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.

"Coming of Age"

Richard Charon's Dental Practice

"Comes of Age"

In January 2007, we began our 18th. year in Newbury,

so I am no longer the new boy in town !

We plan to celebrate later this year, Look out for further details.

Here we all are in the newly refurbished

"Reception Lounge".

The spring months have been busy for us as we put the finishing touches to the practice re-vamp.You'll notice the changes as you come in.

Our team have recently had an article published on our experiences of helping anxious patients using "RA". ,in a new journal aimed at Dental Nurses, called, not surprisingly, Dental Nursing!

The team photo above is included and was beamed out across the nation's dental practices in April, which will certainly put us on the map.

On a different note, we are in a position to offer appointments to new patients so please recommend us to friends or family if you feel they would appreciate our style of dental practice.

We look forward to welcoming you at your next visit.

Richard Charon

Acid erosion - save your teeth and your money !

Acid erosion of teeth is well known to all dentists but many people do not really know about it or why it happens. Acid erosion is not the same as tooth decay but can be very destructive in a different way. Acid erosion, can occur for a variety of reasons and may affect teeth to a lesser or greater extent. Eroded teeth loose their natural shape and are often sensitive to cold air or water or tooth brushing but these signs may also be due to tooth decay or a cracked tooth or filling as well.

This is mild erosion which needs no active treatment, just a change of eating habits or perhaps attending to a medical condition. The tooth is beginning to lose its natural enamel cover and has a more rounded shape.

More marked erosion, depending on which part of the tooth is affected, may need some simple treatment such as bonding tooth-coloured fillings to seal and protect the eroded surface and to re-instate the original shape.

Severe erosion may be disfiguring, if front teeth are affected. If back teeth are affected, eating may become painful and a change facial appearance can occur. A sort of premature ageing. Faciall height is reduced as if the teeth had worn down over many years and the chin gets closer to the nose !

Porcelain or resin veneers, crowns or onlays may be required to restore the teeth to their correct shape and to correct an altered bite.
Here are several before and after images of people I have had to treat with this problem.

This is severe acid erosion. It was caused by years of eating oranges, cut in quarter segments and then held under the upper lip against the teeth, chimpanzee -style !

This lady required a root filling and four porcelain veneers.

Here are the front teeth after I had completed the case

In this case, these lower back teeth have had their "tops" eroded away from drinking diet cola over many years, several times day.

These teeth and about 16 others for this patient required rebuilding with ceramic onlays. An extensive and expensive job!

Don't let this happen to you!!

I have many more images of cases I have treated like this but I thought you might prefer to look at something less "horrid".

Sunrise over Western Greece

aaahhhh!

Well , back to teeth now .......

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

So what causes dental acid erosion?

Acid gets onto the teeth to erode them from two places. Your food and drink or your stomach !

Sharp acidic foods and drinks include......

Lemon juice including fresh lemons
Grapefruit juice including fresh grapefruit
Orange juice including fresh oranges
Vinegars
Sharp tomatoes

Cranberries
Also all fizzy drinks including sparkling water to some extent and all colas, diet or regular.
Drinking hot water with lemon juice is a particularly harmful habit which can destroy teeth !
So what can you do to help? If all these sound like healthy options, in some respects they are but beware of having too much and too often. Counteract the acidity with milk or cheese or at least a glass of plain water straight away to dilute the effect to some extent.
Use a fluoride mouthwash daily to enhance enamel strength against acid attack(and tooth decay too) or consider Tooth Mousse , a new product (though not if you have a milk allergy) designed to counter acid attack or a use high fluoride tooth paste ( for adults only). We can supply all of these at a lower cost than the high street Pharmacies.
What about those medical conditions?
One of the most common problems is gastric reflux ( heartburn) or a hiatus hernia. This will cause a burning sensation in chest and often the throat and sometimes a sour taste in the mouth. If you regularly suffer these problems you should consult your doctor.Any condition which causes nausea or vomiting to any regular extent. Again you should seek medical advise. Finally some eating disorders, notably Bulimia (nervosa) in which vomiting is induced will cause acid erosion often of a particular pattern which dentists recognise. Here again medical advice or counselling should be sought.

