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Are British Teeth Finally Something to Smile about?

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

There have often been jokes about the state of the teeth in the UK compared to those of citizens in the USA, but are things changing? Are British teeth finally something to smile about?

Ricky Gervais' teeth
“These are my real teeth. You think I’d wear them all the time if they weren’t real? ” Ricky Gervais’ reply to interviewer remarking on his ‘false teeth’. (Source news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7633254.stm)

Over the years more and more Americans have had cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening and dental veneers have become commonplace, Linda Stradley (1) says:

A recent survey showed 80% of Americans aged 18 to 49 want whiter teeth, with women leading in this area at 85%. 6 out 10 believe a whiter, brighter smile would boost their self confidence especially in the 18 to 24 age range

It wasn’t that British teeth were particularly bad that put us as the butt of many a joke, It was simply that the idea of a perfect smile had become brighter and whiter thanks to the surge in Americans having cosmetic dentistry – British teeth were just more natural!

What we have noticed is that patients looking for cosmetic dentist‘s in the UK, particularly in our location of Harrow, Middlesex has also increased.

Natural smiles vs. Hollywood smiles

When dental companies first started to produce materials that enabled dentists to restore smiles with dentures, dental veneers and bonding the range of colours was very limited. Over the years this range of colours has grown and can be seen in the image below.

Shade guide

 

What is interesting to notice is that the three whiter Shade taps on the left of the image are additions. When Vita performed their original research to discover the different colours of teeth that existed throughout the populace they reproduced this in their a guide, from the lightest discovery through to the darkest discovery.

Since its original shade guide was introduced the American desire to have a whiter smile has forced the manufacturers to add on these three extra colours from mid-white through to the brightest dazzling white.

This session with having perfect teeth has been reflected in this Quora discussion.

Who is having cosmetic dentistry?

Source - American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Levin Group, Inc study 2013
Source – American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Levin Group, Inc study 2013

The distribution of people having cosmetic dentistry is fairly even across all age groups although more than half of the people having cosmetic dentistry are over the age of 40.

This is possibly contrary to what many people think in that cosmetic treatments are only for younger people.

 

 

Why do people consider cosmetic dentistry?

This is another extremely interesting aspect to look at, why do people want cosmetic dentistry in the first place?

One might initially think that it’s because people want to look younger however the results of the survey showed that 89% of people asked for cosmetic dentistry to improve their physical attractiveness and/or self-esteem

Reasons for having cosmetic dentistry
Source – American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Levin Group, Inc study 2013

 

What options are people going for to enhance their smiles?

Not surprisingly one of the most common treatments in cosmetic dentistry is bleaching or whitening at 93%, however crowns and bridges top the poll at 97%.

What treatments that people have with cosmetic dentistry
Source – American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Levin Group, Inc study 2013

 Why are British teeth now something to smile about?

The first reason is that more people are visiting the dentist. NHS statistics show that 52.3% of the adult population now visit the dentist and 69.2% of the child population visit the dentist. With more people visiting the dentist and having access to healthy teeth this will inevitably enhance the smiles of people in the UK.

One of the biggest problems however is that nearly 100,000 fewer children visited the dentist in the most recent research compared to previously produced statistics.If this trend isn’t reversed then the jokes about British teeth may become true again in years to come!

Campaigns such as this “Is your mouth making you sick?” infographic have also helped raise the awareness of going to the dentist, particularly with its links to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer

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Proof that the British teeth are something to smile about

 

Before
After cosmetic dentistry

This patient had cosmetic dentistry using dental veneers to restore her smile.

The advent of additional treatment styles has also enable more people to access treatments which make their smiles look better. In the past these treatments were not available in the UK but modern orthodontics which allow invisible, rapid and lifestyle treatments to straighten teeth have now become commonplace.

Six month smiles is a great example of this, this modern treatment has allowed more patients to access orthodontic braces than ever before. Orthodontics is generally the preferred way to straighten teeth, rather than have dental veneers. Orthodontics maintains your natural tooth structure which is an optimum treatment for most dentists.

If you live locally and would like to visit our dentist in Harrow please complete the form on this webpage to request a free cosmetic dentistry consultation. We are always happy to help you achieve your perfect smile.

