Dental Blog - Bromley Dental Practice -

Have You Got Toothache? Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Ignore It

Do you currently have a tooth that feels a bit sensitive whenever you bite or chew on it, or perhaps it’s beginning to ache slightly? If so then fight the temptation to ignore it, and book an appointment to come and see Dr Zaki Bashir or another of our dentists in Bromley. This is because toothache is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong and it’s always worth investigating.

How Toothache Develops

Normally your teeth are protected with a thick layer of dental enamel which is one of the hardest substances in the human body. Your dental enamel is constantly under attack from the bacteria in your mouth that produce acid whenever you eat or drink something sugary or full of carbohydrates. Over time your enamel can become softer, allowing the bacteria to penetrate the interior part of the tooth.

The dentine layer lies directly underneath the tooth enamel and is much softer and more susceptible towards decay. Once the bacteria penetrate the tooth enamel and reach the dentine they will be able to eat away at this layer causing a cavity. The actual hole in your tooth might look quite small, but the cavity inside the tooth will gradually increase in size, and you might find that one day you bite down on that tooth and it simply crumbles away.

Over time the bacteria will gradually penetrate the tooth even further, eventually reaching the pulp. This is the part of the tooth that contains all the nerves and blood supply to the tooth, and when it becomes infected it’s likely to be extremely painful. By this stage you will need root canal in Bromley to save the infected tooth.

Root Canal Treatment Is Great at Saving Infected Teeth

Root canal treatment is one of those things that a lot of people feel fearful about having, but the reality is it’s no worse than having a filling and your dentist in Bromley will make sure you’re comfortably numb for the whole process. In fact root canal therapy is great at helping to preserve teeth that would otherwise have to be extracted. Once it’s completed you’ll be able to bite on the tooth perfectly normally, and your restored tooth could last for many years or even your entire life. Even though this treatment is excellent, we’d much prefer that you didn’t need it, and this is something that can be achieved through taking action when you think there’s something wrong with your teeth, or preferably before you notice any symptoms.

Early Cavity Detection

Regular dental exams at Bromley Dental Practice will enable our dentists to detect any signs of small cavities so they can be easily filled before they cause you any pain. This is one of the reasons why we take regular dental x-rays as these can show us early signs of decay in areas that are hidden from view such as right between your teeth. Small cavities are easy and quick to fill, and will cost you less money.

Bromley Dental Practice

Zaki graduated from University of Bristol 1999 and has practiced in Kent since then. He is passionate about dentistry and providing the highest standard of care for patients, at the same time, he keeps himself at the cutting edge of modern dental techniques.

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Is Your Smile ‘Gummy?’ We Can Help

Do you feel you expose too much gum whenever you smile or speak with others? Or perhaps your gum line is uneven? It is easy to feel self-conscious about this, but quite a lot of people have something called a ‘gummy smile.’ Luckily it is a condition we can treat quite easily at Bromley Dental Practice, as Dr Zaki Bashir can re-contour the shape of your gums to give them a far more pleasing appearance. Your gums are pretty important as they help to frame your teeth, and gum contouring is something that is often carried out as part of a smile makeover, or prior to having teeth veneered or crowned. Having an even gum line that exposes the correct amount of tooth will help provide you with a naturally beautiful smile, helping to boost self-confidence and self-esteem..

Gum Contouring and Teeth Reshaping

Some people will only need a small amount of gum tissue removed, while others might need a more substantial amount taken away. When only a tiny amount of gum tissue needs to removed, then this treatment is sometimes carried out in conjunction with another process called tooth reshaping. This is where the teeth are reshaped to give them more pleasing contours, and this is done through removing a very small amount of tooth enamel before the tooth is polished to give a natural look and sheen. This treatment can also be used to help correct teeth that are slightly overlapping through removing a very small amount of tooth structure in between the teeth.

