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Today is the 47th anniversary of the moon landing. Just think what has happened in the world over those past years. Our world revolves around dentistry. The change in dentistry in just fifteen years has been incredible. Here are some of the major advancements that we have seen in the world of dental care:
 

1. Digital x rays - in the past x rays would have to be developed in a dark room or processed taking more than ten minutes. Today, scanning of phosphor plates takes seven seconds or images are available immediately with sensors.
2. Lasers - laser dentistry is still relatively new but an major part of dentistry in the future. Lasers can disinfect, aid regeneration, aid healing, remove decay, sterilise gum pockets and much more.
3. Adhesive dentistry - long gone are the days of cutting teeth heavily to fill them with mercury containing amalgam fillings. MI dentistry is now the in thing with adhesive technology and composite bonding.
4. Prevention - one of the best pieces of advice is prevention, prevention, prevention. Most disease can be avoided with sound home care techniques. Early decay can be reversed and gum disease can be treated in part at home.
5. Intra oral cameras - seeing is believing. In the past you would simply have to take the dentist at his word. Now you can see everything in your mouth in great detail. Communication is the key to success.
6. Microscopes and magnification- even 2.5 x magnification allows us to see in great detail. Microscopes are now used by endodontists on a regular basis. In fact, we would not refer to one without a microscope.
7. Super seals- Biodentine is a new 'super seal' which helps to allow pulpal healing rather than the dreaded root canal. In the past deep decay resulted in root canal treatment in almost every case. Now, we have a 70% success chance of avoiding this.
8. Implant dentistry - dental implants are the gold standard in replacing teeth. The world of implant dentistry has evolved at an amazing rate and we can now predictably place implants due to the great advancement in CT scanning technology.
9. CT scans - these allow 3-D images of the hard tissue structures of the mouth to allow planning in great detail. We can plan dental implant treatment in great detail without having the patient present. Stents can be made to allow us to place the implants in the correct position and avoid anatomical structures.
10. CAD-CAM and intra oral scanning - we now have the ability to take scans of your teeth and gums without impressions. These can be e mailed to the laboratory for the fabrication of crowns, bridges, implant work, study models, orthodontic appliances and much more.

We could go on and on! Ask your dentist which of these advancements they have adopted and seek treatment that is right for you. After all, we do not live in 1969!

You may not have heard of cosmetic bonding. What is it? In simple terms, it involves enhancing teeth with adhesive dentistry using high tech white filling material. The major benefit of the treatment is that it is minimally invasive. There is no drilling of the underlying tooth, no need for needles, no pain and it is far more affordable than porcelain veneers.

Is the time for porcelain veneers over? Not really. Porcelain is still the most highly aesthetic material available and it is extremely durable. If you would like the Hollywood makeover, this is still the option of choice (after teeth straightening!)

Here is an example of cosmetic bonding and the difference it can make:
 

We appreciate that we all have very busy lives and we rely on public transport to run to schedule. However, recently many of you have been arriving late for appointments. Turning up late can disrupt the entire morning or afternoon. It is unfair to the patient booked directly after you and any subsequent patient. This is the sole reason why we run late for appointments and is incredibly unfair to all concerned. Please check the transport updates prior to making your journey and aim to arrive to us at least ten minutes before your appointment. Thank you in advance.

Gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss. On the whole, gum disease can be prevented. Here are 9 key facts to prevent gum disease:

1. Always clean your teeth twice a day.

2. Clean in between the teeth using floss or inter dental brushes daily- you will be amazed how much builds up on a daily basis.

3. Visit the dentist and dental hygienist twice a year minimum. If you have gum disease, quarterly visits may be required.

4. Do not smoke- smoking is just a big a cause of gum disease as poor oral hygiene.

5. Use additional aids to keep motivated. Plaque disclosing tablets will highlight new and old plaque which will show you where you are missing.

6. New devices such as Philips Airfloss Pro can be extremely useful if you hate flossing

7. For troublesome areas, you may need special brushes. For example, dental implants may require small headed tufted brushes to clean deeper with the the gum sulcus.

