Losing teeth can occur at any time as the result of an accident or a period of poor oral health. Hopefully it is something that most people will never have to deal with but if it does happen then you will have to have your missing teeth replaced with something. Even if you have only lost one tooth it is imperative that you replace it. The adjacent teeth which surround a gap will shift into the vacant position and compromise the alignment of your bite. If you have lost more than one tooth then eating and drinking can become problematized and your cheeks might begin to sag inwards.

Dental bridges are a tried and tested method of replacing lost teeth. Usually used in cases of single tooth loss, they can also be combined with dental implants in cases of multiple tooth loss too. The principle of dental bridge work is that a replacement tooth is attached to the surrounding teeth using a strong dental composite.

In each case, the dentist will examine the area and determine which type of dental bridge is to be utilised. This is important because in each situation, a slightly different type of bridge may need to be employed. If the missing tooth is at the front of the mouth then your dentist will be concerned to conceal the bonding from view when you smile. In other cases the dental bridge might only be possible on one side, if one of the adjacent teeth is not deemed strong enough to play a part in supporting the replacement tooth.

Your dentist in London will be an expert in dental bridges and, in the unfortunate event of tooth loss, he or she can advise you about dental bridges.

Dental implants represent a long term solution to replacing lost teeth. Teeth can be lost through a variety of causes but it is vital that they are adequately replaced so that you can eat and drink with ease and smile with confidence.

People sometimes loose a tooth or teeth through an accident or simply as the result of poor oral hygiene that has led to tooth decay and ultimately loss. Old age itself increases the chances of tooth loss as a life time or wear and tear breaks down teeth’s natural defence. Dental implants act as replacements for the root of the tooth that has been lost. These implants are made from the extremely durable substance titanium and will fuse with the surrounding bone. This process of osseointegration means that your replacement tooth will be housed in conditions of maximum stability.

An x-ray or CT scan will be necessary to assess the area and then your dentist will clean the area of any debris. Local anaesthetic will be administered, allowing your dentist to make a small incision in the jaw. The titanium implant will be installed into the incision, which will then be stitched up and allowed to heal while you might wear a temporary replacement attached to the implant. Once fused with the bone, your permanent replacement will be fastened to the implant.

The results offered by dental implants allow you to treat your replacement tooth just as you would any of the regular teeth in your mouth with the added bonus that, with the right care, they can last a life time. If you need a solution to tooth loss, contact your London dentist today and ask about what dental implants can do for you.

Replacing lost teeth is vital in ensuring the long term health of your mouth. You might have suffered a loss or losses from a an accident or through tooth decay, either way you should get them replaced quickly so that the remaining teeth do not begin to shift into the gaps. Having such a gap might make eating and drinking painful and difficult and leave you feeling embarrassed about smiling and finding social situations more awkward.

The three varieties of dental bridge on offer rectify tooth loss in different ways. Traditional or fixed bridges involve the fusing of a pontic (false tooth) between two crowns. This method gives extra stability by anchoring the crowns to neighbouring teeth. It is especially ideal if a single tooth has been lost and the rest of the mouth is generally healthy. In the case of resin-bonded or Maryland-bonded bridges, plastic pontics are fitted in gaps at the front of your mouth. This process preserves the natural look of your mouth by concealing the resin. If your front teeth are more vulnerable you might have a cantilever bridge where a pontic is fused to one side instead of two.

Your dentist might have to shave off a little of one of your existing teeth to make sure that that pontic and the bridge have enough room. The pontic will be constructed in a lab using impressions that have come from moulds taken of your teeth. In the mean time you will need to wear a temporary bridge which keeps the area protected and ready for the permanent replacement. Being sure to check that the replacement fits perfectly with your bite, your dentist will fit it with dental cement

Contact your London dentist today if you have lost a tooth and need dental bridge work to restore the well-being of your mouth.

City of London dentists have been replacing lost teeth with dentures for many years but the dentures they are able to fit these days are a vast improvement on the dentures of the past. Modern dentures are made of modern plastics and ceramics and look more lifelike, feel more comfortable and are better fitting than ever before. This comes as some relief to the many thousands of patients each year that have lost their teeth and need to be fitted with dentures. But how and why do patients lose their teeth and end up needing dentures?

The most common reason for needing dentures is lost teeth due to decay and disease. Tooth decay and gum disease are very common amongst adults due to a lack of oral hygiene and understanding about how you need to look after your teeth. Once decay has taken hold it is very hard to halt the process, which affects more and more teeth in the mouth. The other very common reason for needing dentures is having teeth knocked out in an accident such as a car crash or sporting injury. These can be very damaging and result in the loss of many teeth in the same instance.

Luckily for patients who have lost teeth, dentures can now be fitted with the minimum of fuss and they can completely restore the appearance of lost teeth. Modern dentures should fit by suction alone and should not require any messy dental adhesives but some patients often feel that these are necessary. In these cases, the dentist can fit small metal screws called mini-implants. These are drilled directly into the jawbone and act as a secure clip base for the dentures. They can easily be fitted in and removed and allow the patient to carry on with life without the fear of their dentures falling out.