Gum Contouring with Dental Bonding

If the tooth is oddly shaped or is slightly too short, your dentist in Bromley might choose to re-contour the tooth using dental bonding. This is where composite resin is used to build up the tooth into a nicer and more attractive shape. The material used is the same as for white fillings, and can be very closely matched to your existing tooth colour. If necessary your Bromley dentist will use several different shades to recreate a natural looking tooth. This process is very conservative, and is ideal if a tooth is slightly chipped or worn.

Treatment for a gummy smile is fast and quite painless, although you might notice your gums are slightly swollen afterwards. It can take a while for your gums to settle down, and during this time they might change shape slightly as any swelling subsides. Once they have fully healed you should notice a considerable difference in the way they look.

Gum contouring in Bromley is very safe and is minimally invasive, but could make a huge difference to your smile. If you are interested then it is best to make an appointment for a consultation with one of our dentists in Bromley. We will be able to assess your smile, and will recommend this treatment if we think it is right for you, and that it will provide the kind of results you are hoping for.

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Using Dental Implants to Secure or Replace a Denture

Problems Faced by Denture Wearers
Many people who lose quite a few teeth, or who have lost all their teeth, will choose to wear a full set of dentures. Dentures are a very cost effective way of replacing lost teeth, and the process for having them is relatively quick and non-invasive. Well-made and modern dentures can use extremely life-like teeth, but they are not an ideal solution. One of the main problems with dentures is that they do nothing to help preserve the jawbone. When you lose teeth the jawbone gradually begins to reabsorb as it relies on the tooth roots to provide the necessary stimulation to keep it healthy. Over time the ridge that used to support the teeth will become flatter, and this can make wearing a denture especially awkward.

Dentist Bromley Dentures, in particular lower dentures, rely on retention to hold them in position, and as the bony ridge gradually reduces then there will be less and less retention. This can mean the dentures begin to slip and move around, making eating tricky, limiting the choice of foods available. This can negatively impact general health, and could affect digestion. In addition, many people will get increasingly self-conscious about their dentures and will worry that they will move about when they socialise with others. This is when opting for dental implants can really help.

Replacing Dentures with a Fixed Bridge
Dental implants can be placed by Dr Zaki Bashir or another of our dentists in Bromley, and may be used to replace dentures entirely with a fixed bridge. The bridge is permanently cemented or screwed in position, and this treatment can make the world of difference to the quality of life. Imagine not having to worry about lose and uncomfortable dentures anymore, and being able to eat a wider variety of foods than before. This type of treatment will mean having quite a few dental implants placed by one of our dentists in Bromley, and the process is likely to take several months to complete, but it is well worth the effort.

Replacing Dentures with Implant Secured Dentures
Dental implants do require a certain amount of healthy bone, and this can sometimes be a problem for people who have worn dentures for a very long time. In this case one option might be to have fewer implants placed to help hold a denture in position. This technique will enable the denture to snap into place onto the implants, so it is held firmly in position but can still be removed for easy cleaning.

Most people will use dental implants in Bromley to secure lower dentures or to replace them completely, as upper dentures often still have adequate retention. However there is no reason why dental implants should not be used to replace upper dentures, and in fact this can have huge benefits as well. One of the main problems with upper dentures is that they have to be made to completely cover the upper palate in order to give good retention. Upper bridge or implant retained dentures will leave the upper palate completely uncovered. The upper palate contains lots of taste buds, so uncovering it will mean food suddenly becomes a lot more enjoyable.

Bromley Dental Practice

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Refreshing Your Looks with Botox

Botox is a great way to get a fresher look, and this treatment is very non-invasive and quick. You will need to book a consultation with one of our Bromley dentists to find out if this treatment will work well for you. It is ideal for treating frown lines in between the eyes, and for treating wrinkles that are not particularly deep seated such as early signs of wrinkles or crow’s feet around the eyes, or the first signs of wrinkles on the forehead.

