General


General Dentistry


  • Examination
Examination

What is an Examination?

A dental examination or “check-up” is our way of making sure your oral health is maintained for today, tomorrow and the future.

During this dental examination, we take the time to listen to your wants, needs and any other aspects of your dental care that you wish to discuss. We believe this open communication helps us understand our patients better than anyone else.

A comprehensive examination of the face, head and neck is performed including the jaw joints. This is followed by an oral health screen for gum disease, oral cancer and tooth decay which is accompanied by digital X-rays for diagnostic screening purposes. If any or problems or disease is identified, we take the time to discuss things in detail with you giving you all of the possible treatment options.

Our focus is on prevention and how we can prevent oral disease from occurring. We aim to achieve this through advice, education and building relationships to ensure that your dental health is maintained in the long run. 

  • Emergency
Emergency

What is a Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies can happen at the worst of times, and can effect work, sleep and the ability to eat and drink.

We understand this and go out of our way to accommodate these occasions as we appreciate the inconvenience it can result to your busy life. Same day appointments are available everyday and we will always strive to help whatever the problem.

We have dental experts in all fields of dentistry, to aid and assist with any problems that you may be having.

Dental pain can occur for a variety of reasons; it can be due to the sensitive part of the tooth being exposed because of gum recession, dental decay or if the nerve is involved and infected. If the pain is persistent, it would be recommended to seek dental advice

Broken Tooth

Teeth have the tendency to break when they are heavily decayed, filled or have old deteriorating fillings. Traumatic injury to the front teeth particularly can be a problem aesthetically and functionally.

Facial Swelling

Facial swellings can come about for a variety of reasons other than teeth such as blocked salivary glands or infected skin cysts. However, if there is associated tooth pain, swelling around the gum it is likely to be a dental problem. Facial swellings that have come about over a short period of time, are usually a sign of infection which may need antibiotic treatment.

  • Children’s Dentistry
Children’s Dentistry

What is Children’s Dentistry?

Our focus is on prevention and part of this is instilling good habits into children about oral health from a very young age. This is achieved through making the experience a positive one from their very first visit. This helps us build trust, and build a relationship which help maintain good oral health for a lifetime.

Dental decay in children is very common and recent surveys have shown that one in four children have some element tooth decay. This can pose many problems such as pain, difficulty sleeping, days missed at school and missed days of work for parents.

Whilst treating the decay is part of the solution, our goal is to educate and inform all of our patients to help prevent tooth decay and maintain good oral health. Education about dietary habits, nutrition and fluoride advice are a key part of this process.

If you are experiencing of the symptoms below, you may need to see a dentist or orthodontist to see if we can help correct the position of the teeth and / or prevent things from getting worse

Dark or discoloured teeth

Teeth can appear dark or discoloured for a number of reasons, this can be due to staining, decay or if they have been knocked / traumatised.

What to do – Initially the best thing to do is clean them and see if the stain is removable with regular brushing. If the tooth is painful, it will need to be assessed by one of out dentists.

Wobbly teeth

Wobbly baby teeth are quite normal during childhood and is a part of the process the adult teeth coming through. If adult teeth are wobbly this needs to be assessed by a Dentist.

What to do – Do not worry, the teeth will fall out in good time, i it is adult teeth that are wobbly it would be best to attend and see the dentist as this is not normal in childhood. If you are not sure just book an appointment with a dentist to have it checked

Facial Swelling

Facial swellings which have come about over a short period of time are usually a sign of an infection which can occur for a variety of reasons. If the swelling is present around the gums of painful teeth, this is usually because of a dental infection which needs to be assessed by a dentist.

What to do – Attend to see a dentist as soon as possible, as the infection can spread which can make a child very unwell

Crooked teeth

Teeth can erupt in a variety of positions which can result in the teeth appearing crooked. Whilst this can correct itself normally early orthodontic treatment can prevent them getting worse and needing extensive orthodontic treatment later.

  • Hygiene
Hygiene

What is Hygiene?

Oral hygiene is an important part of dental health maintenance, and the hygienist has a crucial role in helping you maintain this. Our hygienists have extensive training in spotting signs of oral disease with a focus on preventing it.

Gum disease (periodontitis) is very common and symptoms such as inflamed gums, bleeding, sensitivity, receding gums and pain on brushing can all be signs of this. It is the leading cause of tooth loss which is why at we take a preventative approach to gum disease, as it is very treatable.

However, if gum disease persists over a long period of time and progresses, it can eventually affect the supporting structure of the teeth which can result in pain, infections, wobbly teeth and even tooth loss.

Our focus is on prevention and this is why we believe it is critical to visit the hygienist regularly to assist you in maintaining the health of your gums and prevent gum disease.

