Bromley Dental Practice

What Is Tooth Decay and Can It Be Avoided?

Tooth decay is incredibly common, and most of us will have at least one filling. It happens when the tooth enamel is attacked by bacteria in the mouth. Every time you eat something then particles of food remain in your mouth and combine with plaque bacteria to create a sticky film that covers your teeth and gums. You might even be able to feel this sticky film at the end of a very long day, just before you brush your teeth. The bacteria in this plaque biofilm use leftover food as an energy source, creating acid as a by-product. The acid attacks the tooth enamel, weakening and softening it, increasing your risk of developing a cavity.

Dentist Bromley One of the first signs that this might be happening is if you notice your teeth feel more sensitive when you eat something particularly hot or cold. This is because the outer layer of tooth enamel is gradually eroded away, exposing the next layer of the tooth structure which is called the dentine. This is a much softer material and consists of lots of tiny tubules that lead directly to the pulp of the tooth which contains all the nerves and blood vessels. Its exposure makes it much easier for the sensations of hot and cold foods to penetrate right to the centre of your tooth, causing sensitivity or even pain. Quite often there will be very few symptoms, and this is one of the reasons why it’s so important to visit Bromley Dental Practice at regular intervals.

Your Bromley dentist can examine your teeth using high magnification and will be able to pick up on any soft spots or pits in your teeth that could indicate the beginning of a cavity. At this stage tooth decay is quite easy to treat, and it’s much less expenses for Dr Zaki Bashir to place a small filling than to leave the cavity to develop until it is much more deep-seated. When this happens there is the risk the cavity could reach right into the pulp area of your tooth, and it can be pretty painful. Treatment would involve a root canal to remove the infected pulp and to repair the tooth. This can sometimes be done through placing quite a large filling, but often it can mean the tooth has to be restored with a crown. It’s far more cost-effective to attend those regular check-ups!

If you do have small cavity, Dr Bashir will recommend filling it with white composite resin material. This is tooth coloured and works in harmony with the rest of your teeth, providing as very strong and stable restoration. You’ll be kept comfortable right throughout treatment with a local anaesthetic as it’s necessary for your dentist in Bromley to remove all the infected and decayed tooth structure. Next, the area to be filled will be thoroughly cleaned and dried, and the composite resin is placed in tiny increments and will be hardened at regular intervals using a special light. Finally, it will be trimmed and polished so it looks very natural. Once treatment is completed you’ll be able to use the tooth as normal.

If you have any larger cavities Dr Bashir might recommend an inlay or onlay. This is made from porcelain and is stronger and longer lasting and more suitable for repairing large areas of decay.

Zaki graduated from University of Bristol 1999 and has practiced in Kent since then. He is passionate about dentistry and providing the highest standard of care for patients, at the same time, he keeps himself at the cutting edge of modern dental techniques.

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Straightening Your Teeth Quickly and Comfortably

Many people only have slightly crooked teeth, or even just one or two front teeth out of position. In this case it can be overkill to go for full braces, and most people would not want to undergo orthodontic treatment for many months or even years. In the past one solution would have been to have the teeth ground down for veneers or crowns, but this is not something most dentists would like to do as it means removing healthy tooth material that can never be replaced. Nowadays, thanks to advanced orthodontic technology, it’s possible to straighten your front teeth within just a few weeks or months.

Dentist in Bromley Dr Zaki Bashir can fit patients with the Inman Aligner, an extremely discreet device designed to correct minor cases of misalignment, or orthodontic relapses. An orthodontic relapse is where somebody has previously had orthodontic treatment, but has failed to keep up with wearing their retainer, allowing the teeth to move slightly out of position.

How Does the Inman Aligner Work?

The Inman Aligner is removable and just about invisible. The only sign of it will be a clear coloured wire that runs across the front of your teeth. This is powered by a lingual coil spring that applies pressure to the teeth, forcing them into the correct positions through a squeezing motion. The wire across the front of your teeth will squeeze the teeth against the spring inside the appliance, slowly but comfortably moving your teeth into position. It’s extremely quick and easy to have this appliance fitted, and afterwards you’ll just need to visit the Bromley Dental Practice once a month for a check-up that takes just quarter of an hour. Often treatment can be completed in as little as 2 to 4 months.