References

(1) http://whatscookingamerica.net/HealthBeauty/TeethWhitening.htm

The latest feedback from our patients

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

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Answers to Some Common Questions about Mouth Cancer

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

Did you know that your routine six monthly dental health check should include a mouth cancer screening? There is unfortunately no national programme in the UK regarding screen for mouth cancer and it is down each individual to ensure they visit their dentist to be screened every six months.

As part of our oral healthcare information program we have written this blog post to answer your common questions about mouth/oral cancer.

First signs of mouth cancer.

There are a range of signs of mouth cancer which typically include things like:

  • Mouth ulcers which don’t heal.
  • Persistent discomfort or pain in your mouth.
  • Read or white patches in and around your mouth or towards your throat.
  • Lumps in your neck caused by enlarged lymph nodes.
  • Difficulty in swallowing which may be accompanied by pain or burning sensation when chewing.
  • Bad breath otherwise known as halitosis. Bad breath in itself is not a sign of mouth cancer but if you have cancer bad breath can be worse or more frequent than normal.
  • A lump on/or thickening of your lip.
  • Unusual numbness or bleeding in your mouth.

Checking for mouth cancer.

When your dentist undertakes your dental health check and includes a mouth cancer screening they will:

  1. Check inside of your mouth with the help of a small mirror.
  2. Look at your neck and underneath your jaw.
  3. Check to see if your lymph nodes are swollen.
  4. Observe your face and neck looking for swellings, skin abnormalities, moles and asymmetry.
  5. Look for any changes in colour or texture around the board of your lip.
  6. Visually examine your gums and the inside of your lips/cheek.
  7. Examine your tongue for changes in colour, texture, Mobility and symmetry.
  8. Move your tongue from either side to check underneath.
  9. Asked you to say “Ah” and check the back of your mouth and soft tissue areas.

Oral Cancer Beauty Dental

We have also written a self examination guide for mouth cancer screening in Harrow, this can be downloaded here.

Free guide available for immediate download…

“7 Point Self Examination Guide for Oral Cancer”

One of the most important things with mouth cancer is early detection, so in this guide we will talk about how you can examine yourself at home, the risk factors for oral cancer and how you can lower them.Our guide is exclusively available by e-mail so please enter your details opposite for immediate access.Dr Nishan Dixit
Dr Nishan DixitBDS (Lond) 1994,

LDS RCS (ENG) 1994

GDC Reg No. 70208

Mouth cancer prognosis.

The prognosis for mouth cancer depends largely upon how advanced your cancer is and the type of cancer that you have. It also depends upon exactly where your cancer is located. Cancer Research UK gives the following statistics.

Rates for individual mouth cancers include

  • Lip cancer – nearly 90 out of 100 people diagnosed (89%) will live for 5 years or more
  • Tongue cancer – 55 out of 100 women (55%) and 44 out of 100 men (44%) will live for 5 years or more
  • Oral cavity – this includes all other mouth cancers (not lip or tongue) and nearly 55 out of every 100 women (55%) and 48 out of every 100 men (48%) will be alive 5 years later

The key with improving the prognosis for mouth cancer is early detection. The National Institute Of Dental and Craniofacial Research reports that A five-year survival rate for those with localised disease at diagnosis is 83% compared with only 32% of those whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Steps you can take to lower the risk of mouth cancer.

There are various steps you can take to lower your risk of developing mouth cancer, these include:

  1. Monitoring your tobacco/alcohol use. Many cases of mouth cancer can be linked directly to smoking cigarettes.
  2. Be aware of transmitting sexually transmitted diseases. Human papillomavirus (specifically the HPV 16 type) have been linked also to the increased risk of developing mouth cancer.
  3. Exposure to the sun. You might think that you don’t sunbathe with your mouth open, so how can this increase your risk of mouth cancer? The reality is that mouth cancer can also happen on your lip , which does indeed come into contact with direct sunlight.

Mouth cancer treatment.

As we have already said the prognosis depends upon the type of cancer and how far advanced your cancer is. So long as your cancer has been detected early and hasn’t spread to other areas of your body then a complete cure may be possible with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Once again, the effectiveness of treatment really does depend on early detection.

The NHS has written an excellent introduction to the various treatments of mouth cancerincluding:

  • Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
  • Surgery
  • Radiotherapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Cetuximab

>> Read more about these treatments here

 A patient’s experience of oral cancer

This gentleman gives a very positive story of oral cancer and how its early detection impacted him.

 

Blue Court Dental Centre  are a local family dental practice in the heart of Harrow, Middlesex. As well as offering a range of dental treatments to the local people they also offer dental healthcare assessments including routine oral cancer screening.

I’m not happy with my smile, what are my options for cosmetic dentistry?

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

We find that many people are looking for options to restore their smile but simply don’t know what those options are. This blog post has been written to allow you to understand what the options are available, possible prices, the procedures and what to expect from cosmetic dentistry.

Cosmetic dentistry is broadly broken down into 4 main areas.

  1. Straightening crooked teeth.
  2. Whitening dark teeth.
  3. Restoring broken down teeth.
  4. Replacing missing teeth.

Let’s look at each of these areas in turn.

Options to straighten crooked teeth.

As with many areas of dentistry there is in one simple way of doing this, which actually works as an advantage as it means that you can choose the best approach for you. We thought one of the easiest ways to break these treatments down Is to look at treatment time is and how quick you could have straight teeth again.

Straight teeth in around 2 to 3 weeks

If you’re looking to have straight teeth in the quickest time possible them possibly dental veneers are the way forwards. Dental veneers are a precision made thin-layer which fit over the surface of your existing teeth. They made from a high-strength dental ceramic by a highly skilled dental technician and so often come with a higher pricetag than many other options.

Dental veneers can also be used to restore broken down teeth and whiten dark teeth, so at the same time straightening them you could end up with a perfect Hollywood smile at the same time!

teeth-veneers

One of the big disadvantages with dental veneers are that they often require some form of reduction of your natural teeth underneath. Many dentists prefer to work on a minimally invasive nature, whilst dental veneers are relatively minimally invasive they do still often require drilling of your natural tooth.

If your natural tooth is otherwise healthy then you need to know that some of this may be reduced in order to accept the new dental veneer.

Before cosmetic dentistry from our Harrow dentists
Before dental veneers
After cosmetic dentistry
After dental veneers

>> Read more blog posts about dental veneers

>> Information from the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry about dental veneers

Straighter teeth in around 12 to 16 weeks

One of the disadvantages of dental veneers is the fact that they often require a small amount of reduction of your natural tooth. Whenever possible we prefer to keep your natural teeth fully intact and so this is where the next treatment to straighten teeth comes in, it involves moving them with orthodontics and the technique which is fastest is known as the Inman Aligner.

The Inman aligner is a revolutionary new technique whereby a removable orthodontic appliance is used to push and pull your teeth in the correct direction. You need to be committed with your Inman aligner and wear it for at least 20 hours per day, removing it only for cleaning and eating.

Here’s a video of how the Inman aligner works by pushing and pulling at the same time.

>> more information on the Inman aligner

Straight teeth in around six months.

Many people dislike the fact that the Inman aligner, whilst being rapid, is a removable appliance. Some people prefer to have a fixed appliance. Fixed appliance orthodontics are generally able to move teeth slightly more than a removable appliance and the one that we prefer is Six Month Smiles.

This orthodontic system uses fixed, tooth coloured brackets to move your teeth around six months, this is much faster than conventional orthodontics which often takes between one and two years. The reason we can move the teeth quicker is down to a revolutionary type of bracket and the fact that we are often only moving the front teeth.

 

Before Six Month Smiles

 

After Six Month Smiles

>> more information on Six Month Smiles

 Cosmetic dentistry to whiten dark teeth

You have two options to whiten dark teeth:

  1. Teeth whitening.
  2. Dental veneers.

Teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry

Teeth whitening is one of the most easily accessible treatments in dentistry as it can be offered to almost anyone. So long as you have natural teeth (dental veneers or crowns cannot be whitened) and you are in good dental health then you are more than likely candidate of teeth whitening.

As with any dental treatment it is absolutely vital that you are in good dental health before embarking on any programme of whitening. This is one of the reasons it is important to visit your dental practice to have your whitening treatment, if your gums are unhealthy or perhaps bleed on contact then this can affect the whitening process and inflame any gum disease you may already have.

The clear teeth whitening tray
The clear teeth whitening tray

Teeth whitening works by placing a small amount of peroxide gel in contact with your teeth. This peroxide whitening gel is held in place by close-fitting and precision made bleaching tray which is the spoke to you and cannot be used with anybody else. These trays need to be made with absolute precision.

