Archive for January, 2008

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My orthdontist says i need to have my teeth pulled out will invisible braces be suitable ? My teeth are not over crowded

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Hello Dr Patel, I have teeth that generally protrude out a little and need to be brought ‘back in’ and one tooth which needs to be pushed out. I was told by my orthodontist that i would need to have a couple of teeth removed to fit a wire brace (which i have opted not to have), does this mean that the treatment will not be suitable for me? My mouth is not overly crowded with teeth and i am reluctant to pull a healthy tooth out. Also will using invisible braces require regular check ups? I live in a rural area and fear my nearest facility for this treatment will be some distance away. Many Thanks. S

A. Dear S
Invisible Orthodontics is a great substitute to fixed (train track) braces the technology available means that most people can be solely treated with them. Invisalign and Clearstep are two different companies both offering the ability to straighten your teeth in a much more comfortable / discrete manner. You would generally have to see your dentist / orthodontist every 6 weeks. In terms of having teeth taken out this is not always necessary and when you are assessed you may find you do not need to have any taken out. I personally very rarely take teeth out for orthodontics. I agree with you that it is a real shame to have a perfectly healthy tooth removed. In my practice we use both invisalign and clearstep and we do treat people quite a distance away. The most important aspect to discuss with any dentist you see is the retention of your teeth after they have been moved because you do not want your teeth to move back after treatment.
I hope this helps you
Dr Riten Patel BDS�

Posted in Dr Patel's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. Invisible braces | 2 Comments »

Affordable payment plans to restore my smile?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Dear Dr Riten Patel,
I have the lowest self confidence due to extensive dental work since the age of 8, I am just completing the latest dental health repair, including 2 root fillings, 2 extractions, 1 inlay and 2 small fillings. I now have 3 gaps to the back of my mouth, noticeable white fillings to two front areas and 5/6 amalgum fillings. Most teeth with the exception of the bottom 6 and to 4 have been repaired in some way. My father’s dental health awareness was very poor, he had dentures by the age of 28. Is there a loan or easy payment plan I could take with a trusted cosmetic dentist to help restore self confidence and rebuild a nice smile as I have only just gained the confidence to attend the dentist regularly. I totally realise the state of my teeth could have been avoided. Each day I think of my work, my family and my teeth (not always in that order !) , I feel so sad and very very scared much of the time that I wont be able to afford to take care of myself as the local dentists do not offer payment plans. Your help, if you can offer any, will be very much appreciated.
Kind regards
T.S

A. Dear T.S.,
Please do not despair there are many ways to make cosmetic dentistry affordable, it is no longer only available to the rich and famous. It sounds like you have had a really tough time but you are not the only one I see so many people who come to my office with the same worries and fears you have. It is actually one of the most rewarding parts of my job to give someone back their smile see their confidence restored.
Cosmetic dentistry can be financed and staged (spread out) in a number of ways. At our our practice we offer 0% finance for between 6 -48 months. If you have a monthly budget you can put towards your teeth there is generally some wonderful options available.
I hope this helps
Dr Riten Patel BDS

Posted in Dr Patel's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. Dental Finance | 1 Comment »

Is internal tooth whitening more expensive…as there anywhere in London you reccomend ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Dear Dr Riten Patel,

Thank you very much for the information, it is very helpful. In reference to ‘internal tooth whitening process’ where whitening gel could be placed inside the teeth, is this procedure much more expensive than the normal tooth whitening? And roughly how much should I be expecting to pay for this treatment? I live in Bromley in Kent but with very easy access to London. Is there anywhere you would recommend to undergo this treatment?

Many thanks again

L

A. Dear L
Internal whitening prices vary because it depends on how responsive your tooth/ teeth are some lighten quite quickly so may not cost so much; it generally depends on how long the tooth takes to whiten. Whitening costs also vary depending on the system and the experience of the dentist. It is difficult to recommend a dentist as it is my opinion a very personal choice I would recommend looking on the internet and seeing if this helps you or seeing if any of your friends / family can recommend someone. At our practice we use deep tooth whitening a process which is regarded as the best possible. Our cost for this is £800 which includes a 2 week home whiteing kit and an in house laser treatment we have had great success with and have yet to have an unhappy client with their results.
I hope this helps you
Dr Riten Patel

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I have missing teeth and broken teeth and on a budget Can i get treatment on the NHS ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. hi my teeth are a disgrace. i had a lot of work done as a child and wasnt happy to go to the dentist im still not.i really want to get my smile back i have recently broke up with my partner of 13 yrs and my confidence is shot.. i have missing teeth broken teeth they are very bad and i am embarresed by them to the point where i dont even smile properly anymore i have tried to get in an nhs dentist and have had no luck..would you be able to suggest anything or anyone that can help…i am on a budget with 3 children but i am willing to cut down on anything to pay for treatment hat i really need thankyou very much. C

A. Dear C,

I am very sorry to hear how unhappy you are with your smile. I completely understand your need to restore your smile for your self-confidence and self-esteem.

A lot depends on how badly damaged your teeth are as to what type of treatment you need. Some of this treatment may be possible within the NHS system but it can be extremely difficult to find a dentist to carry out the necessary treatment due to the government policy at the moment. A possible source of help might be your local health authority and your local MP.

Your treatment could be carried out by a private dentist- aesthetic and health treatments being available. Many private practices have finance available for you to spread the cost over a number of years. Within my practice we find these financial schemes help many of our patient proceed with treatment which otherwise they would not be able to afford.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Dr Julian Caplan BDS
Director on the board of The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

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I need gum reshaping and have been quoted £1000 is this expensive ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. I have been told I need gum reshaping on 4 teeth and some bone removed at the same time from above one of the teeth,in preparation for 4 veneers (to close a central gap). I have been quoted £1000 for the gum work alone but feel this is quite expensive. I like the dentist and periodontist but am now worried that they are charging too much because they think I can afford it! Is there some kind of price guide for periodontal work? What do you think? C

A.Hello C,

Aesthetic / cosmetic dentistry often involves balancing costs, the final result and not least the amount of treatment that you are willing to have. The gum reshaping procedure does vary from case to case so the guide fees are difficult to provide. A well planned aesthetic case involving surgery will often have a trial wax up for the desired shape and position of the finished veneers. This mock up can then used as surgical guide to indicate where & how much bone is to be removed. If the treatment planning i is included in then the fees look better.

If you are not comfortable you should get a reasonably detailed second opinion (not necessarily a second wax up etc ). The problem is that as you like your dentist who has recommended the periodontist , you would probably feel awkward having the work done elsewhere if you plan on staying with your regular dentists.

My first thought is that you should talk your concerns over with your dentist. There may be an alternative with less cost. Although fees vary between dentists, most dentists don’t barter fees much, so they are likely to stick to a quoted fee. But the cost of a treatment plan can vary considerably if you change the specifications.

Let me know how it goes

Dr Rob Tennet

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How much does a good quality upper denture cost ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. I have had partial upper denture fitted nine months ago, it feels like i have an old boot in my mouth. i wonder what what the price of a quality upper denture would be. I have three front teeth left. J

A. Dear J

I can certainly understand the feeling of discomfort when wearing a partial denture.

If the denture is well made and still feels like it is too much to bear then you may want to consider asking your dentist as to the possibility of dental implants – these will negate the need for wearing a denture and are the closest you will ever come to feeling like you have your own teeth back.

As to the price of a professionally made full upper denture – this can cost anywhere up to £3-4000 although this should be taken under advice from the relevant specialist

I hope this is of help

Justin

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I am considerring veneers and have been quoted £475 for teeth whitening is this too expensive ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Dear Dr Caplan, I am in the process of considering veneers on my teeth. I was told I needed a michelin splint first which I now use. The next step is whitening my teeth and I have been a little surprised by the cost of £475 as I had assumed this was a fairly strightforward procedure. I have already paid £700 for the splint so this additional cost before even considering the veneers came as a shock. The process from what I understand does not include laser treatment. My question is does this price seem fair and reasonable in your opinion? The dentist is not in the centre of London but in the home counties. Before I proceed I want to ensure that I am not being taken advantage of. Thank you for your assistance. Mr A

A. Dear Mr. A,

Firstly I am glad to hear that your dentist has prescribed a Mitchegan to correct your bite prior to veneer treatment. This is a good indication that your dentist is involved in post gradate education – which bodes well for the final definitive treatment!

The fees that you have been charged seem about average for a splint and bleaching. The “laser bleaching” in fact uses ultraviolet light and may or may not help to whiten the teeth. The most important aspect of bleaching in my opinion is the amount of home bleaching and an estimate of £475 is a reasonable fee. I definitely do not think you are been taken advantage of.

