Category: Blog

Dental veneers are thin pieces of porcelain cemented to the front surface of teeth and are an easy way to address a variety of aesthetic issues. They can change the size, shape, and colour of your teeth if they are discoloured, chipped, broken, or irregularly shaped.

In this month’s blog the team at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre look at the pros and cons of dental veneers so you can have all the information to make an informed decision on whether dental veneers are the right treatment to meet your needs.

Pros

Whiten your smile.

If you are looking for an easier way to whiten your teeth for good, dental veneers may be a good treatment for you. Dental veneers are largely stain resistant and should maintain their colour for the lifespan of the veneer. With a flawless smile your confidence and self-esteem will improve.

Fix minor problems.

Slightly crooked or gapped teeth can be improved with dental veneers. They are applied to the front surface of your teeth – so although they don’t change the tooth’s position, they will camouflage slight teeth straightening problems once they’re applied. Your natural teeth will still be gapped or crooked, but no-one will know aside from you and your dentist.

Replace damaged enamel.

Enamel is strong but can become damaged through over-zealous brushing or can be worn away by highly acidic food and drink. Dental veneers can provide a great treatment for teeth with enamel abrasion or enamel erosion, helping to strengthen and protect your teeth.

Natural looking

Porcelain dental veneers will closely resemble your natural tooth enamel, reflecting light in much the same way as natural teeth.

Fast results

Dental veneers can be completed in only two visits, providing a quick way to dramatically improve the appearance of your smile.

Little or no maintenance

Once the dental veneers are in place they require very little maintenance only brushing and flossing and regular hygienist appointments.

Cons

Expensive

Dental veneers can be expensive, but with a 10-15-year lifespan they can provide a good investment for the future.

Susceptible to damage

Dental veneers are delicate and so can be susceptible to chipping, breaking, and falling off. Though they can be replaced, this can dramatically increase costs.

Increased sensitivity

You may experience some sensitivity to hot and cold foods in the days following your procedure, but this will usually disappear and there are also dental products that can help to strengthen the tooth enamel.

The team at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre work closely with each of our patients to customise individual treatment plans that successfully meet their personal needs.  If you would like more information about dental veneers do not hesitate to contact Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre on 01622 682029 and one of our team would be happy to assist you.

The most important part of tooth care happens at home and in this month’s blog the team at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre look at why you shouldn’t be avoiding interdental cleaning.

How do interdental cleaners work?

Did you know that brushing alone only reaches 60% of the tooth surface? Dental plaque builds up between your teeth where a toothbrush does not reach. Interdental cleaners work by cleaning those areas that brushing alone misses.

Using interdental cleaning aids daily combined with brushing using a fluoride toothpaste can help to protect against gum disease and tooth decay by removing plaque and food particles, keeping your teeth and gums healthy, while giving you a beautiful smile.

Other health benefits to interdental cleaning

Daily flossing doesn’t just keep your teeth healthy – practicing good oral hygiene contributes to your health in other ways, too. In fact, there’s an increasing amount of evidence linking gum disease to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, strokes, poor pregnancy outcomes and even dementia.

What should I do if my gums bleed?

Many people who suffer with sensitive or bleeding gums may be tempted to avoid interdental cleaning for fear of making their bleeding gums worse. But in fact, interdental cleaning can improve the health of your gums, thereby helping to prevent them from bleeding. The fact that your gums are bleeding makes it even more important that you continue with your interdental cleaning.

What should I do first?

Brushing may come before flossing in the dictionary, but it shouldn’t when it comes to our oral hygiene routine. Interdental cleaning loosens bacteria and food debris from between the teeth, which allows brushing to be much more successful at removing plaque. The fluoride in your toothpaste is also better able to do its job in protecting your teeth if the plaque particles are removed first.

When should I see a dentist?

Not only should you see your dentist for regular routine dental appointments, you should also attend if you suspect any problems with your oral health.

Your dentist can check your teeth and order dental x-rays to help identify any problems. Signs that you need to see a dentist include:

• red, swollen gums
• gums that bleed easily after brushing or flossing
• sensitivity to hot and cold
• persistent bad breath
• loose teeth
• receding gums
• tooth pain

Dental problems like cavities and gum disease are preventable, but the key is sticking with a good dental care routine. This involves regularly using interdental brushes and brushing with a fluoride toothpaste.

