How your dentist can restore broken teeth

If you break a tooth, you need to see a dentist as soon as possible. At Harley Street Dental Clinic we understand that dental emergencies can occur at any time, so are open six days a week and offer an on-call emergency dentist until 10pm and then from 7am until the practice opens at 8.30am.

broken-teethEven a small break or crack in a tooth should be treated promptly, because otherwise you run the risk of letting bacteria infect the pulp at the centre of the tooth, requiring root canal treatment.

Your dentist has many options available to restore broken teeth, giving them back both their aesthetic appearance and their functionality. At our Harley Street practice we have a unique collection of dental specialists, all extremely highly skilled.

The ideal solution for your individual case will depend upon a number of factors, including the location of the damaged tooth, the amount of damage, your oral health, and your own personal preference.

Here are some of the ways your dentist can restore a broken tooth at our Harley Street clinic:

White fillings and composite bonding

White filling material can be used to restore and rebuild teeth. They will look and act much like your natural teeth, and this can usually be completed in one appointment.

Crowns

Crowns give a broken or extensively damaged tooth extra strength and restored functionality. They can be made from a range of materials, including precious metals, porcelain, and ceramic, and will be made to match your natural teeth.

Porcelain veneers

Veneers are usually used on the front teeth. They are very thin pieces of porcelain that your dentist places over the front surfaces of your teeth, improving their appearance and giving extra strength in cracked or chipped areas. Veneers are attached with strong dental adhesive and produce a natural, beautiful result.

Ways your cosmetic dentist can help brighten your smile

One of the most common requests made of a cosmetic dentist is for brighter, whiter teeth. At Harley Street Dental Clinic we understand the desire for a beautifully bright, white smile, and offer a number of cosmetic treatments designed to boost the brightness of your teeth.

cosmetic-dentistWhy treatment is necessary

Our teeth are put through a lot in a day, so it’s no surprise that they can become discoloured and stained. Food and drink, smoking, some medicines and even some medical conditions can all result in staining of the teeth. When you come for a consultation with a cosmetic dentist at our Harley Street clinic, the first thing they will do is to conduct a clinical examination and ask questions about your lifestyle in order to ascertain the type of staining or discolouration, so that they can recommend the best course of treatment.

Types of treatment from your Harley Street cosmetic dentist

Teeth whitening

Teeth whitening is one of the most popular treatments available from a cosmetic dentist, and is a safe and reliable method of removing common stains from the teeth.

We offer two whitening options at our Harley Street clinic: power whitening here in the practice, which takes about an hour, or home whitening, which takes about two weeks.

Porcelain veneers

Some types of staining and discolouration are permanent, which means teeth whitening treatment will not work on them. In this case, your dentist may recommend porcelain veneers. These thin shells of porcelain are like false fingernails for the teeth, fitting over their front surface and improving their aesthetic appearance.

It usually requires two appointments at our Harley Street dental clinic to have your veneers fitted. They are attached with a strong adhesive, meaning that they provide a result that is durable and long-lasting, as well as beautiful.

Ask your dentist about replacing metal fillings

The dentists at Harley Street Dental Clinic offer a number of ways to replace old metal amalgam fillings, to give you a smile that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Once upon a time, metal amalgam was the only option for patients whose teeth needed to be filled. Nowadays, however, there are modern cosmetic alternatives aplenty.

metal-fillingsOf course, a dentist will always prefer not to have to provide any fillings at all. The team at Harley Street Dental Clinic is committed to preventative dentistry – stopping problems before they start with a combination of regular visits to the dentist and hygienist, a good diet and a strong oral health routine at home. However, when the need for fillings does arise, it is now possible to use white or tooth-coloured composite material anywhere in the mouth.

Your dentist will select a colour of composite material that closely matches the natural shade of your teeth, meaning that your fillings will be unnoticeable to the untrained eye in everyday life.

It is worth bearing in mind that teeth whitening procedures do not work on composite filling material, so you should talk to your dentist first if you are considering having whitening treatment.

We offer the option of replacing old metal amalgam fillings with white fillings at our Harley Street clinic. This is a simple procedure carried out under local anaesthetic. Your dentist will remove your old metal filling, along with any additional areas of decay, and place a tooth-coloured filling in its place.

For larger cavities, particularly in back teeth where extra strength is needed, a tooth-coloured inlay or onlay may be recommended. If you have a badly damaged tooth, or one that has undergone root canal treatment, your clinician may use a crown. These can be made from a range of materials, and will be matched to the natural colour of your teeth.

Restorative Dentistry

Restorative dentistry is the area of dentistry that focuses on rebuilding and replacing lost, decayed or otherwise damaged teeth. This covers everything from a single white filling to complex full-mouth rehabilitations. Our team at Harley Street Dental Clinic have extensive experience of restorative dentistry and can treat even the most challenging of cases.

restorative dentistryA wide range of treatments fall under the umbrella term “restorative dentistry”. Some of the treatments can save a tooth that is otherwise at risk of being lost, while others replace teeth that are already missing.