Please discuss your concerns with your dentist. Trust is essential in dentistry and it is important that you have confidence in your dentist.

Regards,

Dr Julian Caplan
Director on the board of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

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How much will a single tooth dental implant cost to replace a damaged front tooth if i do not need any gum work?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. I damaged my front tooth playing football and after some work to fix it i have now been told that it will need to come out as the fracture has grown. How much would i need to pay for an implant for one tooth, assuming that my gums don’t need any prep work? M

A. Dear M,

A ball-park figure would be in the region of £2000 to £5000 pounds. I’ve given you a broad range because to replace a single front tooth is one of the most challenging treatments a dentist can perform. To produce a near perfect result may require a number of crowns to be made and obviously this takes time with a corresponding fee. An average fee would be in the middle of this range but a lot depends on the experience of the dentist and the location of their practice.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Dr Julian Caplan BDS
Director on the board of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
Aviva Cosmetic Dentistry

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What can be done about receding gums and sensitive teeth?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Dear Dr Solanki, My gums are receding and my teeth are now very sensitive what can I do myslef to reverse the process, does this happen because i am brushing too hard, if I use a softer brush will my gums come back. I cannot stand the pain and if i try to scratch the top of my tooth with my nail it really hurts. A.F.B

A. Hello A.F.B, Gum recession is something that I see a lot of in everyday dentistry and you are right, tooth brush abrasion caused by excessive pressure when brushing can cause gum recession, other factors such as diet, smoking and acidic foods can contribute to this process. If patients are brshing too hard we often recommend an electric tooth brush and also an education session with our hygiensit where she will show you the correct brushing and cleaning techniques to avoid causing further damage. Unfortunately there is not a lot that you can do in order to “reverse” the gum recession process and this is why it is important to address the cause immediately. One solution to your recession would be to perform a gum graft, where soft tissue is grafted over the area of recession, we have a gum specialist (periodontist) at our practice that caries out such treatments. The gum tissue for the graft can either be taken from your palate or we can use an artificial substitute. I would also recommend using a special tooth paste for sensitive teeth such as sensodyne which you can buy from mosts dentists or chemists. We can also cover the exposed sensitive part of your tooth with a filling type material.
I hope this helps

Dr Kailesh Solanki

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I have missing teeth and gum disease what can be done?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Dear Rob since kindly receiveing my wisdom teeth i have had nothing but trouble with my teeth. i currently have to missing teeth from the back (with another on its way) and receeding gums at the front. i am not a vain lady but the thought of having no front teeth upsets me greatly could you please tell me the options i have if or when my front teeth go? and if there is an option (not on a pallet) could i have it done before all of them fall out ?? and what kind of cost would i be looking at? i look forward to hearing from you anxiously waiting K

A.Dear K,

If the reason for your missing teeth is gum / periodontal disease you will require this factor controlling before you replace the missing teeth. The success of the initial treatment will help to decide what is a suitable long term solution for the front teeth.

It is possible to have receding gums but still have functional teeth that have a good lifetime prognosis. You would need to take some Radiographs and do a few tests to find out more.

In principle, most treatment plans would consider the following (in order of timing) treat any active infection (including around the wisdom teeth and extracting hopeless teeth) provide adequate biting capacity in the back of the mouth (which protects the front teeth & jaw joint) restoring the front teeth if they need it

To restore front teeth could involve veneers, crowns or bridges at £400-600 per tooth treated. To replace missing front teeth with implants is around £2500 per tooth (less if you have an implant secured bridge).

A full implant consultation with radiographs, study models & photos is £100. A standard consultation and radiographs is normally £40-60 depending on the number of additional tests required.

I hope this helps.

Regards Dr Rob Tennet

Posted in Dr Tennet's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. gums | No Comments »

I have periodontal disease can i get cosmetic dentistry on NHS ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. hi ive been told by my dentist that i have got periodontal disease and she had given me antibiotics for this she has refered me to see an orthodontics at my local hospital my top teeth are crooked and one of them i had to have it taken out , i now wear a denture for this which i use adhesive to hold this in place, but everytime i wear it im suffering with terrible headaches. she has refered me to see an orthodontics at my local hospital as i did ask her could she straighten my teeth out she said no, my bottom 4 teeth are horrid you can see the roots of the two middle ones and either side of this the gums have receeded and when i go out when the cold hits my mouth the pain is horrendous, would i be able to have some sort of cosmetic denist surgery on the nhs as im on tax credits and i cant afford to pay the full price i havent smiled in a long time this would boost my self esteem and make me confident person i ve been told that i sufer with bad breath too help.. thankyou so much L

A.Dear L

All of the complaints you describe certainly point to gum or periodontal (supporting bone) disease.
Before considering any form of treatment it is important that this is not only treated but stabilised long term – this may necessitate seeing a Periodontist ie gum specialist.

For any type of treatment the foundation must be laid first, ie treating the existing condition then once health has been maintained for a period approx 3-6 months then the long term dental work can be carried out.

I would recommend asking your local dentist for a referral to a Periodontist in this case as first stage treatment

Justin

Posted in Dr Glaister's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. gums | No Comments »

I have gum recession because I brush my teeth too hard and makes my teeth look too long, waht can be done?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. I have quite marked gum recession (my dentist told me that I\’d brushed my teeth too hard). It affects my upper incisors most. It makes them appear very long compared to the other teeth. Can anything be done to improve the appearance

A.Dear A,

Thank you for your question this is not an uncommon problem. There are 3 main reasons why you may have gum recession:

1. Gum disease. Do your gums bleed when you brush or floss your teeth. If they do you probably have gum disease. This is an infection of your gums that causes your gums to be swollen and inflammed. More seriously the underlying bone supporting your teeth dissolves away. As this bone is lossed your gums receed.
Gum treatment is essential prior to improving the cosmetic problems. Following this the teeth can be bonded with composite( white filling material), porcelain veneers or sometimes require gum grafting.

2. As your dentist has mentioned over brushing I suspect your gum health is good. Over brushing and using too hard a tooth brush can cause you to rub away the relatively soft dentine. As your gums are attached to the dentine they receed as the dentine is rubbed away. Recent research suggests that it is actually the tooth paste that causes the damage. I would still recommend that you use fluoridated toothpaste but only use a little to reduce this effect. The treatment options are as indicated above.

3. The final possibility is that you are grinding or clenching your teeth or have an interference between your upper and lower teeth( your teeth are not working in harmony together). This, often in combination with the above, can cause generalised or localised gum recession. Following the above treatment to improve the cosmetic problem the bite often needs adjustment to allow even forces to be applied to the teeth and a night splint may be necessary to protect the teeth.

Quite a long answer to a seemingly simple question. Hope this helps.

Regards

Dr Julian Caplan BDS
Director on the board of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
Aviva Cosmetic Dentistry

Posted in Dr Caplan's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. gums | 1 Comment »

I was supposed to have braces at 17…. now im older is my only option cosmetic dentistry?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Dear Dr Solanki, Im female, aged 20 I have had always wanted straight teeth and now I feel I can’t get it now. I was supposed to have braces when I was 17 but the dentist didn’t do anything about it, and I chased them up about it but nothing came about so I was annoyed as well as upset. Now cause of my age I can’t get braces and the only alternative is cosmetic denstriy, but it is expensive and im a student and can’t afford it so please could you suggest something i would be most greatful. thank you P.M.

A. Dear P.M,
There are many different solutions available for straightening your teeth and the treatment for you will depend on the condition of your teeth and how much movement is required. The fact that you did not have treatment as a teenager does not mean that you cannot have braces now. The majority of orthodontic cases that we carry out at our practice are on adult patients. Options for straightening your teeth include fixed braces, lingual braces, friction free appliances such as the Damon system, the Inman aligner which is a good cost effective treatment for small movements required on your front teeth and “invisible braces systems” such as Invisalign and clearstep. All systems have their pros and cons and your dentist or orthodontist would be able to recommend the best treatment following a consultation and an examination. As for costs, you are right that any high quality cosmetic dentistry comes at a price and many patients that want the smile of their dreams cannot afford treatment at first, however there are now many interest free payment plans available that can help you spread the costs of your treatment according to a monthly budget. Most cosmetic dental practices now offer finance plans. Sorry I cannot be more precise without actually seeing you but I hope the above helps

Dr Kailesh Solanki

Posted in Dr Solanki's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. Orthodontics | 2 Comments »

What are my options my teeth stick out ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Hello Dr Riten, i wonder if you can help me with my problem. I have teeth that stick out a little bit and i am not sure what to do about them I have read there are a few different ways such as invisible braces inman aligner braces and veneers. I dont want one of these hollywood smiles because i think they just look too fake and so i want my smile to look natural but also good. Although finances are an issue the way I look at it is that every one i meet sees my teeth its more important than buying a new car and I believe you can now get your teeth done on finance just like when buying a new car? Thank you for time to read this. J.N.

A. Dear J.N,
I agree with you your smile is very important people say the two things they notice on anyone first are their Eyes and Teeth. Orthodontics is a great way to straighten your teeth especially if you are generally happy with your teeth. Porcelain veneers are beautiful and I understand your reservations about a “hollywood smile” however your smile is individual crafted so is customised to what you want, at our practice we always sit with our clients and show different types of teeth shapes and colours so you get the smile you want. You don’t have to have false bright teeth.
Dental finance is wonderful it allows more people to achieve the smile they want without the heavy initial financial outlay. Once your individual treatment plan is decided monthly budgets can be discussed to spread your costings over months or years. Our finance packages are at 0% interest.
I hope this helps.


Dr Riten Patel BDS

Posted in Dr Patel's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. Orthodontics | No Comments »

One of my front teeth is crooked what is the cheapest and best option I dont want braces ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. could you advise? i have pretty good teeth except my front two one of them is crooked. i definately do not want to take the route of a brace, therefore what would be the most effective and cheapest path to take? L.P.

A. Dear L.P.,

Thank you for your question. There are 2 ways to straighten your front teeth.

The first method is with braces. I mention this, although you have said you are not keen, as minimum adjustment of your teeth are necessary to get a great result. Are you aware there are ‘ invisible ‘ braces that are made out of clear plastic? A succession of these are made that gradually move your teeth to the correct position. The down side is that the treatment can take from 6 to 18 months and there is the possibility of relapse if a small metal wire is not bonded to the teeth behind them to permanently hold them in place.

The second option would be veneers either made from a plastic material (composite) or from porcelain. I would advise to get the best result from a long term and colour stability point of view that you opt for porcelain veneers. From a cost point of view plastic veneers are cheaper but the fact that they are not as permanent as porcelain veneers would make me choose porcelain veneers. In fact I have porcelain veneers on my teeth ( and yes I had to pay for them just like any other patient!).

Hope this helps.

Regards

Dr Julian Caplan BDS

Posted in Dr Caplan's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. Orthodontics | 3 Comments »

My front tooth is pretruding can it be fixed without braces ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. one of my front tooth is slightly pretruding is this easy fixed without wearing braces as i am 32. they were perfectly straight up until i was about 21. I am very conscience of it now M.L.

A. Dear L,

Thank you for your question about your protruding tooth. This is a common problem for many people. As we get older and if our tooth alignment is not quite right, our teeth tend to move producing this crossing over/protruding problem. Unfortunately this will only get worse in the coming years. The good news is that, with modern technology, there is something you can do about it.

There are 3 ways generally used to straighten teeth:

1. The first way is to have a brace. Please do not be immediately discount this option. Braces now can be made to be far more acceptable cosmetically than they used to be. In my practice I use virtually invisible “braces” called invisalign braces. These use a sequence of very thin see-through aligners ( they are like a second skin to your teeth) that gradually, over a period of 6 to 18 months, move your teeth into their ideal position. The treatment time depends on how severe your problem is. Please visit www.invisalgn.com for examples and more information. There are some problems that do need conventional brace treatment (train tracks) but your case does not seem that way from your Email.

Braces are a good option because there is minimal, if any, removal of your tooth substance. The down side is the treatment time and the possibility of the crossing over/protruding problem coming back.

2. The second way to straighten a relatively untreated mouth ( few fillings only ) is using veneers. These are thin pieces of porcelain used to cover over poorly positioned/ poorly shaped/discoloured teeth to give the beautiful smiles you see in the magazines. The treatment time for this is up to 4 weeks. In my practice I use Cad Cam technology to achieve this result in a day. Obviously this is a great plus , rather than waiting for a brace ( invisalign or conventional) to do its job. Also your smile can be whitened by the shade chosen for your veneers. The down side is the teeth need to be shaped to allow for the correct fit and positioning of the veneers. This means once you have started down this road you must realize that in the next 10 to 20 years you may need them replaced.

3. The final option would be crowns (caps). This requires a lot more tooth to be removed and should only be carried out if veneers are not possible.

