Dental Blog - Harley Street Dental Clinic

Cosmetic Dentistry

Did you know that your smile is the first thing many people notice when they meet you for the first time? Unfortunately, many people are unhappy with the way their smile looks, hiding it away behind their hands in public. The good news is, there are many cosmetic dental treatments that can help.

Cosmetic dentistry focuses on the aesthetic aspects of your smile. This encompasses a wide range of treatments, tailored to meet each individual patient’s wants and needs.

While once cosmetic dental treatment was the preserve of celebrities, advances in techniques and materials now mean that everyone can have the smile they deserve.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic we have a team of experienced cosmetic dentists who offer a wide range of treatments, from tooth whitening before a special occasion to full-mouth restorations and complete smile makeovers.

One reason to choose Harley Street Dental Clinic is that we do not believe in a “one size fits all” approach to cosmetic dentistry. Our dental team firmly believes that every smile should be as unique as the face it sits in. We will listen to your concerns and needs, will examine your teeth and gums and will take your whole face into consideration when recommending treatments, so that the results are unique, beautiful and completely natural looking.

Among the cosmetic dental treatments we offer are:

Sometimes one treatment will suit you perfectly, other times we may recommend combining two or more treatments to give you the smile you’ve always dreamt of.

Whatever treatment you have, you can rest assured that our experienced Harley Street dental team will treat you with the highest standards of care, excellent skills and attention to detail. We use the best materials and the latest techniques for every treatment, every time.

Why Invest In Cosmetic Dentistry

It has become an increasingly visual world. It seems as though every place we look, someone famous is getting their lips done or their waist trained. Not that this is an altogether negative mindset. It just goes to show how access to cosmetically-enhancing opportunities has gotten so much better over the past few years.

Cosmetic dentistry is one of those modern treatments continuously giving people more reasons to feel happier and more confident about their appearance. As a cosmetic dentist on Harley Street, we offer many of these treatments.

While Hollywood-bright smiles may not be the crowd favourite anymore, there’s much to be said about the confidence-boosting, anti-ageing effect of bright, perfectly balanced teeth.

Brits Value Smiles Most, Research says

The public has spoken: when it comes to first impressions, nothing beats a nice, bright smile. A research by the British Health Foundation says a smile is the first thing noticed by Brits when meeting or introduced to new people. They have also ranked teeth as the most important body feature compared to body type, face, hair and height.

Unfortunately, 58% of the respondents admit to being unhappy with their smiles. The biggest reason for this discontent is ‘discoloured’ teeth, while ‘crooked’ ranks second.

A Bright Smile: more than just confidence-booster

‘A smile makes you look successful’, says an American study. In a group of female respondents, those who smile more tend to cope better with challenges, are more competent, and have happier marriages and greater well-being – than those who are unsmiling and withdrawn.

It is not that difficult to find the connection. Smiling is a typical expression of positive affect. If we will go with that line of reasoning, those who can do it often must live a higher-quality life than those who cannot.

When the lips part to smile, discoloured, chipped or missing teeth will come into view. The study says these are some of the biggest reasons some people are not keen smilers.

It becomes a vicious cycle. The more people avoid it, the more susceptible they are to negative emotions, which create negative experiences. On the flip side, the more people smile, the happier and more confident they tend to be.

If you cover up your smile, you may be holding yourself back in more ways than you realise. Life is much more challenging for patients who are self-conscious about their teeth that they cannot simply venture into the act.

Consult Harley Street Dental Clinic to discuss your concerns and potential corrections. Through cosmetic dentistry, we can address various dental problems – from discoloured and crooked teeth to gummy smiles.

Dental Hygiene on Harley Street

A good dental hygiene regime is essential if you want to maintain a healthy, happy smile. Good dental hygiene involves team work, combining regular visits to your dentist or hygienist with stringent homecare.

dental hygiene As well as treating you in the practice, our hygienists will show you the best way to look after your teeth at home. We recommend that you visit the hygienist every six months to help keep your mouth in top condition.

Most people instantly think of professional tooth cleaning, often called a scale and polish, when they think of dental hygienists. Whilst thoroughly cleaning your teeth to remove any stubborn plaque or tartar is a vital part of our hygienists’ work, they also provide a range of other services.

Your professional tooth cleaning will involve:

Complete ultrasonic tooth cleaning to gently remove tartar
Polishing to remove any stubborn plaque
Stain removal using a high-power, mildly abrasive water jet

In addition, our hygienists will fully assess the health of your gums. They can spot and treat gum disease before it become too serious, another important reason to visit us every six months.