This is provided through regular maintenance cleaning at least twice a year, oral hygiene instruction and education.

Our hygiene appointments usually last approximately 30-45 minutes and include:

  1. Detailed discussion about your current oral hygiene regime and how it could be improved
  2. Comprehensive assessment of the gums and supporting structures of the teeth
  3. Full clean of the gums, teeth and polish
  4. Detailed oral hygiene instruction on how to maintain and look after your teeth tailored to your needs based on the findings of the assessment.

Severe forms of gum disease can compromise the function and appearance of the teeth, creating the appearance of “black triangles” or that the teeth look long. Through advanced regeneration techniques, they are able to also cosmetically improve this sort of appearance and restore the normal appearance of the gums and teeth. furthermore, they are able to help reshape the gums to help and improve the appearance of a gummy smile.

This often requires the input of a gum specialist known as a periodontist who is specifically trained in the management of gum disease and the supporting structures of the teeth. They work hand in hand with the hygienist and yourself to ensure that any disease is managed.

Teeth whitening

All of our expert hygienists are trained in teeth whitening procedures which include enlighten and ZOOM. Please see the teeth whitening page for more information on these tooth whitening systems we provide.

  • Fillings
Fillings

What are Fillings?

Dental decay is very common affecting 1 in 3 adults (adult dental health survey 2009)

In addition, most tooth decay only will begin to become evident to you when it is deeper into the sensitive part of the tooth which can cause sensitivity and dental pain. As it is somewhat silent, it is crucial to attend every 6 months (at least) for a dental examination with a dentist to assess your teeth for signs of decay before it gets deeper.

Our focus is on prevention to try and avoid the process of decay from occurring wherever possible. Tooth decay occurs through the process of dietary sugar consumption. This sugar is used as a food source by the bacteria which are situated in our mouth. These bacteria produce an acidic waste product which causes tooth decay. It is our goal to coach and best advise you on dietary habits and good oral hygiene to prevent tooth decay from occurring in the first place.

In the event that tooth decay does occur, we also have a way of repairing and restoring the damaged part of the teeth, with tooth fillings.

Tooth fillings come in a variety of materials and aim to restore part of the teeth which has been damaged by decay or wear. Some tooth fillings can be temporary in nature in order for a more permanent one to be made later. Temporary fillings are also useful when mid treatment; for example during a root canal procedure which requires a couple of appointments.

Permanent fillings on the other hand can be placed directly in the dental chair, which is the case most of the time or can be made by the lab. The lab based fillings are called inlays or if they are covering the top surface of the tooth, they are called onlays.

They differ to dental crowns in that they are less damaging to the natural tooth structure and only cover the biting surface of the teeth. They can be made from gold, porcelain or zirconia.

We only use white tooth coloured fillings as the silver amalgam fillings contain mercury, are not as environmentally friendly and are less aesthetically appealing. The tooth coloured filling is a strong resin based material called composite. The use of this material has superseded most other gold and silver fillings as they are easy to mould and place in the dental chair, are very strong and also match the natural tooth colour shade.

The process

Anaesthetic is used to numb the area accordingly to make sure the procedure is as comfortable as possible and that you feel no pain.

The decay or defect in the tooth structure is removed initially and cleaned out. The tooth surface is then prepared with a special gel to ensure the tooth coloured filling material adheres better to the tooth surface.

The tooth filling is then moulded to the correct size and shape. It is then set hard with a special light.

Following final adjustments and polishing, the tooth coloured filling is now ready to function.

  • Tooth Extraction
Tooth Extraction

Tooth Extraction

If teeth are suffering with dental decay, severe gum disease or have sustained a traumatic injury rendering it beyond repair, the tooth may need to be extracted.

Nothing can replace natural teeth. That is why we will always strive to maintain and save teeth if possible and their removal will only ever be on the basis of the tooth being unsalvageable. We base this decision on whether there is enough tooth structure to support a filling or crown where there is decay, and if there is enough bone and gum support to maintain the tooth if there is any infection present.

We will always discuss the options to replace missing teeth before the teeth are removed, so that you are fully informed about the whole process. This includes the following:

  1. Do nothing and review
  2. Denture
  3. Bridges
  4. Implants

We are also able to pre-fabricate a temporary denture or bridge before the extraction to place straight away after the extraction so that you will not have a gap present at all.

Dental extractions need not be painful as once the local anaesthetic has been given, the area will become numb. We will not proceed if you are in pain and will always provide you with enough anaesthetic to make the procedure as comfortable as possible.

On occasion, the teeth can be impacted or stuck behind other teeth, this is quite often the case with wisdom teeth. This obviously complicates matters, but you should rest assured that we have the latest diagnostic tools and technology, surgical equipment and expertise to ensure that your experience is a good one.

