Dental Blog - Kings Dental Clinic

Smoking: what it does to your mouth

When you think of the harm that smoking tobacco causes, you probably worry most about lung cancer. Maybe you think that as long as you come along for bi-annual check-ups and a good clean-up from the hygienist that, as far as your oral health is concerned, you don’t need to worry too much.

Smoking Cessation in Hammersmith As dentists, the team at Kings Dental Clinic in Hammersmith gets to see close up what smoking tobacco does to the inside of your mouth, and it’s bad, very bad. The problem with tobacco smoke is that it affects your blood vessels, constricting them, and this cuts down on vital supplies of oxygen to your gums.

Gum disease

When your gums are not getting enough oxygen to keep them healthy, they are far more susceptible to gum disease, which is caused by the acids from plaque attacking first your gums and then bone underneath and your tooth roots.

Smoking makes your oxygen-deprived gums recede more quickly, exposing the tooth roots. Tooth roots are not covered in protective enamel like the crowns of your teeth are. The acids from plaque can damage them far more easily.

Oral cancer

Smoking also plays a bit part in mouth cancers, the incidence of which is on the rise. The toxic chemicals from the smoke get into the cells in the soft parts of the mouth and change them to make them grow out of control into tumours. And if you drink as well as smoke, it’s even worse because the toxins in the smoke get dissolved in the alcohol in your mouth and this makes it even easier for them to pass through the membranes into your cells.

Unkissable

Also, your breath smells terrible (cigarettes and coffee is a particularly nasty breath combo) and your brown stained teeth and tongue can severely limit your chances on the dating scene.

Isn’t it about time you stopped? Come to us at Kings Dental Clinic in Hammersmith and we can help with our smoking cessation advice and support. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the conditions in your mouth improve, and what’s going on in your mouth is an indicator of what’s going on in your body.

Good roots? Get crowns

As dentists in the 21^st Century, our main aim is to help you to hang onto your teeth for as long as you can. Whereas in the past, dentists couldn’t wait to pull your teeth out and give you the latest in dentures, nowadays we know that your tooth roots are invaluable for two reasons. They stop your teeth wobbling around when you eat and speak, and they also keep your jawbone cells in a state of constant renewal, so that your jawbone is big and strong.

Dental Crowns in Hammersmith We have a good range of techniques for helping you keep your teeth here at Kings Dental and one of them is dental crowns. In Hammersmith, these little treasures in our toolkit have a long and illustrious history. Crowns have been used in dentistry since the Etruscans (the people who lived in Tuscany in ancient times) had to find ways to repair their teeth, no doubt after chomping down on olive stones.

What is a dental crown?

The dental crown is a porcelain cover that goes over the entire surface of the any tooth that has suffered a trauma of some kind, or have had a large filling, or have had root canal treatment. The crown is fitted over the remains of the tooth, which may have to be shaped first, and this strengthens and protects it from further damage.

Getting a crown fitted

This usually needs 2 appointments. At the first appointment, we examine and prepare the tooth. We check the tooth roots and bone around it are healthy, which may mean taking x-rays. If they are, we can go onto the next stage.

Next, we give you a local anaesthetic, before filing down the tooth to make room for the crown. If, on the other hand, you have hardly any tooth left to start with, we can we will rebuild it up so that it can support the crown. Next, we take an impression of your tooth. This is used to make the crown out of porcelain that is colour-matched to your teeth. We fit it at the next appointment, cementing it in place.

So your teeth look fab, how’s your face doing?

Have you ever done up one room in the house only to find that now it’s had a fresh coat of paint and a new carpet that other rooms are looking rather tired and worn in comparison? It can be a bit like that with teeth: you invest in getting that fabulous new smile: whitening, veneers, maybe even cosmetic braces and, all of a sudden, the face that frames them is looking a bit on the tired side.

Facial Aesthetics in Hammersmith It can be a bit disheartening, getting older, but there are ways to freshen up your face with facial aesthetics treatments that are not permanent and don’t involve surgery. Here at Kings Dental Clinic in Hammersmith, we provide a range of facial aesthetics treatments.