You will also receive a full, honest assessment of your current oral health, including any steps you can take to improve it. This may include the best products to use at home, as well as dietary advice, fluoride treatments to strengthen tooth enamel and fissure sealants to close small cracks and limit future decay.

The goal of all of this is to help you achieve excellent standards of oral health, avoiding the need for potentially more invasive treatments in the future. If you do require procedures such as oral surgery, good dental hygiene practices will help you to enjoy and maintain the benefits of such treatment for many years to come.

The Harley Street Dental Clinic are able to help with simple to complex dental concerns. Book a consultation with a dentist to find out more.

The D in Dental Implants: Importance of Calcium in Bone Integration

The success of your dental implant will depend on a number of things. On top, you will have to develop a better dental hygiene as you will essentially be caring for a new tooth. Then, you also have to watch what you eat. Rest assured that your dentist would inform you of anything you need to know to care for your dental implant.

dental implants Ultimately, your implants will only be a success if it fuses with the bone. Time will tell, and some screenings here and there, if your bone takes to its new titanium neighbour. Nevertheless, you do not want to feel that your dear tooth replacement is in danger of falling. With that, we recommend ingesting copious amounts of Vitamin D-rich food.

Getting the (Vitamin) D

After a dental surgery, your body relies on its reserves of vitamins and minerals, which it sends alongside more blood to close the wound. Vitamin D is one of those bodily nourishments that your wound needs. Incidentally, it is also the most important mineral for your bones. Whether in growing, re-growing or integrating new parts, Vitamin D is key.

It is important to have an abundance of calcium reserves in your body. Not only will it ensure that your bone adapts to your implant, but also that your bones are strong enough to fuse itself to the metal. Furthermore, your body needs calcium for other purposes, reinforcing the need to have more than adequate of the mineral each day.

Gen D

Your body has the ability to create its own supply of Vitamin D. 15 minutes of direct exposure to the sun should be enough, but not recommended for people with a high risk of cancer. Thus, you can just eat foods rich in Vitamin D.

Bring your Vitamin D levels before the surgery. Then, let Harley Street Dental Clinic help you acquire a new, shiny tooth.

Orthodontics – cosmetic dentistry at Harley Street

Have you always dreamt of having straighter teeth? Many patients, when asked what they would change about their smile, answer that they would like their teeth to be straighter. However, when they hear the word “orthodontics” they picture metal braces that are not just very obvious, but are also associated with lengthy treatment times and discomfort.

orthodontics If this sounds familiar, we are confident we can help. Orthodontic treatment has advanced massively in recent years, and at Harley Street Dental Clinic our specialist orthodontists offer a wide range of cosmetic dentistry solutions for Harley Street patients of all ages. Many modern orthodontic devices are so discreet that nobody will know you’re having treatment.

Orthodontics is the specialist branch of dentistry that deals with the alignment of teeth, and with your bite (how your teeth meet together). The term “malocclusions” is used to describe improper bites, and can cover a range of conditions. You may be diagnosed at the clinic or may be referred to us by your dentist.

Our skilled Harley Street dentists will examine you and will recommend the best treatments for your condition, as the perfect treatment will vary from patient to patient. Among the options available are lingual braces, which act like regular braces but are placed on the back of your teeth; and Invisalign, a series of clear aligners that gently move your teeth into a new position. Invisalign are often called “removable braces” because you can take them out to eat and drink, and to clean your teeth.

In addition, we offer many other orthodontic treatments, including oral surgery to relieve jaw pain. Surgery is usually the last step taken and we may explore other treatment options first; however, when it is the best option we provide oral surgery at the Harley Street Dental Clinic, with full access to its state-of-the-art facilities including general anaesthesia if necessary, to help nervous patients receive the treatment they need.

Temporary Toothache Relief

Nothing puts a damper on a day like a toothache. It may not be a life-threatening conditioning, but suffering from toothache can be incapacitating. After all, who can work or study with a throbbing tooth? How can you attend to your usual things to do such as eating, sleeping, and speaking, when sharp pains hinder you?

Toothaches vary from mild soreness to an unbearable throbbing in your teeth. This usually happens when you have an infection, an exposed tooth root, cavities, a loose filling, gum disease, or jaw joint disorder. Fortunately, our dentists at Harley Street Dental Clinic are dedicated to your wellbeing. We take a look at some ways to temporarily relieve the ache—until you can get to our office, at least:

Here are some of them:

Mix Salt and Water

Salt helps reduce inflammation in the gums, which can then relieve toothaches. Salt also helps to stop the spread of bacteria in your mouth.