What to Expect during Treatment

A lot of people are concerned that orthodontic treatment is uncomfortable or even painful. It is true that it does involve some minor discomfort as your teeth are being forced to move position. You might find you need to use over-the-counter painkillers for the first few days until you get used to the sensation. Wearing any sort of dental appliance can stimulate the flow of saliva, but you should soon adjust to this effect within a day or two. It’s possible the aligner might affect your speech, but as you get used to it you should find it returns to normal.

The Inman Aligner is ideal for treating the top or bottom front teeth but won’t correct any major issues with the way your teeth bite together. If you have more severe orthodontic problems it’s likely your dentist in Bromley will suggest an alternative type of treatment. More extensive problems with malocclusion can often be corrected with Clear Braces, a system that is designed to treat all the teeth in the mouth rather than just the front teeth. Once your teeth are in the correct positions then you need to be prepared to wear your retainer as directed by your Bromley dentist. This helps ensure all your hard work and effort doesn’t go to waste, and is an unobtrusive device designed to keep your teeth in the correct positions.

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Using Porcelain Veneers to Help Perfect Your Smile

Bromley Dentist A porcelain veneer is a very thin piece of porcelain, typically 0.5mm or less, and it fits over the front surfaces of your teeth. This treatment is used to correct the appearance of front teeth. Porcelain veneers are a great way to help improve your smile, without making any major changes to the structure of your teeth. Your Bromley dentist would only need to remove a very small amount of tooth material to create enough room for the veneers. Porcelain veneers can be used to:

Change the shape of teeth, including their length and size
Hide teeth that are discoloured or stained
Mend chips or cracks in teeth
Replace worn areas of teeth
Correct the appearance of slightly misaligned teeth
Close up or minimise gaps in between teeth

This treatment is extremely versatile as your dentist can replace just one or two veneers, or you can choose to have multiple veneers on both your upper and lower front teeth. If you choose to have multiple veneers then it’s possible to change the overall shade of your teeth to something lighter and whiter if desired.

What’s the Procedure for Having Dental Veneers?

You’ll need to visit Dr Zaki Bashir to find out if dental veneers are the right choice of treatment. Your dentist in Bromley will want to discuss the type of results you hoping to achieve, as well as the number of veneers required. The next step will be to prepare the teeth for the veneers. This is where Dr Bashir will remove a very small amount of tooth structure from the front surfaces of the teeth due be veneered. Next, an impression is taken of your teeth to be sent to the dental laboratory so the veneers can be fabricated. Once they are finished they will be returned to Bromley Dental Practice for fitting. Your dentist might need to make a few small adjustments to the fit perfect before they are permanently bonded in position. The veneers are quite strong once they have been bonded onto your teeth, and you can brush and floss them as normal. It’s best not to use them for biting into extremely hard foods, or for opening packets as you could chip them.

The condition of the veneers will be checked at each appointment, and regular professional dental care will help prolong their life. Eventually they will need to be replaced, and this treatment is generally not reversible.

Dental veneers are often used in combination with other treatments such as tooth whitening and orthodontic treatment. Using two or more treatments together doesn’t necessarily cost much more, but could be the best way of preserving as much of your tooth material as possible. For example if your teeth are slightly out of alignment then Dr Bashir might recommend you wear braces first of all to help straighten your teeth, before placing veneers. This can mean fewer veneers are required to help perfect the look of your teeth. The overall colour of your teeth can often be lightened considerably through tooth whitening prior to veneers. Dr Bashir will always recommend the most conservative method to brighten up your smile while still achieving top quality results.

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Using Dental Implants to Support Dentures

Lots of people have lost all their teeth in either the upper or lower jaw, or both jaws. As a result dentures are still a popular and affordable way of replacing all the teeth in the mouth, but they are not without problems. One particular issue about tooth loss is the way the bone in the jaw gradually reabsorbs. This occurs as the bone no longer receives any sort of stimulation from the natural tooth roots, and as a result the ridge that used to support your teeth will gradually become flatter.

Dentist Bromley Bone loss can be a particular problem for denture wearers, as it reduces the amount of retention available. Normally lower dentures rely on the bony ridge to hold them in place and for retention, and as this gradually flattens the denture is more likely to move around which can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. It’s not such an issue for upper denture wearers as the denture is made to cover up the roof of the mouth, giving it reasonable retention. In spite of this it’s still not an ideal solution, especially as an upper denture can feel quite large and bulky and it covers up all the taste buds in the roof of the mouth which makes eating less enjoyable. This is where using dental implants in Bromley can really help.

Using Dental Implants to Support a Lower Denture
Dr Zaki Bashir can place a few dental implants towards the front of mouth to support an entire lower denture. It can take just 2 to 4 dental implants to support the denture, bringing the cost of treatment well within the reach of most people. The denture clicks on to the dental implants so it’s firmly held in position but can still be removed for cleaning.

If you currently struggle with a loose denture then this can make a considerable improvement to your quality of life, and you’ll also find it a lot easier to eat properly. A good diet is essential for good health, so an implant supported denture could help improve your general health. There’ll be no need to use denture adhesives to hold your denture in place, and you’ll no longer need to worry that it will move or shift about. It should also be a lot more comfortable to wear, as loose dentures can rub on the gum tissues, creating sore spots.

What about Using Dental Implants for an Upper Denture?
This is certainly possible although you will need more dental implants to hold the denture in position. An upper denture that is retained with dental implants can be constructed in a horseshoe shaped design by your dentist in Bromley, so it will uncover all those taste buds in the roof of your mouth, and you should find eating a much more pleasurable experience.

Using dental implants to support dentures is a great way to stabilise them while not costing a fortune. This technique has already helped many people regain their confidence and self-esteem while wearing dentures. If you are interested in it’s well worth contacting Bromley Dental Practice to find out more.

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Do You Clench and Grind?

Lots of people do and they’re not even aware they have the habit as it can often occur during sleep. It’s not uncommon for people to be completely oblivious to the fact they clench and grind, unless they are told they are making a noise during the night by a sleeping partner, or if the problem is identified by their dentist in Bromley. The proper term for clenching and grinding is bruxism and it’s no joke. It can do a huge amount of damage to the teeth and also to the gums due to the pressures placed on these structures, and it can affect the jaw joints. The worst cases will do so much damage that teeth will need to be completely replaced and early treatment is essential to minimise the effects on the teeth and jaws.

Symptoms of Bruxism

There are lots of different symptoms of bruxism which include the following:

Feeling increased sensitivity towards hot and cold
Noticing your teeth look chipped or cracked
Your teeth could look shorter or worn down
You may wake up with a headache or aching jaw
It might be painful to open and close your mouth
Your gums might have begun to recede
Your teeth may have notches at the base

If you have any of these symptoms and haven’t been to the dentist for a while then it’s worth booking a check-up with Dr Zaki Bashir, to hopefully rule out bruxism. Your dentist will soon be able to identify whether or not you have this condition and can recommend treatment to prevent further damage to your teeth and gums.

Treatment usually focuses on preventing the teeth from coming into contact while you’re asleep, and this is done through providing you with a custom-made night guard. Most night guards are made from a thermoplastic material and fit comfortably over the teeth, holding your bite slightly open. It does take time to get accustomed to wearing a night guard, so you need to allow yourself a few weeks to get used to the feeling.

You’ll need to thoroughly clean your night guard after each use, using a soft toothbrush and a smear of toothpaste to scrub the inside. It’s also quite nice to freshen it up with a few drops of mouthwash every week. Make sure it is stored somewhere it can dry naturally, and that it’s kept out of the reach of dogs as it is not unknown for them to chew on their owners night guards.

What Causes Bruxism?

Bruxism is thought to be related to stress, and if you know you are under quite a lot of pressure at the moment then it could be worthwhile taking steps to reduce this. While it might not be possible to eliminate stress completely, there are various measures you can take to at least reduce the impact, for example taking up exercise or yoga, or trying meditation. If bruxism is causing quite a lot of pain around your jaw joints then it can be helpful to use heat pads to relax the facial muscles.

Hopefully, using a night guard will help reduce or eliminate bruxism. It might only be necessary to wear the night guard for a few months, although some people will need to wear it in the longer term.

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Is it Necessary to Replace Back Teeth?

Many of us will lose one or more teeth during our lifetime. This might be due to advanced gum disease or tooth decay, while others will be unlucky enough to lose a tooth in an accident. If you lose a tooth that is right in front of the mouth then it is highly likely that you’ll want to replace it as soon as you can, both for aesthetic and functional reasons, but what if that tooth is right in the back of the mouth where it is less visible? Is it still necessary to replace the tooth or is it possible to leave an empty space?

Dentist Bromley It’s highly likely that Dr Zaki Bashir will recommend replacing any tooth, regardless of whether it can be seen while smiling and talking with others. The reason for this is that all your teeth are designed to work as one unit, and each tooth has an effect on its neighbours. If it is missing then it can impact the adjacent teeth as well as the opposing teeth.

Effects of the Missing Tooth on the Rest of Your Teeth

When a tooth is removed by your dentist in Bromley, the rest of the teeth in your mouth will begin to shift, especially the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. They will begin to move towards the empty space which has the effect of destabilising them and can lead to other gaps opening up in between other teeth. This also changes the way your teeth bite together. The teeth directly opposite the empty space will also begin to move towards the gap.

This is because the forces of biting and chewing against other teeth help to keep them in place. Once these forces are removed then the teeth begin to drift towards the empty space. If you lose quite a few back teeth then it can affect the dimensions of your face as there will be a loss of height between the upper and lower teeth which puts increasing pressure on the front teeth. As a result they could begin to splay outwards.

Different Choices for Replacing Missing Teeth

Your choices include partial dentures, bridges and dental implants. Partial dentures can be a temporary or permanent measure but are not ideal. They are held in place by metal clasps that fit around existing teeth, and sometimes it’s necessary to adapt these teeth so the clasps fit a little better. In spite of this partial dentures can often move and shift around and can rub on the gum tissues.

Dental bridges are permanently fixed in place and are very popular. They consist of crowns that fit over the adjacent teeth and which are attached to the replacement tooth, resulting in a strong restoration. This is a great solution if the teeth either side of the missing tooth would benefit from being crowned. Dental implants in Bromley offer the most permanent solution, artificially replacing the tooth root with a titanium post that supports the crown. It can take a few months to complete treatment so this solution is a little slower than the alternatives but it can give the best results.

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Common Questions About Professional Teeth Whitening in Bromley

A beautiful white smile can look gorgeous, and Bromley Dental Practice offers patients Zoom whitening, one of the best-known and most respected whitening systems on the market. You can choose to have your teeth whitened in one of two ways.

Dentist Bromley Our principal dentist, Dr Zaki Bashir, can either whiten your teeth chair side, or you can choose to whiten at home using custom-made bleaching trays. Combining both methods will give the brightest results. Whitening in our dental practice is the quickest method, but some people prefer to carry out the process more slowly and in the comfort of their own home. But what happens once you’ve whitened your teeth, and how long can you expect the results to reasonably last?

This is a tricky question to answer, as the results depend on your lifestyle habits, for example if you like to drink wine, tea or coffee, or if you’re a smoker then the effects will not last quite so long. Our cosmetic dentist in Bromley will advise you how often you’ll need to touch up the results, based on your lifestyle habits. This is very easy to do at home, using our custom-made whitening trays.

Another common question is whether or not tooth whitening causes any side effects. Zoom whitening contains special ingredients to help minimise any tooth sensitivity, and the bleaching gels are designed to help protect tooth enamel. If you do feel any slight sensitivity and then it should be minimal and purely temporary. If you already have particularly sensitive teeth then you may wish to use our custom-made bleaching trays at home as these use a lower strength whitening gel over a longer period of time.

Lots of people already have veneers and crowns, and will want to know whether or not bleaching will lift the colour of these porcelain restorations. The truth is it cannot change them, as the bleaching gel will only work on natural teeth. If you do want to whiten your teeth then you might need to be prepared to replace any crown and bridge work or dental veneers. If your teeth have become stained since having these restorations then it might be possible to carefully whiten your teeth to match reasonably well.

Some teeth will whiten more easily than others, as for example if you have teeth that have been stained by tetracycline then these may prove difficult to whiten. The results can vary and it can be difficult to predict the effects. Quite a few people have teeth that have signs of fluorosis which are white spots that are formed due to being exposed to excess fluoride as children. In this case bleaching can help make the white spots less visible by lifting the background shade, but once again, results can vary.

In general, teeth whitening in Bromley is very safe for anyone with a healthy mouth, and the results can look terrific. Studies have shown having a brighter smile can significantly boost self-esteem, and can make others perceive us as being younger than we really are; that’s a huge bonus for quite a few of us.

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Making Sure Your Dental Implant is a Success

Deciding to have a dental implant can often be a big step for many people, and as it does cost a little more than alternative treatments you’ll want to do everything possible to maximise the chances of treatment being successful. In fact dental implants have an extremely high success rate that is typically around 95%. Part of this does rely on the skill of your dentist, as accurate implant placement is critical to the finished look of your restoration, and to the way it functions. If you’re thinking about having dental implants in Bromley, then your first step is to book an appointment with Bromley Dental Practice.

Dentist Bromley Anyone considering dental implants will need a consultation before deciding to go ahead with the process. If you decide to take things further, then Dr Zaki Bashir will need to carry out various diagnostic tests to evaluate your suitability for treatment. These include dental x-rays and a CT scan which is used to help plan the implant placement. The CT scan is also essential for showing the available bone in your jaw, as each implant needs to be surrounded by a certain amount of strong and healthy bone to help ensure success.

Bromley Dental Practice uses Straumann dental implants, as these particular dental implants are very high quality and are used worldwide. Your dentist in Bromley will also want to know a bit about your medical history, such as whether you have any diseases or medical conditions that affect your immune system, and whether or not you smoke. These conditions could affect healing and may increase the chances of implant failure. If you do smoke then it’s best to give up completely or at least for the duration of treatment.

Our implant dentist is extremely experienced, and has placed more than 2,000 dental implants so you’ll be in very good hands. Once the procedure is completed you’ll be given instructions on how to care for the implant site as it’s important to keep it clean and free from infection. When the implant has fully integrated with your jawbone, it can be restored with a replacement tooth.

Up until this point your implant treatment should have been a success, but for this to continue your need to be prepared to look after your implant at home, and to visit us regularly for check-ups and professional dental cleanings. Even though the implant post is inert, it’s still surrounded by living bone and gum tissue. These tissues can become infected, and if this happens then it could potentially lead to the failure of your dental implants.

You can help ensure this doesn’t happen by making sure you brush around your implant very thoroughly, and that you floss every single day to remove plaque that might have built up around the implant. As long as you’re vigilant over its care then it’s unlikely that you’ll have any problems, but if you do suspect your implant has become infected at any stage, even years after treatment, then contact us as soon as possible as swift action could help save it.

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Preventative Dentistry Could Save You Money

Do you book preventative dental appointments at regular intervals, or do you tend to ignore polite reminders from your dentist in Bromley? Ignoring your dentist could cost you more money in the longer term, and could even lead to tooth loss. Preventative dentistry is the easiest way to help maintain your teeth and gums, and helps keep your smile looking its very best all the time. In spite of this too many people still neglect to attend regular check-ups and hygiene appointments, especially if they think their mouth is perfectly healthy.

Dentist Bromley One of the problems with this approach is that many dental diseases cannot be easily detected, and some do not create any symptoms until they are relatively well advanced. By this stage treatment is likely to be lengthier and costlier, and will probably mean you’ll need to spend more time than you’d like at Bromley Dental Practice. While we are always happy to see you, we’d rather it wasn’t for emergency dental care!

Regular Check-ups and Cleanings Only Take an Hour or so

In contrast, just spending an hour or so with us every six months could help ensure your teeth last for longer, and that your gums remain strong and healthy. During this appointment, Dr Zaki Bashir, or another of our dentists in Bromley, will be able to check your teeth and gums are free from disease. This is usually done by visually examining your teeth using high magnification, and through gently probing them for any soft areas that could indicate decay. It is necessary to have dental x-rays every so often, as these help show areas hidden from view, such as the contact points in between each tooth.

Dental x-rays can also show any fillings that might have begun to leak, and can be used to check the fit of existing restorations such as crowns and bridges. These problems are far easier and cheaper to treat when detected early, and this will hopefully lessen your chances of developing toothache or a dental abscess.

Dr Bashir will also check your mouth for any signs of oral cancer. Mouth cancer is very rare, but more people are being diagnosed with this condition, and rates are predicted to rise during the coming decade.

Dental hygiene is very important, and a regular scale and polish will help keep your teeth and gums strong and healthy. This is because the procedure removes all the hardened calculus or tartar from your teeth. Tartar consists of plaque bacteria, and this can infect the gums so they become inflamed and diseased. Regular removal of tartar decreases your chances of developing gum disease, and is very important as gum disease is the main reason teeth are lost.

Bromley Dental Practice can also help you improve your hygiene routine, and you will always find any of our dental team are willing to demonstrate the best way to floss and brush, and can discuss different techniques for increasing the effectiveness of dental care at home.

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Invisible Aligners: Clearly a Better Way to Straighten Teeth

Would you love to have a straighter smile but don’t fancy the idea of wearing standard fixed braces for months or even years? The great news is that now you can straighten discreetly and nearly invisibly through the use of our Clear Braces invisible braces.

Dentist Bromley Lots of people didn’t have the opportunity to have orthodontic treatment as children, but more are choosing to do so as adults, especially as there is an increasing emphasis on having a nice smile. In the past the only option would’ve been to have fixed braces, and even though these still have their place, modern clear removable braces can often be used to correct most orthodontic problems.

Clear Braces are completely metal free, and consists of very thin but strong clear plastic aligners that are custom-made to fit tightly over the teeth, gradually moving them into the correct positions. The system consists of three different stages, and each stage uses a slightly different type of aligner, gradually moving the teeth towards their new straighter positions.

Can Clear Braces Help Me?
All you need to do to find out is to make an appointment to pop in to Bromley Dental Practice and see Dr Zaki Bashir. This particular braces system can be very good at helping to close up or minimise gaps in between teeth, or for correcting overcrowded or protrusive teeth. If Dr Bashir doesn’t think the system is quite right for you, then he’ll definitely recommend an alternative course of treatment. Treatment with Clear Braces can take anywhere between six and 24 months to complete, depending on the complexity of the issues that need correcting. The system is very easy to use, as Dr Bashir will take impressions of your teeth that are used to fabricate the clear plastic splints. All you have to do is to make sure you wear these each day, only taking them out when you brush or floss, or whenever you eat or drink something. However if you have a special event to attend, then you can probably risk leaving them out for a few hours.

The use of clear aligners does make it super easy to get that straight smile you’ve always wanted, and there’s no need to worry about flossing around tricky wires and elastics, or to spend extra time cleaning your teeth. It’s very simple to make sure your teeth and gums remain healthy during treatment. You’ll need to pop in to our dental practice every so often so your dentist in Bromley can check that treatment is proceeding as expected, and so any small adjustments can be made as necessary. Clear Braces are designed for adults use, but can be useful anyone over the age of 14.

If you’re still sitting on the fence about having orthodontic treatment, then it’s worth remembering that it can improve your dental health. Do you currently struggle to floss in between overcrowded or tightly packed in teeth? Perhaps there are certain areas of your mouth that you can’t even clean properly? Adult orthodontics in Bromley could help change this, reducing your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

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