How your dentist can restore beauty and functionality to your mouth with dental implants

Every dentist in the land will tell you that you should replace any missing teeth as soon as possible. At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we often find that the best way to do this is with dental implants.

Why you need to replace missing teethdental implants

As your dentist will tell you, when you lose one or more teeth, you lose so much more than your confidence to smile. Other teeth are prone to move into any gaps, becoming twisted, crooked, and harder to clean. Your jaw bone also starts to resorb or shrink back when your tooth roots are missing, which can make dental implant placement more difficult (although not impossible) and can cause the face around your jowls to sag.

Dental implants: the only permanent solution

Dental implants are the only permanent way your dentist can replace your missing teeth. They are small titanium screws placed directly into your jaw bone in a small operation, carried out either under local anaesthetic or conscious sedation here at our Harley Street clinic.
After a healing period, your dentist can then attach permanent replacement teeth to your implants, restoring not just a beautiful smile, but also the ability to eat whatever you choose.
At our Harley Street clinic we can replace your teeth with a combination of dental implants, and either crowns (for single teeth), a bridge or dentures (for multiple or all missing teeth).
With proper home care and regular visits to the dental practice, your dental implants and attached teeth will last you for many years – perhaps even a lifetime.
To book an implant consultation with an experienced dentist here at our Harley Street clinic, get in touch with us today. We believe it could be the best decision you will ever make.

How your dentist and hygienist can help you beat gum disease

Both your dentist and your hygienist have a crucial role to play in combatting gum disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in the UK. At Harley Street Dental Clinic our patients also benefit from the services of a specialist periodontist (a dental professional who has undergone additional training to specialise in the treatment of gum disease and other gum problems).

gum diseaseGum disease: a common problem

The majority of people will experience mild gum disease at some time in their life. Whilst this is a serious condition, it can – with regular visits to your dentist and hygienist combined with a good home care regime – be treated and managed.

However, just because it is a common problem this does not mean you should ignore it or hope it will get better on its own. Whilst the early stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis, is relatively easy to treat and manage, left untreated it can develop into the more serious form of the condition, known as periodontal disease or periodontitis. This can cause tooth loss and damage to the jaw bone.

How do I know if I have gum disease?

Gingivitis can be difficult to spot, but early warning signs to stay alert for include:

  • Gums that bleed when brushing your teeth
  • Persistent bad breath
  • Gums that are red or swollen, whether painful or not

Your dentist is in a prime position to spot early warning signs of gum disease, even if you haven’t noticed anything yourself yet. When you come into our Harley Street clinic for a standard dental check-up, your dentist will closely examine your teeth and gums, and may ask about symptoms such as bleeding gums.

Gum disease is caused by dental plaque, and factors such as diet, smoking, and some medicines can increase your susceptibility. A visit to our Harley Street clinic’s hygienist will help combat the condition in these early stages.

Why a cosmetic dentist is a must for teeth whitening treatment

Whiter teeth are one of the most frequently requested procedures from a cosmetic dentist. Here at Harley Street Dental Clinic, we offer several options for patients who would like to lighten the colour of their teeth, from teeth whitening treatment to porcelain veneers.

cosmetic-dentistIf you are looking to lighten your teeth, it’s vitally important that you contact a cosmetic dentist prior to treatment beginning. Type “teeth whitening” into a search engine and you will find scores of results. However, it is a legal requirement that whitening treatment should only be carried out by a dentist. Many of the products available online and even in high street stores may initially seem like a money-saving option – but the long-term costs could be enormous.

Whitening products used in dental practices have been extensively tested and proven to be both reliable and safe. While at best products bought elsewhere will simply have no effect, in the worst-case scenario they can actually be dangerous, causing damage to your teeth and gums. This could result in the need for extensive and expensive restorative treatment from a cosmetic dentist.

When you come into our Harley Street clinic for a teeth whitening consultation, your cosmetic dentist will conduct a careful examination of your teeth and gums. They will do this for two reasons: to check your dental health prior to starting treatment, and to assess the type of staining you are suffering from.

As with any cosmetic procedure, teeth whitening should only take place in a healthy mouth, to lessen the chances of side effects such as sensitivity. Should they spot anything requiring treatment, your cosmetic dentist can do this first.

Some types of discolouration will not be affected by teeth whitening, in which case your dentist may recommend veneers as an alternative. The expert team at our Harley Street clinic will find the perfect solution to suit your individual needs.

How your dentist can replace metal fillings with more aesthetic options

Once, the only option available to a dentist whose patient needed a filling was to use metal amalgam. This has changed and there are many more aesthetically-pleasing options available. At Harley Street Dental Clinic our team have a variety of ways in which they can replace old metal amalgam fillings with a tooth-coloured alternative.

metal-fillingsThere is, of course, nothing new about white fillings – they have been around for many years. However, for a long time they were not thought of as being as strong and durable as their metal counterparts. Thanks to advances in both materials used and techniques, white fillings are now considered almost as strong as metal ones.

