General Dentistry

Metal-free Dentistry

At Seagate Dental we are committed to provide our patients with the most modern and innovative dentistry that is available. Historically most dental work featured, atleast in part, metals in some form. Metals in dentistry whether if be fillings or crowns were used due for their strength, their reliability and ultimately they were/are easy to work with thus reducing costs. In the past there were no reliable alternatives to metal based restorations, but today this is not the case.

White composite filling materials have improved drastically in the last 10-20years with new materials appearing in the marketplace on a yearly basis. Now with added strength and durability to be added to the obvious aesthetic benefits that white fillings have, this means they are a viable alternative to the traditional metal amalgam fillings. Whether you want to have a metal free mouth or remove unsightly fillings then replacing them with white composite resin materials could be the answer.

Materials that are used in the construction of crowns and bridges have also come a long way. In the past the most a patient could desire was tooth coloured porcelain fused to a metal cap. Although they do have their place these restorations fail to meet the desires and demands of today’s patient. New zirconia (all ceramic, no metal) crowns and bridges are so strong they can withstand even the strongest biting forces without the need for metal. Reinforced glass ceramic materials are so super realistic even dentists don’t always spot them!

It is your choice as to what materials are used in your mouth. Our dentists endeavour to explain all options available, please if you have any questions about ‘going metal-free’ don’t hesitate to ask!

Gum Disease

Gum disease (periodontal disease) is a slowly progressing chronic disease of the mouth that is, in the most part, painless.

The causes of gum disease are:-

• Inadequate tooth and gum cleaning – dental plaque, the white film that forms on your teeth, is the primary cause of gum disease in the majority of people. It is vital that you take control of your disease by removing the primary cause through effective brushing (twice daily) and by cleaning in-between your teeth either with floss or special brushes that fit between your teeth.
• Smoking – whilst smoking does not cause gum disease, it does make it worse, and also limits the effectiveness of any treatment we do. If you have gum disease and you smoke, the chances of you loosing teeth and having painful episodes from you gum disease are vastly increased.
• Diabetes
• Genetics – if your parents had gum disease there is a good chance you are predisposed to having it
• Stress

Things to remember:-

• Most people who have gum disease only find out when their dentist tells them
• Gum disease causes loosening of teeth and their eventual loss if left unchecked
• The treatment for gum disease can take several visits. It is not uncommon for teeth and gums to be sore for several days after they have been treated for gum disease. If after treatment you experience a tooth that becomes very painful you should phone us. This occurs because sometimes the gum disease is so extensive that it can kill the tooth off
• Only part of the treatment is done by the dentists/hygienist. We do our best to get your mouth stable, but it is then up to you to do your part. This means effective cleaning every day for the rest of your life.
• We recommend those with gum disease or have had gum disease visit the dentist/hygienist at least every 3 months so that we can help keep tartar off your teeth and monitor the progress.
• If you have gum disease and you smoke, the disease will be almost impossible to control and will proceed at a faster rate. This means you will loose teeth faster that if you didn’t smoke.
• We advise you to visit you doctor or local pharmacy to get yourself checked for diabetes.

Hygienist Appointments

At Seagate Dental we are privileged to have the services of a dedicated hygienist. The hygienist is able to tailor treatment that is specific to you and your gums. All hygienist appointments are dealt with on a private basis allowing for more time spent tackling the disease thus improving treatment success.

Missing Teeth

Implants:

Dental implants are the modern solution to missing teeth. They have been increasing in popularity for 35 years to become a dentist’s first choice when rebuilding your smile.

An implant is a titanium substitute for a natural tooth root. A socket is usually created into which it can be screwed into place, creating an initial stability that is gradually reinforced as time goes on by integration of the implant into the jaw bone.  Implants provide a foundation for permanent bridges, dentures or crowns.

The majority of modern dental implants are made of titanium (using similar technology as hip replacement implants), as it has proved to be the material best tolerated by the bone around it.

Bridge:

A bridge can be used to replace missing teeth in certain situations. The tooth (or teeth) beside the gap is used to hold the replacement tooth. This is done by placing a crown or a small metal support on the back of the neighbouring tooth. A bridge is an entirely fixed option well tolerated by patients and with proper care can last many years.

Dentures:

A denture is way of replacing missing teeth by way of a removable acrylic or metal plate. They vary in design and shape depending on the number of teeth to be replaced and the length of time the denture is intended to be used for. In certain situations it may be necessary to place a denture immediately after loss of a tooth with plans to replace this in the future. Ultimately dentures are a prosthesis, they fill the spaces left by missing teeth and aid in chewing but they will never ‘feel’ like real teeth. Patient satisfaction is varied as some people tolerate dentures very well whereas others cannot tolerate them at all.

Dentures constructed from metal (chrome) and contain claps to stabilise and help retain the denture within the mouth are better tolerated by patients. Chrome dentures are a stronger, far more hygienic option for long term denture wearers.

In cases where patients are missing all their teeth complete dentures are indicated. These are available both of the NHS and privately. Full dentures constructed privately have the added benefit from being made of the strongest more ‘lifelike’ acrylic and utilising stronger more pleasing choices of teeth.

Sports Mouthguard

A mouth guard is a specially made rubber like cover that fits over you teeth and gums, cushioning and protecting them from damage.

It is important to wear a professionally made mouth guard when you play sport that involves physical contact or moving objects. This includes cricket, football and hockey which can cause broken or damaged teeth; and karate, boxing and rugby which can cause broken or dislodged jaws. A mouth guard will help protect against these happening.