As well as Botox, which relaxes wrinkles formed by habitually contracting certain muscles, and dermal fillers, which plump wrinkles, hollows and flattened top lips, we also offer:

Thread lifts

Thread lifts use a synthetic fibre that dissolves under the skin called polydioxanone (PDO) to lift the face. We insert several PDO fibres into the dermatological layer of the skin to stimulate the production of collagen and help improve the look of sagging skin, wrinkles, jowls, forehead wrinkles and to improve the definition of the jawline. Treatment takes about half an hour and is administered under a local anaesthetic. Treatments last about 10 months, but can last longer if you have 2 further treatments done.

Platelet rich plasma therapy

Also known as the Vampire face lift, for this we take some of your blood and mix it with a dermal filler before injecting it back into your skin to bring your collagen and elastin back to life, while also removing damaged cells from your skin. You may be a bit bruised for a few days after treatment, but after 3-4 weeks, you will begin to see a reduction in wrinkles, an improvement in skin tone and texture and better skin hydration. The improvements should continue for up to 3-6 months and the treatment lasts about a year.

We also offer mesotherapy. Why not come in for a consultation and find out which treatments, or combination of treatments, would work best for you?

Hollywood comes to Hammersmith

What do you see whenever you look at a picture of a movie star? Unless, it’s Shrek or Jaws, you see a human being with a wonderful set of teeth that line up harmoniously to create a smile that the rest of humanity can only dream of. Or at least, that’s how it used to be.

But cosmetic dentistry in Hammersmith with us at Kings Dental Clinic is every bit as good as anything you will find in the movies. You can be your own movie star as far as your smile is concerned.

Cosmetic Dentistry in Hammersmith At Kings Dental Clinic, we have a wide range of cosmetic dentistry treatments. You can have treatments as and when you feel the need, or you can go for a full smile makeover, which involves an in-depth consultation and assessment of your teeth, gums, lips and face so that we can create a smile that brings out all your natural fabulousness.

We can even get you ready for really important occasions when you will be making memories to last a lifetime and preserving them in photos and videos.

Wedding day smile packages

Getting ready for a wedding can take months and months, and so can getting a great smile. So, if you are going to be in a wedding party, whether you will be the bride, the groom, a bridesmaid, best man, usher or parent, it’s a good idea to schedule in time to get your smile wedding-ready as well as your wardrobe.

We offer a range of packages so that you can pick the one that best suits your dental needs and suits the role you need to fulfil on the big day.

Our silver package gives you a great polish and home-whitening kit.

Our gold package offers the above plus facial rejuvenation.

Our platinum package includes a full smile makeover and our diamond package even has dental implants and endodontic treatment in it.

Take a look at our smile packages on the cosmetic dentistry pages. The prices are there too and you will find that there are discounts when bride and groom both have treatments, and even bigger discounts when more members of the wedding party come along too.

Time to brighten up that smile

Have you got a list of great events lined up this summer that you’ve had to buy wonderful new clothes for? Do you expect to be in a lot of selfies as well as those official photographs that can spend decades on people’s mantlepieces? Your clothes will look wonderful but are your teeth up to scratch, or will you be having to smile with your mouth closed so that your discolourations are not recorded for posterity?

That would be a great shame when getting teeth whitening in Hammersmith with your friendly team at Kings Dental Clinic is so easy. Teeth whitening is great for removing surface stains from tea, coffee, red wine, various berries and other highly pigmented food, as well as tobacco. If you’ve been going to the hygienist hoping to come out with all your staining removed and that hasn’t been the case, then come in for whitening.

How does teeth whitening work?

The active ingredient in teeth whitening gel is hydrogen peroxide, which as you can see from the chemical formula is water with an extra oxygen molecule. It’s been in use for about 200 years as a safe way to bleach things like clothes and hair and also as disinfectant. When it goes on stained teeth it works its way into the pores and gently lifts out stains, which are molecules of whatever it was you ingested built up over the years.

We offer two kinds of whitening here in Kings Dental Clinic. If time is of the essence, you can have your whitening done in the dental chair in an appointment that takes about an hour. We protect your gums and lips with plastic barriers and brush the gel onto your teeth. It is activated by a lamp and you just relax until the bleaching has reached the shade you require.

You can also do teeth whitening at home using a milder gel, which you put into custom-made tooth trays and wear for a few hours each day. This way takes about two weeks, but the plus is you now have trays that you can use for top-up treatments.