In summary, if it was my mouth, I would have an invisalign brace if the teeth were a good shape or veneers if I could benefit from improving the shape of my teeth. Interestingly I do have veneers on my upper teeth. Please visit my web site below to view my before and after and you will hopefully see how I improved the shape, position and colour of my teeth. This will hopefully give you an idea of what can be achieved.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Dr Julian Caplan BDS
Director on the board of The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

Posted in Dr Caplan's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. Orthodontics | 1 Comment »

I have a Crossbite and im a singer I have a lot of wear on my front teeth what can be done ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Hi, I have a crossbite, with a smaller upper and slightly larger lower, am a singer with no time off for anything drastic – do you have any suggestions? There is a lot of wear on the front 3 teeth (UR1, LL1, LL2). would be very interested in whats possible…thanks JR

A. Hi JR
The options you have are very much dependant on what I would see when I carry out a full consultation. You’re crossbite can probably be corrected by using orthodontics such as Invisalign…the big advantage being the aligners are virtually invisible, very discreet and can easily be removed when you are singing. Once your bite is corrected porcelain veneers or crowns could be placed to to correct the differences in tooth size and rebuild the tooth surfaces you have lost through wear. I use these combined techniques all the time and they do not impact too much on your time. Once again I am really only giving you general advice as I would really need to see you before giving you definitive options.
I hope this helps you.
Dr Riten Patel BDS

Posted in Dr Patel's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. Orthodontics | No Comments »

I have a gap in my front top teeth due to sucking my thumb what can be done?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. since i was a little girl ive had a gap at the front of my teeth at the top. due 2 sucking my thumb the gap has got bigger over the years and my teeth are very crooked. during my teens i had a brace which i just kept taking out so that was no good. im 23 and i have no confidence when speaking to people. is there any solution ie; have a tooth put in there or take the 2 front ones out and have them replaced by 2 straight closed teeth? or is my only option to have a brace? L

A. Dear L,

This is obviously bothering considerably. It would be an extreme solution to remove the teeth and have implants placed. Although it does sound as though a brace is the best option the other possibility would be veneers. You would probably need 8 to 10 veneers to give you a correctly proportioned smile ( 2 veneers would just give you strangely looking fat front teeth). However the down side is that your teeth would need to be shaped.
Invisible braces (Invisalign) are used in my practice to solve many poorly positioned teeth problems. This uses a sequence of ultra thin aligners ( a little bit like a very small invisible mouth guard) to gradually move your teeth back into place over several months. I would recommend that you seriously consider a brace option as this is the most healthiest way to solve your problem. If ,however, you are looking for a quicker fix veneers done well will last you many years.

Regards

Dr Julian Caplan BDS
Director on the board of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
Aviva Cosmetic Dentistry

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Can you put a dental crown on a loose tooth ?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. Dear Dr Kailesh Solanki, Would you crown a tooth which is already lose?

A. I would first have to assess if the tooth is loose, how mobile or loose it is and how long I felt the tooth was going to last. If this figure was less than five years I would first voice my concerns to you and if you wanted to progress with treatment then I would crown it. In my practice I always try to preserve your natural teeth where possible provided this is a viable option. However, other options for a tooth that is loose and is inevitably going to fall out would be an extraction followed by replacement of the gap with either a dental implant or a bridge.

An implant has the advantage of maintaining the structure of the surrounding healthy teeth whereas adjacent teeth need to be prepped for a bridge, which involved reduction of healthy tooth tissue. Implants also provide a longer term solution and help prevent bone loss which can occur in the jaw following tooth loss.

Hope this is helpful.

Dr Kailesh solanki

Dr Kailesh Solanki Manchester cosmetic dentist

Posted in Dr Solanki's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. Dental crowns | 1 Comment »

My new porcelain crown has a gap round it ..can I replace it?

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Q. hello i have just had 4 porcelain crowns fitted and one of them looks out of place and i still have a small gap around it, is it possible that my dentist can remove this one and replace it with another? H

A. Hi H, many thanks for your enquiry, this is a very simple problem to rectify. The dentist that has done the work, needs to remove the single crown which is out of place, take a new impression send it to the laboratory which the other crowns were made, he will then place a temporary crown on your tooth. A week later the new crown should arrive and this can be then fitted and all should be good. Hope this is helpful.

Hope this is helpful.

Dr Kailesh solanki

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