Mouth guards also have their part to play in the prevention of neck and brain injuries, helping to prevent the concussion and damage caused by a heavy blow.

Depending on the age of the patient, a mouthguard may require replacing fairly regularly. This is due to new teeth erupting, the loss of primary teeth  and growth during childhood. Adults may not have to have their mouth guards replaced so often but like any sporting equipment this will be subject to wear and tear.

Our mouth guards come in a selection of colours and designs allowing you to have a mouth guard that matches the team colours or something to stand out from the crowd.

The alternative is a shop bought self mould gum shield. This option often provides a mouth guard that fits badly, uncomfortable to wear and ultimately doesn’t do the job is there to do.

Providing a mouth guard is a treatment carried out fairly inexpensively compared to the possible risk of loosing teeth and the expense of repairing or replacing damaged teeth.

Root Canal Treatment

Sometimes when a tooth is damaged or dead it is often necessary to remove the pulp and any other debris or germs which may be inside the tooth causing harm. This is called root canal treatment. The tooth is cleaned thoroughly and a root filling material is placed inside the roots to seal the tooth and prevent any germs from getting inside causing infection or an abscess.

Root canal treatments are available privately or on the NHS. If you choose to have root treatment provided privately then the dentist can use more modern techniques to ensure the tooth is cleaned as thoroughly as possible. This will involve using more sophisticated tools and chemicals with greater allowance of time which will ultimately increases the chance of successful treatment.

In many situations it may be necessary to restore the tooth in question back to function by providing a crown following root treatment. This is done to prevent germs getting into the tooth and to prevent these teeth from breaking further as they tend to already have large fillings and often fracture under forces from biting.

In a case where a private crown is desired the root treatment on that tooth must also be provided privately.

Instrument Cleaning & X-rays

Instrument cleaning is regarded as a fairly ‘hot topic’ within the world of dentistry. There have been a number of disturbing stories in the news relating to a number of dental practices not complying with strict cleaning regulations put in place to ensure patient safety.

Many dental instruments can be thought of like cutlery, in modern dentistry a lot of our materials and equipment are single-use, like plastic knives/forks and after that one use are disposed of. Single use items are used in cases where the equipment cannot be cleaned e.g. needles, gloves, root treatment files.  Other instruments that are required to be strong (e.g. mirrors, drills, forceps) must be reusable, like your kitchen cutlery, and go through several cleaning processes rendering them safe for the next patient.

At Seagate Dental you will have probably noticed our decontamination room with all the sophisticated components and protocols which ensure all our instruments are processed and cleaned to the prescribed standards set out by governing bodies. All staff members are very knowledgable about the processes and undertake regular training in this topic.

We undergo regular inspection to make sure all equipment and practices comply with guidelines, our equipment is serviced by the health board, tested regularly and all evidence of instrument cleaning and equipment testing is retained for a number of years.

We at Seagate Dental are proud that we are doing everything to ensure patient safety allowing you to relax in our modern clinical surroundings. Should you have any questions about decontamination we would be happy to talk you through the process and answer these.

X-Rays are used to obtain an internal view of teeth and bone, and are necessary for accurate diagnosis and treatment. All our surgeries are equipped with modern digital X-ray facilities allowing for a lower doses of radiation than more conventional techniques. Digital X-rays can be processed immediately allowing for quick diagnosis.

Xray images are made using radiation.  Whilst very useful, radiation is dangerous and its use must be closely monitored to ensure safety. The amount of radiation used in dentistry is relatively low and only used when required.  To ensure that we operate as safely as possible, observing all guidelines, the practice has an appointed Radiation Protection Advisor (RPA).

On occasion you may be required to attend elsewhere for a dental radiography, this is if a different view is needed. Your dentist will explain the process.

Current guidelines do allow dental  x-rays to be taken during pregnancy as the risk to an unborn child is very low, however you should let your dentist aware of this case so they are able to explain everything allowing you to make an informed decision.

You are obviously able to refuse the use of dental x-rays however you will drastically limit your dentists ability to diagnose and treat dental conditions effectively. If this is the case you will have to sign a form which would release your dentist from any responsibility resulting from your refusal.

Laboratory Work

A number of treatments or restorations will require that we will use an external laboratory for the construction of an appliance or restoration for use in treatment.

Examples of this include study models, dentures, tooth whitening trays, six-month-smile, implants, inlays, crowns or bridges.

All of these laboratory constructions are made to the highest standards and are all specific for the case or patient involved. We use a number of laboratories in the practice depending upon the type of work or specification of work required. All of our laboratories, with the exception of Six Month Smiles work, are located within Scotland and work carried out by registered dental technicians. All ‘Six Month Smiles’ cases are sent to their dedicated  laboratory in the USA.

Following completion of specific treatments,  the statement of manufacture will be scanned into the patient notes. Models are retained where possible for future reference if required and also for use if further treatment is required (where appropriate).

With regards to any laboratory work undertaken in the practice, your attention is drawn to the following statement:

Any dental restoration or appliance is a custom-made medical device that has been manufactured to satisfy the design characteristics and properties specified by the prescribing clinician.

This medical device is intended for exclusive use by you as a named patient and conforms to the relevant essential requirements specified in Annex I of the Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EC (MDD) and the United Kingdom Medical Devices Regulations.

A statement of manufacture detailing the specifications of your prosthesis/medical device is kept in your records, a copy of which is available to you on request.