Please feel free to discuss any of these issues, if you think you may be affected, with myself, Chris or Nicky our dental hygienist.

Richard Charon

February News 2007

Team News
New Trainee Dental Nurse The latest addition to our dental team is Kelly who joined us just one week ago to train as a dental nurse. Kelly approached us because she had been interested in becoming a dental nurse for some time and we have a good record of training applicants from scratch and ensuring they gain their national qualification. This is a 2 year period of on-the-job training, home and college theory study and a theory and practical examination set nationally.

Although it is too early for any of us to be sure, Kelly has made an impressive start, so we are hoping that she becomes firmly established with us. As a "new girl", she has done a great job in assisting Nicky, our dental hygienist and helping to keep the wheels well oiled at the practice

Naturally dentistry is not for everyone and over the last two years we have had several young ladies join us who have not "stayed the course" for a variety of reasons. Perhaps we need to sharpen up our interview techniques!

Laura's Holidays My senior qualified dental nurse, Laura is on a well deserved holiday break from the 7th to the 17th of Feb. which means that Chris has to work full-time as my surgery assistant.

Stand-in Receptionist We would like to thank Eve, one of our loyal patients, for agreeing to step in at the last minute to help us out at reception, fielding incoming calls and callers, arranging appointments and yes, looking after fee payments too. This has been a great relief for Chris.

Practice News

Computer Upgrade My own surgery PC will be upgraded soon making it faster, more reliable and so x-ray imaging and the " tooth-cam" pictures I use, to let you see what it is I can see, will all happen more snappily!

Finishing touches Over the next few weeks we are planning to have the finishing touches to our practice upgrade completed including some minor painting and decorating, new widow blinds and so on. We hope you will not be inconvenienced.

Why not Subscribe? By subscribing to this e-zine ( see the right-hand column) you will receive an e-mail whenever I post something new on this site.Keep an eye out for some special offers and the latest advances which you might benefit from.

Why not refer new people to us? If you have been happy with the service we provide and our standard of care, please don't keep us a secret! Remember also that we have a very high success rate with people who are nervous about dentistry. Indeed other dentists refer some of their anxious patients to us for help too.

WHAT TOPICS WOULD YOU LIKETO READ ABOUT HERE?

Hello and thanks for finding your way to my e-zine. I would love to receive some feedback from you regardng the sort of topics you might like me to cover. So don't be shy, click the comments icon(envelope) below here and just let me know.

Richard Charon

Laser Tooth Decay Detector

A Stitch in Time ....... !

Since undertaking a short trial of the latest laser tooth-decay detector called Diagnodent™, we are proud to announce that you could benefit from this new development at your next examination or hygienist visit.

For the more technically curious can find out more from by clicking this link which is really aimed at dentists. Diagnodent™

I will be preparing some information leaflets for you to see at your next visit

In recent years the pattern of tooth decay that dentists see has changed. Fluoride toothpastes and mouthwashes have greatly reduced decay on the visible smooth surfaces of teeth. However we are finding "hidden" decay below the biting surfaces of teeth which can be hard to spot.

If the cavity is big enough, then the dentist can see a change of colour of the tooth structure.
Also if an x-ray image is taken, a medium or large cavity will be spotted.

However with today's much less invasive techniques and bonded tooth-coloured fillings, it makes good sense to spot tooth decay at the earliest stages and not wait until pain occurs or there is an obvious hole; By this time the tooth has been seriously affected.

The Diagnodent™ is a neat and very small unit which uses laser technology to detect changes in the tooth structure which are too small to be seen with the naked eye or which could be mistaken for surface stains that occur from tea, coffee and red-wine for example as well as other highly coloured foods. These are harmless and do not require any sort of filling work. If the unit signals a definite reading then a minimal style, invisible mending repair can often be done, sometimes without even numbing the tooth.