You simply need to mix a teaspoon of table salt with a cup of warm water. Swish the mixture in your mouth for about 30 seconds, and then spit it out. Repeat this as often as you need throughout the day. Please note that it is important to check with your physician before doing this remedy if you have a heart problem.

Pop a Painkiller

Over-the-counter pain medications can be another effective source of relief for your toothache. Ibuprofen and aspirin, in particular, can help reduce the pain and inflammation. Acetaminophen, on the other hand, relieves pain by blocking messages in the brain instead of reducing the inflammation.

Use Clove Oil

This one may be odd, but using clove oil is an age-old remedy for toothaches. Clove oil has antibacterial properties, and surprisingly also acts as a mild local anaesthetic.

You simply need to mix 2 to 3 drops of clove oil with a quarter of a teaspoon of olive oil. Soak a cotton ball in the oil mixture, place it near the affected tooth, and bite down to keep the cotton in place.

Remember, these home remedies only relieve pain temporarily. Always see to it that you make an appointment with us, because we need to do a diagnosis of your toothache and find out the cause. Chances are, you have a problem that requires treatment. If you do not find out what is causing the ache as soon as possible, it could only get worse.

For a dentist on Harley Street, book an appointment with Harley Street Dental Clinic today!

Flossing Your Teeth in One Minute Flat

Many shy away from the routine of flossing because they say it takes up way too much time. Although dentists suggest flossing at least once a day, the idea alone of cleaning the in-betweens of your teeth with a small piece of floss already sounds exhausting.

Harley Street Dental Clinic Flossing can be a messy and time-consuming business, featuring plaque-covered strings and a lot of time spent in front of the mirror before bed. Dr Carlos Meulener, a dental professional from New Jersey that we look up to, teaches us all how to floss efficiently and in a single minute flat.

Can You Floss in a Minute?

Instead of discarding your dentist’s tired advice of flossing every day, consider this super quick and super easy flossing routine for a healthier teeth and mouth. Like your old and time-consuming routine, you are going to need some trusty floss you are comfortable with, a mirror and a single minute.

Take a short length of dental floss, wind it gently around both index fingers and using your thumbs, floss your upper teeth by moving the same short segment between your teeth in a rapid-fire motion. Next, move to your lower teeth and use your index finger instead of using your thumbs.

Yes, You Can

The key is the movement; instead of moving the floss up and down or back and forth laboriously, do it quickly and, in Dr Meulener’s words, with a rapid-fire motion. Manipulate the very short section of the string between teeth and you will be done quickly.

Once you are done, you get several more minutes free and clean and fresh teeth, too. It is true what your dentists have been saying all these years: brushing is not enough. You have to floss your teeth to remove the bacteria stuck in between your teeth.

If neglected, this bacteria could lead to worse dental problems, like tooth decay, which could potentially cost you a tooth (or more) and you may end up needing dental implants at an early age. Harley Street Dental Clinic encourages all our patients to maintain a quick and easy flossing routine for better oral health.

Why Choose Us for Cosmetic Dentistry in Harley Street?

Deciding to have any sort of cosmetic dentistry can be quite a big step to make, so why should you choose Harley Street Dental Clinic for treatment? In fact we think there are lots of compelling reasons for making us your dentist of choice, not least because of our comprehensive list of cosmetic dentistry treatments.

We’ll Only Recommend Treatments That Will Work Well for You

cosmetic dentistry in Harley Street Dr Stanley Kay, and all of our dentists in Harley Street are experienced enough to be able to provide you with a complete smile makeover if required, but equally we are just as happy to recommend treatments that will fit in with your budget, and which will still give you very good results. We won’t try to ‘sell’ you a particular treatment unless we think it will offer you real value, and will provide you with the type of changes you’d like to see in your smile.

Our Well-equipped and Comfortable Surgery Offers Dental Implants

Not every dentist is equipped to offer dental implants, but this treatment can be invaluable for anyone facing tooth loss, or who has already lost teeth. Our highly trained and experienced dentists can replace lost teeth through inserting one or more implants into your jawbone. It is often the best and most cost-effective long term solution for replacing lost teeth, and dental implants can be used to secure crowns, bridge and dentures.

Dental implant surgery is usually extremely successful, and a well-placed and properly maintained dental implant can last for decades, or even a lifetime. This treatment is often used as part of a smile makeover but does require several months to complete, so if you are intending to have cosmetic dentistry in Harley Street, in time for a special event, then it pays to plan ahead.