Dentist Bromley Treatment can be completed within just ten minutes, as our dentists in Bromley will have identified the best locations for the injections which are administered using very fine needles, minimising discomfort. You might see some redness around the injection sites in the first few hours after treatment, and you may experience a small amount of bruising, but this should quickly clear up. It does take up to a week or so for the full results of treatment to become visible, and afterwards the effects should last approximately four months before they need topping up.

One of the things that concerns people about having Botox is that they will end up unable to express emotions, as everybody has seen actors and celebrities who seem completely unable to move their faces anymore. This will definitely not happen when you have Botox in Bromley, as our dentists only ever use the smallest amounts necessary to help relax the facial muscles, while still allowing you to move your face. The results should look very natural, and it will certainly not be obvious that you have had any work carried out. The idea is to make you look refreshed and well-rested.

Treating More Deep-Seated Wrinkles

Botox is great for many different types of wrinkles, but is not always so effective for wrinkles and folds that are well established. In this case you may need to look at an alternative form of treatment, and we do offer our patients dermal fillers. We use a brand called Restylane that is extremely well-tested and researched, and which can provide very good results. Restylane is very effective at helping to replace lost volume in the skin, something that happens naturally as we age as the skin begins to lose its plumpness. It is ideal at helping to reduce wrinkles around the mouth, and at revitalising facial features. It can give the skin a refreshed appearance as it uses a substance called hyaluronic acid that is produced naturally by the body, but production tends to drop as part of the aging process.

The best way to find out which treatment will work best for you, or whether you would benefit from using a combination of Botox and Restylane, is to make an appointment to see Dr Zaki Bashir or another of our dentists in Bromley. We will only recommend this treatment if we think it will work well for you, and will give the results you are looking for. Both treatments will only provide temporary results, but both are extremely safe to use.

Bromley Dental Practice

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Teeth Whitening in Bromley

Teeth whitening is one of the most requested, and most popular dental treatments today. Even though it won’t provide any benefits to oral health, it can be a huge boost to self-confidence, especially as whiter teeth are associated with youthfulness. Having your teeth whitened by your dentist in Bromley will ensure treatment is safe and successful.

The First Step is to Book a Check-up

Dentist Bromley This is essential; one of our Bromley dentists will need to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy and free from diseases such as gum disease or untreated tooth decay. Whitening an unhealthy mouth would allow the bleaching gel to penetrate the diseased teeth or gums more easily, increasing the risk of experiencing unwanted side effects such as tooth sensitivity or pain. Additionally whitening an unhealthy mouth could worsen any existing dental health issues.

Dr Zaki Bashir or another of our dentists in Bromley will be able to tell you the kind of results you can reasonably achieve through whitening your teeth. Certain shades whiten better than others, for example teeth that are yellow will whiten more easily than teeth that are grey or violet toned. Some teeth may simply be immune to whitening, as teeth that have been veneered or crowned will not bleach, and some stains may be internal. Internal or intrinsic stains can be caused by exposure to antibiotics when the teeth were still developing or exposure to excess fluoride before the age of seven. If you have some teeth that are affected this way then you might need to think of covering them up with crowns or veneers once you have whitened your teeth. The reason for whitening first is that we will be able to match the shade of your veneers more accurately to your newly bleached teeth whereas it is much harder to make dental veneers in a particular shade, and to then try to bleach your teeth to match them.

Some teeth may become discoloured if they have been root treated, and in this case it might be possible for your dentist in Bromley to bleach the tooth internally while whitening the rest of the teeth normally.

We Use Zoom Whitening

Our dental practice uses Zoom teeth whitening in Bromley that can brighten the natural shade of your teeth in just an hour. The process is extremely safe, as your gums and lips will be fully protected from the whitening gel throughout treatment. The gel is activated through the use of a special light that allows the bleach to penetrate the teeth more fully.

If you decide to opt for home whitening, then we can make you whitening trays that will fit over your teeth, and which will be very comfortable to wear. We will supply you with the whitening gel, as well as full instructions on how to use it. Some people will want to use both systems in order to get the very best possible results, but if you want your teeth to look naturally white and youthful, it is best to aim for a shade that is close to the whites of your eyes.

