Periodontal disease (gum disease) approaches silently. It may progress painlessly, producing few obvious signs.
Periodontal disease begins with bacteria, often present as bacterial plaque or calculus, which can be found in everyone’s mouth. As bacteria make themselves at home on your gums and teeth, these unwelcome visitors can cause your gums to become inflamed and eventually the tissues that surround and support your teeth, including the gums and bone are destroyed.
Your symptoms may include the following: Gums that bleed when you brush or floss your teeth; red, swollen or tender gums; persistent bad breath or a “bad taste” in your mouth; receding gums (“long in the tooth”); formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums; loose or shifting teeth; changes in the way that your teeth fit together when you bite
These symptoms may point to some form of periodontal disease, which is usually classified as gingivitis or periodontitis, depending on its severity. Gingivitis is considered as the early stage of the disease and is associated with red, inflamed, swollen or bleeding gums. At this point, vigilant brushing and flossing, regular professional cleaning and the use of medicated mouthwashes can help put you back on the track of having healthy gums.
Untreated or neglected gingivitis may lead to the advance stage – periodontitis – which is also associated with gum-inflammation, but even more seriously, may permanently damage the tissues and bone surrounding and supporting the teeth. Unfortunately, this destruction is almost irreversible and good dental hygiene alone cannot stop it. Periodontitis must be treated to slow down the progression of the disease and help prevent tooth loss.
When very little tooth structure remains or a tooth has been root filled, a crown is the restoration of choice.
Where possible, natural shade partial ceramic crowns or onlays are provided at The Beresford Clinic.
Dr Beresford has only made a handful of full gold crowns in the last 39 years but sometimes partial gold crowns have to be used on short rearmost teeth.
An implant is used to replace a missing tooth and this is more conservative with regards to tooth structure than a bridge as the adjacent teeth are left intact in the case of an implant.
If a gap remains at the back, some patients find it difficult to chew and sometimes the teeth on each side of the gap drift towards the space creating spaces for food packing and the opposing tooth will drift into the space making restoration of the gap difficult in the future by creating unfavourable stresses.
Implants have steadily evolved with continuous and subtle design changes over the last 30 years to become a very predictable way to replace a missing tooth.
Occasionally a conservative and economical type of bridge can be used to replace a missing tooth where retentive elements of a bridge can be buried in fillings in each side of the gap (“hybrid-bridge”).
A visit to the dentist is necessary as toothache won’t go away on its own.
Most often the nerve of the tooth needs to be removed [root canal filling] because it is inflamed or infected.
Sometimes the tooth can only be removed, if say, it is split down the middle due to biting stresses.
Antibiotics will not solve the problem.
Other causes of toothache are a gum abscess due to gum disease, impacted wisdom tooth, joint or muscle pain and sinusitis.
Carbimide peroxide, the bleach used to whiten teeth, may produce microscopic changes in tooth enamel but this should not deter you from bleaching unless the bleach is grossly over used. The technique has been safely used by dentists in the USA for over thirty years. This is why it is important that your bleaching is supervised by a dentist.
A functionally sound tooth can have disfigurements or imperfections that are aesthetically displeasing. These teeth are well suited to veneers.The enamel is reduced on the tooth to ensure the restored tooth is a natural shape. After the minor reduction and the edges shaped an impression is taken and used to make a model so that a skilled dental technician can fabricate the veneer. The prepared tooth structure is specially treated before the veneer is bonded to the tooth to create an aesthetically pleasing finish to the tooth.
Periodontal disease approaches silently. It may progress painlessly, producing few obvious signs.
Periodontal disease begins with bacteria, often present as bacterial plaque or calculus, which can be found in everyone’s mouth. As bacteria make themselves at home on your gums and teeth, these unwelcome visitors can cause your gums to become inflamed and eventually the tissues that surround and support your teeth, including the gums and bone are destroyed.
Your symptoms may include the following: Gums that bleed when you brush or floss your teeth; red, swollen or tender gums; persistent bad breath or a “bad taste” in your mouth; receding gums (“long in the tooth”); formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums; loose or shifting teeth; changes in the way that your teeth fit together when you bite.
These symptoms may point to some form of periodontal disease, which is usually classified as gingivitis or periodontitis, depending on its severity. Gingivitis is considered as the early stage of the disease and is associated with red, inflamed, swollen or bleeding gums. At this point, vigilant brushing and flossing, regular professional cleaning and the use of medicated mouthwashes can help put you back on the track of having healthy gums.
Untreated or neglected gingivitis may lead to the advance stage – periodontitis – which is also associated with gum inflammation, but even more seriously, may permanently damage the tissues and bone surrounding and supporting the teeth. Unfortunately, this destruction is almost irreversible and good dental hygiene alone cannot stop it. Periodontitis must be treated to slow down the progression of the disease and help prevent tooth loss.
The braces do not hurt when they are first fixed to the teeth. There is some discomfort for the first seven to ten days and patients gradually get accustomed to them. There will be some mild discomfort after an activation appointment. After some time certain hard foods may be challenging.
A dental implant is an inert titanium screw resembling a single tooth root. The implant is placed in the jaw bone during a simple surgical procedure and usually left buried for about three months during which time the bone heals closely around the threads of the implant. The implant is then restored with a crown.
Orthodontics is the treatment of the irregularities of teeth (especially alignment and “bite”) including the use of braces and other fixed and removable appliances and controlling various aspects of facial growth (dentofacial orthopaedics) and to influence the shape and development of the jaw.
There are many types of braces ranging from simple wires only inside the teeth to fixed brackets inside and outside the teeth, clear plastic aligners and removable plastic appliances.
There may be a slight sensitivity after the process depending on the concentration but disappears after twenty four to thirty six hours. Special gels and pastes are available to reduce this.
Periodontal disease (gum disease) approaches silently. It may progress painlessly, producing few obvious signs.
Periodontal disease begins with bacteria, often present as bacterial plaque or calculus, which can be found in everyone’s mouth. As bacteria make themselves at home on your gums and teeth, these unwelcome visitors can cause your gums to become inflamed and eventually the tissues that surround and support your teeth, including the gums and bone are destroyed.
Your symptoms may include the following: Gums that bleed when you brush or floss your teeth; red, swollen or tender gums; persistent bad breath or a “bad taste” in your mouth; receding gums (“long in the tooth”); formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums; loose or shifting teeth; changes in the way that your teeth fit together when you bite
These symptoms may point to some form of periodontal disease, which is usually classified as gingivitis or periodontitis, depending on its severity. Gingivitis is considered as the early stage of the disease and is associated with red, inflamed, swollen or bleeding gums. At this point, vigilant brushing and flossing, regular professional cleaning and the use of medicated mouthwashes can help put you back on the track of having healthy gums.
Untreated or neglected gingivitis may lead to the advance stage – periodontitis – which is also associated with gum-inflammation, but even more seriously, may permanently damage the tissues and bone surrounding and supporting the teeth. Unfortunately, this destruction is almost irreversible and good dental hygiene alone cannot stop it. Periodontitis must be treated to slow down the progression of the disease and help prevent tooth loss.
Periodontal disease approaches silently. It may progress painlessly, producing few obvious signs.
Periodontal disease begins with bacteria, often present as bacterial plaque or calculus, which can be found in everyone’s mouth. As bacteria make themselves at home on your gums and teeth, these unwelcome visitors can cause your gums to become inflamed and eventually the tissues that surround and support your teeth, including the gums and bone are destroyed.
Your symptoms may include the following: Gums that bleed when you brush or floss your teeth; red, swollen or tender gums; persistent bad breath or a “bad taste” in your mouth; receding gums (“long in the tooth”); formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums; loose or shifting teeth; changes in the way that your teeth fit together when you bite.
These symptoms may point to some form of periodontal disease, which is usually classified as gingivitis or periodontitis, depending on its severity. Gingivitis is considered as the early stage of the disease and is associated with red, inflamed, swollen or bleeding gums. At this point, vigilant brushing and flossing, regular professional cleaning and the use of medicated mouthwashes can help put you back on the track of having healthy gums.
Untreated or neglected gingivitis may lead to the advance stage – periodontitis – which is also associated with gum inflammation, but even more seriously, may permanently damage the tissues and bone surrounding and supporting the teeth. Unfortunately, this destruction is almost irreversible and good dental hygiene alone cannot stop it. Periodontitis must be treated to slow down the progression of the disease and help prevent tooth loss.
When very little tooth structure remains or a tooth has been root filled, a crown is the restoration of choice.
Where possible, natural shade partial ceramic crowns or onlays are provided at The Beresford Clinic.
Dr Beresford has only made a handful of full gold crowns in the last 39 years but sometimes partial gold crowns have to be used on short rearmost teeth.
A visit to the dentist is necessary as toothache won’t go away on its own.
Most often the nerve of the tooth needs to be removed [root canal filling] because it is inflamed or infected.
Sometimes the tooth can only be removed, if say, it is split down the middle due to biting stresses.
Antibiotics will not solve the problem.
Other causes of toothache are a gum abscess due to gum disease, impacted wisdom tooth, joint or muscle pain and sinusitis.
An implant is used to replace a missing tooth and this is more conservative with regards to tooth structure than a bridge as the adjacent teeth are left intact in the case of an implant.
If a gap remains at the back, some patients find it difficult to chew and sometimes the teeth on each side of the gap drift towards the space creating spaces for food packing and the opposing tooth will drift into the space making restoration of the gap difficult in the future by creating unfavourable stresses.
Implants have steadily evolved with continuous and subtle design changes over the last 30 years to become a very predictable way to replace a missing tooth.
Occasionally a conservative and economical type of bridge can be used to replace a missing tooth where retentive elements of a bridge can be buried in fillings in each side of the gap (“hybrid-bridge”).
A dental implant is an inert titanium screw resembling a single tooth root. The implant is placed in the jaw bone during a simple surgical procedure and usually left buried for about three months during which time the bone heals closely around the threads of the implant. The implant is then restored with a crown.
Carbimide peroxide, the bleach used to whiten teeth, may produce microscopic changes in tooth enamel but this should not deter you from bleaching unless the bleach is grossly over used. The technique has been safely used by dentists in the USA for over thirty years. This is why it is important that your bleaching is supervised by a dentist.
There may be a slight sensitivity after the process depending on the concentration but disappears after twenty four to thirty six hours. Special gels and pastes are available to reduce this.
The braces do not hurt when they are first fixed to the teeth. There is some discomfort for the first seven to ten days and patients gradually get accustomed to them. There will be some mild discomfort after an activation appointment. After some time certain hard foods may be challenging.
Orthodontics is the treatment of the irregularities of teeth (especially alignment and “bite”) including the use of braces and other fixed and removable appliances and controlling various aspects of facial growth (dentofacial orthopaedics) and to influence the shape and development of the jaw.
There are many types of braces ranging from simple wires only inside the teeth to fixed brackets inside and outside the teeth, clear plastic aligners and removable plastic appliances.
A functionally sound tooth can have disfigurements or imperfections that are aesthetically displeasing. These teeth are well suited to veneers.The enamel is reduced on the tooth to ensure the restored tooth is a natural shape. After the minor reduction and the edges shaped an impression is taken and used to make a model so that a skilled dental technician can fabricate the veneer. The prepared tooth structure is specially treated before the veneer is bonded to the tooth to create an aesthetically pleasing finish to the tooth.