Restorative treatments include:

White fillings, inlays and onlays

Made either of porcelain or composite resin material, white fillings are more accurately tooth-coloured fillings, as whatever material is used will be closely matched to the natural colour of your teeth. Areas of decay will be removed before a filling, inlay or onlay is placed. It is also possible to remove worn or unsightly grey metal amalgam fillings for a more aesthetically-pleasing result.

Dentures

Dentures are artificial teeth used to restore functionality and appearance when teeth are lost. A full denture is used when all teeth in one arch are lost, while a partial denture is used to replace one or a few missing teeth. Dentures can be removable or can be fixed in place by dental implants. All of our denture work is carried out by our specialist in prosthodontics, Dr Charlotte Stilwell.

Dental implants

Dental implants are small, titanium screws that are placed directly in the jawbone, where they act as replacement tooth roots. They can support replacement teeth in the form of bridges, crowns or secured dentures.

Full-mouth rehabilitation

This involves a combination of treatments to restore your mouth to health, give you back pride in your smile and the functionality to eat a healthy, varied diet. If your teeth are extensively decayed, damaged or even lost, a range of treatments can be used. This may include bridges, crowns, veneers, implants and dentures, among other treatments.

What can a cosmetic dentist do for me?

The question of what a cosmetic dentist can do for you might simply be answered “whatever you want.” It’s true that cosmetic dentists have a wealth of ways in which they can improve the appearance of your smile. However, at Harley Street Dental Clinic we are keen to point out that we are focussed on treatment that lasts, as well as being aesthetically pleasing.

cosmetic-dentistOur unique and skilled team will not only work with you to create the smile of your dreams, but will also be realistic and honest – so if you come to see us with a particular treatment in mind and after a careful examination and consultation we do not believe this will be the best treatment in your case, we will tell you so – and will also recommend alternatives to help you get that dream smile.

Smile makeovers

At Harley Street Dental Clinic we are all about providing bespoke treatment to suit the needs of every patient. If you are interested in improving the aesthetic appearance of your smile, we invite you to join us for a smile makeover consultation with a cosmetic dentist.

Your dentist will take a detailed medical and dental history, and will find out a bit about your lifestyle before conducting a thorough clinical examination. All of this will help them to recommend the very best course of treatment.

After your cosmetic dentist has discussed all your possible treatment options, they will use the state-of-the-art 3D computer imaging technology at our Harley Street clinic to show you what results you can expect, and will run through all the pros and cons of any treatment option, so that you can be confident you are making a fully informed choice.

Only when all your concerns and questions have been answered will your dentist draw up a treatment plan.

Ways your dentist can end your denture woes

If you are struggling with ill-fitting dentures, your dentist can help. At Harley Street Dental Clinic we have a skilled team including prosthodontists and implantologists who can custom-design the perfect solution to suit your needs.

dental-denturesWhy we experience denture issues

Dentures have been around for a very long time and are an excellent option for people who have lost all or most of their natural teeth. Modern dentures are aesthetically pleasing, functional and comfortable, and can be made from a number of different materials, including plastic and porcelain, depending on your preference and your budget.

However, whilst dentists can now provide custom-designed, comfortable dentures, many patients still experience problems with their dentures becoming loose as the years go by.

This happens because although standard dentures replace the crowns of the teeth, they do not replace the roots. Without the roots in place, the jaw bone begins to shrink back over time, meaning you may have to make frequent visits to your dentist to have your dentures adjusted.

At our Harley Street clinic, we have found that many patients have benefitted from using dental implants to stabilise their dentures. Dental implants are small titanium screws that replace the root portion of a missing tooth or teeth. Your dentist can then use a range of special attachments to fix your dentures on to your implants, meaning that they will still be removable but will stay firmly in place and only come out when you want them to.

We have the full facilities to place dental implants here at our Harley Street practice. This can be done under local anaesthetic or sedation, depending on your preference.

Because they integrate with the bone and promote bone growth, dental implants help to stop bone loss. With regular visits to the dentist and hygienist, your implants can last you for life, and you need never worry about loose dentures again.

How a cosmetic dentist can restore damaged teeth

If you have chipped, broken, or otherwise damaged your teeth, a cosmetic dentist has many ways to restore them. At Harley Street Dental Clinic we care about solutions that last, and your dentist will ensure any tooth repairs are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing.

cosmetic dentistWhy you should repair broken teeth

Even a small crack or chip in a tooth is enough to let bacteria into the pulp or nerve at the tooth’s core. This can cause pain and discomfort and, in some cases, can lead to a dental abscess (a painful swelling). Without treatment, infection can ultimately end in tooth loss. Root canal treatment is necessary to remove infection from the pulp of a tooth – but all the pain, discomfort and additional treatment can be avoided if you visit a dentist as soon as possible after your tooth breaks.