If you would like to find out more information on the best interdental cleaning aids to meet your needs. Call Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre today on 01622 682 029to book an appointment with our hygienist today.

Routine Dental Appointment

This year, here at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre our new year’s resolution is to help you achieve the perfect smile. A bright white smile can not only help you to appear younger and more attractive but can also help to improve your confidence and self-esteem.

Our fully trained team of dentists at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre will work closely with you to develop a treatment plan designed to achieve exactly what you want from your smile makeover.

Here at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre we are able to offer:

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening can be a very effective way of lightening the natural colour of your teeth without damaging the tooth itself. The darker your teeth, the longer your teeth will take to get lighter, but your dentist will be able to advise you on the expected time frame.

Teeth Straightening

In the past few years there has been a large increase in the number of adults looking to improve the appearance of their smile using new teeth straightening methods. Teeth straightening procedures can be used to improve the appearance of crowded, gapped, crooked teeth or a misaligned bite. No matter what your age, it is possible to have straight teeth and a smile you can be confident in.

Veneers

A veneer is a thin layer of porcelain made to fit over the front surface of a tooth. Veneers can improve the colour, shape and position of your teeth. A precise shade of porcelain can be chosen to give the right colour to improve a single discoloured tooth or to lighten the front teeth. A veneer can make a chipped tooth look intact again. Veneers can also be used to close small gaps, when teeth straightening is not suitable. Your dentist at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre will give you an idea of how long each individual veneer should last.

Dental Implants

If you are missing some teeth, dental implants can provide the closest possible replacement to having your natural teeth back. Dental implants are secured to the jaw using a titanium post, so they will not shift or move, allowing you to live life to the full, talking, eating and smiling with confidence. You will need to attend for a consultation with the dentist to see if you are suitable to have dental implants.

Facial Aesthetics

Anti-wrinkle injections are particularly effective in treating lines around the eyes commonly known as Crow’s Feet and is also used to treat lines on the forehead. Anti-wrinkle injections work quickly and are relatively painless, results should be visible within two weeks.

Dermal fillers are gels containing Hyaluronic acid which is normally present in skin. Dermal fillers are used to “fill out” and “plump up” lines on the face such as those between the nose and the corner of the mouth.

Call Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre today on 01622 682 029to book your consultation and see what our dentists can do to help you achieve your perfect smile.

In the lead up to Christmas Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre will be open until Friday 22 December. If you experience a dental emergency in the run up to Christmas be sure to ring the surgery prior to 10am as we have a number of emergency appointments available each day so we will endeavour to see you as quickly as possible to ensure you are pain free and able to enjoy your Christmas dinner.

Should you experience a problem during the festive period please ring the surgery on 01622 682 029. There will be a message on the answerphone giving details of how to access emergency dental treatment.

You may require urgent treatment if you have:

A toothache or swelling

This is the most common reason patients seek emergency dental treatment and there are a number of different causes.

Pain is often caused by an infection within the root of the tooth. The tooth may need to be drained to remove the infection and the dentist may also prescribe you antibiotics.

The dentist will advise you to complete the course of antibiotics and then come in for a review appointment. It is very important that you attend this second appointment because although the pain will reduce as the infection clears it is important to find a permanent solution, so the infection does not reoccur. It may be necessary to have a filling, root canal treatment or if it is not possible to save the tooth it will need to be extracted.

Trauma to the face, mouth of teeth following an injury or accident

If you experience a blow or direct force to your face, mouth, or teeth there is the potential for damage to occur. If you notice that your teeth are loose or have been chipped or broken you will need to attend the dentist for a full assessment to be made.

A permanent tooth knocked out

If a permanent tooth is knocked out, wherever possible replace the tooth into the socket immediately and seek dental treatment. It may be possible for the tooth to be saved. If there is a risk of the tooth being swallowed for example if the patient is a young child, keep the tooth in a container of body temperature milk and seek dental treatment immediately.

Bleeding following an extraction that does not stop or a dry socket

Following a tooth extraction there is the potential for the socket to continue to bleed if a clot does not form. This often happens in patients who are taking blood thinning medication such as warfarin and aspirin. If this is the case the dentist may put sutures in place to hold the socket closed and allow the gums more time to heal. These will dissolve away naturally within a week to ten days.