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Starting the New Year with a New Smile

Are you fed up with having stained teeth, or teeth that are chipped or crooked? In this case one of your New Year’s resolutions might be to do something to improve your smile, and this is where we can help.

Dentist Bromley Bromley Dental Practice offers a comprehensive range of cosmetic dental treatments, some of which can also help to improve or maintain your oral health. For instance, dental fillings will only last for a few years before they need replacing, and if you have any older style amalgam fillings these can be safely removed by your dentist in Bromley, and replaced with much nicer looking white fillings. These are made from composite resin, and the colour is very closely matched to your natural teeth so the new filling will be virtually undetectable. It is amazing what a difference this can make to a smile as it can help to eliminate dark or silver coloured areas in your mouth, making your teeth appear brighter and whiter. This type of treatment is not very expensive, and it will help to preserve your teeth.

Perhaps you are looking for something a little more radical, in which case you may want to think about dental veneers or perhaps dental bonding. Porcelain veneers in Bromley can help to mask teeth that are internally stained, and which will not respond to teeth whitening treatments. They can be used to mask chips and cracks in teeth, and can help to replace areas of the tooth that may have become worn down. If one or two of your teeth are misshapen or too small, then having them veneered can give them a more pleasing appearance while still preserving most of the tooth.

Dr Zaki Bashir or another of our dentists in Bromley will only need to remove a tiny amount of tooth material from the front of the tooth to make room for the veneer. Sometimes it may not even be necessary to do this, depending on the position of the tooth. The veneer will be made from porcelain, and once bonded in position will be relatively strong. A well-cared for veneer could last up to ten years, or possibly even longer, but this does depend on you having regular check-ups with one of our Bromley dentists, and good dental care at home.

If you don’t fancy having veneers, then an alternative could be to have one or more teeth bonded. This process is minimally invasive, and is ideal for camouflaging the appearance of teeth that might be slightly out of line. The process uses the same composite resin as for white fillings, and can usually be completed in just one visit to our dental practice. Just about everyone will benefit from teeth whitening, a treatment that can be carried our chair side by your dentist in Bromley in as little as an hour, or if you prefer we can provide you with custom-made whitening trays to use at home.

There are lots of different options for boosting your smile and even small changes can make a big difference, and won’t cost you a fortune. If you are interested in finding out more, the best thing to do is to book a consultation with one of our experienced cosmetic dentists in Bromley.

Bromley Dental Practice

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Why is Preventative Dentistry so Important?

Are you sometimes tempted to ignore those six monthly reminders we send you? Dr Zaki Bashir, and all the dental team here at Bromley Dental Practice realise this is all too easy to do, especially if your teeth feel and look fine to you. However there are lots of important reasons for picking up the phone and booking that appointment. Regular preventative dental care is the very best way to help keep your teeth and gums healthy, and is likely to save you money and time in the future. Common diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease can often be easy to miss.

Tooth Decay

Your dentist in Bromley will carefully examine your teeth for any signs of erosion or lesions in your tooth enamel. These could indicate the beginnings of a cavity, and at this stage we may be able to treat them with fluoride applications, or where necessary a small filling. Smaller fillings are also cheaper fillings, and will help to preserve the rest of your tooth. Leaving tooth decay until it becomes painful will be much more costly to treat. If a tooth causes pain then the decay could have reached the central part of the tooth, an area called the pulp and which contains all the nerves and blood vessels to the tooth. An infected pulp will require root canal in Bromley, and the affected tooth may need a larger filling or even a crown to restore it to health.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is often called a silent disease. Early signs such as gums that bleed when brushed, or which feel a bit tender, can be all too easy to ignore. These are the sort of things your dentist in Bromley will pick up on. A professional cleaning, combined with better dental care at home could be all that is required to get your gums back in the pink. If you leave this disease then it will destroy your gums, the ligaments supporting your teeth, and even the bone surrounding your teeth. Eventually you may find you lose some or even all of your teeth. Gum disease, or periodontal disease can also affect your general health, and not in a good way. Studies have linked it to numerous common diseases including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and heart disease.