What a cosmetic dentist can do

Several factors will determine the best way for your cosmetic dentist to restore your damaged tooth. These include the cause and extent of the damage, whereabouts in your mouth the broken tooth is located, and your personal preferences.

Tooth restoration options at Harley Street Dental Clinic include:

White fillings and composite bonding

White filling material is very strong and durable, and can be used to rebuild a broken or damaged tooth in many cases. Your cosmetic dentist will match the shade of composite material to the colour of your teeth.

Crowns

Crowns can be made from a number of materials, including ceramic, porcelain, and precious metal. They provide additional strength for a broken or damaged tooth.

Porcelain veneers

Porcelain veneers are a popular way for cosmetic dentists at our Harley Street clinic to restore the aesthetic appearance of mildly chipped front teeth. They are bonded over the front surfaces of the teeth, and are made thicker to cover the cracked area.

What your dentist can do if you have missing teeth

A dentist has many options available to them to replace missing teeth. Harley Street Dental Clinic’s team is a unique collection of dental professionals, who will work closely together and with you to ensure that however many teeth need replacing, and whatever caused them to be lost in the first place, you will soon be enjoying the benefits of restorations that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

dental-dentureWhy we lose teeth

As a dentist you see people who have lost teeth for all manner of reasons. Teeth and gums are prone to injury in accidents such as trips, falls, and road traffic collisions. Playing any form of sport involving contact or fast-moving objects (such as rugby, hockey or cricket) can also cause injuries to the mouth that result in tooth loss. We always advise sportspeople to take the precaution of wearing a sports mouthguard to minimise the chances of this happening, but if you do lose your teeth in an accident we have several ways to replace them at our Harley Street clinic.

Tooth decay and gum disease also cause tooth loss. This can be a particular problem if you haven’t seen a dentist for many years, perhaps because of dental phobia. We understand that fear of judgement if your teeth are in less than perfect condition can then make fear of the dentist worse, as you are scared of being judged.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic we will never be judgemental. We understand and empathise with nervous patients, and know there are many reasons people put off seeking dental treatment. We just want to help you to get back to full dental health, because we think everyone deserves a healthy, happy smile. Treatment under sedation is available for nervous and phobic patients.

Depending on your situation, your dentist may recommend:

Do you know PRGF Technology?

At Harley Street Dental Clinic with Dr. Elisa Facco we are always researching new ways to improve the clinical process and make your visit to us as effective and pain-free as possible. With the arrival of PRGF technology, we can now offer a proven, safe and effective way to accelerate the healing process following placement of dental implants.

PRGF technologyThe process of implantology is invasive and leaves a small wound in the soft connective tissues of the gum and underlying jaw bone. With any wound, the body produces a special set of proteins which act at the site of the wound to stimulate the body’s natural repair process.

Using PRGF technology, we are able to isolate these healing proteins from a small sample of the patient’s blood and apply them directly to the area of the wound to accelerate the healing process.

To prepare the PRGF (“plasma rich in growth factor”) we take a small sample of the patient’s blood and treat it to produce a concentrated mixture of natural healing factors. This is then applied to the wound area in carefully measured therapeutic dose to optimise the healing process.

How a cosmetic dentist can treat a gummy smile

A cosmetic dentist can help improve the appearance of a gummy smile. Many people come to our Harley Street clinic concerned that their gum line is too low, too high, or too uneven. A gum lift is a cosmetic dental procedure designed to sculpt and improve the appearance of the gums, giving you a smile you’ll be eager to show off.

cosmetic-dentistEvery year, the team of cosmetic dentists at Harley Street Dental Clinic perform many gum lift procedures on men and women who have uneven gum levels. Also known as gum reshaping, this procedure is a pain-free, effective way to improve the appearance of your smile.

How it works

If you are suffering from a gummy smile (where too much gum tissue is on show) you should first book a consultation with a cosmetic dentist at our Harley Street clinic. They will carefully assess the current condition of your smile and will ascertain if a gum lift is the most appropriate treatment option. Then they will draw up a detailed treatment plan.

In some cases, a gum lift simply involves the use of a laser to reshape the gum line, by increasing or reducing its length to better fit the shape and structure of your teeth. As well as being pain-free, laser dentistry involves cauterises the gums so you should not experience any bleeding.

More extensive cases may require oral surgery, in which case your cosmetic dentist will refer you to one of their surgical colleagues here at Harley Street Dental Clinic. Surgery can be carried out under local anaesthetic or sedation, and may involve the removal of gum and bone tissue.

Recovery time

In most cases, you will be able to return to daily activities straight after a gum lift. Your dentist will advise you of post-operative recovery time and care should you require more extensive treatment.