Dental Blog - Farnham Road Dental Practice

Easy steps to a whiter smile

Do you wish you had a brighter smile? Has natural discoloration occurred with your teeth that you would like to reverse? Would you like a simple, safe solution? If the answer is yes then Farnham Road Dental Practice is for you. We are pleased to offer the fantastic results of Enlighten Whitening in Guildford.

enlighten-whitening-Guildford We can guide you through the process and offer this effective product to get whiter teeth in a short time period with very little maintenance required for a long lasting effect.

How does it work?

Your dentist will discuss your requirements with you and check your suitability for Enlighten Whitening. You can also choose how white you would like to go. There is a gradient of shades to choose from and you can decide what will be natural and comfortable for you you are in control.

After that, its a simple matter of taking an impression of your teeth which will be used to custom make trays for you to wear on a night.

Initially, you will need to wear the trays every night for 14 days to see the results you want. After that, one or two nights a month will help to make the effect last indefinitely. Your dentist will also advise on proper care and oral hygiene to ensure your treatment has longevity. They will supply a tooth serum for you to use which will also be helpful.

Are there any drawbacks?

If you have crowns or veneers, these will not whiten and therefore may need to be replaced depending on their visibility and the variation in shade between the implants and the new shade of your teeth.

Otherwise, Enlighten Whitening in Guildford uses materials that have been used in dentistry for over 100 years. You may experience some sensitivity after use but your dentist will provide you with a desensitising swab that you can use at home and which will work immediately.

Why choose us?

As a stockist of Enlighten Whitening in Guildford, we are experienced in providing this product and guiding patients through the process from start to finish. Farnham Road Dental Practice can give you accurate information to help you make the right choices for you and your look.

Increase your confidence with a brighter smile

You know how you want your smile to look and its just not there at the moment. For whatever reason, the shade of your teeth does not match what you think is best for you.

teeth-whitening-Guildford There is a solution and it is easy, fast and safe. You can give yourself a confidence boost and a new lease on life with Enlighten Whitening in Guildford.

At Farnham Road Dental Practice, we are here to help you achieve the look you want in a way that is simple and effective.

Great what do I do now?

First, visit us here at the clinic in Guildford. Enlighten Whitening offers a range of shades of white for you to choose from so you can decide how much you want to change the look of your teeth. Natural teeth are not bright white and so we offer you the chance to choose where on the spectrum you want to be. Your dentist will discuss this with you and then make arrangements to move to the next step.

A set of custom made trays are formed from an impression the dentist will take from your teeth. They are sent back to us here in Guildford. Enlighten Whitening shape them so that you can wear them each night for 14 days and then for one day each month to achieve and maintain your look.

The dentist will also note down any crowns or veneers you might have, as these do not get lightened. Depending on the shade you have chosen and where they are located in your mouth, you may wish to have these changed.

Its perfectly normal after treatment to feel some sensitivity. You will be given some desensitising wipes to deal with this immediately at home if this occurs. You will also have some tooth serum to take home and use which will also help.

Why choose Farnham Road Dental Practice?

We help you make informed choices by working in partnership with you every step of the way. We know that changes like teeth whitening are important to people and we are with you from consultation through treatment and aftercare.

We want to give you the best possible advice to ensure that you get the results you want and that they last indefinitely.

Why dental implants are the best long-term solution to tooth loss

There is only one way to permanently replace your missing teeth, and that is by using dental implants. At The Guildford Dentist we can use implants combined with dentures, crowns, or a dental bridge to replace anything from one to all of your natural teeth.

dental-implants-guildford Implants replace the root portions of any missing teeth, not just making sure your new teeth stay firmly in your mouth at all times, but also helping to stop the jaw bone shrinking. When the natural tooth roots are missing for any period of time, the jaw bone begins to resorb, which causes traditional dentures to become loose as well as having the potential to change the entire structure of your face, making you look old before your time.

Dental implants are titanium tooth roots that support bone growth. This means they are the most secure and most long-term solution to missing teeth. They are placed in direct contact with your jaw bone during a minor oral surgical procedure, which most people only need local anaesthetic for.

Once your implants are in position, a process called osseointegration begins, which sees your implants mesh with your jaw bone. In the first few days after surgery, you may experience mild discomfort, which can be managed by over-the-counter pain relief. This usually doesn’t last long, and most people return to regular activities the day after implant placement.

