Archives for August, 2012

Patients Near Brentford Find Out About Inlays and Onlays

August 30th, 2012

Sometimes we need repairs to be made to our teeth, due to decay or just general wear that comes with age. Sometimes teeth can be helped by a filling, which helps strengthen the inside of the tooth; sometimes a crown is needed, which goes over the top of the tooth to protect and strengthen it.  A treatment which is, in some ways, between the two is inlays and onlays.

What are inlays and onlays?

Inlays are in some ways similar to fillings, but they sit on the bumps on the surface of the tooth (the biting part). A dental onlay is slightly larger and can cover several small bumps on the tooth. Both can be used to help strengthen and preserve damaged teeth, as well as helping them to appear more uniform, giving you a better smile. They are made from porcelain – a strong material which can be made tooth-coloured easily – a composite material, or gold, and are bonded to the surface of the tooth. Porcelain is used most commonly used because of its strength and cosmetic properties.  Once fitted, inlays and onlays do not need any special care, just regular good oral hygiene.

How are inlays and onlays fitted?


At Sparkle Dental Boutique near Brentford, inlays and onlays will be personally made in a laboratory for you, and so will need two visits. The decay will be cleaned from your tooth, and a mould taken. You will be fitted with a temporary filling while the inlay or onlay is being made. On the second visit, your tooth will be cleaned again, and the inlay or onlay cemented onto the tooth. It may then be reshaped slightly, or adjusted to fit your tooth. Once your inlay or onlay is fitted, you may feel that the tooth is slightly more sensitive than usual; this should pass, but if it persists, get in touch with your dentist again.

 

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A Perfect Hollywood Smile For Patients Near Ealing

August 27th, 2012

Looking at pictures or movies featuring some of today’s Hollywood stars, you’ll notice again and again that seemingly perfect teeth are apparently the norm. How can it be that huge film stars can achieve such dazzling, perfect smiles? However they achieve it, it seems like there’s no way for the rest of us to match such faultless pearly whites. But this isn’t the case, as you too can achieve a ‘Hollywood smile’ thanks to Sparkle Dental Boutique which can offer crowns, bridges, braces, tooth whitening and veneers in order to achieve a smile worthy of Hollywood.

What is involved in a Hollywood smile?


Veneers are very thin shells of material which fit over your teeth, in much the same way that false fingernails fit onto your nails. Porcelain is used to make the veneers for Sparkle Dental Boutique, as it is a very strong material – with proper dental care, porcelain veneers can last ten to fifteen years – and it can easily be made to appear the correct shade. Veneers are a fantastic way to achieve perfect Hollywood teeth. In other words, veneers are designed to the shade that you want your teeth to appear, and then stuck onto the surfaces of teeth. You may decide to have teeth whitening, or minor orthodontic treatment, or possible facial rejuvenation treatment. During the consultation we can look at what you want to achieve and then come up with a dental plan so we can achieve the results you are looking for. This could be a mix of cosmetic dentistry and facial fillers to give both the face and teeth a boost.

How can I get a Hollywood smile?


At Sparkle Dental Boutique near Ealing we offer an initial consultation where yourself and the Sparkle team can look at your teeth and talk about what you would like to look like at the end of the treatment. You may want to boost your looks generally to look like your movie heroes or it may be for a special occasion, either way, contact us today for more information.

 

 

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Patients Near Chiswick Can Treat Tooth Infections With Root Canal Therapy

August 23rd, 2012

What is a root canal?

Each of our teeth is composed of the visible part above the gum, the nerves and other ‘pulp’ which is in the middle of the tooth, and the root underneath the gum. The nerves in each tooth come from the gum into the tooth through the root via root canals. Front teeth have a single root canal while molars (at the back of the mouth) can have three or four.

So why might I need root canal surgery?