They need to seal around the age of your tooth/gum margin to ensure that none of the peroxide gel touches your sensitive gums. This is another reason why we recommend going to see your dentist for whitening, they can accurately make sure that this tray fits precisely prior to beginning any treatment.

You will typically wear your teeth whitening bleaching trays overnight for approximately 2 weeks. The good thing with the treatment is that if you experience too much sensitivity or you reach your desired tooth colour then you can stop treatment immediately.

Dental veneers for whitening teeth

If your teeth are extremely dark, perhaps because they have died then we may find that whitening is not adequate to get them to the shade required. If this is the case then dental veneers can be used to cover up the dark teeth underneath.

Before restoration with veneers to whiten teeth

 

After restoration with dental veneers

Restoring broken down teeth in cosmetic dentistry

We’ve already discussed the ability for dental veneers to straighten crooked teeth and white and dark teeth, they can also be used to restore broken down teeth. Because we’ve already spoken about dental veneers we’re going to focus our attention now on dental crowns.

Dental crownsA dental crown is a precision made and highly aesthetic replacement for the natural crown of your tooth. The most aesthetic ones are made from pure high-strength dental great ceramic which is extremely long lasting and can withstand the force is exerted when you eat and chew.

Your dentist will remove any decayed area of tooth, prepare the remaining teeth and take an impression which will be sent off to the dental technician. The dental technician, who was a highly skilled member of the dental team will then make your new crown to fit exactly over the stump which the dentist has prepared.

This whole process takes approximately 2 weeks from start to finish, was the technician is making a new crown you will be supplied with a temporary crown.

Replacing missing teeth in cosmetic dentistry

We’ve written blog post in the past offering top tips for people wanting to replace missing teeth, so we’re not going to spend too much time here talking about this. What is important to know is that replacing missing teeth can also be done in conjunction with other forms of cosmetic dentistry.

If you have missing tooth it may be that in order to replace it we need to create more space, if this is true then we may use orthodontics to move the surrounding teeth around to create enough space. You may also want to restore broken down teeth and white and other teeth at the same time as replacing missing teeth. This then becomes a more complex form of cosmetic dentistry with complicated procedures.

If you’re going to have these more complex procedures we recommend you search for your cosmetic dentist on the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry website, in the search facility if you type in Nishan Dixit and enter the area as Harrow you will find that he is a full member of the Academy who has been qualified for more than three years, demonstrated a commitment cosmetic dentistry by fulfilling their strict requirements which include attendance at meetings and ongoing postgraduate education in subjects relevant to the practice of cosmetic dentistry.

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Dr Nishan Dixit runs a dental practice in the heart of Harrow offering cosmetic dentistry  to the local people. The practice offers a free cosmetic dentistry consultation with the treatment co-ordinator, please complete the relevant form here 

 

Who said I’m camera shy !

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

IMG_7103 IMG_7106 IMG_7124 IMG_7113 IMG_7108

“Please make me look nice for my daughter’s big day!”  These were the words of a loving mother who desperately wanted nice teeth for what was going to be one of the most important days of her life, her daughter’s wedding.   For most of her life,  she had lived with a smile she was very unhappy with.  Her top teeth were very uneven and discoloured.  The  old existing crowns towards the back of the mouth  had began to deteriorate, as well as a tooth which had become very stained and unsightly.   The gap in between her front  two teeth always seemed to draw attention to her not so great smile.  This  made her feel very self conscious and even embarrassed.   She would never smile in front of the camera,  and even in general conversation,  she would raise her hand to cover her mouth.  Friends and family always thought she was very quiet, but in reality, she lacked so much confidence that smiling, laughing and even talking was something she found very difficult.    She wanted a smile that would make  her  look and feel great.

With careful thought and planning, Dr Dixit achieved this transformation by using a combination of all ceramic crowns and veneers.  To make the teeth brighter , the teeth were whitened using the home whitening system.  The heavily filled teeth were protected with new crowns and the new veneers helped to improve the shape and position of the teeth.  The colour was matched exactly to the patients new teeth colour.  The crowns and veneers were made to look as natural as possible.

