A very warm welcome to our 2014 Christmas Newsletter. This year has flown by and the festive season is now in full swing. If you are in the area please pop in and view our fantastic Christmas display. It has been a busy time for the practice with new advancements in the way we work, changes to the business structure and a new member of the team, Dr Deborah Philips. A milestone was reached this Autumn with my five year anniversary as Principal at the practice. 2014 also saw the incorporation of Progressive Dentistry into a limited company. I would like to reassure you that this does not affect the working of the practice in any way and I remain the sole Clinical Director. Dentistry has been in the headlines over the last few weeks, making mostly unpleasant reading. However, we would like to assure you that at Progressive Dentistry, we remain at the forefront of the profession and continually seek to improve our practice and services. Major recent advancements at the practice include:

1. The installation of new sterilisation equipment with data printing that verifies that correct temperatures and time frames have been reached for every sterilisation cycle.

2. New medical flooring within the surgeries which is anti bacterial, non-slip and hygienic.

3. The purchase of the latest technology in aqua abrasion, adhering to our key principle of minimal intervention in dentistry. This unit will allow us to remove tooth decay without drilling and often without anaesthetic!

4. New LED lights installed throughout the practice, which are energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

5. New dental implant equipment and systems.

6. Philips LED Zoom in-chair tooth whitening, which is now available (please see below).

I strongly believe in life long learning and have recently attended the American Academy of Implant Dentistry's Annual Conference. The emphasis was on digital dentistry with lectures given by some of the most renowned speakers in dental implants and packed full of ground breaking educational content. With the technology now available, there has never been a better time to consider dental implants to replace missing teeth.

On a personal note, after seven great years as a Clinical Teacher at Guy's Hospital I decided it was time to leave my post. I am however, remaining in the teaching profession having accepted a role with the postgraduate Master of Clinical Dentistry department at King's College Hospital. This is where I undertook my postgraduate training and I am delighted to be joining the team there.

I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The team and I look forward to seeing you in 2015. CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS Our Christmas opening hours are as follows: Monday 22/12/14 9am -5pm reception only Tuesday 23/12/14 8am-4pm Christmas eve 9am-12pm Christmas Day Closed Boxing Day Closed Saturday 27/12/14 Closed Monday 29/12/14 9am-5pm reception only Tuesday 30/12/14 8am-4pm New Years Eve 10am-4pm New Years Day Closed Friday 2/1/15 and onwards - usual opening hours.

If you require assistance out of hours, please e mail info@progressivedentistry.co.uk for immediate advice. 
 

WHITER TEETH IN ONE HOUR! 

We are delighted to announce the arrival of the latest Philips Zoom LED tooth whitening at Progressive Dentistry. We can now whiten your teeth in the dental chair in just 1 hour. The technology has advanced greatly, with patients reporting minimal sensitivity and fantastic results. If you want instantly whiter teeth for those Christmas parties, this is definitely the treatment for you! Our special introductory offer is just £499 and this includes the in-chair treatment as well as a full take home kit, which includes customised whitening trays, Philips Zoom whitening gel and toothpaste (worth £395) This special offer has a limited availability, so please contact us today to reserve your treatment.
 

MEMBERSHIP SCHEME

Joining our membership scheme is the best way to ensure consistent dental health whilst saving you money. Our Membership package includes: 
 

- 2 examinations. 
 

- 4 standard.

- 2 intensive hygiene appointments.

20% off all treatments including cosmetic, dental implants and orthodontics. All dental X rays (unlimited). All follow-up appointments after procedures. Emergency cover when abroad or within forty miles of home. Access to priority appointments- early morning, late evening and Saturday. The Progressive Dentistry membership works in partnership with Denplan. The monthly membership is just £25.13 from January 2015, what better way to start the New Year by protecting your dental health! To join, please contact our Practice Manager, Paula at paula@progressivedentistry.co.uk
 

HYGIENE TIPS 

At this time of year, it is difficult to abstain from the sugary treats that seem to be everywhere. Whilst obviously delicious, they also increase the risk of developing tooth decay. Here are some simple tips to minimise the potential damage:

1. Try to eat the sugary snack in one go rather than over a long period of time. This will reduce the amount of time your teeth are exposed to the sugar.

2. Clean your teeth afterwards using a fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash. Do not rinse with water afterwards, you will simply wash away the anti- cavity effect of the fluoride.

3. Clean in between your teeth at least once a day using floss, interdental brushes or even the new pressure washers. Philips have developed a great product for this, the Airfloss, which is available at the practice.

4. Sugar free chewing gum is recommended, especially after consuming acidic foods or drinks. This will increase saliva flow and help to neutralise acids.

5. For sensitive teeth, rub some sensitive toothpaste over the affected area and leave overnight. Repeat for at least ten days.

Needless to say, if you experience continued symptoms such as gum bleeding, sensitivity, pressure pain or throbbing, contact us as soon as possible.
 

DR DEBORAH PHILIPS

Dr Philips qualified at Paris Descartes University in 2012. Deborah and has dual nationality so she is able to discuss treatment plans in both English and French. Prior to graduating she spent the last term of her internship in Umeå University in Sweden. Deborah spent over a year in a practice in the Parisian suburbs whilst completing a French postgraduate in Endodontics and Restorative Dentistry. She was also a clinical teaching assistant in the endodontic and Restorative Dentistry department of the "Assistance Public des HôHopitaux de Paris".

As our name suggests, we are Progressive in nature and continually improving. We do not believe in standing still. So what's new? Well, we have had many improvements this year within the practice. These include:

1. New LED lights fitted throughout the practice just this weekend. These are energy efficient, produce minimal heat and last for many years. Environmentally friendly and emit wonderful light for dental work.
2. New sterilisation equipment. We have purchased a new Little Sister 2010 autoclave with a data printer to verify the correct sterilisation temperatures have been reached.
3. New surgical flooring. Medical grade, non slip, anti bacterial and easy to clean.
4. E-mail and text reminders sent for each appointment.
5. Consent forms sent via Echosign, an online signing facility provided by Adobe. We are trying hard to go paper free!

As you can see, it is not just the clinical side of dentistry that we improve upon. The little things matter, this is what makes us stand apart. If you would like to visit our practice for your first initial examination and see the improvements first hand, please contact us 020 7731 1162 or e mail info@progressivedentistry.co.uk.

Dentistry has certainly been in the news recently with the dentist from Nottingham and his dubious cross infection techniques. This therefore puts the spotlight on dentistry as a whole but also allows us to respond and let our patients know exactly how our cross infection policy works. This is what we do: 

1. Alcohol hand rub prior to every patient and new gloves. 

2. Every single instrument is taken from a pre sterilised bag that has a date when it was sterilised and when it should be sterilised again it not used within the time frame.

3. All used instruments are hand cleaned and scrubbed using dental disinfectant.

4. Instruments are then placed in an ultrasonic bath.

5. Instruments are then sterilised in an autoclave.

6. The autoclave has a printer to verify that the correct temperatures have been reached and for the recommended time frames.

7. The instruments are then dried and sealed and dated within the bags. We have invested in a new autoclave recently, the Little Sister 2010 which is extremely reliable and effective. We also ensure all surfaces are cleaned thoroughly before and after every patient. The practice is also professionally cleaned every day after clinics have been run using high quality disinfection techniques. Earlier this year, we invested in high quality flooring within both surgeries to ensure effective cleaning. 

We constantly strive to improve our services to ensure to a safe environment for our staff and patients. However, we welcome feedback and if you feel we could be doing something better or could recommend an improvement, please let us know.

Our case of the month for November involves cosmetic bonding of a front tooth. The tooth in question was treated after orthodontic teeth straightening. Once the teeth were nice and straight, the smile was significantly enhanced with our minimally invasive technique of cosmetic bonding.

A brief overview of the technique:

1. The tooth is cleaned and polished. Any old composite filling material must be removed and any sharp edges smoothed.

2. Washing and drying with an etching gel.

3. Coating the tooth with a fine bonding layer. This is set with a special light at a certain wavelength.

4. Incremental layers of the composite bonding material are added until the new outline has been achieved.

5. Careful contouring and polishing of the new restoration.

6. Occlusal (bite) analysis and final aesthetic evaluation.

Here are the before and after photos:
 

Please read the following, which was taken from a BBC report into child tooth decay and gum disease. This is a worrying report which not be swept under the carpet. Action must be taken now as tooth decay and gum disease are on the whole, preventable.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29712453

At Progressive Dentistry, we are more than happy to provide tooth brushing clinics in school, nurseries and care homes. Prevention is better than cure and we would be glad to help. If you would like us to arrange a visit, please contact us via telephone or e-mail.

Our case of the month for October involves composite bonding of the lower front teeth which were heavily worn and using a principle called the Dahl technique. This technique is not very well known but it is fantastic method for treating worn down teeth where there is no space to restore them. For example, when your front teeth wear down due to grinding, acid erosion, bad habits (biting pens, nails etc), there is often little space to restore the teeth using conventional fillings. In the old days, the teeth may have been cut down for invasive procedures such as crowns or veeners. The Dahl technique involves the careful restoration of the worn teeth directly or indirectly with little, if any, tooth preparation. This must be with precision so that the contact on the new restorations is in such a way that the unworn teeth can slowly re-position and make contact over time. Usually this takes 12-16 weeks to occur but what a concept! For example, just take a look at our case below:
 

For those dentists out there who are curious about what is acceptable when fitting your indirect restorations such as crowns, bridges, implant crowns and bridges, inlays and onlays, here are some useful facts on marginal fitting: Quality ratings for marginal fitting:

1. Clinically excellent: no gap; smooth transition between margin and tooth; probe does not catch 
2. Clinically acceptable: space of 150 µm; slight probe catching 
3. Clinically unsatisfactory: space > 150 µm - 250 µm; probe penetrates into the gap, but no dentine exposed.
4. Clinically poor: space > 250 µm; probe penetrates into the gap and dentine exposed. 

It is possible to use probes with a tip size of 250um and therefore check the fitting with accuracy prior to cementation.

At Progressive Dentistry, we are advocates of non invasive treatment to produce the very best results. We believe that treatments kind to the teeth and gums will produce longer lasting, natural results yet still highly aesthetic. For example, this week in the Daily Mail, a double page spread on celebrities who have had their teeth done. This included Simon Cowell, Noel Gallagher, Cheryl Cole (sorry Fernandez Versini), Tom Cruise, David Bowie, Catherine Zeta Jones, Gordon Brown (yes, our ex Prime Minister), Mel C, Nicolas Cage, Demi Moore, Ronan Keating to name but a few. 

The key factor with all of these cases, was the use of porcelain veneers for the smile makeover. Whilst we agree that porcelain veneers can produce dramatic results within a few weeks, the fact remains that this technique requires heavy preparation of the underlying teeth. Therefore, the hardest tissue in the human body- tooth enamel- is completely destroyed. In the long term, there will be consequences. 

Why go for a quick fix when a non invasive solution will last for a life time? For example, take at look at our case below. Our patient hated her crooked front teeth. With the celebrity option, all of the tooth enamel would need to be stripped away for porcelain veneers. Crazy. We opted to straighten the teeth over the period of only a few months, and an amazing transformation was evident. Just take a look: