Dental Blog - Orpington Dental Care

The foundation for a great smile

In the past couple of decades, there has been an explosion in cosmetic dentistry, thanks to all the advances in dental techniques, materials and equipment. More and more people are focussed on having the best smile possible.

And we love this. A good smile can make such a difference to your life. But even so, here at Orpington Dental Care, we are also firm believers in providing an excellent level of care in general dentistry in Orpington.

General Dentistry in Orpington After all, there would be no point in letting you go ahead with spending your hard-earned money on treatments to provide beautifully white, straight teeth, if those teeth were housed in diseased gums, or on the verge of decay or infection.

That’s why we will only offer you cosmetic dentistry if your mouth is in really good shape, health-wise. Fortunately, it easy to stay on top of your oral health. You just need the discipline to clean your teeth twice a day and come for a check-up twice a year. Coming to us for check-ups allows us to spot any issues before they turn into a crisis. Decay and gum disease are sneaky and you probably won’t notice either in your mouth until they are already quite advanced. For example, you probably won’t realise you have decay in a back tooth, until it starts to give you toothache. And by the time that happens, it means the decay is into the pulp of your tooth, where the nerves are.

What things get to the pain stage, it means that treatment is going to take longer, cost more and be more stressful. It could even result in you having to have root canal therapy, or a tooth extraction. Losing a tooth brings you into a whole new level of dentistry seriousness. You need to start looking at tooth replacement, which could involve spending a great deal of money. There is a way out of this scenario: take great care when brushing and flossing and come to us every six months for a check-up, then you may not need to lose a tooth at all.

Braces in Orpington: your options

Say braces and the mind immediately turns to the metal ‘train tracks’ seen so often on teenagers. Most treatment with braces is carried out on children and teenagers, as it is ideal to make these readjustments while the jaw is still growing.

However, if you’ve made it to adulthood without having braces in Orpington and you still have wonky teeth, it’s not too late. And you may be excited to learn that these days, there are many different options if you want straighter teeth, including discreet, hidden and invisible braces. You don’t have to broadcast to the world that you are having treatment, which is great news if you work in a public-facing job such as teaching, reception work or sales.

Braces in Orpington At Orpington Dental Care, we offer two discreet brace systems for cosmetic adjustments. These won’t work for serious misalignments of the jaw, but can help you to a more winning smile by working on the teeth that you show most clearly when you grin.

Six Month Smiles braces in Orpington

As the name suggests, these can bring results in just six months by working on the ‘social six’ front teeth that show when you smile. Six Month Smiles are made from clear brackets and tooth-coloured wires so they are discreet and blend into the teeth.

These braces use low forces to realign the teeth, making treatment comfortable and quick. This also makes them more affordable, needing less time in the dentist’s chair.

Orpington braces: Invisalign

Invisalign braces work with more complex cases than Six Months Smiles. They can treat some cases of misalignment of the jaw, as well as straightening the teeth.

And they are even more discreet! Invisalign is made up of a series of clear, plastic aligners. They are custom-made to fit snugly over the teeth and gums and once on, can’t be seen unless someone is close up and examining your teeth. And because they are also removable, you can even take them out for the odd special occasion for an hour or two. This also makes cleaning and eating easy – no chance of food getting stuck or having to work a toothbrush around brackets and wires.

Replacement teeth that really work

Round about the age of 50, most of us have lost a tooth or two. If you are around that age and are about to lose a tooth, you may be dreading what happens next, especially if you think what happens next is a choice between dentures or a bridge.

dental-implants-in-Orpington That may have been the case once, but for a while now it’s been possible to get dental implants in Orpington. If you have never heard of dental implants in Orpington before then you are in for a nice surprise, because these little beauties allow you to replace your teeth and then carry on pretty much as if nothing had happened. You can continue to eat whatever you want, talk and laugh with no fear of embarrassment, and you can even carry on with your same careful, twice-daily brushing and flossing routine.

That’s got to be a whole lot better than having teeth ground down to have a bridge fixed on to them, or fiddling around with a partial denture that can move around in your mouth and has to be taken out at night to be cleaned.

What exactly are dental implants?

What makes dental implants in Orpington different is that they are a replacement for the root of the tooth, whicha crown or crowns are fixed onto. The implant is a post or screw made of titanium. It is put into the jawbone once an artificial socket has been drilled.

Once in place the titanium sparks a growth explosion from the bone tissue and over the next few weeks the bone grows all over the implant. The result is thatthe implant is held in place as firmly as that tooth you lost.

And the crowns?

One dental implant a single crown, or a bridge of two or three crowns fixed onto it. These are hand-made by skilled technicians out of dental porcelain, which they size, shape and colour to match your own teeth. If you have a photo of the one you lost, they can use that to recreate it.

One thing’s for sure, no one will be able to tell it’s not a real tooth, and you too may even forget it’s not yours.

Which will you choose?

There’s never been so much choice in braces in Orpington before. And there has never been so many adults investing in their long-term dental health by getting their teeth straightened. Yes indeed, having those mildly wonky teeth realigned is not only good for how you look, but also gives your teeth the chance to last much longer.

Straighter teeth are cleaner teeth

When you have straight teeth, you will find it much easier to keep them free from plaque, which likes to build up in hard-to-reach crevices. Plaque is a layer of sticky bacteria that feed on the sugars in our mouths and give off an acid. This eats through our enamel and allows decay in. It also irritates the gum and can lead to gum disease, which, in its advanced stages can cause teeth to fall out.

Straighter teeth share the burden

When you chew, your teeth are meant to work as a team, each one exerting and receiving equal pressure as you process your food into a paste. If only a few are doing all the chewing, over the years they will start to split and crumble away, and then you’ll have to go through the expense and hassle of getting them replaced, possibly repeatedly if you have dentures or a bridge.

So, lots of great reasons to get yourself some braces. In Orpington, at Orpington Dental Care, we have a couple of great systems for adults, both of which are so much more discreet than the cumbersome ‘train track’ metal braces of old.

Six Month Smiles

Taking the tried and tested design of brackets and wires and updating them for use on the front six ‘social’ teeth, the ones we see the most of when people smile and talk. The brackets are much smaller and made of clear ceramic, the wires finer, and the whole process takes, on average, only six months.

Invisalign

Not even braces in Orpington, but clear plastic aligner trays like mouth guards. You wear a series of aligners, each with its own carefully placed pressure points that nudge the teeth into alignment. Almost invisible and removable for eating and cleaning, this is teeth straightening with almost no drawbacks.

Regain your confidence with teeth whitening in Orpington

A great smile is an asset, but not everyone is born with a set of bright, white teeth. In recent years, professional teeth whitening has become very popular, since it is a quick, effective and inexpensive way for people to brighten their smile. There are a variety of techniques to ensure that you can whiten your teeth safely. However, it is always advised to visit a cosmetic dentist.

At Orpington Dental Care, we offer power whitening and home whitening. Both methods are safe, tested and offer lasting results. Our experienced dentists will examine your teeth and help you determine which method is better for you, based on your individual needs and lifestyle.

Why do teeth become discoloured?

Regularly consuming certain highly-pigmented foods and drinks, such as berries, soy sauce, coffee, tea and soda, can cause discolouration over time. Luckily, these stains are surface stains, and can be easily removed with teeth whitening in Orpington. Forgetting to brush your teeth can also cause stains. Patients with poor oral hygiene see their teeth gradually become yellow and darken as cavities form as well.

However, the most natural cause of tooth discolouration is ageing. As we age, tooth enamel thins down and our teeth become more yellow and translucent. Finally, smoking and certain medications can also cause your teeth to darken over time. Most of these stains can be removed with teeth whitening. However, if you are pregnant or have sensitive teeth your dentist may recommend an alternative treatment.

Power whitening

Power teeth whitening is more immediate than home whitening, taking only about an hour in the dentist’s chair. Power teeth whitening uses a more powerful bleaching gel, which is activated by a special lamp, for the best of all whitening results. The gel is applied directly to your teeth and your dentist will be careful to protect your gums and soft tissue.

Home whitening

Home whitening, on the other hand, involves the use of customised bleaching trays, which are made for each patient in advance of the treatment. You will have to wear them along with bleaching gel for a few hours every day or while you sleep, for two weeks before you get the shade you want.

Why choose dental implants in Orpington?

We often associate tooth loss with old age: images of grannies with their teeth by the bed, or elderly gummy smiles. However, not all teeth are lost in later years.

Youthful teeth can be knocked out playing sport, through a fall or an accident, or be lost to disease if you are really unlucky. If this has happened to you, you’ll know the feelings of frustration and resignation that come with knowing that you need to wear false teeth for the rest of your long life. This could affect your speech, what you eat, the shape of your face and how confident you feel in your smile.

Giving you back your teeth

At Orpington Dental Care, we use dental implants in Orpington to restore lost teeth and give you back full functionality. Dental implants are unique because they are the only method of tooth restoration that replaces the root as well as the crown.

When a tooth is lost, the main difficulties are caused not by the visible part, but the root underneath. With no root to stimulate the jawbone, the bone believes it is no longer needed in that area and begins to dissolve. This can cause the face to sag and surrounding teeth to drift into the gap. Not a great prospect if you lost teeth snowboarding when you were 18.

Dentures and bridges don’t address this problem because they only replace the part of the tooth you can see, the crown. They also don’t last that long – 10 years max – and can also become loose over time, affecting speech and chewing ability.

Dental implants, however, fix this issue for two reasons: they are made of titanium which is a miraculous metal that fuses with the bone. The body registers it as natural tissue and grows around the implant, securing it in place. The jawbone gets the tiny taps it needs to start growing again. The implants are now also secured in place and so are a stable, durable solution, that can withstand the natural forces of biting and chewing. Crunchy food is back on the menu!

And with proper care, dental implants in Orpington can last a lifetime.

Want to change your look in Orpington? Braces can help

Braces treat a wide range of dental issues: misalignment of the jaw, overbites, underbites, and crooked, crowded or gappy teeth. You may be referred for teeth straightening treatment if you have trouble speaking, chewing or clench or grind your teeth. Even gum disease can be caused by misaligned teeth.

However, there is another reason you may choose to wear braces in Orpington: your smile. Braces can also impact the look of your teeth and here at Orpington Dental Care, we offer cosmetic teeth straightening treatments to rejuvenate your smile.

Braces in Orpington We use two different brace systems to provide an aesthetic enhancement to your smile.

Invisalign

The Invisalign system uses clear, plastic aligners to gradually move the teeth into their new positions. The aligners are like thin mouth guards that fit over the teeth and gums – no brackets and wires! Your smile is taken care of, even while you are undergoing treatment.

If you decide to go ahead with Invisalign, our dentist will take a 3D digital image of your teeth and gums and use this to create a virtual treatment plan. You will be able to see how your smile will look at the end of the treatment before it even starts. This information is then sent to the Invisalign technicians in the USA, who use it to create a series of up to 48 aligners. You wear each set for two weeks, then swap them for the next in the series, until your teeth are at their desired end positions.

Six Month Smiles

These braces really are effective in six months! They work only on the ‘social six’ front teeth that show when we smile, which is why they are so fast acting. They don’t correct the bite.

Six Month Smiles are made of clear and tooth-coloured brackets and wires, which means they are more discreet than traditional metal braces. They also use a low force to move the teeth and so discomfort is minimal.

Find out more

Not sure if braces in Orpington are for you? Drop into the prractice today and our friendly and welcoming reception team can talk you through the options available.

Dental implants in Orpington: the facts

Whether you have lost one, two, a whole arch or an entire set of your teeth, dental implants in Orpington can help. At Orpington Dental Care, we can replace any number of teeth with this durable and stable tooth replacement technique.

What are dental implants?

Dental Implants in Orpington Implants are unique because they are the only tooth replacement method that replaces the root of the tooth as well as the crown. A tiny titanium screw is fixed into the jawbone, in a minor surgical procedure, which mimics the lost tooth root. After a healing period of up to three months, an abutment is fitted to the implant, and then a crown is fixed on top.

Why have dental implants?

There are many benefits:

The jawbone can begin to sag and deteriorate around the site of a lost tooth. This is because without the tooth root in place, the jaw isn’t getting the tiny taps it needs to keep growing. The body believes that the bone is no longer needed here and so begins to dissolve. As dental implants replace the tooth root, the jawbone once again gets the stimulation it needs to start growing. No other tooth replacement method offers this.
Biting, chewing and speaking function is fully restored. Dental implants act just as natural teeth do, so there is no slipping, slurring of words or pain on biting down.
Titanium is biocompatible. This means that the body accepts it as natural tissue. The jawbone grows around the site of the implant and integrates it into the body’s structures. This means that implants are very secure and can last a lifetime with proper care.
Implants are easy to clean: you maintain them just as you would your natural teeth. No taking them out at night like with dentures.

Are dental implants for me?

To find out if you could benefit from dental implants in Orpington, drop into our practice and talk to our experienced implant dentists. You can choose to replace a single lost tooth with one implant, or you can have a bridge or even a whole set of dentures fixed on one to four implants.

Are you kissing with confidence?

There’s nothing quite so likely to put the kibosh on a date than finally getting up close and personal with Mr or Mrs Gorgeous only to discover they don’t have very good dental hygiene.

They may be the most charming, witty and generous of dates but if, as you’ve gazed at them over coffee, cocktails, or even dinner, you’ve noticed that their teeth have that yellow build-up between them, and are stained, it could be a deal breaker. Your smile is top of the list of things people notice when they meet you for the first time.

It’s hard to kiss someone who hasn’t been taking care of their teeth. So, you shake hands instead and go back to the internet hoping for someone who pays attention to their dental hygiene in Orpington. Or maybe you have been the person no one can bring themselves to kiss. If it’s been so long since you had a good scale and polish that you’ve forgotten what clean teeth look like, take a long look in the mirror and see if you don’t need some help.

Disgust is a hardwired reaction to keep us away from things that might infect us, and grotty teeth can become breeding grounds of disease. It is almost impossible to over-ride the feeling of disgust, so deeply is it hardwired into our reactions.

Fortunately, good dental hygiene in Orpington is easy with us at Orpington Dental Care. Just book an appointment to get a good scale and polish and you can easily get rid of plaque and tartar where decay and gum disease-causing bacteria build up. This will do away with any bad breath associated with poor dental hygiene. If you haven’t had a scale and polish in a while, you might need more than one appointment. Then, to keep on top of it, you need to brush twice a day at home with a good fluoride toothpaste, and use floss and interdental brushes to clean between your teeth. Your check-up will flag up any remedial dentistry you need, and then you will be good to go back out into the world of smiling at people you don’t know and hopefully, this time, kissing a few of them too.

Would your smile benefit from straighter teeth?

Does your heart sink when you look in the mirror? Crooked, unevenly spaced or crowded teeth can detract from your appearance and make you feel self-conscious. If you long to stop worrying about how your teeth look, then having braces in Orpington could be the solution. At Orpington Dental Care, we provide treatments that are focussed on straightening your teeth so that you relax and enjoy your smile again. We treat children and adults in Orpington. Braces could improve your appearance of or that of anyone in your family, and prevent longer-term problems arising from misaligned teeth.

Who can have braces?

It is often considered that childhood is the best time to have treatment, when the jaw is still growing and developing. However, if you are an adult with wonky teeth, then it is certainly not too late to have them straightened. As people have different requirements, we offer a range of braces in Orpington. Our adult patients have busy social and professional lives so often request treatment that is discreet or works very quickly. If speed if your main priority then you could choose the Six Month Smiles system, which uses effective clear brackets and tooth-coloured wires. This means that it is very unobtrusive and you really can have a new smile in as little as half a year. If you need a brace that is almost invisible, then the clear Invisalign aligners may suit you better.

What should I expect?

We want you to have a smile that you are proud of and a treatment that suits your lifestyle and budget. Your initial consultation is a chance for us to find out exactly what you would like to achieve. We also check the teeth and gums thoroughly to ensure that they are sound, and make sure that you get the treatment that is right for you. We will talk you through every stage so that you are fully informed from start to finish. If you are looking for braces in Orpington, then you can rest assured that you are in safe hands.

Take the first step towards having an attractive new smile today and contact us to see how we can help you with braces in Orpington.

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