This is an exciting new develpment which will be used both by Nicky Smith, our Dental hygienist and by myself.

Please ask for more details

Happy New Year for 2007

from the team at

St.Mary's House Dental Practice

We hope you had an enjoyable holiday

and look forward to seeing you again

Richard Charon BDS - keeping you posted

SEASONS GREETINGS

Here's Chris

enjoying a Norwegian walk >

WISHING YOU A HAPPY CHRISTMAS

AND

A HEALTHY AND FRUITFUL NEW YEAR

Now here is something for us to make

a Song and Dance About ............

...Our Practice Refurbishment Nears Completion !

The carpets are laid, the practice has been painted and the new unisex loo is 95% finished. Chris's new desk graces the reception lounge and new tub-style chairs arrived today. The new hard flooring for most areas of the practice has been completed and few finishing touches will be made shortly after Christmas to see the job completed. Thanks for your patience during the transformation.


Our Team's Continued Training

Four-Handed Dentistry

In November I took the two dental nurses, Laura and our new trainee Emma, for a one day course on "Four-handed Dentistry". This is not a new concept but is worth updating to keep us on our toes and ensure we work ergonomically.
Close- support or "Four-handed Dentistry",ensures greater comfort and efficiency for both patient and dental team, which must be a good thing.

Resuscitation

All Dentists and their teams must keep up-to-date with the latest teaching in resuscitation and handling medical emergencies. These are thankfully rare and most often not connected to the dental treatment but may happen by chance on our premises. Although also rare these days, the most likely dentally related occurance is a simple faint brought about by anxiety and perhaps lack of food. However, we must be prepared for all eventualities. The team attended an Immediate Life Support at the Royal Berkshire Hospital and are now additionally trained in the use of defibrillators

As a result of this and in concert with the new guidelines from the General Dental Council, we will be investing in an automatic external defrillator (Heart start machine) to add to our normal resuscitaion equipment and medication.

Statistics show that defibrillation within 3 minutes of a heart attack, very greatly increase the chances of a victim 's survival.

So in the hope and likely expectation that we will never have to use it.
we expect to have one on the premises shortly. We are seeking funding for this. Watch this space.

New consent forms for sedation

Again, in line with current guidelines , we will be asking all patients who have sedation

(" Happy Air" or Intra-venous) to sign a newly worded consent form before each sedation visit.

Please ask for further details if this affects you.

Richard Continues to Teach

Updating from an early posting on this blog in 2004, I continue to run courses to teach other dentists how to use "Happy Air" for the benefit of their own patients and indeed themselves . A relaxed patient means a relaxed dentist too!

The courses are run all day on a Saturday and we attract dentists from all over the UK.

Last Saturday a team of four dentists from a practice in Farnham attended , including two dental specialists. They were joined by a dentist practicing in Aberdeen who originally hails from the Faroe Islands. Click this link for for Fascinating Faroe Facts

On the 2nd December we host 5 more dentists. From London and Leeds. These courses have put the practice on the map, nationally. Indeed earlier this year practice delegates travelled to Newbury from Wexford in the Irish Republic to attend one of my courses. So I am now internationally known !
This has resulted in an invitation for me to go over to Ireland to run a course there in 2007. I'll let you know what happens!

The way we were ..........

On a personal note,
Chris and I are proud to announce our
30th Wedding Anniversary
on Oct. 15th 2006
Which means we have been soul mates for 35 years !

2006 Aethetic Dentistry Conference

I have just returned from my annual retreat to a two day conference of the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry (BAAD) of which I am a active voting member. This year's event was entitled "Keys to Aesthetic Harmony" and was held at the Forest of Arden Marriott hotel in the midlands. I have attended these events annually since their inception 12 years ago following an invitation by two of the founder members.

The annual BAAD conference brings together the very best in the world of aesthetic dentistry to discuss the minutiae of this aspect of dental care. The remit is wide and ranges from complete facial rebuilds following accidents or disease to the holloywood smile makeover. From orthodontic possibilities to the fine detail of construction of a single ceramic crown, which is a minature work of art. From dental implantology to porcelain veeneers and cosmetic gum surgery.A trade show allows me to access to the latest technology to bring you the most appropriate options at St. Mary's House in Newbury.