Even if we take good care of our teeth, tooth decay and plaque can occasionally become more severe than we expect. If this continues and becomes more serious, it can even lead to tooth infection. When the pulp inside the tooth – which contains the nerve, blood vessels and other material – becomes infected, an abscess can form, which is a build-up of pus which causes the tooth to rise out of the gum slightly. This can be incredibly painful, making it difficult to eat and even leading to nausea. In addition, the infection could then spread to the rest of the gum via the nerve. Signs to watch for are persistent toothache, swollen or tender gums, a lingering bad taste in the mouth, or teeth that have darkened.

How can Sparkle Dental Boutique help?

Root canal treatment usually takes two visits. On the first, the space where the pulp is inside the tooth is usually cleaned, by the abscess being drained, the pulp being removed and the hollow space then being thoroughly cleaned. You will be given a temporary filling, which is removed on the second visit to be replaced by a permanent filling to help your tooth maintain its health and functionality. You may also need a crown to strengthen the tooth further. Root canal surgery sounds daunting, but this need not be the case at Sparkle Dental Boutique near Chiswick.

 

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Patients Near Acton Keep Straight Smiles With Retainers

August 20th, 2012

Nowadays it’s more and more common for people to receive orthodontic treatment to help them get a more uniform-looking smile, and improved functionality of their teeth. One of the more popular forms of treatment is braces. Many different types of braces are now available, from traditional metal braces to removable ‘invisible’ braces, but all work in the same basic way: using gentle force to push your teeth gradually into a different position. However, once treatment with braces has finished, your teeth can often, over time, move back into the position they were in originally. In order to stop this, after treatment with braces, it’s often useful to use a retainer.

So how does a retainer work?


The basic principle behind a retainer is to hold your teeth in their new position. This means that retainers can be as important a part of orthodontic treatment as braces were. Retainers can be used for your top or bottom row or teeth, or both. This means that different types of retainer are available for different treatments.

What different retainers are available?


There are two main types of retainers, removable and fixed, both made from different materials, thanks to new advances in technology.  Removable retainers are used for both upper and lower teeth: the Hawley retainer is made from a combination of wire and hard plastic, while the Essix retainer is made entirely of hard plastic. Fixed retainers can also be used for your upper or lower teeth, and are composed of a wire which is sealed onto the teeth until being removed once your treatment time is over. Specialists at Sparkle Dental Boutique near Acton will be able to fit you with the type of retainer best suited to your needs, and in return you will have a beautiful smile and improved tooth function, which will last a lifetime.

 

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Patients Near Kew- Do Not Fear the Dentist!

August 16th, 2012

Visiting the dentist and hygienist regularly is an important part of maintaining good oral health. Even if we keep our teeth clean ourselves, it is essential to visit the dentist to ensure that teeth are as healthy as they can be. What’s more, it occasionally becomes more urgent to visit the dentist to fix a problem with our teeth, such as broken teeth or decay. However, for many people, even the thought of visiting the dentist is unsettling. A dental appointment can seem an incredibly daunting prospect for some, and this could lead to people avoiding the dentist altogether. This could lead to people not receiving the treatment they need, not only for regular check-ups but also for more serious problems. This can of course lead to all sorts of serious problems, but for some people, this may still seem less frightening than a visit to the dentist!

Sparkle Dental Boutique can help you conquer your fear of the dentist


At Sparkle Dental Boutique near Kew, our dentists are sympathetic to the idea that people may feel a dental visit is a frightening prospect. Our dentists will take the time to talk over your fears with you, and help to find out the cause of your discomfort. We will provide as much information as you want, to help you feel that you fully understand your treatment, whatever that may be.

Appointments can be made in short, easy visits. Sparkle Dental Boutique is committed to helping you with a combination of talking over your worries, and local anaesthetic where it is needed to help ensure that you will feel no pain, no matter what treatment is necessary. This is contrast to other dental clinics, which may offer more drug-based calming techniques, which will remove pain but not help you to understand the procedures and thus help assuage your worries. 

 

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Patients Near Brentford Enjoy The Great British Beer Festival Without the Fizzy Beer Affecting Oral Health

August 13th, 2012

The Great British Beer festival, held over 7th-11th August in London, sees hundreds of beers, ciders and ales from the UK and across the world served up under one roof. While such a plethora of tasty drinks is a mouth-watering thought, the effect on your teeth and oral hygiene may not be so enticing. The damage that can be done to your teeth by beer can be great, due to the chemical make-up of the drink. If left untreated, your teeth will become covered in plaque, which builds up into tartar. This will cause your teeth to be discoloured and decay. You could contract gum disease and even lose teeth. But it is still possible to enjoy the beer festival while maintaining good oral health.

How can I maintain good oral hygiene?


Of course, the first step towards good oral hygiene is brushing your teeth regularly. Ensure to use toothpaste with fluoride, as this helps strengthen your teeth’s enamel and to combat the build-up of plaque and tartar, which can led to gum disease and tooth decay if left unchecked. Brush teeth at least twice a day, and be sure to use the right type of toothbrush for your teeth;those with more sensitive teeth might benefit from a soft-headed toothbrush. In addition, flossing is important as it can clean between teeth, areas which can not easily be cleaned by using a toothbrush alone. Mouthwash is also helpful in reaching parts of your mouth that a toothbrush cannot, thus helping to make sure that your whole mouth is thoroughly cleaned and protected against bacteria.
Your diet can also help – but this doesn’t mean you have to give up beer altogether! Just drink water in between beer, make sure you have a balanced diet including all the major food groups, including fruit and vegetables, and do not eat too many sweet or sticky foods.

 

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Patients Near Hounslow Can Get Clean, Bright Teeth With Air Abrasion and Hygiene Services

August 9th, 2012

We all know how important it is to keep our teeth clean, to avoid bad breath, tooth discolouration and more serious problems such as decay. However, even if we take good care of our teeth, cosmetic problems can occur, particularly due to tea, coffee, wine, or other food or drink habits that can particularly stain teeth. Smoking is of course another habit which can easily lead to discoloured teeth. For this reason, a visit to the dental hygienist can be helpful for many people.

Even if there are no serious cosmetic or health problems with teeth, visiting the hygienist can be a good idea to ensure that your teeth are as clean and healthy as can be – the hygienist can clean parts of your mouth that can’t be reached at home brushing your teeth, and a professional hygienist can clean far more thoroughly. Here at Sparkle Dental Boutique near Hounslow we take our patients oral health very seriously.

What treatments are available?

Air abrasion is an increasingly popular technique which helps to clean teeth and remove staining. The process works by spraying very fine particles of silica or aluminium oxide at the teeth using compressed air, and this can help to thoroughly clean teeth. The decaying particles which are removed from your teeth are then taken out of your mouth by suction. This can also ‘blow away’ surface staining on the teeth, and help your teeth to feel smoother and cleaner in your mouth.

Sparkle Dental Boutique also provides a special treatment to help combat bad breath, by using a combination of hygiene techniques and specially-made products. Another available treatment, called scaling and root planing, helps to remove build-up of plaque and tartar from the area around where the gum meets the tooth, at the tooth’s root. Cleaning this area, which is difficult to reach at home with a toothbrush, can help to stave off gum disease.

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Patients Near Ealing Learn All About Ceramic Braces

August 6th, 2012

It’s now not uncommon for people to receive treatment for orthodontic treatment, and the most common treatment is braces, which can fix a range of orthodontic problems effectively. But for many people, the appearance of the braces themselves can be just as embarrassing as the orthodontic problem it’s treating. This is a great reason to choose ceramic braces, which are just as effective as traditional metal braces, and yet are practically invisible.

How do ceramic braces work?

Unlike many other types of braces which are now available, ceramic braces work on the same basic principle as metal braces. Like metal braces, ceramic braces use gentle force to push your teeth into a different position over time, and they achieve this in the same way, using brackets and wires. However, the crucial difference is that ceramic braces are made from a different material from metal braces. The brackets are made from ceramic, which is a strong material which is also white, and so it can not be easily seen against the teeth. Similarly, the archwires are also made from tooth-coloured material. This means that ceramic braces largely work in the same way as metal braces, and yet are nowhere near as visible. Ceramic braces are also suitable for more serious orthodontic treatments, unlike some types of ‘invisible braces’ which are only able to help with minor cosmetic problems.