Your dentist may attach temporary teeth during the healing period, so you don’t need to worry about being left toothless. Alternatively, if you wear standard dentures, you should be able to keep using them during healing, after your dentist has adjusted them.

Once your new teeth are attached, you will enjoy all the functionality of a second set of natural adult teeth. This means that you will be able to eat whatever you like, with no foods off menu. You can speak clearly and confidently, and can enjoy an active social life without fear of slipping dentures spoiling a fun day out.

Dental implants and the new teeth attached to them require prudent dental hygiene and regular visits to the dental practice. Your hygienist will teach you how to clean your teeth effectively.

Using dental implants to end your denture woes

Dental implants are a permanent and effective solution to missing teeth. At The Guildford Dentist we have helped many people to overcome their struggle with traditional dentures by using implants to stabilise them. Read on to find out how you, too, could soon be reaping the benefits of denture stabilisation. . .

dental-implants-guildford A dental implant is a bionic tooth root that is placed directly in your jaw bone under local anaesthetic. Because of the intricate planning undertaken by your dentist prior to implant placement, it is a pretty simple procedure from the point of view of a patient, and most people say that it is much more bearable than having a tooth taken out.

As soon as the implants are in place, they begin to integrate with the jaw bone. This process, which is known as osseointegration, ensures that your new teeth will stay firmly in position, as well as helping to keep your jaw bone healthy and strong.

A shrinking jaw bone is the primary reason behind common denture woes. As the bone shrinks back, dentures that once fitted perfectly become increasingly loose and unwieldy. This can cause a range of problems, including:

Difficulty eating a healthy diet and getting proper nutrition, if dentures become painful or awkward to use
Problems with the clarity of speech, altered speech
Damaged body confidence and an impact on your social life if you fear your teeth will fall out
Increased risk of oral thrush, and denture sore mouth as you false teeth rub your gums

Using dental implants to stabilise your dentures will put a stop to all these problems, and will provide you with a fully functional set of new teeth that will look and act like natural teeth, and will stay firmly in your mouth at all teams, enabling you to get back to enjoying an active social life.

A series of dental implants are placed in your jaw, and after the healing period is caused your dentist will attach your new dentures on top. In most cases you will be able to wear your old dentures during healing, after adjustment.

Using dental implants to stabilise your dentures

Dentures of one form or another have been used for several centuries as a method of replacing natural teeth. The modern versions are highly realistic in terms of both function and appearance, and will behave very much like your natural teeth. However, many denture wearers still experience problems with fit.

dental-implants-guildford It is increasingly common these days for a dentist to use dental implants to stabilise your dentures. The Guildford Dentist has a skilled implantology team who have successfully placed many implants, giving patients back the freedom of a jaw full of natural teeth. If your dentures are currently making you frown, why not book a consultation at our Guildford clinic to see how denture stabilisation could help?

The problem with traditional dentures

Traditional dentures are effective at replacing the crowns of lost natural teeth, but do nothing to replace the tooth roots. When those roots are missing for a considerable period of time, the jaw bone is likely to resorb or shrink back, which is the primary reason behind the most common denture woes.

A shrinking jaw bone will make dentures that once fitted well become increasingly loose. This can make it difficult to eat anything other than soft foods, seriously limiting your diet and your ability to maintain good nutrition, which can have many negative consequences for your general health and wellbeing.

Loose dentures may also affect your ability to speak clearly, and if they develop a habit of slipping or falling out entirely in public, you may find your confidence plummeting and your social life severely curtailed.

Resorbtion of the jaw bone has other consequences, too; the skin around the lower face and jowls may start to sag, and in some cases the whole structure of your face can change.

How dental implants can help

Dental implants are titanium tooth roots placed in direct contact with your jaw bone. They form a bond akin to that of natural roots and actively prevent bone loss.

Your dentures will be securely attached on top and you will once again be able to eat what you choose, to smile, speak, laugh, and socialise with confidence.

Using dental implants to replace your missing teeth

Dental implants give your dentist a permanent way to replace your missing teeth. At The Guildford Dentist we have a skilled team of implantologists who can use implants to replace one, some, or even all of your natural teeth, no matter why you’ve lost them.

dental-implants As well as restoring aesthetic beauty to your smile, dental implants will give you back all the functionality of a natural jaw of healthy teeth. You will once again be able to enjoy eating a healthy diet, including the occasional favourite treat, will be able to speak with clarity and smile with confidence.

Whether missing teeth or slipping dentures have been making your life a misery, choosing dental implants from our Guildford clinic will let you get back to enjoying life.

The dental implants process

The majority of patients at our Guildford dental practice only need local anaesthetic for the placement of implants. Thanks to the intricate planning that your dentist will do prior to implant placement – including using x-rays and CT scans as necessary to help with diagnosis and treatment planning – implant surgery is actually fairly straightforward from a patient’s perspective.

Your dentist will ensure that your implants are perfectly placed to support your new teeth and to withstand all the forces generated by biting and chewing food in just the same way that natural teeth do.

To replace one tooth, your dentist will place a single dental implant and – after a healing period of approximately three months – will attach a crown, which will be colour matched to the natural shade of your teeth.

For the replacement of several or all of the teeth in one or both of your jaws, your dentist will place the required number of implants and may attach a dental bridge or a denture. The good news is that in the majority of cases you will not need as many implants as teeth. Thanks to the positioning and angling of your implants, several teeth can be supported by a few implants – commonly between four and eight dental implants can fully support a full arch of teeth in bridge or denture form.

What Will Happen During a New Patient Examination?

Signing up with a new dentist is quite a big decision to make so you need to make sure you get it right. We think The Guilford Dentist is a great dental practice and all the staff work very hard to ensure patients are warmly welcomed.

Nervous Patients Are Especially Welcome

We especially welcome nervous patients and if this applies to you then please talk to our friendly receptionist when booking your appointment with Dr Paul Cunningham or with another of our dentists in Guilford. We understand this can be a difficult first step to take, but you can rest assured we’ll do everything possible to make sure treatment is as stress-free as it can be. Please remember the first appointment is only an examination so our dentists will just want to take a look at your mouth and won’t provide any treatment at this stage. Some of our patients are people who had not visited the dentist for decades and who are now able to enjoy the benefits of good oral health.

A new patient examination can take a bit longer to complete than a standard examination. This is because there can be forms to fill out and we will need to know a bit about your medical history. Your medical history is important because it can affect your dental health, and certain prescriptions or health problems may cause side effects such as dry mouth or a lack of saliva. This can increase the risk of gum disease and tooth decay, and could mean that our dentists will want to take extra precautions to try to keep you in good dental health. You’ll also probably need to have some dental x-rays. These help your dentist in Guilford assess your oral health more fully and enable them to see if you have any problems such as untreated tooth decay, infections or bone loss. If you are switching dentists and recently had a set of dental x-rays then it might be worth seeing if you can have these transferred as they might be adequate.

Once your examination is complete your dentist will discuss any findings with you, and if necessary will work out a treatment plan for you. The treatment plan is a detailed breakdown of any procedures required, including the costs. Your dentist in Guilford will take you through all the different options available and will explain any treatments that are necessary. It can often be quite tricky to take in all the information provided, especially if you feel a bit nervous at the time. We do understand this and don’t mind explaining things again!

We take patient education very seriously and want you to understand what needs to be done as much as possible. The great thing is, that once any necessary treatments have been completed then you’ll probably find it pretty easy to maintain your oral health through regular check-ups and professional cleanings at The Guilford Dentist. Our dental team can also offer advice on the best way to look after your teeth and gums at home. Regular dental care is hugely advantageous, not only for helping to keep your smile nice and healthy, but also for helping to protect your general health. An increasing number of diseases are being linked to poor oral health.

Is Your Baby Teething Yet?

The first year of life is filled with many milestones, one of which is cutting that first tooth. Most babies will get their first tooth between four months and seven months of age, but this can vary. Their teeth began developing before they were born, and will generally begin to erupt in pairs. The first is to arrive are usually the two lower front teeth, followed by the two upper front teeth. After this all the teeth will gradually erupt until your child has a complete set of 20 milk or primary teeth. These will last until the adult teeth or permanent teeth are ready to come through, and this generally happens around the age of six.

children-teeth New parents will usually find it pretty easy to identify when that first tooth is coming through, as babies can become more irritable and fussier in the few weeks beforehand. It might even be possible to see a slight bump in the gum where the tooth is almost ready to push through. In addition there are likely to be a number of other symptoms which can include:

Being less interested in food
Having trouble sleeping
Developing a slight fever
Becoming more likely to drool
Diarrhoea

Some of these symptoms can be associated with illness, so it’s always important to talk to your GP if they last for more than a few days or if they seem to be causing your baby extreme discomfort.

