At Wimpole Street Dental Clinic, we passionately believe that the goal of Implantology and Prosthodontics is that once our professional work is completed, nobody will be able to see the expert intervention which we have made to perfectly and precisely restore your smile.
In order to consistently achieve this optimal clinical outcome, all disciplines across our clinic need to be seamlessly combined so we can deliver on our commitment to offer you, our valued patients, the highest standards of modern dentistry.
Your dental restorations options at a glance
- Rest assured that if a tooth is partially damaged, but otherwise in good condition, simple composite fillings are usually sufficient to repair it effectively. Please be aware that in some cases, with older patients, complex dental situations can arise upon examination or even during treatment which means that your dentist may need to deftly modify their original bespoke treatment for you to ensure the best possible results.
- If a tooth is badly affected by decay, dentists can choose to use dental crowns or partial crowns to restore our patient’s comfort and confidence in their gum line as it impacts on their daily life – from smiling, laughing, eating or drinking, for example. Both of these tooth replacement options protect the remaining natural teeth from further decay if they are cared for with a commitment to practising the best possible oral hygiene routine, post-treatment.
- If the tooth has to be removed and completely replaced, a dental implant or a dental bridge may be recommended. Know that dental bridges are able to replace a lost or a missing tooth. When opting for a dental implant, however, the tooth is replaced on a like for like basis – including the root.
- If the tooth is intact, however, and it is the only the aesthetic appeal which needs to be remedied, we would suggest that the choice of veneers could be considered as a more gentle and less invasive option than a tooth restoration such as a crown.
Dental bridges could provide the ideal tooth restoration choice in the event of tooth loss
If one or more teeth have already been lost, patients can consider the option of having the resulting tooth gaps repaired with a dental bridge. Please be aware that for a dental bridge to be successful, there must still be enough neighbouring natural teeth to serve as anchor points for this new, bespoke prosthesis. If you are thinking about whether a dental implant or a dental bridge is better suited to fill the gap, it is important to judge the potential impact to the condition of the adjacent teeth which would need to serve as anchors.
We would advise that the crucial fact underpinning a choice like this would be an evaluation of the current condition of the vital neighbouring teeth. If they have already been filled on previous occasions with large fillings, then a dental bridge would be more suited to provide the ideal tooth restoration. Conversely, if the neighbouring teeth are found to be completely healthy, a dental implant should be the preferred option.
Dental implants to replace missing teeth and to protect your remaining healthy teeth, too
Dental implants are often utilised as a way to replace missing teeth. A dental implant is used in combination with a crown, an abutment and the artificial tooth root as a complete ‘tooth restoration system’, if you like. Dental implants, once fitted and healed, provide a firm bite and a very pleasing aesthetic appearance to restore smiles. As dentists, we recommend a dental implant whenever the surrounding teeth are still completely intact and in good general condition. This recommendation is one which means that your dentist only needs to replace the missing tooth without needing to grind down possibly healthy neighbouring teeth to support a dental bridge.
Crowns are the best choice for severely damaged teeth
The crown is actually the enamel-coated part of our teeth that is visible whenever we smile. In casual conversation, a dental crown has also come to mean an artificial tooth restoration, too. As dentists, we always recommend a dental crown when the tooth has suffered profound damage to such an extent that it cannot be successfully treated with a classic tooth filling or even the use of a partial crown. No matter where the tooth is – as long as the patient does not suffer from severe teeth grinding (otherwise known as bruxism) – ceramic is always our material of choice from which we craft your bespoke tooth restoration for you.
Veneers can renew the aesthetic appeal of your smile
Veneers are thin, adhesive shells made of porcelain which are attached to the front of the tooth crown with a special adhesive during the treatment, in clinic. Veneers are often crafted for a patient due to their aesthetic concerns about the current condition of their smile. The patient may be discomforted by misaligned teeth, tooth gaps or the present colour of the teeth themselves. Veneers offer a comparatively less invasive procedure and have garnered the reputation of delivering to patients a “Hollywood smile” – which means they now enjoy flawlessly beautiful and healthy-looking teeth transforming their personal comfort and confidence.
Removable dentures: the versatility of partial dentures and full dentures
As dentists we often choose to craft partial dentures alongside our expert dental technician team, for our patients who are still in the recovery period, post-surgery. Partial dentures consist of a plastic base which is tailored to the shape of the patient’s upper or lower jaw and the teeth which they are designed to replace. They are attached to the remaining teeth with clasps. Sometimes partial dentures are used as an interim solution, but if they are to be a permanent restoration, the prosthesis consists of a metal framework to which several support elements are then attached.
Full dentures, supported by dental implants, are used when the mouth is currently toothless. We would advise that fixed dentures are the more durable form of tooth restoration in the long term so should you be a suitable candidate to receive them, consider investing in the longevity of your smile and the comfort and confidence it brings to every aspect of your life, every day.
Book an appointment with us today if you would like to find out more about our dental restorations.