In the modern world people are increasingly considering the aesthetic appearance of their smile as well as the functionality of any required restorations. Every dentist is now seeing an increasing demand for white or tooth-coloured filling alternatives.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic we embrace advances in techniques and technology, and believe that everybody deserves a smile to be proud of. The procedure to replace metal fillings with white fillings is straightforward and, in most cases, requires a single appointment and just a local anaesthetic.

If you come into our Harley Street practice to have metal fillings replaced, your dentist will ensure your tooth is numb and will remove your old filling. After checking no more decay has occurred (and removing any decayed areas they find) they will then prepare the cavity and place a white filling, which is made from a very hard composite material. This filling will be able to withstand the forces generated by biting and chewing over a considerable period of time.

Where additional strength is required (for a larger filling, or for a back tooth) your dentist may recommend using onlays or inlays, which are a step between a filling and a crown.

How a cosmetic dentist can help you regain your confidence

Visiting a cosmetic dentist can produce a serious confidence boost if you have lost, damaged, or failing teeth. We have a unique collection of dental specialists at our Harley Street clinic, all of whom are committed to working together to create the perfect smile for you.

cosmetic-dentistA lot of people are unhappy with some aspect of their smile, which can have a negative effect on self-confidence, and in turn on interactions in both their personal and professional lives. If you feel the need to hide your smile away in public, or find you don’t smile at all in company, a cosmetic dentist can help.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic our cosmetic team can improve the appearance of your smile with changes large and small. Whether you are looking to boost your smile with teeth whitening treatment or porcelain veneers, or are in need of a full-mouth make-over, your cosmetic dentist can help.

There have been enormous technological advances in the field of cosmetic dentistry in recent years, which means that treatment from a cosmetic dentist is now available to more people than ever before. We welcome new patients for cosmetic consultations at our Harley Street clinic to find out what cosmetic dentistry can do for you.

Here are just some of the ways a cosmetic dentist can improve your smile and boost your confidence – please get in touch for our full range of services.

Porcelain veneers

Veneers are very thin porcelain shells, placed over the front surfaces of the front teeth to improve their aesthetic appearance. They can improve the look of a permanently stained or discoloured tooth, cracked or chipped teeth, and can correct a range of mild spacing and alignment issues.

Teeth whitening

Special dental bleaching gel is used to safely remove stains from your teeth.

Gum lifts

Removing excess gum tissue to improve the look of a gummy smile.

Finding a dentist in an emergency

Finding an emergency dentist should not be difficult. At Harley Street Dental Clinic we offer extended opening hours and emergency call-outs, and maintain an emergency service line to help you get treatment as soon as possible, because we know that while dental emergencies don’t keep to standard office hours, in an emergency situation the sooner you see a dental professional the better.

emergency-dental-careIf you are looking for an emergency dentist in Harley Street, contact us on 020 3740 6963. We will always do our best to see you on the same day because quick action counts. Our emergency call-our service is available until 10pm and from 7am until the practice opens at 8.30am.

What is a dental emergency?

There are many reasons patients need to see an emergency dentist. These include:

  • Sudden, unbearable toothache
  • Teeth lost in accidents or through injury
  • Teeth damaged in accidents or through injury
  • Unstoppable bleeding after oral surgery
  • Dental abscess
  • Broken or damaged orthodontic devices
  • Broken or damaged dental implants/restorations

Your dentist’s first priority will be to get you out of pain and stabilise you if you are experiencing unstoppable or excessive bleeding. Depending on your needs you may need further follow-up appointments to fully treat your problem. At our Harley Street clinic we have a unique collection of dental professionals including orthodontists, oral surgeons and dental hygienists, and you will be directed towards the best team member to help you.

What to do if you lose a tooth

Our teeth are vulnerable to loss or damage through accidents and injuries, including trips and falls, road traffic accidents, and sports injuries. Sometimes it is possible for your dentist to reimplant a tooth that has been knocked out, so if you still have the tooth keep it clean and bring it with you to our Harley Street clinic. If it cannot be reimplanted, your dentist will discuss replacement options.

Why a cosmetic dentist is a must for whitening teeth

Teeth whitening is one of the most commonly-requested procedures from a cosmetic dentist. It’s one of the fastest and simplest ways to boost the appearance of your smile, so it’s not difficult to understand its popularity. At Harley Street Dental Clinic, our skilled cosmetic team offer three options for teeth whitening treatment: home whitening, power whitening here in the practice, or a combination of both options.

cosmetic-dentistHow teeth whitening works

With teeth whitening treatment, a special dental bleaching gel is used to gently remove everyday stains from the teeth. Tea, coffee, and red wine all contribute to staining of the teeth, as does smoking cigarettes or cigars. Some medicines and medical conditions also produce tooth staining as a side effect. Teeth whitening carried out by a cosmetic dentist is a safe and effective way to remove these stains.

Why you need a cosmetic dentist

There are many treatments available from the internet and from high street outlets that claim to give you whiter teeth. These are often cheaper than the options available from a dentist, but buyer beware – when it comes to teeth whitening, if an option sounds too good to be true, the chances are it is.

The treatments offered at Harley Street Dental Clinic have been extensively tested and have been proven to be both safe and effective. Products available from other outlets are unlikely to have gone through such rigorous testing, which means that not only are they less likely to produce predictable results, but also in some cases they can damage your teeth, gums or mouth.

Teeth whitening should also only be carried out on a healthy mouth, to reduce the chances of sensitivity during treatment. A cosmetic dentist will check you are in good oral health before starting your treatment. At our Harley Street clinic we have a team of dental experts on hand, who can treat health problems large or small before whitening treatment.

Why early years dentist visits are vital to maintaining good oral health for life

At Harley Street Dental Clinic we believe children benefit from visiting the dentist from an early age. A negative experience during childhood is one of the main reasons adults give for fear or phobia of the dentist – a problem that affects approximately one in ten adults in the UK.

oral healthAt our Harley Street clinic, we have a specialist children’s dental team, which is headed up by leading paediatric dental expert Professor Raman Bedi. We recommend bringing children in from the age of 12 months onwards, by which time their teeth should have started to appear.

By coming along with a parent or guardian, or an elder sibling, young children will soon learn that visiting the dentist is nothing to be afraid of. By observing and copying sitting in the dental chair and opening their mouth to let their practitioner take a look at their teeth.

Early intervention can help to prevent the development of tooth decay, which is still shockingly prevalent in children in the UK. While this is improving, there is still much work to be done, and early visits to the dentist have been shown to increase the chances of maintaining good dental habits and health for life.

Professor Bedi and his team are experienced in working with children, taking the time to build up a relationship of trust with them and talking to the child as well as their parents, explaining any treatment in an easy-to-understand, age-appropriate manner.

We also offer a range of preventative treatments at our Harley Street clinic, including fluoride varnish and fissure sealant to help prevent tooth decay. If your child does need treatment for tooth decay, we use a laser in place of a drill, for improved patient comfort.

Dental Implants at Harley Street Dental Clinic

Dental implants are one of the fastest-growing areas of modern dentistry. They provide a permanent solution for missing teeth, one which is both aesthetically pleasing and fully functional.

dental implantsIf you’ve lost one, a few or perhaps all of your natural teeth, for whatever reason, you will know how distressing this can be. You may find yourself embarrassed about smiling and public speaking, could be struggling with ill-fitting unsecured dentures and might even find your diet restricted, putting many healthy options off the menu. In many cases, dental implants offer the perfect solution, and our Harley Street dentists can help.

So, what is a dental implant? Many people colloquially refer to dental implants as replacement teeth, but this isn’t technically correct. Dental implants are in fact replacement tooth roots. They are small, titanium screws that are placed directly in the jawbone, where they integrate with the bone and provide support for replacement teeth in the form of crowns, bridges and secured dentures.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic, our implants team are highly experienced and renowned for their implant treatment. Mr Steve Dover, Dr Pedja Pavlovic and Dr Charlotte Stilwell are all fellows of the International Team of Implantology and are all involved in education in implant dentistry. Their expertise is recognised in the UK and abroad, and as they are all a cosmetic dentist on Harley Street, their patients feel comfortable in their expertise.

Implants are placed in your jawbone in a minor surgical procedure, which can be carried out under local anaesthetic or sedation, depending on your preference. There are several options for implant treatment, but in general they are left to heal and integrate with the bone for a few months before replacement teeth are attached to abutments on the top of the implant. The results look and act very much like natural teeth.

While a single missing tooth will need one implant to replace it, it is also possible to support several new teeth with a single implant. The exact number of implants you will need will be discussed at your dental implant or cosmetic dentistry consultation with our Harley Street dental team.

Ask a cosmetic dentist: cosmetic dentures explored

Patients who have lost all their natural teeth may not think a cosmetic dentist can do much for them. However, at Harley Street Dental Clinic our skilled cosmetic team can work with colleagues including prosthodontists (who create dental restorations) and implant surgeons to restore your smile in a way that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

cosmetic denturesModern dentures have come a long way from the false teeth used even 20 or 30 years ago. Dentures of a sort have been around since ancient times, but 21st Century restorations have been designed to look and act just like natural teeth. By combining your dentures with dental implants, your cosmetic dentist can create a bespoke treatment plan that will enable you to eat whatever you like, smile and laugh with confidence, and have less chance of experiencing bone loss.

Here at Harley Street Dental Clinic, we know the value of both your smile and your oral health. When you come in to see us for a consultation about ways to replace your missing teeth, your cosmetic dentist will undertake a thorough clinical examination of your gums and any remaining natural teeth, as well as taking a detailed medical history and finding out a bit about your lifestyle. This enables them to create the perfect set of cosmetic dentures to suit your needs.

Dentures can be made from a range of materials, including plastic and porcelain. At our Harley Street clinic we also offer the option of stabilising your dentures with dental implants, which replace the root portions of missing teeth and keep your dentures securely in place at all times.

The advantages of dentures are manifold. These include:

  • Helping maintain the shape of your jaws and face
  • Strengthening the facial muscles, which helps with biting and chewing
  • Preventing remaining teeth from moving position