Mouth Cancer

Finally, a simple check-up with your dentist in Bromley could even save your life. Your check-up includes a screening for mouth cancer, a disease that is frequently diagnosed late in the day when treatment is not always successful. This simple check will only take a couple of minutes, but will enable our dentists to see if there are any lesions or ulcers, or any changes in the colour of your oral tissues. Early diagnosis will mean treatment has a much higher chance of success, and it is likely to be less invasive.

All it takes is an hour or so every six months, and less than ten minutes each day to help keep your teeth and gums, and your whole mouth as healthy as possible. Regular professional cleanings will also help put a sparkle in your smile through removing some of those surface stains from your teeth.

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A New Crown in Just One Visit

If you have ever needed crowns in the past you might think this sounds too good to be true, but this service is available from your local dentist in Bromley. This is because Bromley Dental Practice offers CEREC crowns that can be made on site. This system uses the latest CAD/CAM technology, so you receive a crown that fits incredibly well, and which looks fantastic.

Advantages of Choosing CEREC

CEREC crowns are ideal for anyone who leads a buys life, and who struggles to fit in dental appointments. You just need one appointment with Dr Zaki Bashir, and you can leave our surgery with your permanent crown in place.

Dentist Bromley The process for having a CEREC crown does not involve having conventional dental impressions that have to be sent to a laboratory. Instead our dentist in Bromley will prepare the tooth for the crown, before it is scanned using a very small camera. This is much more comfortable and far less messy. It is ideal for anyone who finds dental impressions unpleasant, as we know some people with a strong gag reflex really struggle with impression trays.

CEREC crowns are milled from a single block of porcelain, creating a very strong and natural restoration. We keep a large stock of ceramic blocks in lots of different colours and translucencies, so your crown can be closely matched to the rest of your natural teeth. Each crown is hand finished and characterised to blend in beautifully, so it should be virtually undetectable.

Teeth can break or crack at the most inconvenient times, often just before special events or holidays. Our temporary crowns in Bromley can look nice, but will never look as good as your final crown, and they are temporarily cemented in position so they can come loose or fall out. Being able to have your permanent crown in just one visit eliminates the need for any temporary restorations, and the worry about them falling out.

Not Just for Crowns

We often use CEREC for crowns, but this system can also be used to create larger filings such as inlays and onlays that would otherwise have to be made in a laboratory. An inlay is a filling designed to replace the central part of one of your back teeth, whereas an onlay is designed to replace one or more of the cusps of your teeth. The cusps are the raised points you can see on the inner and outer surfaces of your back teeth. Using CEREC to replace these areas of decay helps to strengthen the remaining tooth structure. Their precise fit helps to ensure all bacteria are kept out of the tooth, minimising the risk of further infection and decay.

CEREC restorations are excellent, but there may be times when we recommend you have conventionally made crowns. For instance if you intend to have a smile makeover you may still get the best results through having your crowns made traditionally in a laboratory.

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Adult Orthodontics Have Never Been Easier

Adult orthodontics is becoming increasingly popular, and you may already know some people who have had their teeth straightened, or more likely you will not have realised unless they have actually told you. This is because modern adult orthodontics are quite different from even a few years ago, and can discreetly straighten teeth so no one need know you are having orthodontic treatment, unless you choose to let them in on your secret.

Orthodontics Bromley If you have ever hankered after a straighter smile, but didn’t want to spend months or even years wearing unsightly braces, then now is your moment. A quick consultation with our orthodontic dentist in Bromley will be sufficient to help you decide which braces system is right for you. We have two different systems, which between them can correct most common orthodontic problems.