IMG_8254 IMG_8257 IMG_8159 IMG_8153 IMG_8259

The patient was very pleased with the results.   It had given her so much  confidence that she felt like a new woman.  She looked and felt amazing.  The discoloured front tooth and filling had gone and the visible black lines were no longer there.  She finally had the smile she always wanted.

 

 

What’s the Best Way to Whiten My Teeth?

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

Smiling woman Many people are looking for that brighter, whiter smile but did you know that research (1)  seems to indicate that it’s not actually a white smile which people find attractive, rather, it is a yellow smile which people find unattractive.

The researchers found that:

Whitening had no effect beyond that produced by natural colouration. This indicates that these colour induced alterations in ratings of attractiveness are mediated by increased/decreased yellowing rather than whitening per se.

As we get older our teeth yellow with age and whitening them back to their natural colouration is all that is required to achieve the most attractive smile, so what is the best way to whiten your teeth?

The best way to whiten teeth.

Here’s a simple list:

  1. Good oral hygiene.
  2. Over-the-counter teeth whitening products.
  3. Home teeth whitening.
  4. Restorative treatments such as immediate veneers, dental veneers dental crowns.

Good oral hygiene.

The first step to enjoying whiter teeth is to maintain good oral hygiene. Firstly this will help keep your natural teeth as white as possible, if plaque (2) is kept at bay then staining is less likely to build up on your teeth. Secondly, before you have any of the other teeth whitening treatments you’ll need to ensure that your teeth and gums are in good condition. Most dentists will not offer any form of cosmetic or whitening treatment if you’re oral hygiene is not up to scratch!

Over-the-counter teeth whitening products.

There are many products available to buy over-the-counter in your local pharmacy, However, the Daily Mail (3) says:

Experts warn that some products which claim to whiten could actually harm your teeth, gums and even your stomach lining.

jailed_OPT

While some of these products may work their effectiveness and safety isn’t monitored by a dental professional and therefore they come with some risk if you use them at home.

Another trend in teeth whitening is to go to beauty salons or other establishments other than a dental practice. Whilst this may be cheaper than going to a dentist it is also illegal! Teeth whitening falls under the category of “the practice of dentistry”, the General Dental Council (4) says:

The practice of dentistry is limited to GDC registrants. It is the Council’s view that applying materials and carrying out procedures designed to improve the aesthetic appearance of teeth amounts to the practice of dentistry. So too does the giving of clinical advice about such procedures. Therefore all tooth whitening procedures, including bleach and laser treatment, are seen as the practice of dentistry by the General Dental Council.

 

It is important to know the teeth whitening products contain an amount of peroxide, this peroxide can be dangerous if not used correctly and it is for this reason that we recommend you only visit a suitably qualified dental professional for your teeth whitening.

Home teeth whitening.

teeth-bleaching-tray-300x196When you have home teeth whitening you will be provided with a custom made and closed fitting bleaching tray, into this tray you will apply the bleaching gel which is held against your teeth.This bleaching tray has some unique features:

  1. It will be extremely close-fitting ensuring that you use the minimum amount of gel with each application, this means the gel goes further and lasts longer.
  2. The tray is customised for you, it can only be used by you.
  3. It will put a very slight amount of pressure around the tooth/gum margin. This is to create a seal in this area to prevent the peroxide gel from touching your sensitive gums.

These design features are extremely important to ensure that the treatment is not only effective but safe too, only a qualified dental professional is able to prescribe one of these trays.

Something to watch out for, the bleaching tray is made from a thermoplastic, this means you will need to keep tray away from hot/warm water as it could distort.

Restorative treatments such as veneers or crowns.

In some extreme cases with very dark teeth conventional teeth whitening is not able to lighten the teeth enough.

Before treatment
After treatment

As you can see from the case above these teeth were particularly dark and the patient wanted them particularly liked, there was also another complication, and existing Crown on the front tooth. Dental crowns and veneers cannot be lightened with teeth whitening techniques, so if you have an existing restoration then this will need to be replaced as part of the whitening process.

This lady wanted to improve her smile, have it more natural looking and whiter than it was before so we prepared her teeth for porcelain crowns to achieve an excellent result, what do you think?

>> Read more about this case here

Summary

Many times a combination of treatments can be used to whiten your teeth, you may have a single tooth which is too dark to whiten using the bleaching method, but we may be able to whiten the surrounding teeth and then use a single dental veneer or crown on the very dark tooth to whiten that the same shade.

The cost of teeth whitening treatments will also vary enormously depending on the complexity of your case. To give you an idea of dental fees please visit our fee guide. By far the cheapest way of maintaining unnaturally bright smile is to keep your teeth in excellent dental health. This will keep plaque at bay and ensure that the buildup of any staining on your teeth is kept to a minimum. The next most cost-effective method is to consider teeth bleaching however this is not always suitable for the reasons already stated.

Teeth Whitening References:

  1. “Evidence to Suggest That Teeth Act as Human Ornament Displays Signalling Mate Quality”  Colin A. Hendrie, Gayle Brewer  Published: July 31, 2012DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042178  http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0042178 site accessed 18/12/14
  2. Information on Plaque From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_plaque site accessed 18/12/14
  3. The Daily Mail: DIY dazzlers: High Street tooth whiteners put to the test Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1282977/DIY-dazzlers-High-Street-tooth-whiteners-test.htm site accessed 18/12/14
  4. General Dental Council : Tooth whitening Q and A’s. http://www.gdc-uk.org/dentalprofessionals/standards/pages/tooth-whitening.aspx site accessed 18/12/14

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Blue Court Dental Centre is a local dentist in the heart of Harrow, Middlesex. They offer a range of dental treatments including teeth whitening, dental veneers and oral hygiene programs to help keep your teeth looking fresh and bright for life.

Top Tips for People Wanting to Replace Missing Teeth

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

If you have missing teeth then there are a variety of reasons why you might want to replace them. Indeed, some people may not want to replace missing teeth and just leave the gaps so we are going to start this short article by explaining why you should consider replacing missing teeth. If you understand the reasons why replacing missing teeth is important (other than the obvious cosmetic reasons) then you may also be better placed to make the best decision about which option is right for you.

Preventing adjacent teeth from drifting.

Teeth drifting without replacing the one lostYour teeth are all in fine balance with one another, each tooth gently supports its neighbour which prevents it drifting. If you have a gap then that support is lost and the teeth either side of that gap can actually begin to move and drift into the space.

Preventing opposing teeth from over erupting.

The same applies with teeth on the opposing jaw. Having your teeth meet together on a regular basis during the day helps to keep them in the right place. If you have a tooth missing then it’s opposing tooth will have a tendency to over erupt and drift down into the gap.

The image to the right shows how both of these processes work. The black arrows show the drifting of the adjacent teeth and the opposing teeth, but why does this matter?

Drifting of teeth like this causes a few problems:

  • Cosmetic. Take a look at the gum line on the top jaw around where the tooth has moved in the image. The natural contour (known as gum architecture) of the gum line has changed which can cause aesthetic issues.
  • Bite problems. Your teeth are in fine balance with one another as you chew and eat. As you slide your jaw to the left and right the cusps of your teeth work in unison with one another. If you’re teeth move out of this fine balance the muscles of your jaw may have a tendency to overwork in order to compensate, by moving your jaw in a slightly different trajectory in order to eat.
  • Problems restoring the teeth later on. As the teeth move in the direction of the arrows the gap can become smaller and smaller. The adjacent teeth can drift and end up at such an angle that restoring them with either crowns or bridges at a later date can become difficult. Whilst this isn’t an immediate problem it can cause problems later on if you subsequently decide to replace the missing tooth with either a dental implant or bridge.

Your options to replace a missing tooth.

The replacing missing tooth is important as it prevents the problems above from occurring, but what is your best option? Let’s look at them in turn, your primary options are as follows:

  1. A dental bridge.
  2. A denture.
  3. A dental implant.

Dental Bridges.

dental-bridgeDental bridges have been around for many years now and are an excellent solution to replace missing teeth. They have an excellent lifespan, look fantastic and with modern techniques, should be indistinguishable from a natural teeth. There are however two problems with dental bridges.

  1. They often require reduction of the teeth either side of the gap. If these are healthy then reduction of healthy tooth tissue is required. Many dentists dislike doing this as they preferred to keep your natural teeth for as long as possible.
  2. The bone around where your tooth has been lost will continue to resorb over the years. Sometimes, this bone loss means that a gap forms underneath the false tooth of the breach. This can create a problem with speech, cosmetics and may become a food trap. In many instances remaking the breach to extend down to this new gum line is required, This can be an expensive option.

Dentures.

Dentures can also be used as a highly cost-effective way to replace missing teeth. They are often the cheapest option which makes them attractive to many people. Modern techniques can also make dentures look highly aesthetic and like dental bridges, be almost indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

The biggest disadvantage with dentures is that people often don’t like to have to remove them to clean them, they can affect the surrounding gum and cause ulcers if they don’t fit particularly well. Dentures need to be regularly maintained and so frequent visits to your dentist are required in order to ensure that your dentist days in excellent condition.

Dental implants.

Dental implant versus natural toothA dental implant is essentially a replacement for your natural tooth root. Once the dental implant is placed into your jaw a crown can be placed on top. These can look highly natural and be completely indistinguishable from your natural tooth. Whilst dental implants tend to have the highest initial outlay of all of the options to replace missing teeth they can be the best value solution over their lifetime.

Because a dental implant is actually placed into the bone the bone is supported. This means the bone loss which occurs with dentures and dental bridges does not happen, with the dental bridge or denture, when this bone loss occurs you may need to have the bridge or denture replaced. This can add to the cost of the overall tooth replacement. With a dental implant this doesn’t happen.

Many dental practices also offer interest-free finance for treatments such as dental implants allowing you to spread the cost over an extended period, this also makes the treatment much more affordable.

Further resources for dental implants.

The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry have a website with further information about dental implants and the likely costs. www.bacd.com

The Association of Dental Implants (ADI) Have a large resource library for patients, it includes answers to the most common questions and can be accessed here www.adi.org.uk

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Blue Court Dental Centre is a local dentist in the heart of Harrow, Middlesex offering a range of teeth replacement options including dentures, dental bridges and dental implants. They offer a free consultation for dental implants and have a free guide for immediate download which offers information and advice about replacing missing teeth.

Why You Should Have Straight Teeth, This Might Surprise You.

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

Presentation1One of the main reasons people decide to have orthodontic braces to get straighter teeth is because straight teeth look better, but from a purely dental and health point of view this is not the main reason you should consider straighter teeth. Did you know that straight teeth are easier to clean? And being easier to clean means they are healthier…

Irritable Bowl Disease

Recent research has shown a link between oral bacteria and a flareup of irritable bowel disease, The research identified that the bacteria invaded the bloodstream which then aggravated any existing irritable bowel causing the flareup, these bacteria are commonly found in the mouth! This research is linked to additional research which shows that the bacteria associated with gum disease and the more severe periodontitis can act as a keystone bacteria, this means their presence can instigate other processes and pathogens in the human body which can lead to Colon cancer and other inflammatory diseases.

So it’s clear that not only will keeping your teeth clean ensure that your teeth are healthy, it also helps to promote overall body health… So where do straight teeth fit in?

Straighter teeth are far easier to clean as you can get into those difficult to reach areas between your teeth. If your teeth are crooked or overlapping then it is harder to reach these areas, particularly with floss. This can lead to a buildup of these harmful bacteria which could eventually lead to the onset of other inflammatory diseases around the body.

So now that you know the importance of straighter teeth, let’s look at some of your options if you decide to have braces.

Option 1: Cfast

cfast Orthodontic braces with clear brackets and tooth coloured wiresCFast is one of the most modern option for orthodontic braces in our Harrow dental practice. These braces is a combination of tooth coloured wires and clear brackets to straighten the front 6 teeth on the top and bottom jaw only.

Because we are only straightening these front teeth we can move them much faster than standard braces which may also be moving the back teeth also. This makes CFast excellent for cosmetic orthodontics and also helps to straighten the teeth making them easier to clean.

 

 

 

Option 2: Six Month Smiles

Six Month Smiles is is one of those orthodontic systems which does exactly what it says on the tin, straighter teeth in approximately 6 months!

Before and after six month smiles

Once again, this is the modern alternative to classic train track braces and works with a trademarked clear bracket which is bonded due tooth.

These brackets are barely visible and are able to achieve a predictable result using low forces with short overall treatment times which means the treatment is more comfortable, safe and allows you to keep your teeth cleaner, which is great if your overall body health.

The results with six months miles can be quite amazing.

Option 3: Inman Aligner

Inman alignerThe Inman aligner offers an alternative type of orthodontic brace. Both of the options above are fixed orthodontics, the Inman aligner is a removable option. This has the advantage of being able to use different forces in the way of springs to move your teeth.

As you can see in this image these braces push and pull your teeth at the same time, working from inside your mouth and outside in unison with one another. This unique way of using braces means we can achieve a straighter smile in approximately 12 to 16 weeks, much faster than any other orthodontic system.

You would need to ensure that the where these braces for a minimum of 20 hours per day, removing them only to eat and clean your teeth. This means your commitment to wearing braces needs to be high with you strongly motivated to achieve your straighter smile.

Once again, the Inman aligner is only used for the front six teeth to straighten them out providing you with an easier to clean smile.

Option 4: Clear Braces

Clear bracesThese braces, once again, do exactly what they say on the tin, they are clear! These clear braces work by applying a small amount of pressure to your teeth in the direction required to move them. Once this small amount of movement has been achieved you will replace the removable clear brace with a new one. Typically replacing each race every two weeks.

Treatment times are approximately one year with this system, depending upon how much your teeth need to move. Once again we are normally only moving the front six teeth into a straighter alignment to achieve a more cosmetic result which is easier to keep clean.

As with the Inman aligner you will need to wear your clear braces for approximately 20 hours per day, only removing them to eat and clean your teeth. You can even continue to wear them in full view of the public, perhaps whilst teaching or giving a presentation, nobody else will ever know!

How to get orthodontic braces

We recommend that you do some research online before deciding which dentist to go to to have orthodontics. The systems described above require that your dentist is certified to use them, we suggest you ask to see this certification at your initial consultation. Many dentists offer an initial consultation either at a discounted rate or for free, do spend some time looking at their website to see if this is on offer at the dental practice local to you.

We also recommend that you ask the dentist for a series of reviews of their practice, this will leave you with peace of mind knowing that you have found a practice that other people like.

A good dentist should also have a range of before and after photographs to show you, please ask to see them when you go for your initial consultation. The photographs should be presented nicely and you should clearly be able to see the difference between the before treatment and after treatment photographs. Seeing these images allows you to know that the dentist you have found can actually do what they say they can and achieve the results that you want. Most dentists will have a range of photographs, so asked to see photographs which are similar to your own situation.

If you live in the Harrow HA1 area of Middlesex Then why not pop in to see us on the Watford Road. We are a modern dental practice offering a range of orthodontic braces to help you achieve a straighter and healthier smile… And we also offer a free consultation to anyone considering braces, please click here to download a voucher entitling you to this free assessment.

My Sweet Treats

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

IMG_7465 IMG_7467

This young gentleman came to us when he started noticing something very odd about his tooth.  It appeared to be changing colour.  It started off as a greyish shadow, and as months went by,  it became darker and more obvious.  A large groove had developed and every time the patient laughed or smiled, he would raise his hands to cover his mouth (picture 1).  For a very sociable young man, his confidence had started to drop.

After a consultation between the patient and Dr Dixit, it was found that the patient had a high sugar diet consisting of fizzy drinks, cakes and biscuits.  The frequency of the sugary foods and the inability to clean affectively caused his tooth to decay close to the gum margin.  To restore this badly decayed tooth,  the decay was cleaned out (picture 2)  and replaced with  a composite tooth coloured filling material (picture 3) .

IMG_7469

The  filling material blended in with the patients existing tooth colour.  The patient was very pleased with the result.  His confidence had been regained and he no longer covered his mouth when he laughed.  He felt very proud and happy to show off  his natural looking new tooth.

Practice Update

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

Dr Nishan Dixit recently attended The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s (AACD) annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, USA.

The conference, AACD 2014, took place April 30-May 3 and was the Academy’s 30th anniversary scientific session. Dr Nishan Dixit had access to multiple hands-on workshops and lectures during the conference, which was attended by an estimated 1,700 dental professionals.

The conference is cosmetic dentistry’s premier event, with some of the world’s most well-known dental educators, live dentistry, access to the latest cosmetic dentistry innovations in the AACD Exhibit Hall, and much more.

Dr James Hastings, the current AACD President said:

“By attending AACD 2014, Dr Dixit is not only showing his commitment to education and the cosmetic dentistry field, but to his patients, the education he received in Orlando will help him provide the best care to those he cares about the most.”