Preventative and restorative treatments to safeguard your oral health
General dentistry includes a wide range of preventive and restorative dental treatments to help patients maintain their oral health. This branch of dentistry focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the teeth, gums, and other structures in the mouth. Preventative treatments help to keep your teeth and gums healthy, while restorative treatments will help to restore teeth after injury, damage or decay.
What does general dentistry include?
At Devonshire Dental Care, we offer a wide range of treatments to help you to care for your oral health. This includes routine checkups, dental hygienist cleanings and fillings to help protect your teeth against decay. If you have missing or damaged teeth, we can also create bridges, crowns and veneers to help restore your smile.
Maintaining good oral health is important for your overall health and well-being. Poor oral health has been linked with a number of serious health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and respiratory problems. By visiting the dentist regularly, you can help to keep your mouth healthy and avoid these potentially serious complications.
What is included in a checkup?
A routine dental checkup will usually include a thorough examination of your mouth, teeth and gums. We will also take X-rays to check for any problems that cannot be seen with the naked eye. If we identify any areas of concern, we will discuss these with you and develop a treatment plan to address the issue.
If required, we may also recommend a visit to the dental hygienist to help control plaque and tartar build-up. This is also an ideal opportunity to ask questions about your oral health and learn about treatments available with Devonshire Dental Care.
How often should I visit the dentist?
We recommend a checkup every 6-12 months to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy. However, if you have any concerns about your oral health, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice. By combining regular dental checkups with regular dental hygienist cleanings, you’ll have an even better chance of protecting your teeth from damage or decay.
As a family dentist, we also help children and teens to care for their oral health. Encouraging young people to take an interest in their oral health from a young age is one of the best ways to protect their oral health in the long term. For more information about our general dentistry services, or to book an appointment, please call Devonshire Dental Care today.
Dental Bridges
Conceal gaps in your smile with a dental bridge
A dental bridge is a kind of restorative and cosmetic dental treatment. It is commonly used to replace a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth following an extraction. With a dental bridge, the surrounding teeth are used to support a prosthetic tooth. One or two dental crowns are attached to a prosthetic tooth that sits in the gap.
How do dental bridges work?
A dental bridge is a quick and simple way to replace a missing tooth or missing teeth. A gap in your teeth can do more than just damage your confidence. It can also lead the surrounding teeth to fall out of alignment, resulting in problems with your bite. A dental bridge will help to fill this gap before it can become problematic.
We have the unique advantage of having all dental restorations created on-site. This means that the dental technician responsible for making your bridge can be present during your consultation. This ensures that you’ll be able to make special requests about the tooth shape or shade preferences. The process of fitting the bridge is also much easier when the bridge is made on-site.
Who is a good candidate for a dental bridge?
You could be an ideal candidate for a dental bridge if you have one or more missing teeth. The surrounding teeth will also need to be in good condition to support the restoration. In general, you will need to have good oral health and be able to follow the aftercare instructions provided by our team.
To care for your bridge, you will need to brush and floss your teeth as usual. You may also need to use special interdental brushes to get between the bridge and your gum line. We will give you comprehensive support to make sure you feel confident caring for your new smile.
What is the alternative to a dental bridge?
A good alternative to a dental bridge would be a dental implant. While this option is more expensive, it will last much longer and the restoration will look and feel very natural. You could also explore veneers to replace a missing tooth in the front of your mouth.
Leaving a gap in your smile is also an option, but you should be aware of the long-term impact on your teeth. The surrounding and opposite teeth can shift, leading to alignment problems and issues with your bite. A gap in your smile can also lead to loss of bone density, which can impact the strength of the surrounding teeth.
Dental Crowns
Protect your teeth with beautiful porcelain crowns
A dental crown is a cap that covers a damaged or decayed tooth. It is made from porcelain, which gives it a natural look and feel. The porcelain is also very strong, which makes it ideal for protecting the underlying tooth structure. Dental crowns are often used to restore cracked or damaged teeth, protect a tooth after a root canal, or conceal discolouration.
The dental crown procedure
At Devonshire Dental Care, we use the latest technology to create beautiful and natural-looking crowns. The first step is to take digital impressions of your teeth. These impressions are then sent to our on-site laboratory where your crown will be made.
While you wait for your permanent crown, you will be fitted with a temporary crown. Once the crown is ready, we prepare the underlying structure and then cement the crown in place. We’ll also give you aftercare advice to care for your crown.
Who is a good candidate for a dental crown?
You could be an ideal candidate for a dental crown if you have a tooth that is cracked, chipped, or discoloured. A crown can also be used to restore a tooth after a root canal. This will help to protect the tooth and avoid reinfection.
If the damage to your tooth is not extensive, we may recommend an inlay or onlay instead. These are smaller porcelain restorations that are perfect for protecting teeth and restoring their shape.
How long does a dental crown last?
A dental crown can last for many years with the right aftercare. Many dental restorations will last around 10 years, but this all depends on the placement and how well you care for your teeth. Eating foods like pizza crust or chewing ice will increase the risk of your crown breaking or coming loose.
To care for your crown, you should brush and floss your teeth as usual. You may also need to use special interdental brushes to get between the crown and your gum line. It’s important to see your dentist regularly so that they can check on the condition of your crown and the underlying tooth.
Fillings
Restore and protect your teeth with white fillings
Dark grey amalgam fillings may have once been the material of choice for fillings, but white fillings are now growing in popularity. Advances in tooth-coloured composite material design means that discreet fillings are now a possibility. At Devonshire Dental Care, we have dental laboratory technicians on hand to create tooth-coloured fillings or white ceramic inlays and onlays to help complete your tooth restoration. We can also replace older metal fillings with white fillings to improve your smile.
What is a white composite filling?
A composite filling is the same as a conventional filling, but the finished result is far more aesthetically pleasing. Instead of using amalgam fillings, which are a mixture of metals including mercury, silver, tin and copper, we can use white composite resin to complete a tooth restoration.
This procedure may be required following a cavity repair when your dentist removes the damaged portion of your tooth. To help protect the tooth and restore your bite, your dentist will then fill the hole with composite material. By matching the material colour to the surrounding teeth, the result is a lot more discreet.
What is an inlay/onlay?
When you have a more extensive cavity, or when part of the side of the tooth structure has been damaged, we may recommend a custom inlay or onlay. These are small porcelain pieces that are designed to seal a damaged tooth and restore your bite. As we have laboratory technicians to create your inlay or onlay on-site, the process is much easier.
We use impressions and digital scans to create an inlay on only that perfectly fits your tooth. We then use a special dental cement to secure this in place. An inlay or onlay is suitable for situations that are too extensive for a simple filling, but not so extensive that they require a crown. They are especially suitable for the chewing surfaces on back teeth and large repairs to front teeth.
Which one is right for me?
Following a consultation, your dentist will let you know which treatment is right for you. If the repair is small, a filling might be sufficient. The cost of a white filling is between £60 to £105, depending on the size. For larger repairs, or for repairs to the chewing surface of back teeth, we might recommend an inlay or onlay. The cost of this treatment will vary from £175 to £375.
During your consultation, we will explore the options available to you and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each one. This will enable you to make an informed choice about your treatment.
Dental Hygienist
Deep cleaning to protect your oral health
If you suffer from sensitivity or pain during a regular dental hygienist appointment, you could benefit from this revolutionary new treatment. The Airflow cleaning system uses a fine stream of air, warm water and fine antibacterial grains to gently lift stains, food particles and plaque above and below the gum line. This process is suitable for those with sensitive teeth. The ideal treatment to protect against disease and prepare your teeth for other treatments such as orthodontics or implants.
Who is Airflow treatment suitable for?
Airflow treatment is suitable for adults and children and is particularly helpful in the treatment of gum disease. In cases of advanced gum disease, this treatment is also gentle enough to be carried out regularly, so you can quickly get your oral health back on track.
EMS Airflow treatment is ideal for use on natural teeth, restorations, implants, hypersensitive patients, orthodontic patients and recall appointments with the ability to reach hard to reach areas with precision. If you’re concerned about your oral health, book an appointment with our dental hygienist team to learn more about this innovative treatment option.
Who can benefit from a dental hygienist cleaning?
Anyone can benefit from a dental hygienist cleaning and we recommend regular visits to help keep your mouth, teeth and gums in excellent condition. This type of treatment is effective in removing plaque, tartar and calculus from the surface of the teeth, above and below the gum line.
Rather than using abrasive instruments, a fine stream of air, water and particles are used to gently and effectively clean the teeth. This treatment is recommended before treatments such as dental implants, orthodontics and restorations. It’s also ideal before teeth whitening to help remove surface staining.
Does Airflow treatment hurt?
You may have slight discomfort during the procedure, but it should not hurt. If you are in pain, let your dental hygienist know so they can adjust the treatment plan. This treatment is specifically recommended for those with sensitive teeth, and the water mixture is heated to a perfect 40°C to ensure it is neither too warm nor too cold.
Since there are no instruments touching your teeth or gums, many patients find this more pleasant than a traditional scale and polish. It’s also ideal for those with a dental phobia, as there are minimal instruments used. To learn more about Airflow dental hygienist treatments in Glasgow, contact Devonshire Dental Care today.
