Private, Implant & Cosmetic Dentistry

Member of

British Orthodontic Society

Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry

British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

1. Does implant surgery hurt?

2. Why cant I just use a beauty salon or tooth whitening clinic to have my teeth whitened?

3. My child was told that they would need four teeth extracted for orthodontic treatment. Is this right?

4. How long should an implant last? Are they a lifetime job?

5. Is everyone suitable for implants?

6. I give my child grapes and raisons as healthy snacks, but my friend says I am wrong to do so. Who’s right?

7. I clean my teeth every day but my dentist says I still need to see the hygienist twice a year. Why is this?

8. Why is a dentist doing “Wrinkle line reduction by injection”? I thought you were only allowed to do teeth?

9. I am a very nervous patient. How would I be able to have treatment when I’m so scared?

10. I need my wisdom teeth out. How sore am I going to be afterwards?

11. I don’t think I need to be seen every six months for a check up but my dentist keeps sending me out a reminder. Why should I go if nothing’s wrong?

12. I only go to the dentist when I’m in bother. Why should I go for check –ups? It’s just my dentist making more money.

13. I want my teeth straightened, but I don’t want to wear braces, and I don’t want crowns. What are my options?

14. I have heard that veneers on my teeth can give me a “Hollywood Smile”. I really want this, but what are the drawbacks?

15. I want all my metal fillings out because I heard they are bad for my health. What should I do?

1. Q. Does implant surgery hurt?
   A. Actually not as much as you might think. Most of our patients who undergo implant surgery report that the post-op discomfort was nowhere near as bad as they thought, and most go back to work as normal the day after their surgery.

2. Q. Why cant I just use a beauty salon or tooth whitening clinic to have my teeth whitened?
   A. You can, for the moment. A recent government report stated that tooth whitening is considered part of the practice of dentistry, and as such only dentists or dental therapists can provide it legally. This comes after numerous reports of people having their teeth damaged by products that were unsuitable for the job, as well as oral tissue burned with chemicals. If you value your smile, you should only have a dentist provide such treatments.

3. Q. My child was told that they would need four teeth extracted for orthodontic treatment. Is this right?
   A. That depends on each individual’s situation. In this practice we feel that there is an historical tendency to prescribe extractions for orthodontic treatment, and that on some occasions this may not be in the child’s best interests. Where possible we prefer to develop the size of the jaws to accommodate the number of teeth nature intended, rather than extract healthy teeth

4. Q. How long should an implant last? Are they a lifetime job?
   A. Implant surgery done well can last for many years. Sometimes it can be a lifetime job, but this depends on various factors, not least of which is the patient’s own responsibility to take care of the work. You don’t buy a car and expect it to keep on going for twenty years without ever having it serviced, so with implants, and indeed all complex dental restorations, there is an on-going need for a maintenance regime. We can see you ten times a year if you want, but the other 355 days the work is your responsibility.

5. Q. Is everyone suitable for implants?
   A. No not everyone. There are various factors that would contra-indicate implants for some people. Lack of bone for us to fix the implants, bleeding disorders, and diabetes tend to preclude this work. Smokers don’t tend to do well as they heal less well, but there are ways around this. We assess each case on its merits, and advise accordingly.

6. Q. I give my child grapes and raisins as healthy snacks, but my friend says I am wrong to do so. Who’s right?
   A. Unfortunately your friend probably is in terms of snacks that are dentally healthy. Like every food there as good and bad consequences for everything we eat. However grapes and raisons are particularly bad for children's’ teeth so you should maybe give an apple instead.

7. Q. I clean my teeth every day but my dentist says I still need to see the hygienist twice a year. Why is this?
   A. Your dentist is probably trying to ensure you have good gum health and that you hold onto your teeth for life. Many patients never need to see a hygienist at all, and others are there every two months. Again most dentists will try to tailor your hygienist appointments to suit your dental needs best.

8. Q. Why is a dentist doing “Wrinkle line reduction by injection”? I thought you were only allowed to do teeth?
   A. A lot of dentists provide treatments “complimentary to dentistry”. Wrinkle line reduction is just one of them. Think about it, dentists are medically qualified, they have an excellent knowledge of the anatomy of the head and face, they give injections every day, and they do so in a clinical environment. We think dentists are ideal to provide this treatment.

9. Q. I am a very nervous patient. How would I be able to have treatment when I’m so scared?
   A. We like to think dentistry has moved on substantially in recent years. The techniques and treatments today are much easier than even ten years ago. However if we cant persuade you to have treatment without some sedation, then we can provide an intra-venous drug which makes you very relaxed while we do your work. Hopefully you will soon learn to trust us and no longer need this technique.

10. Q. I need my wisdom teeth out. How sore am I going to be afterwards?
    A. It depends on a lot of things, not least of which is your own pain perception. But wisdom teeth tend to get a bad press, and actually over 90% of them are straightforward. With good pain control drugs and better anaesthetics today this is less of a problem.

11. Q. I don’t think I need to be seen every six months for a check up but my dentist keeps sending me out a reminder. Why should I go if nothing’s wrong?
    A. The need for a six monthly examination is very important in some cases, particularly in children where we want to catch problems early. However some adult patients can manage perfectly well with less frequent check-ups, and you may be one of them. Mention your thoughts to your dentist on your next visit, and he can explain why he feels you need to be seen every six months, or he may agree that an annual recall may suit you better.

12. Q. I only go to the dentist when I’m in bother. Why should I go for check –ups? It’s just my dentist making more money.
    A. If you only take your car to the garage when there is smoke coming from under the bonnet you’ll find it costs you more. Same thing with teeth, an ounce of prevention as opposed to a pound of cure. If you wait till you’re in trouble it might be too late to do anything other than extract, or it might cost you even more. If your car breaks down on Christmas Eve, you could be stranded for a few days. If it’s your tooth, you could be in pain for a few days. Both are false economys.

13. Q. I want my teeth straightened, but I don’t want to wear braces, and I don’t want crowns. What are my options?
    A. If your teeth are badly out of line then the only way to do it without visible braces is to use an appliance that fits inside your teeth to develop out major imperfections, and then use invisible retainer-type appliances to finish the correction. This is likely to take twice as long and cost twice as much, but if that’s what you want….

14. Q. I have heard that veneers on my teeth can give me a “Hollywood Smile”. I really want this, but what are the drawbacks?
    A. There are cases where veneers are absolutely the treatment of choice where aesthetics are the goal. Similarly they don’t work for everyone so we would have to assess your case. The drawbacks are that they don’t last forever, they need to be well cared for to maintain good gum health, they cost, and they can chip or break. However we have placed lots of veneers which have lasted ten to fifteen years with no problems. Each case is different.

15. Q. I want all my metal fillings out because I heard they are bad for my health. What should I do?
    A. This is a contentious area in dentistry, but in this practice we give people a choice between white fillings and metal amalgams. However, it is my personal belief that as yet there is no conclusive proof that amalgam does any harm. However if you feel strongly that you want them replaced, we can advise you on the best materials available.

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