It is also possible for infection to get into the socket if the blood does not clot properly, this is known as a dry socket and can be very painful. You may also notice a bad smell emanating from the area. This can be treated by using a warm saline solution to clean the area and then packing the socket with an antibacterial dressing. The site will need to be cleaned regularly to reduce the chance of any further infection.

A broken tooth or lost filling

A broken tooth or lost filling may cause pain because of the sharp tooth edges left behind and because the underlying dentine may be exposed.

There are a number of treatment options then available, the tooth may be re-filled, crowned, have root canal treatment or if the prognosis is poor it may need to be extracted. The dentist will be able to discuss all the possible options with you before you make the decision on how you would like to proceed.

All the team at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre would like to wish our patients a happy and trouble free Christmas, but should you have any issues during the festive period do not hesitate to call the surgery on 01622 682029.

At Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre we want to ensure that you have a white Christmas, with a course of teeth whitening. Teeth whitening is an effective way of lightening the natural colour of your teeth without damaging your teeth and gums. Teeth whitening can be effective in lightening staining caused by food, drink, smoking, antibiotics and the general ageing process.

There are two main types of teeth whitening available.

In chair teeth whitening

In this instance the whitening solution will either be painted onto your teeth or loaded into custom made bleaching trays and then a special light will be shone onto the teeth to help activate the bleaching solution. The treatment will normally take around an hour and during this time the procedure may be repeated with fresh solution two or three times.

At home teeth whitening

In this instance the dentist will make custom made whitening trays by taking impressions of your teeth. You will then be given whitening solution to put into the trays and wear them at home. You will need to wear the trays for anywhere from 30 minutes to sleeping in them for 8 hours overnight dependent on the solution that the dentist uses and how quickly you would like to see results. Normally we would advise that treatment will take between 3-4 weeks to get the desired results.

Results

The effects of teeth whitening normally last for up to three years. However, this will vary from person to person. The effect is less likely to last as long if you smoke or eat or drink products that can stain your teeth.

Our dentists and hygienists have whitened thousands of patients’ teeth so you can be sure that you are in safe hands.

Following teeth whitening

You can help to keep your teeth white by cutting down on the amount of food and drink you have that can stain teeth.

Don’t forget, stopping smoking can also help prevent discolouration and staining.

We recommend the following tips to care for your teeth:

• • Brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
  • Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks.
  • Visit your dentist regularly.

If you would like to find out more about ensuring this year you have a white Christmas, do not hesitate to call Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre today on 01622 682029.

Feel that you’re too old for braces? Think again! Teeth straightening treatment can improve your smile no matter what your age is. There are a number of options now available from clear Invisalign aligners to more traditional fixed braces.

Here at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre we work hard to ensure that we provide you with enough information about your teeth straightening treatment so you can make an informed choice about your dental health.

Questions we will answer prior to treatment

1. How will dental braces correct your problem?
2. What type of braces are available to you?
3. How long you will need to wear braces for?
4. What the overall cost of treatment will be?
5. What payment modes we off and when the payments are due?

Types of Braces

The different options include:

Metal braces – these are the traditional train track braces

Clear ceramic braces – they work just like metal braces but are less noticeable.

Lingual Braces – The brackets on these braces aren’t visible as they are attached to the back of the teeth

Clear aligners – These are clear removable trays, that allow you to straighten your teeth without anyone knowing

Reasons to get adult braces

Lower Risk of Decay – It might not be a surprise to learn that having crooked teeth can actually impede your toothbrush and floss from accessing all the spaces in-between the teeth. Remember that improper cleaning of the teeth can cause gum disease, tooth decay and other oral health issues. Spaced out and straight teeth are much easier to access and clean. 

Release Oral Discomfort –Did you know that in certain cases misaligned teeth can cause headaches, jaw pain, and difficulties swallowing? This is true for more people than we would like it to be. Thankfully, teeth straightening can help with all those discomforts that arise from misaligned teeth. If you are one of the individuals currently living in discomfort due to your smile, please contact our team. We would love to be part of the solution.

Correct Jawbone Changes – The body changes as we age, and the jawbone is no exception to that rule. Unfortunately, with age your jawbone can begin to shift which can cause the teeth to crowd in the front of the mouth and become generally misaligned. Teeth straightening can correct this issue. 

Invisalign Over Traditional Braces

There are various options available for adult braces. One of the most popular adult braces options is Invisalign. There are several reasons why Invisalign is a top pick amongst adults.

Firstly, Invisalignaligners are much easier to clean than traditional braces. With Invisalign, you can easily remove the aligner trays and gently clean them in the morning and at night. This also means you don’t have to make food adjustments, as you can remove the aligners when you eat!

In addition to less cleaning time, Invisalign results in fewer office visits than metal braces as you do not have to come in to have the wires and bands tightened.

Perhaps most important for the busy adult – Invisalign looks much better than metal braces. They are often barely noticeable, as they are made from transparent material!

A Perfect Smile

We wanted to put this last, but we understand that for most people a perfect smile is the main reason to have teeth straightening. No matter how old you are, a perfect smile will make you feel confident. You deserve to navigate through life with confidence and with a glowing, happy smile. Teeth straightening can grant you that.

The decision to have teeth straightening as an adult can be full of uncertainties. Our team at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre is here to help guide you through it. Give us a call on 01622 682 029to set up an appointment. We are happy to assess your personal situation and to provide you recommendations on which braces would work best for you.

Mouth Cancer Action Month

Airflow stain removal is a simple and effective way to remove surface stains from teeth. The system uses a focused jet of compressed air, water and bicarbonate particles. It takes just one appointment and will leave your teeth feeling smooth, clean, polished and ready to smile with confidence.

Airflow is a great way to remove surface staining, caused by tea, coffee, wine, curry, chlorhexidine and tobacco, but it will not lighten the base colour of your teeth. To achieve this, you will need to consider a course of teeth whitening.

Following treatment teeth can remain stain free for up to a year, but this will entirely depend on your lifestyle. Most patients who chose Airflow stain removal will have the procedure around once a year, and also just before any special occasions. It is perfect for getting wedding ready.

The key benefits of Airflow stain removal

Dramatic results in only one appointment

Airflow stain removal treatment is a pleasant and comfortable oral cleansing therapy. It takes just one appointment and will leave your teeth feeling smooth, clean, polished and ready to smile with confidence.

Remove stains caused by tobacco, foods and drinks

Airflow uses air, sodium bicarbonate or glycine powder and a gentle jet stream of water to remove surface stains. You will immediately see and feel the difference.

Gentle on teeth and gums

Airflow stain removal is kind to the tooth surface; it will significantly improve tooth brightness and give you a noticeably sparkling fresh healthy mouth in an instant.

Affordable and Pain Free

Most patients who choose Airflow stain removal cleaning will have the procedure around once a year, and also just before any special occasions. Anaesthetic is not required, and the cleaning is pain-free. The only thing is that you may get a little wet.

If you would like to book an appointment contact Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre on 01622 682029.

Your reminder’s come through, it’s that time of year again, you are due for your routine dental appointment. You don’t have any problems, surely it won’t matter if you put it off for a couple of months?

Here at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre we have some very good reasons why even if you don’t have any problems you should still attend for your routine dental appointment.

Keep up With Preventative Care

Keeping up with preventative care is important. Damage to teeth, gums, or mouth can happen at any time. Preventative care and regular dental maintenance help make sure that it has less of a chance to happen. Make sure you speak with your dentist about preventative care for your oral health.

Avoid Possible Later Pain

Preventative care also helps you avoid possible later pain. Tooth or gum pain is no joke, so it is important to take care of it upfront. For example, if you get a cavity, it can cause you a lot of pain. If that had been taken care of sooner rather than later, you can avoid more pain and procedures that could have been prevented.

Oral Health Links With Your Whole Health

You cannot underestimate your oral health. It is linked to your health overall. Leaving dental problems untreated is dangerous. Certain dental problems left untreated can cause more severe health concerns, such as stroke, heart disease, and more. A regular dentist appointment will save your health and your wallet.

It Will Cost More Later

Waiting on your dental needs may make your wallet emptier too. You can expect the cost for more severe or emergency situations to be much higher than regular preventative services. If you wait, the cost also goes up because your needed treatment plans may change. A simple cavity filling is one thing, but a root canal is much more expensive.

Pain, Pain, Go Away! Book Your Appointment to See Us Today

Due for your routine dental appointment? Call Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre on 01622 682029and book your consultation today.