We Are Very Experienced at Helping Nervous Patients

We have helped many people overcome their fears and concerns over dental visits, enabling them to get the smile of their dreams. If you are worried over dental visits, and this has prevented you from seeking help for dental concerns in the past, why not give us a go and discover the difference a caring dental team can make? We take the time to listen to you, and to discover what we can do to help you feel more comfortable in our dental surgery. We keep you informed at every stage of treatment, and strive to make sure every dental visit is a positive experience, gradually replacing any bad memories you may have of dental treatments in the past. There is absolutely no need for modern dental treatment to be scary, so if you have had bad experiences in the past we ask you to give us the chance to show you a different, kinder, and far more sympathetic form of dentistry.

You can read more about all the different types of cosmetic dentistry on our website, but you’ll also find all of our staff is more than willing to answer any questions you may have. When you are ready to take the next step, just give us a call to book an appointment.

Planning Ahead for Your Smile Makeover

It’s becoming far more common for people to have cosmetic dentistry in Harley Street, and there’s little doubt that a properly designed smile can make a world of difference to appearance. However it’s all too easy to underestimate the time required to carry out a comprehensive smile makeover that will involve several different treatments. If you’re thinking of rejuvenating your smile in time for some special event then it’s best to plan well ahead.

Visit Harley Street Dental Clinic for a Consultation

cosmetic dentistry in Harley Street Your first step is to visit Dr Stanley Kay or another of our dentists at Harley Street Dental clinic to discuss how you’d like to change the look of your teeth. There are lots of different treatments that can be used, and it’s often best to use some of them in combination. The reason for this is that treatment will be as conservative as possible, preserving the maximum amount of tooth structure. A good example would be using orthodontics in combination with dental veneers and perhaps teeth whitening.

The Advantages of Using a Combination of Treatments

Cosmetic braces can straighten up the front teeth as are visible when smiling within just a few months or even weeks. Any minor anomalies can then be corrected through the use of a few selectively placed veneers. This is much healthier for your teeth than veneering all of them, and could be cheaper in the long run as veneers need to be replaced every 10 years or so. If you have more substantial orthodontic problems such as issues with the way your teeth bite together then you may need a more conventional orthodontic system that will take longer to move your teeth into the correct positions. After orthodontic treatment, whitening your teeth will automatically lift your smile creating a more youthful appearance, and your new veneers can then be matched to the new shade of your teeth.

The point is that allowing plenty of time to plan and complete your smile makeover will help ensure you get the best possible results. You get a full estimate of the total cost before treatment, and if you’re having several different treatments then you might be able to spread the cost. Your dentist in Harley Street will work with you every step of the way, and of course treatment can be adjusted to take into account your budget.

Cosmetic Dentistry: How Cutting-Edge Treatments Design Perfect Smiles

The perfect smile is something that everybody wants to achieve; it is the forefront of our face, what defines our look and describes us wordlessly how we take care of ourselves. You can tell a lot about a person by just their teeth, but it is not just the sheer whiteness of the teeth that is the basis of a perfect smile.

Harley Street Dental Clinic On the contrary, there are a lot of different factors that actually ‘define’ a perfect smile, and more often than not, simple brushing and gargling are not usually enough to achieve this. Fortunately, it is now possible to design the perfect smile with the latest dental treatments.

Damaged Teeth

Shiny white teeth may look great, but if they are damaged or even slightly chipped, it pretty much ruins the whole look. How it appears is not the only thing that you should be worrying though; damaged teeth inhibit the overall function of your mouth, and you may find it difficult eating or even talking properly if one or several of your teeth are damaged.

Dental veneers are the best way to fix damaged teeth without having to extract it. These strong laminates, usually made of porcelain, and are thin enough to be bonded right on the tooth without being noticeable. Aside from covering the teeth’s deformation and enhancing its look, it also protects it from further damage.

Attractive Gums

The appearance of your teeth is not the only thing that defines how attractive your smile is. The contrast between the pink of your gums and the whiteness of your teeth gives a distinct feature and look to your smile, and it looks best if there is symmetry between them. As with teeth, your gum line may not exactly be perfectly symmetrical. A long time ago, correcting this was impossible and people just had to live with it.

Nowadays, it is possible to reshape and improve the gum line through gum reshaping treatments. This involves using a laser to painlessly lengthen or shorten the gum line to better fit your teeth’s overall structure. Another benefit of reshaping the gum line, aside from improving your smile, is that it actually helps make the gums healthier in the long run and that means your new smile will certainly last a long time.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we are committed to offering each of our patients beautiful and healthy smile through the latest dental cosmetic procedures and cutting-edge technology. Arrange a consultation with us today and we will help you design the perfect smile.

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