It can be quite a difficult experience when already anxious and nervous. For patient’s who fall into this category, we do provide a sedation service which involves placing a small drip in your hand or arm and provide you with a sedative medication to make you feel calm, relaxed and anxiety free.

Once the tooth is removed, all of the post operative instructions and advice will be provided so that you are able to look after the area accordingly

  • Root Canal Treatment
Root Canal Treatment

What is Root Canal Treatment?

Believe It or not, all teeth have a nerve supply which enables us to sense pain, pressure, hot and cold. The nerve is contained in the core of the tooth extending into canals based in the roots of the teeth.

If this nerve supply is affected through tooth decay, trauma or gum disease it can result in the nerve becoming exposed and infected which can result in a pain. This is the tooth’s way of telling us something is wrong. However, this can also make it difficult to eat, drink and sleep.

If the nerve has become involved for any of the reasons mentioned above, a root canal treatment may be required. This is also known as endodontic treatment and involves using delicate instruments to gently clean out the root canals, remove any exposed or infected nerve tissues and wash them all out to ensure the root canal is clean. Once they have been adequately cleansed, a rubber type material is placed within the canal system to ensure that bacteria cannot re-enter the tooth and that it can then be restored to normal function. The success rates are generally very high.

Without root canal treatment the only other alternative is to remove the tooth and replace it with either an implant, bridge or removable denture. Whilst these alternatives can be very successful, they do not compare to a natural tooth.

If you are in pain and are nervous or anxious, please do let us know, as we are very accustomed to treating patients who have dental anxiety or phobias. If this is the case, we can arrange for you to have sedation which will make you feel calm, relaxed and more comfortable throughout the procedure.

  • Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom Teeth

What is Root Wisdom Teeth?

Most adults have along the way experienced wisdom teeth problems. This is usually because of the eruption pain that occurs when they are coming through, much like teething in children. However, wisdom teeth are very unique in that they can have an abnormal shape, root formation and eruption position.

Quite commonly these teeth can become “impacted” which is the technical term for stuck behind the teeth in front. This is because the angulation they decide to erupt can be somewhat unpredictable.

If they erupt and cause pain, it is usually the soft tissue gum around the tooth which becomes inflammed and becomes a trap for food. This causes further inflammation and swelling around the gum. The opposing wisdom tooth can then bite down on the already inflamed gum causing further swelling and a cycle of recurrent inflammation and infection occurs.

Most of the time this can be treated with good oral hygiene, cleaning the area well either with an electric toothbrush or professionally with a hygienist / dentist. If this persists and the swelling and infection worsens it can result in pain, facial swelling, temperatures and limited mouth opening.

  • Crowns
Crowns

What are Crowns?

When the tooth structure has become weakened with decay or an existing filling is very large and deteriorated, a dental crown may be necessary.

Furthermore, when teeth have had root canal treatment, it can inherently reduce the strength of it and a crown or onlay may become necessary to protect the tooth and provide it with strength from the forces of biting. Additionally, anterior teeth which have had extensive treatment and need aesthetic improvement can also be replaced with crowns to cosmetically improve them.

This dental restoration is applied to the full surface of the tooth and whilst it can be made in a number of different materials, we predominantly use porcelain based crowns which match the colour and shade of the teeth and give the tooth additional strength.

Dental crowns are much more invasive than veneers and require much more tooth adjustment, however tend to be longer lasting and more durable.

The Process

  1. Anaesthetic is placed to make the area numb and as comfortable as possible during the procedure.
  2. Quite often a matrix is taken at the chair-side to create a scaffold to make a temporary crown.
  3. The tooth in question is prepared accordingly.
  4. A putty mould is taken of the prepared tooth and sent to the lab to make.
  5. The lab based crown is then fitted accordingly.
  • Dental Bridges
Dental Bridges

What are Dental Bridges?

When considering replacing missing teeth, there are a number of options available. This includes dentures, dental implants and dental bridges. A dental bridge is a tooth shaped fixed dental appliance which connects the teeth either side of the missing tooth / teeth.

Whilst dental implants are fast becoming the gold standard to replace missing teeth, dental bridges can be utilised where implants cannot physically be placed for instance if there is not enough bone, or there are some medical conditions which would advise against implant treatment.

Bridges are also much lest costly than implants and can be used as a temporary measure if implants are to be considered in the future.

Types of Dental Bridges

There are two broad categories of dental bridges:

Resin retained

These type of bridges are much preferred nowadays due to the fact they are less invasive and destructive to the adjacent teeth. Very little if any adjustment of the adjacent tooth is required.

