Our case of the month for November involves a re-construction of the bite over a number of years. The main reason for treatment was due to severe tooth wear due to bruxism. Bruxism is essentially grinding at night to such an extent that the enamel is worn over a number of years. This can cause a number of problems such as:
 

• Tooth sensitivity
• Difficulty in eating
• Lack of a coherent bite
• Aesthetic issues
• Pain leading to root canal treatment in severe cases

Tooth wear, on the whole, can be prevented or at least treated with relative ease in the early stages. However, severe tooth wear is a complex subject and requires a dedicated and staged treatment process. Here is a smiling view of our patient before any treatment:
 

Our case of the month for April is simply stunning. A smile transformation in the truest sense of the term. For those of you who have read our posts, we believe in minimally invasive dentistry. Essentially, this means working with your own natural teeth rather than cutting them down. After all, tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the body- why destroy it? Our case presented with severe crowding, discolouration, occlusal problems (bite) and he wanted to correct the problems at hand with a minimally invasive solution. With a combination of orthodontics, tooth whitening and cosmetic bonding, Dr Nissit Patel was able to transform his smile in the most dramatic way. Please view the photographs below:
 

As you may be aware, our ethos is based on minimally invasive dentistry. Preserving tooth and gum is key to a healthy mouth. Why remove what nature provided us with? In the past, tooth decay would lead to large amounts of tooth being cut away so that amalgam metal fillings could be packed into the cavity. When we say packed, this is exactly what we mean. Amalgam does not bond to tooth. Therefore the tooth has to be cut with an undercut- the base of the cavity being narrower than the top so that the filling cannot drop out. Of course, by doing this you have to remove healthy tooth. Crazy? We think so. Thankfully, dentistry has moved on and the term Minimally Invasive Dentistry or MI is becoming more popular. We have always believed in this philosophy and have ahead of the times in this regard. Finally, the profession is waking up to the fact that prevention is far better than 'cure'. A great example will now be discussed. Our patient presented with minor decay on the tooth surface of a molar tooth. The treatment is simple; remove the decay and restore the tooth. In the past, the top of the tooth would have been cut open and made deeper to accommodate a metal filling. This is pure madness. Modern techniques and adhesive dentistry mean that we can clean the decay using fluid abrasion ( a bit like jet washing) and then bond a flowable filling material to seal the area. This requires NO drilling, no needles and is completely pain free. Sounds too good to be true? No, it is the truth! Here are the before and after photos:
 

Our case of the month for February is simply incredible. As you may know, we practice minimally invasive dentistry or MI dentistry. The philosophy of this is to be as minimal as possible, preserve what nature gave use and enhance rather than destroy. Smile design and makeovers in the past involved major destruction of the teeth. You only had to watch 'Extreme Makeover' to see how teeth were cut into little pegs and the smile transformed with porcelain veneers. Will this last a life time? We think not; simply a ticking time bomb for future problems. Our smile makeover involves three simple steps; ABC A is for alignment. Straighten teeth using adult orthodontics, quickly and discreetly B is for bleaching. Whiten using our proven techniques C is for composite bonding. Enhance the teeth for that WOW factor Just take a look at our case:
 

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 believe strongly in minimally invasive dentistry. Wherever possible we will use techniques that are kind to teeth and gums, involve no drilling of healthy tooth tissue and involve no pain. Our case is a smile transformation which follows these steps. The end result is simply stunning. Please take a look at the before and after photographs:
 

As one of London's leading dental practices, we strive for the very best treatments for our patients. As such, we invest in the latest technology that can have a major benefit for our clients. We have just invested in fluid abrasion. This product will enable us to treat decay, remove old composite fillings, aid bonding, clean inside of crowns and bridges and much more WITHOUT drilling. Just imagine, no horrible noise or sensation from the dental drill! What's more, in many cases, we can do this without ANY anaesthetic. So no needles and no drilling, what could be better? Well, the technology also allows us to clean and polish teeth using the latest powder called Slyc which also de sensitises teeth. All of this fits in with our ethos of minimally invasive dentistry. 

So if you would like to benefit from the latest technology, please do not hesitate to contact us. Dental treatment does not have to be something you fear. We are here to help and provide the very best in dental care.

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:
 

Our case of the month for June involves repairing worn and fractured edges of the upper front teeth using composite bonding. Cosmetic bonding is a fantastic technique to repair teeth using minimally invasive dentistry. The process involves NO drilling, NO needles and NO pain. Please take a look at our case: