Invisible tooth mending after laser detection

This stain gave a medium level "Diagnodent" readng indicating the decay process had moved into the dentine level.

After putting the tooth to sleep using "The Wand", the area was carefully cleaned out using micro-techniques.

At this stage a little further preparation was needed.

Here the tooth is free of any decay

See below for the amazing result using contemporary bonded resins

More about early Laser Tooth Decay Detection

More and more of us place a high value on healthy and attractive teeth.

In order to maintain them, the earliest possible care is essential. DIAGNOdent aids in the detections of tooth decay.

Even very small cavities are detected at the earliest stage, enabling us to protect and preserve the tooth substance.

How is it used?

Your stained tooth is "read" by the Diagnodent mini-laser. This is entirely painless and much better than an old-fahioned dentist probe.

It is safe and helps decide if the stain is safe to leave or requires attention.

You may have one or more unfilled tooth which have stained grooves (fissures)
Tea, coffee or red-wine stains and can be safely left or just cleaned. Sometimes tooth decay can begin under the stain and will not become obvious until it has become quite deep, The Diagnodent Laser Detector tells us what is happening.

Dental x-rays WILL NOT show tooth decay at this early stage.

If there are changes in the enamel, this can be skimmed , without anaesthetic, and sealed to prevent further progress.

If the Laser reading are higher then the decay process will be deep enough to warrent a filling, often a very fine one.

What happens at my dental check-up?

The dentist decides how many teeth would benefit from the Diagnodent laser check.
A prescription is written for our dental hygienist detailed which teeth are to be checked.
She will carefiully clean the fissures of each of these teeth.
The Diagnodent laser is used to examine each tooth.
The Diagnodent readings are noted in your records.
Your results are reviewed by the dentist.
The dentist decides what if any advice or treatment each tooth needs.
The cost of any recommended preventive or corrective treatment will be set out for you.
Your will be informed of your results by post or e-mail and invited to make any appointments you might need

DIAGNODENT SHOWING TREATMENT NEEDED

Temporary Website and Smile Gallery

I am in the process of redesigning my practice website.

The new temporary website can be found at

http://www.newburydentist.co.uk/

you will also find some of our "before and after"

smile transformation pictures here

SMILE TRANSFORMATIONS

Dental Topics No.1 Dental Implants -Reprise

I first published this item in the practice e-zine in 2005 but felt it could be of interest again especially to newer patients of the practice.

If you have one or more missing teeth this section should be of some interest !

We have been offering dental implants, for the benefit of our patients, at St. Mary's House since 1998/9. Dental Implants are a rapidly growing area of dentistry , offering more acceptable solutions to the problems of tooth loss for many people.

There are many implant systems for dentists to choose from. The ones I use at present are designed and manufactured by NobelBiocare. Click on the link below to find out much more and if dental implants could help you or someone close to you.

Dental Implants by Nobelbiocare.

Also as a member of the Association of Dental Implantology (ADI) I have access to the most up to date impartial information and teaching on dental implants. I regularly attend Study Clubs, symposia, seminars and conferences specifically focused on implant dentistry.

You will find comprehensive information about what dental implants are and how they can be used and all the other whys and wherefores at the ADI website. Just click here:

Association of Dental Implantology(UK)

The ADI produce helpful information leaflets which you can pick up from the practice or download in pdf form here:

For a general overview about implants:
http://www.adi.org.uk/public/implant/patient1page.pdf

For a more detailed explanation
http://www.adi.org.uk/public/implant/patientinfo.pdf

Please feel free to contact us for more information or a consultation

01635 47757

New from January 2007

"Diagnodent"

Laser-Tooth Decay Detector

Prevention is better than cure

Providing the latest and best services to our patients is one of our goals.

So as part of our recent investment program we have acquired a brand new, high tech tool that allows us to find cavities on the chewing surfaces of back teeth, even when they just beginning, and would have been missed by previous detection methods.

The DIAGNOdent is a small portable laser detector which catches your tooth cavities with a beam of laser light

The DIAGNOdent can detect these cavities and alert us with an audible signal and also provide a numerical readout, so we have an idea of it's size.

The value is that we can stop cavities in their infancy, whereas in the past they would have to be significantly bigger before we could find and treat them.

Just like other areas of medicine and dentistry, early detection and treatment is always the best way forward.

The DIAGNOdent laser is a detecting device. The advanced laser can detect decay earlier than more conventional methods. In fact, it can find 50% of the decay that goes undetected by present diagnostic methods. This laser is truly valuable in the prevention of Dental problems and the promotion of good oral health.

How we use it.
Here is a tooth which has a stained natural fissure and which may have a hidden hole beneath the stain.

If you have this type of stained fissure , we will arrange an appointment with our Dental Hygienist , Nicky Smith.

The first step is to gently remove the stain. We do this with a mini-air jet washer which showers the fissure area with fine spray of bicarbonate of soda and water.

Once the fissure is cleaned, the delicate tip of the Diagnodent laser reader, is passed over the fissure and a reading is taken which indicates whether there is only a surface stain or whether there is definitely a cavity and if so how deep it might be.

If it is shallow then we will try to prevent it progressing. If it turns out to be a little deeper then you will benefit by a mininmally invasive, sealant-type repair can be carried out. We will only recommend a filling if it is essetial at an early stage. A stitch in time!

In this case a tooth coloured resin is bonded to the tooth after skimming away any soft surface enamel or dentine. This does not normally need any anaesthetic !

What about these? Are these cavities or stains?

The Diagnodent will tell us !

Your teeth in their hands -ongoing training and education

Our commitment to ongoing training and education, both giving and receiving it, for your benefit continues. The last two months have been very busy for the whole team on several fronts.

In early May, the Association of Dental Implantologists held their annual three -day conference in Birmingham at International Conference Centre. There, anyone who is anyone in the field of dental implants in the UK, as well as top flight International speakers, kept us up to date on the very latest research and techniques. Later in the month I attended The Dental Sedation Teachers Group annual conference, also in Birmingham, at The Dental Hospital, to join the UK's leading experts in sedation for anxious patients for a full day's update.

At the end of May , Chris and I travelled over to Wexford, Via Bristol- Cork flight. There I gave one of my practical teaching courses on Happy Air (RA) sedation, to a small group of mainly Irish dentists. This was the first time I have delivered this teaching day away from my practice in Newbury. Following attending my course in Newbury during 2006, Dr. Anne O'Donnell of Wexford, invited me to run the course in Ireland and so Chris and I flew to Cork and were driven across to Wexford by Anne. Chris and Anne sat through the entire course again. They each deserve a medal! Chris,of course is both a qualified Dental Nurse and Dental Sedation Assistant.

They were both at hand to help answer the many questions which arise during a very interactive day, Chris in particular was able to pass on her many years of experience.

We set up the surgery video link and radio mic. on Friday at about 11pm ready for the 9 a.m. start the next day. The conference facilities at White's Hotel were superb and , the day went down very well. One Dentist came across to Wexford from Banbury. Another Irish dentist living in Germany, drove all the way to Wexford but unfortunately he arrived on the Sunday and missed the day ! He says he'll be back.

Here I am , hard at work on Bank Holiday Saturday!

We are booked to deliver the course again in October.

Since it was Bank Holiday we took an extra day and stayed at the excellent Kelly's Resort Hotel in Rosslare, which has a truly Mediterranean look to it,

So combined with the legendary Irish Hospitality, excellent food and friendliness ( not to mentioned the velvety- smooth black stuff) , we had a memorable weekend.