The prosthetic tooth which is replacing the space has a metallic wing attached to it. This wing has a specially coated surface which will help create a stronger bond once cemented to the tooth adjacent to the space

Conventional

The advent of dental implants has rendered conventional bridges a less popular choice to replace missing teeth, as this type of bridge requires the teeth either side of the space to be adjusted quite heavily. Once these teeth have been adjusted, a the bridge then seats on the teeth either side of space which then closes the missing space.

  • Inlays and Onlays
Inlays and Onlays

What are Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are an alternative option to fillings when repairing damaged teeth. They can be made of a variety of different materials such as gold, porcelain and composite. Traditional composite fillings are soft and then moulded into the area that requires repair. They can then be shaped accordingly and then set hard with a special light, polished and then adjusted.

Inlays and onlays are made in a dental laboratory and based on a model of your teeth. They are then placed in the mouth and attached into the area that requires repair and attached to the tooth with highly specialised dental adhesive. Inlays sit inside the tooth acting to effectively fill the hole that has been prepared after decay removal. On the other hand, onlays fill the hole but also sit on top of the surface of teeth recreating some of their shape and providing extra strength to the tooth where the damage is more extensive.

Inlays / Onlays vs direct fillings

Shrinkage – conventional direct fillings have an element of shrinkage when they are set hard with a light, this can lead to micro gaps between the filling and the tooth. As inlays and onlays are made outside of the mouth, they are less affected by this.

Due to they way they are processed they, inlays / onlays tend to be much stronger and last longer than direct fillings

However, two visits are required as they are laboratory made and they are therefore more costly. Furthermore , research has shown that there is very little difference in failure rates between direct composite filling an inlays / onlays

The Process
  1. Your dentist will normally provide local anaesthetic to numb the area
  2. Remove old filling and any further decay and prepare the tooth accordingly
  3. Take an impression of the tooth with a putty like material, which is then given to the lab to create the inlay or onlay.
  4. In the meantime, your dentist will place a temporary filling in the are to protect the tooth surface accordingly
  5. At the next visit, the inlay / onlay can then be fitted with dental adhesive and adjusted as necessary
  • Mouthguards
Mouthguards

What are Mouthguards?

Very high forces are imparted on the teeth when eating and chewing. If they grind against each other excessively, they can wear and worse still break down.

Mouthguards are an ideal solution, as they can protect the surfaces of the teeth as well as reduce the painful symptoms of jaw ache and stiffness.

It is a very common problem, we can provide you with a bespoke customised mouthguard which is adapted specifically to the shape of your mouth and teeth.

Sports mouthguard are also required if you are participating in any contact sports such as rugby, hockey MMA or boxing. The mouthguard are again fully customised to the shape of your mouth and teeth and function to protect them during contact based sports

  • Dentures
Dentures

What are Dentures?

Dentures are a removable dental appliance which function to replace missing teeth and supporting soft tissues. They can be made to replace single, multiple or all remaining teeth and are fabricated from a variety of materials such as high impact acrylic, cobalt and chrome.

Whilst dental implants are fast becoming the ideal replacement for missing teeth, dentures still have many benefits and are a very useful alternative especially in cases where implants and bridges may not be possible.

Function

Dentures are designed so that they replicate the function of normal teeth. This will enable the improved ability to chew, speak and function.

Without teeth, it can be somewhat difficult to eat certain foods. A good set of well fitting dentures will enable you to eat most of your favourite foods once more.

Versatile

Dentures are completely reversible and do not require adjustment or reliance on adjacent teeth. They are also completely reversible and can be adjusted, and teeth added to if required.  Furthermore, If they deteriorate or break over time, they can be very easily repaired.

Dentures are very commonly used as an interim prosthesis whilst the mouth is healing for implant surgery. They can be very quickly made and manufactured and are removable.

Aesthetics

By having teeth to replace missing ones, it can avoid the embarrassment of not having teeth and not smiling. This can also result in improved confidence and self-esteem which in turn can have a positive impact on your professional and personal life. Dentures can also be shaped to improve the soft tissue profile of the face which provides a fuller more youthful appearance

Dentures & Implants

Dentures can also be connected to implants to improve their stability and retention, which is quite a big problem for many patients with upper and lower complete dentures.

The implants placed in the jaw, can have connectors on them which the denture can clip onto. This makes the denture more stable and remains easily cleansable.

Contact

Address:
10 West Hampstead Mews
London
NW6 3BB

Email:
info@whiterosedentalstudio.co.uk

Opening Times

Monday: 9am-6pm
Tuesday: 8am-9pm
Wednesday: 8am-8pm
Thursday: 9am-6pm
Friday: 8am-6pm
Saturday: 8am-3pm
Sunday: Closed

Phone:
020 7372 7800

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