Dental phobia explained

When you think about visiting the dentist, what is your immediate reaction? Do you feel like it’s a necessary chore? Or do you have a level of anxiety? If it’s the latter, you are not alone. There are many patients who feel concern over visiting the dentist. Of these, a number experience dental phobia, which can be debilitating and can spill over into other areas of life. At Kings Dental Clinic Hammersmith, dental phobia is something we help patients with regularly.

How can dental phobia affect your life?

People who suffer from dental phobia generally avoid the dentist. This avoidance behaviour can mean that they restrict their life experiences so that they do not do anything that has a chance of affecting their teeth. Some people experience a fear of anything going in or near their mouth due to associations with dental treatment.

Often, someone with dental phobia is eventually forced to go to the dentist due to a problem with their teeth. This happens quite frequently because they don’t have a long-term relationship with a dentist who is monitoring their oral health and stopping any problems getting to an advanced stage. When they eventually have to go, it is a very difficult experience for them that can be accompanied by any number of symptoms including sweating, panic attacks, shortness of breath, high blood pressure and so on.

How can we help?

At Kings Dental Clinic, we encourage you to act now if you have dental phobia. We can support you during a visit to the dentist. It is easier if you can face the issue without additional dental issues getting in the way. We do what we can to adapt the environment at our practice to make you more comfortable. We have an open dialogue with you, so we can understand your needs and give you the information you need to feel in control. You may also be able to take advantage of extra sedation methods for some procedures. Once you start having easier experiences at the dentist, you may find that you are able to get past your fear completely. Visiting the dentist can then become an empowering situation for you.

Make time for your teeth

Do you find that your lifestyle is so that busy that you can actually forget to look after your teeth? If that seems to be the case and you neglect brushing your teeth regularly, it is important to remind yourself of the impact that it will have on your oral health. Set an alarm, treat it as a ritual or do whatever it takes to dedicate a small amount of time to teeth that can be white, fresh and ready to smile.

Oral Health in Hammersmith At Kings Dental Clinic, we find that check-ups are useful for our patients. We are able to advise them on what the best hygiene routine might be for them, discussing the diets, tooth brushes and mouthwash. Once you know all about it, you can do it! Maintaining constantly good oral health is simply part of the morning and nightly routines, alongside the familiarities of taking a shower, eating breakfast and going to sleep.

Healthy means happy

In Hammersmith, oral health may be on your mind if you are starting to notice problems with your teeth. Poor oral health can lead to complications like gum disease and tooth decay. If it gets to the point where someone calls you out on bad breath or overly-stained teeth, that’s when you know something needs to be done. By coming to us as early as possible, our dentists can work to prevent further issues from arising, such as gingivitis.

Daily habits such as smoking can cause a fair bit of damage to your oral health, which is why our practice offers support to inform you of the risks and help you quit if you desire. In stopping smoking, your oral health would benefit greatly and give you the chance to have a long-lasting grin.

Our dentists at Kings Dental Clinic provide a range of treatments that work to both treat and prevent oral diseases in your mouth. Dental hygiene treatment involves a vigorous clean of the teeth, scaling and polishing to restore teeth ridden with plaque. While it may seem tedious, it’s so beneficial and the dentist will advise you on brushing techniques and how to get the most out of your floss!

Not just cosmetic

The dentistry profession talks about cosmetic orthodontics like getting your teeth straightened was simply a matter of looking better, but the truth is that straight teeth tend to stay stronger and healthier for longer.

Here at Kings Dental Clinic, the reason we talk about cosmetic orthodontics in Hammersmith is because people with mild to moderate misalignments will be able to eat and speak okay without being in great pain. But even if this is so, if you have crowded or crossing teeth, there are all sorts of nooks and crannies in which plaque can build up. And that’s the last thing you want because plaque is what ruins your teeth and gums. Plaque is the name for that sticky layer that builds up on your teeth. If you smeared some on a microscope you’d be able to see thousands of bacteria, feeding on the sugars in your mouth and giving off acid.

Your mouth on acid

It’s the acid that does the damage. It eats away at the protective coating of enamel on your teeth. If it makes a hole, the next thing that happens is that bacteria can in through the hole and start eating away at the dentin and pulp inside. This is what dental decay is. Fixing it requires filling, or if it doesn’t get fixed, infection can follow, which can lead to root canal therapy, or even extraction.