8. Dental x rays will show bone levels around teeth. These should be taken every 3-4 years as a screening method and more regularly should you have a higher susceptibility.

9. Genetics can play a part. Ask you parents if they suffer from gum disease. If so, more regular appointments may be required.

 

If you are worried about gum disease, please contact us. We have specialised screening techniques to analyse your risk and provide bespoke treatment to stabilise any disease.

Would you like whiter teeth? Do you want to avoid using home trays and gels? Would you like an affordable option? If the answer is yes to the above, we have the solution. Oral B white strips. These are simply placed over the teeth like sticky tape for 1 hour and then disposed of. This is repeated for up to 14 days and hey presto, whiter teeth! We have a very special offer of just £75 for a 2 week course of treatment (upper and lower teeth). 

Call us to reserve your strips.

Our case of the month for June involves a smile transformation in less than 6 months. We were given a strict time frame due to an important event and we love a challenge! After careful planning and analysis, we felt the goals were achievable within the time frame. Just take a look at the before and after photographs:
 

As we all know, dental implant treatment is the gold standard for replacing missing teeth. This is true for single missing teeth, several missing teeth or all missing teeth. However, not everyone is suitable for dental implants.

Here are 10 key factors that are required for long term success: 

1. A healthy mouth without tooth decay and gum disease

2. Adequate bone height- ideally greater than 8mm . This can be assessed on a CT scan.

3. Adequate bone width- ideal greater than 5mm. This can be assessed on a CT scan.

4. Enough space for the new tooth, teeth or bridge. This should be assessed on articulated study models, digital photographs or intra oral scans.

5. A stable bite. This is determined as above.

6. Sound levels of keratinised tissue- this is the band of tissue surrounding teeth right at the gum level called attached gingiva. This will help provide robust support to the cuff of the dental implant.

7. Lack of parafunctional habits- tooth grinding at night can cause even the best treatment to fail

8. Great oral hygiene- dental implants require more than just brushing. Special care is needed to clean them properly to avoid peri implantitis.

9. Regular visits to the dental hygienist and regular check ups.

10. A great implant dentist!

If you are missing teeth and would like the most advanced treatment available, contact Progressive Dentistry in Fulham today.

We love our Waterlase i Plus laser. Why? Well, it makes treatment that was difficult, painful, time consuming and costly into an everyday event. A prime example of this is surgical crown lengthening. What is this? Well, if you have broken a tooth and there is not enough tooth left to place a crown, you will need surgical crown lengthening. In the old days, this involved a scapel, stitches, bleeding, pain and a long time to wait before the next step. No longer. Using the Waterlase i Plus, we can perform the surgical crown lengthening at the time of preparing the crown for the tooth. The laser sterilises at the time of application, reduces bleeding, swelling encourages regeneration and has amazing healing capacities. No stitches, minimal pain and no time delay. Just take a look at a recent case:
 

The Summer is here, the sun is shining and it's now a great time to whiten your teeth. We have 3 great ways to whiten your teeth this year:
 

1. Philips Zoom LED - this is our best tooth whitening technique by far with consistently excellent results achieved. The process involves a 90-120 minute session at the practice for instant results. We provide a FREE take home kit to continue at home for 3-5 days and maintain your new pearly whites. We have a special offer at just £499 at present. (usual fee £795)
2. Philips Zoom Take Home kit - a take home kit involves special tooth whitening trays made from models of your teeth and whitening gel 6% hydrogen peroxide. 1 hour per day for 14 days will take shades off your teeth and make a real difference. The cost is just £275 at present. (usual fee £375)
3. New Oral B strips - these are the latest strips from Oral B, a trusted brand. A box contains a weeks supply of strips which are simply placed over your teeth and left for 1 hour. These are great for a quick top up, stain removal or prior to a big event. We have a special introductory offer of just £75 per box- stocks are limited so call to reserve yours!

Teeth whitening is the most common form of cosmetic dentistry and is accessible to all. Why put up with yellow, discoloured teeth when a brighter, whiter smile could be yours in just 90 minutes? Call us today.