Clear Braces

One of the systems offered by Bromley Dental Practice is Clear Braces. This uses a series of clear trays that look a bit like mouthguards. These guide your teeth into the correct position. The trays are exchanged for fresh sets every two weeks as your teeth gradually begin to move. The mouth trays are virtually invisible, and are custom-designed for you to be comfortable to wear.

You will need to keep them in for approximately twenty two hours each day, but you should take them out whenever you eat or drink something. Removable clear braces in Bromley are very easy to use, and incredibly easy to keep clean. There is no need to worry about having to use fiddly floss threaders or other special tools to clean your teeth and braces, as all you need to do is to brush and floss as normal. Your clear aligners can be rinsed and gently brushed.

Inman Aligner

Not everyone will need complete orthodontic treatment. If you have just one or two crooked teeth in the front of your mouth then you may be able to choose a different orthodontic system that is cosmetically oriented. We offer our patients the option of the Inman Aligner. This is a removable brace that is focused on only moving the front teeth. It is ideal if your front teeth stick out slightly, or if they overlap or are a bit crowded. It will not work if you have problems in the way your teeth meet together as it is not designed to correct major orthodontic problems.

The system works by using two thin metal bows that are powered by nickel titanium coil springs. One bow is behind the teeth while the other is in front of the teeth. The bow on the inner surfaces of the teeth pushes outwards, while the bow on the outer surfaces of the teeth pushes inwards. This gives the appliance a greater range of movement, making it more effective and a lot faster.

Dr Zaki Bashir or another of our dentists in Bromley will suggest the most suitable treatment for you, depending on your bite problems.

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Why Choose Dental Implants?

If you have lost a tooth, or perhaps several teeth, then Dr Zaki Bashir in Bromley will almost certainly have emphasised the importance of replacing it. This is because all your teeth are designed to work together, and if even one is missing, it can negatively affect your remaining teeth. Your choices of tooth replacement range from dental bridges, to partial or full dentures, or dental implants. Dental implants are the most expensive option, so why should you choose them?

A Dental Implant is like a Tooth Root

Dental Implants Bromley When you lose a tooth then one of the side effects can be bone resorption in that area of your mouth. A normal healthy tooth root stimulates the surrounding bone through transmitting the forces created during biting and chewing into this bone. This action stimulates the bone into replacing old bone cells as they die off, so the bone is continually renewed and stays strong.

When the root is removed this no longer happens, and as the bone reabsorbs it can create problems with your remaining teeth, making them less stable, or if you have lost a lot of teeth then you will eventually notice a change in your facial dimensions. Someone who has been wearing dentures for a very long time will often notice their face seems to collapse in on itself.

Dental implants can be the healthiest option for tooth replacement as they are designed to act like natural tooth roots. This means the bone is continually stimulated and will replace old cells as they die off.

Dental Implants can Function Just like Natural Teeth

Dental implants create a strong and stable foundation that can be used to support single crowns and dental bridges. These restorations are cemented or screwed in place and can be treated in exactly the same way as natural teeth. If you have loose dentures, then ask our implant dentist in Bromley about implant retained dentures. Just a few dental implants can be used to retain full upper or lower dentures, so the cost of treatment is well within the reach of many people.

Dental implants have a very high success rate of approximately 95% or even higher, and our implant dentist in Bromley is very experienced in implantology. We use Strauman dental implants as these are high quality implants that are thoroughly tested, and which are widely used throughout the world.

A consultation with our implant dentist in Bromley will let you know if this treatment is right for you. It is true that dental implants are not suitable for everyone, as if you have diabetes or certain other medical conditions then there is a higher risk of failure. If you smoke then be prepared to quit before implant surgery as smoking impedes healing. If you are suitable then dental implants are worth the effort and additional cost, especially in the longer term, as they can last for many years. Properly placed and cared for dental implants in Bromley offer the most permanent means of tooth replacement.

Bromley Dental Practice

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