As well as decay, the acid from plaque is responsible for gum disease. This starts off with inflammation of the gums, but when it pulls away from the teeth to form pockets, the acid can start to attack the bone underneath, and this can loosen your teeth in their sockets and they may even have to be removed. Advanced gum disease is very hard to get rid of. Best not to get it in the first place.

Cosmetic braces

Braces that are designed to correct mild to moderate misalignments are generally smaller and more discreet. Some are even as good as invisible. They tend to use gentler forces and because the teeth don’t need to move all that much to straighten up, treatment can take from a matter of weeks to a few months.

Take control of your oral health with a full mouth rehabilitation in Hammersmith

Patients who have sustained extensive damage to their mouth due to an accident or other causes, can now take advantage of a full mouth rehabilitation. This holistic treatment involves the individual recreation of each tooth in the mouth where the enamel is worn, broken, extensively decayed or simply missing. Patients who opt for a full mouth rehabilitation either want to enhance their look or simply want to improve the quality of their life.

Full Mouth Rehabilitation in Hammersmith At Kings Dental Clinic in Hammersmith, a full mouth rehabilitation will help you restore your smile using durable materials. Our well-educated and highly experienced dentists will examine your teeth and gums thoroughly and create a unique treatment plan for your individual needs. Your customised treatment plan will allow you to restore health, beauty, and function to your mouth in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible.

What does the process involve?

The ultimate goal of a full mouth rehabilitation treatment is to properly align the jaw in a stable position through the rebuilding of damaged and missing teeth. The process starts with a thorough examination of the mouth, including the jawbone, and may include taking x-ryas of your teeth. During your consultation appointment, you will also discuss your individual dental problems as well as the treatment options available to restore the functionality of your bite.

Depending on your individual case, treatment may involve the use of veneers, crowns, bridges, dentures or dental implants. In many cases, removable orthotic splints are used at first to evaluate changes in your bite and assure that everything is carefully planned before proceeding to the final treatment. The length of treatment time depends on the individual needs and clinical requirements of each patient.

Overall, a full mouth reconstruction requires multiple dental visits and some amount of healing time between treatments. Our dentists will work closely with you to determine which procedure or combination of procedures is necessary to restore and rebuild your smile.

Get in touch

To learn more about a full mouth rehabilitation and how it can enhance your smile, give our surgery a call today and we will book a consultation appointment for you.

Prosthodontics: the science and art of replacing missing teeth

Even the loss of one tooth affects your other teeth, your jaw, and even your overall health eventually. Firstly, its corresponding tooth on the opposing jaw no longer has anything to bite against. Secondly, it can destabilise your other teeth, which can start to drift, tip into the gap and maybe even fall out.

At Kings Dental in Hammersmith, we have seen what can result from one lost tooth, and we always recommend getting a replacement for your missing tooth.

Prosthodontics in Hammersmith

Prosthodontics in Hammersmith Dentistry has long been concerned with replacing missing teeth. Prosthodontics is the name of the branch of dentistry that focuses on artificial replacements for missing teeth. There are several kinds to choose from these days, thanks to advances in dental research. You can choose between a fixed or removable replacement for the crown, or a replacement for both root and crown.

The fixed bridge

There are several kinds of bridges. The traditional bridges involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic (replacement tooth) in between. The most common type of bridge is made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics. We use cantilever bridges if you only have teeth on one side of the gap. Maryland bonded bridges (also called a resin-bonded bridge or a Maryland bridge) are made of plastic teeth and gums supported by a metal framework. Metal wings on each side of the bridge are bonded to your existing teeth. Bridges can last 5 — 15 years, depending on how well you take care of them.

Dentures

Dentures (or false teeth) are removable replacements for missing teeth. They tend to be made of either acrylic or porcelain for the crowns. They rely on suction to the gums for support for chewing. Complete dentures are used to replace all the teeth, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.

Dental implants

Dental implants are inserted into the jaw. They are titanium posts or screws onto which we attach single or several teeth. They can replace dentures, or be used to stabilise dentures. They are not available on the NHS. When looked after, they can last a lifetime.