Helping Your Baby Teethe More Comfortably

The symptoms of teething can be quite uncomfortable, so if you notice your baby beginning to bite down or chew on anything they can, then it can be helpful to supply them with a cool teething ring or even a cold washcloth as the pressure created by biting down helps relieve some of the discomfort. Other things that can be helpful include supplying them with a bottle of cold water or chilled foods if your baby is old enough to eat some solids. It can even help to just rub their gums with a clean finger.

Once the first tooth has pushed through then contact us to make an appointment with one of our dentists in Guilford. We know it might seem very early for that first dental visit, but it’s really just a quick check to make sure everything is developing normally. In addition we can give you advice on how to look after those baby teeth to ensure they remain strong and healthy until they are ready to be replaced. Some parents think because these teeth are temporary but they don’t really matter, but this is not the case at all and in fact they’ve got a vitally important role to play in your baby’s development.

Healthy milk teeth can help ensure the adult teeth can erupt straight and true through holding open the correct amount of space for the adult teeth. They’ll also make it much easier for your child to be able to learn to speak clearly so they can communicate well with others, and to eat properly. Young children need a diet that contains plenty of vitamins and minerals that are generally found in a wide variety of foods. Being able to bite and chew these foods properly will ensure all the nutrients can be absorbed by the body.

Using dental implants to stabilise your dentures

Dentists have used dentures of some form or another for centuries to replace missing teeth. Modern dentures are more comfortable, realistic-looking and natural-acting than ever before, but a lot of people still experience problems.

dental-implants That’s where dental implants come in. At our Guildford dental practice we recommend using implants to stabilise your dentures, thus avoiding many of the common issues denture wearers report.

What are the common issues with dentures, and how do dental implants solve them?

If you have been wearing traditional dentures for any length of time, you are likely to have experienced problems as your false teeth that once fitted so well become increasingly loose and uncomfortable. This can affect your diet, potentially limiting you to only soft foods or liquid meals, and can also have an impact to speech. You may well have seen “comedy” videos in which an unfortunate person’s dentures fall out in public – if you are experiencing loose dentures this is unlikely to make you laugh and could leave you miserable.

The main reason behind these problems is that standard dentures only replace the crowns of the teeth. Without anything to replace the roots, your jaw bone is likely to start shrinking back, which can make previously well-fitting dentures become loose, unwieldy, and uncomfortable.

Dental implants help to prevent this problem because they replace the tooth roots. They are in direct contact with your jaw bone and they are osteoconductive, which means they support bone growth and help to prevent bone loss. They will hold your dentures firmly in place so that they only come out when you want them to, and you can eat, speak, and laugh with confidence once more.

Denture stabilisation involves placing the required number of implants in your jaw (usually between four and eight to support a full arch of dentures) and attaching your dentures to them. You will still be able to take them out to clean, but otherwise they will stay where they should be.

Dental implants: an investment in your smile

Dental implants are an excellent solution for patients with one or more missing teeth. Placed in direct contact with your jaw bone, implants don’t just restore your confidence in your smile, they also give you back your ability to eat what you like, without the restrictions of standard dentures, and can help to prevent the issue of bone resorbtion.

dental-implants At our Guildford dental practice, our skilled implantology team can use dental implants to replace one, some, or even all of your natural teeth. If you have lost one or more teeth for whatever reason, or if your natural teeth are failing, come in for a consultation with an implant dentist to learn more about how we can help you to get your smile back.

Whilst dental implants may initially seem more expensive than traditional dentures and bridges, at our Guildford clinic we prefer to see them as an investment in your smile. It’s important to remember that implants are the only permanent way a dentist can replace natural teeth; with a success rate upwards of 90%, so long as you look after them and visit your dentist regularly for maintenance appointments, dental implants could last the rest of your life.

Placement of implants requires a small operation, but this is nothing to be nervous about. Implant surgery is meticulously planned using the latest 3D software, thus enabling your dentist to ensure your implants are in exactly the right position not just to fully support your new teeth, but also to avoid nerves and other vital structures. Most people only need local anaesthetic for implant placement, which is often described by patients as being far more bearable than a tooth extraction.

Once your implants are in place, they will be left to integrate with your jaw bone for a few months. Then you’ll be called back to our Guildford dental centre for your permanent new teeth – a bridge, dentures, or a crown – to be attached.