How what happens during treatment?

Ceramic braces are applied to your teeth in much the same way as metal braces, but treatment can be much quicker, taking between twelve and eighteen months on average. While this is longer than some ‘invisible braces’ treatments, ceramic braces provide longer-lasting results, and are suitable for more severe orthodontic issues too. Oral hygiene is of course essential during treatment, not only to keep your teeth looking good, but too ensure the braces themselves do not become damaged or discoloured.  If you would like to find out more about ceramic braces please contact us at Sparkle Dental Boutique near Ealing.

 

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Wedding Smiles For Brides and Grooms Near Hounslow

August 2nd, 2012

Weddings are always special, not just for the happy couple but for the rest of the family and friends who are invited along too. Weddings should be happy days, filled with smiles which will be preserved for the years to come in photos so that the big day won’t be forgotten. So wouldn’t it be a shame if you felt self-conscious about your smile on the day, and felt that you couldn’t should how happiness for fear of being embarrassed? Help is at hand at Sparkle Dental Boutique however, where several different treatments are available to help you feel at your most confident about your teeth on the big day.

What treatments are available?

Several different treatments are offered at Sparkle Dental Boutique near Hounslow, and the treatment which will be best for you depends on your needs and how long you are available to have treatment for before the day itself. For example, if you feel self-conscious about protruding teeth or gaps in teeth, even problems like this can be fixed using the 6 Month Smile treatments. This uses special braces made of transparent wires and brackets – meaning that even while you’re receiving treatment, it will hardly be noticeable – to help move your teeth into a different position to give you a more uniform smile. By focussing only on the teeth that show when you smile, this treatment is much quicker than other braces treatments, only taking six months.

What if I don’t have six months until the wedding?


For less radical changes, other treatments are available. Dental crowns can help strengthen and repair chipped or broken teeth, helping your smile to look as good as possible by fitting over your teeth. Veneers are another option. They can be made to the shade you wish, and stuck onto your teeth to give the appearance of a flawless smile. Call Sparkle Dental Boutique to discuss your needs and find which treatments would be best for you.

 

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Party at the Nottingham Carnival with a Beautiful New Smile for Patients Near Hanwell

August 2nd, 2012

Summer is upon us, and as the August bank holiday soon rolls around, it means that it’s once again time for Europe’s largest street festival – the Notting Hill Carnival. One of the most exciting annual events in any UK city, the Carnival is always a riot of colours, smells and sights – so it would be a shame to feel self-conscious about your own appearance at the festival. However, many smile treatments are available at Sparkle Dental Boutique to help your teeth shine as brightly as anything else in the Carnival! One treatment is porcelain veneers, designed to help your teeth look their best.

What are veneers and how can they help?

Veneers are available at the Sparkle Dental Boutique near Hanwell. They are often said to be an equivalent for false fingernails for your teeth. They are stuck over the teeth to help them look better, and are usually made of porcelain as this is a very strong, durable material which can easily made to look the right shade. Veneers can help with several cosmetic problems with teeth, stained teeth can be covered by veneers, to help them appear whiter, and small gaps between teeth can appear closed, thanks to the use of veneers. Even some cases of damaged or crooked teeth can be helped with veneers, by covering the affected areas with veneers designed to be the appropriate shade. With good oral hygiene, porcelain veneers can last up to ten years.

How are veneers fitted?

At the first appointment, your teeth are very carefully shaped to help the veneers fit. A mould of your teeth will be taken with special dental ‘putty’. While your veneers are being made from the mould, you’ll be given temporary veneers so you can see how they feel and look. At the second appointment, your teeth will be thoroughly cleaned, and the veneers sealed in place to help your smile look brand new!

 

 

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