However one of the the most imortant aspects of these meetings is the hot-house atmosphere and exhange of ideas between colleagues from all over the world (and indeed from Newbury too) in the hours before between and after lectures and presentations. A chance to meet, greet and discuss developments with the best in aesthetic dentistry. Oh yes, we have some fun too wth an opening cocktail reception before the event and a gala dinner after the first day. No time to enjoy the golf facilities though this year.

2003 enjoying the event with Chris






and in 2004 in discussion the the UK marketing director of Nobelbiocare



Nobelbiocare is one of the events top sponsors and one of the world leaders in dental implant reasearch, design, manufacture and supply, whose systems we use at our practice. I have in tha past few years been commissioned to write two course reports published for nobelbiocare in the dental press.

This link will answer some common questions about dental implants NOBELBIOCARE

Next years event in London looks to be every bit as inspirational as these last few days have been.

more to come on this topic ...........

A New Look for St. Mary's House Dental Practice

NEW, NEW, NEW ..........

The coming weeks will see a flurry of activity at St.Mary's House Dental Practice.

A New Team Member

Firstly, we welcome a new trainee dental nurse, Emma. She will spend several weeks of induction training and observation before beginining work assisting Nicky, our dental hygienist. As time goes on she will begin assisting me also as part of her training. Laura will take on the role of senior dental nurse, assisting in her training and ensuring that all the background tasks are completed to allow everything to runs smoothly. Emma then has a 2 year training path leading to what has, this year, become a newly upgraded professional qualification as a Registered Dental Nurse.

A New Dental Chair

After 16 years loyal service, the ergonomic "Spaceline" Dental Chair which is currently used by Nicky Smith, our Dental hygienist but which was formerly used by me for about 13 years, is being retired. On Monday 14th August a new dental chair of Italian design, essentially the same as the one I use is being installed. Unimaginatively called "Eurodent" it nevertheless incorporates many features for you comfort and safety. We hope you will appreciate it. I am sure that Nicky and her dental nurse will as well as the additional comfort of their new working seats.

New Reception Desk

Chris has waited patiently for many years whilst technical items took precedent over the development of St. Mary's House Dental Practice. Well she has finally been shopping for a new desk which will add a touch of class to the reception area and greatly needed storage space.

We hope to see it delivered by mid November.

The old NHS filing cabinet which is essentially defunct has now disappeared to provide more office room printer/computer etc. We are obliged to keep all paper records for 11 years but these will be kept off-site in our secure lock-up store.

New Reception Chairs

We have ordered five new reception chairs. Again the present ones are past their sell-by date. We hope you like the new tub-style chairs which add a little comfort and style in the space we have available . We would have loved large opulent seating but would only have been able to fit in two or three seats of this kind, which is simply not enough.

New Carpet and Hard Flooring

Again the carpeting throughout the practice has done stirling work but again after almost 17 years, whilst not threadbare, is due for replacement. Work is now completed. Thanks to Down's of Newbury. Hard flooring in some areas is due to be laid in Mid November.

New Lighting

New recessed lighting can now be found in the reception area. and in the hallway which will be appreciated by our taller patients ! New light fittings, somewhat overdue , will be found in the hygienist treatment.

A New Lick of Paint

This year, Chris and I celebrate 30 years of marriage ! So we went mad and had a week off in late September. We had a lovely time in Ithaca ( a short ferry ride from Kefallonia on the Greek Eastern coast) We took the opportunity of starting the practice redecorating at that time too, which is now completed.

Hooray - More room in the the Loo !

We have been painfully aware of the "bijou" nature of our patient's "facilities". We have now knocked through the dividing wall and created a larger unisex facility. It now seems big enough to party in! The finishing touches will be applied soon.

There will be some additional finishing touches to the rest of the practice, which will more properly reflect the level of comfort and surroundings which you should rightly expect and which we feel will complement the level of service we strive to provide.

Recommendations

We trust you will appreciate the changes at your next visit and that they will encourage you to recommend us to others. Our future success depends on a regular flow of new patients. If you are reading this then you are likely to be sufficiently happy with our serve to recommend equally discerning friends, colleagues and family.

Richard and Chris Charon

Are you anxious - a really useful site

This user-friendly site answers questions you might have regarding many aspects of Dentistry, especially ( but not only) if you are worried or anxious about your visit.

Please ask us if there is anything you found interesting or wish to know more about.

Click on this link >>>>>> DENTALFEARCENTRAL

Dental Health Matters No.8

Mouth Cancer Awareness Week

12th - 18th November 2006

A difficult subject to discuss BUT early detection saves lives

Find out more here

http://www.dentalhealth.org.uk/mouth/index.php?w=public

Hello and welcome to my on-line newsletter (or "e-zine" if you prefer) from me, Richard Charon and the dental team at St.Mary's House Dental Practice, Newbury

I would love to receive some feedback from you about this new idea.

Do you like it?
Is it worthwhile?
What would you like to hear more about ?
Would you add this site to your favorites or your desktop and log on monthly to "check-up" on what's new?

just click here to e-mail me Dr.Richard Charon BDS

Please take a little time to read on by scrolling down. You can be more selective by clicking on a topic of interest in the right-hand column.

Thank you for getting this far.

Richard Charon

Latest news at St.Mary's House Dental Practice

For your comfort.....

New Look
New Website
New Branding

In January 198I I bought St.Mary's House Dental Practice. Soon afterwards we undertook a modernisation program with new equipment,waiting room chairs and carpeting . Much of this has served us well but is now becoming dated and tired. We are now in our 17th year in Newbury in 2006 and its time to invest in your comfort again.

We have decided that we will also be creating a new look for our practice brochure, letterheads, appointment cards and information packs and not least our useful but antiquated website. www.newburydentist.co.uk

Reception Area

There will be more a comfortable lounge feel to the reception room with new chairs and a new desk/working area for the receptionist. Long overdue, some would say!

Hygienist room

We are investing in new dental chair and equipment, similar to the one in my surgery,for the dental hygienist's room. After 15 years of loyal service, the old one has had it's day!

Interior Decor
We plan to re-carpet the practice too as well as giving it a fresh lick of paint and some more contemporary light fittings.

Exterior
Also we will be looking at placing some tasteful external signage which is many years overdue. Even after 26 years of its existance,we still meet many peple who do not know there is a dental practice here at St.Mary's House !

For Your Convenience
We will produce two sizes of smarter carry bags to take away those important items which you have purchased from us. It will save all that juggling on the way home!

We are planning to have made many of these changes by the end of summer 2006. We also hope you like the results which we feel will better reflect our style of Dental Practice as it has developed over the last 16 years .

Richard Charon

Dental Health Matters No 7 - Smoking

SMOKING DAMAGES

YOUR HEALTH

INCLUDING YOUR GUMS

AND

PROBABLY YOUR TEETH

smoker v non-smoker teeth and gums

which would you prefer?

Which you prefer to kiss !

30-40 cigarettes per day on the left

17 year old non-smoker on the right

Smoking has a number of bad effects on gum health

• Gum pockets develop more rapidly and more extensivly in smokers
• Leading to loss of teeth at an earlier age
• Gum diseases are more difficult to put right in smokers.
• Smokers are much more likely to get infections after tooth extraction
• Smokers heal poorly after any form of oral surgery
• Smokers have a higher risk of dental implants failing
• Smokers are much more susceptable to cancer of the mouth and throat
• Smokers have drier mouths and often suck mints to cover bad breathe so they are more prone to tooth decay requiring more extensive dental treatment
• More obviously smokers have unpleasant halitosis and unsightly staining
• Then there are all the general health problems that are well known

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT ?

GIVE IT UP TODAY !

Patches, gum, hypnotherapy

&

will-power

There are many approaches or combinations

YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE