental bridge has less strength than a traditional dental bridge, and is therefore usually used in areas of less stress, such as the front teeth.

How are dental bridges fitted?
In order to have a dental bridge fitted, you will require at least two visits to your dentist.
On your first visit, the teeth on either side of the space will be prepared in order to accommodate the new crowns which will anchor the bridge in place. The dentist will then use dental putty to take an impression of the are. This will be sent to a dental laboratory and used to make the dental bridge and supporting crowns. At this stage, your dentist will also consult with you in order to pick the correct shading for the new bridge so that it matches your existing teeth colour. A temporary bridge will then be fitted.
On your second visit, the temporary dental bridge will be removed, and the custom made one will be fitted and checked for fit and bite. Once it has been adjusted accordingly, it will be fitted into place using dental cement.
Your dentist may use temporary cement initially, and once the bridge has proved to be a good fit, it will then be cemented in place permanently on a future visit.

How long does a dental bridge last?
Providing you look after it by following good dental hygiene and making regular visits to your dentist, a dental bridge can last for 10-15 years.

What are the advantages of a dental bridge?
The advantages of a dental bridge are as follows:

1. They look natural. A good quality, well fitted dental bridge will look just like a normal tooth
2. Having a dental bridge fitted is not a complicated procedure
3. A dental bridge will last for 10-15 years if looked after properly
4. A dental bridge can improve your appearance and help to resolve bite and speech problems

What are the disadvantages of a dental bridge?
The disadvantages of a dental bridge are as follows:

1. Neighbouring teeth have to be prepared in order to accommodate the anchoring crowns
2. The teeth and gums around the area can become infected if proper dental hygiene is not maintained

Dental Bridges is a post from: Dental Implants

Dental Implant Reconstruction is a post from: Dental Implants