Dental infections can be very nasty and unpleasant. Not only can they be very painful, but they can also result in lost teeth and wider health complications such as heart disease. One of the ways a dental infection manifests itself and spreads, is in the form of a dental abscess. This occurs when infected matter in the tooth causes the gum around the tooth to swell and fill with a substance called pus. This can be very sensitive and painful and make even simple, every day activities such as eating and talking very difficult.

The first stage of a dental infection occurs when insufficient brushing or flossing allows a cavity to develop in the tooth enamel. The enamel is the hard outer covering for the teeth which protects it from damage. Plaque and bacteria erode this layer over time and causes small holes to appear. This allows bacteria to penetrate to the central part of the tooth that contains the dental nerve. This is where the infection happens and how the tooth comes under risk of falling out.

Once an infection has started, the body will attempt to fight back by producing an excess of white blood cells. This will bombard the bacteria and attempt to kill the infection. This produces the pus that swells up in the gum tissue around the tooth causing the abscess. These abscesses can be very fragile and susceptible to bursting. This will spread the infection around the mouth to other areas and even into the bloodstream. It is therefore very important to have the infection treated before it gets to this stage. A regular six monthly appointment with a London dentist will ensure that the problem does not get to this stage and will treat any early signs of infection.

Although significant improvements have been made in the last twenty years when it comes to dental technology, the dental health of the nation hasn’t shown a similar improvement. This may be due to poor diets, children eating too much sugary food or simply due to complacency. Whatever the cause, people are still experiencing high levels of decay and teeth are being lost as a result. When one tooth is lost, it leads to an increased chance of loosing more. When a significant number of teeth have been lost, the dentist will usually advise the removal of the remaining few to replace them with dentures.

Now obviously it would be better if nobody needed to wear dentures but the fact remains that some people do whether it is due to decay or loss through accident. But thankfully, wearing dentures doesn’t have to carry the stigma it once did. Modern dentures are comfortable, realistic and durable, a great improvement on the dentures we may remember from the past.

Dentures should ideally fit over the top of the gums, and stay in place through suction alone but some patients find they need a little extra bit of support and confidence. This can be gained either by wearing denture adhesive, which can be messy or by having a set of mini-implants fitted. These are small titanium screws that are anchored into the jawbone and used as clips to attach the dentures in place. They are very secure and eliminate the threat of dentures falling out at inopportune moments. Ask your City of London dentist for more information about dentures and their possibilities, it could be the change you have been looking for to restore your confidence and the functionality of your teeth.

Gingivitis, the milder form of periodontitis, commonly known as gum disease, is one of the most common causes of lost teeth in the UK, especially among the elderly. The disease is caused by bacteria and plaque building up in the mouth which cause an inflammation and infection of the gum tissue. This infection attacks the tissue that surrounds the tooth, the gum membranes and even the underlying bone structure. Gum disease is preventable and is usually caused by poor hygiene, including a lack of effective brushing and flossing, and poor diet.

When gingivitis becomes the more serious periodontits it will require treatment from a dentist to completely cure. This may involve a course of antibiotics and even some tissue removal, depending on the condition of the gums. This can be painful and unpleasant so it is always wise to treat gum disease as early as possible. Most dentists will recommend treating gingivitis with improved brushing and flossing (your City of London dentist will be able to show you how during a routine check up). It may also involve rinsing your mouth with salty water a number of times a day to help fight the inflammation.

There are also a number of herbal remedies that can be used to treat gingivitis that can help to eliminate the infection and reduce inflammation. For acute gum disease, plantain poultices with drops of Echinacea tincture applied to the area can really help to alleviate the symptoms. By taking a small gauze, covered in the remedy, and applying it to the area for a long period, preferably overnight, you can help to fight the gum disease.

Other herbs that can be used to treat gum disease include aloe vera and clove. Both of which have anti-inflammatory qualities that can help to sooth the discomfort of gum disease. Ask your dentist for more information about herbal remedies for gum disease.

A dental implant is a form of restorative dental treatment used to replace teeth lost during a physical trauma such as a car accident, or due to dental problems such as decay. There are many methods of replacing missing teeth available at Central London dentists and all are important to prevent the risk of further damage, to stop any unwanted movement of teeth and to enable patients to live as normal a life as possible. However, many dentists and even more patients feel that a dental implant has several key benefits over the other forms of restoration.

The first major benefit of the implant is that it is much more solid than a dental bridge or partial denture. Because the implant replaces the root of the tooth, an implant feels and acts a lot more like a real tooth. In other replacements it is only the crown portion of the tooth that is replaced so this can be fragile and cause problems when eating food that is very hard or chewy. An implant is screwed directly into the jawbone so it provides a solid base for the dental crown, meaning patients are free to eat what they want, when they want.

This also provides reassurance and confidence tot the patient to an extent that a dental bridge cannot. Patients with bridges are always very aware of the fragility of their replacement, which can cause unnecessary anxiety. There is no need to worry about teeth slipping out or cracking when you have a dental implant.

Dental implants are also incredibly inconspicuous and almost impossible to tell apart from real teeth. Again this is not the case with other dental substitutes like partial dentures. Dental implants can also last a lifetime, significantly longer than a bridge or denture which will last between ten and fifteen years on average.