Dental Blog - Amsel & Wilkins Dental Practice

People who need a clean and polish more often

Dental plaque is the enemy of a great feeling mouth, and the only way to get rid of all of it is to come in for a regular clean and polish with our dental hygienist. We recommend that everyone has a clean and polish twice a year and often people book a cleaning session alongside their bi-annual check-up with us at Amsel & Wilkins in Banbury.

Hygienists Clean and Polish in Banbury Some people need to have a clean and polish more often.

Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, the elevated hormones associated with pregnancy mean that dental plaque proliferates more quickly and you can get something called pregnancy gum disease. Gum disease is caused by acids from plaque attacking gum tissue, which becomes sore and inflamed and can start to pull away from the teeth. Then the plaque can get under the gums and start to corrode the tooth roots and the bone holding your teeth in place. Your body is under enough strain as it is without your teeth being affected, so it really is worth coming in for an extra clean and polish while you are waiting for baby to arrive.

Smoking

If you are a smoker, you will know that it doesn’t take long after a clean and polish for the stains to start building up again on your teeth. But, alongside that, did you know that you are at twice the risk of gum disease as a non-smoker?

This is because smokers seem to produce more plaque than non-smokers. However, people who smoke may not notice that they have gum disease because the smoke causes their gums to be thin and pale and not red and swollen as people expect the early symptoms of gum disease to be. Lack of oxygen in the blood means that infected gum tissue does not heal so quickly. All good reasons to come more often for a clean-up, and you can also ask for help with smoking cessation.

Others at risk?

Other people who are more at risk of gum disease include those with type 1 or 2 diabetes, people who suffer from stress, people who clench or grind their teeth, people with obesity and diseases associated with inflammation, such as heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Keep ‘em clean

The root cause of almost every dental problem is plaque. Keep on the top of the build-up of plaque in your mouth and you can hang onto your smile. Let plaque build up unchecked and before too long, you will be looking at treatments for bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease. It’s not fun.

Hygienists Clean and Polish in Banbury You can’t stop plaque starting to build up in your mouth. It just does. Plaque is the dental profession’s name for the millions of harmless bacteria that feed on sugars in your mouth and then proliferate to form a sticky film over your teeth.

They don’t feel great and after a few days, if left undisturbed, the sticky film hardens into tartar. Tartar doesn’t look good, but the real problem is that these bacteria give off acids. The acids are corrosive, like all acids, and they can create holes in your tooth enamel, through which infection and decay can get in. The acids also inflame and irritate the gums, as acids would, and lead to gum disease, eventually getting under the gums to corrode the jawbone and tooth roots. The end result for both issues is tooth loss.

Keeping these 2 issues at bay is why you need to brush and floss twice a day. But, even if you do that religiously, you may still need to come in for a hygienist’s clean and polish in Banbury twice a year.

What the hygienist does

Our hygienists will take a good look at your teeth and use special tools and pastes to remove any plaque and tartar that are building up in hard-to-reach places. These tend to be around the gumline and between the teeth. Once all the plaque has been removed, they will also work on any stains that have built up on the surface of the teeth.

They will finish off by polishing the teeth so that the surfaces are not so easy for plaque to settle on.

Come in twice a year

We recommend a clean and polish every 6 months, or more if you have diabetes, are a smoker or are pregnant, or have another medical condition that affects the build up of plaque.

Braces don’t have to take years

If you feel like you want to do something to improve your smile, it’s well worth taking a look at how your teeth align. It’s surprising how much people notice about your teeth and one thing they really notice is how straight they are, especially these days when almost everyone on TV has a beautiful smile.

Of course, it can be daunting to think that treatment with braces could take years, and for some people, it does,but those people are a minority with severe alignment issues, however dramatic improvements can be made in a shorter period of time come and see one of our dentists to find out more.

The clear way to straighter teeth

Here at Amsel & Wilkins, we use Invisalign to straighten the teeth of many of our patients with alignment problems. Our dentist’s Piers Neville and Philippa McNee both offer Invisalign, Piers is a platinum provider of Invisalign, and Piers has been straightening people’s teeth with Invisalign since 2004.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is an innovative way to straighten teeth that uses aligners that snap on over the teeth rather than brackets and wires. The aligners resemble mouth guards except that they are ultra-thin and made of see-through plastic.

Say Goodbye to “messy” impressions

With our iTero scanner you no longer need an impression, the scan is quick and clean, in some cases we can show you an idea of what your “final smile” could look like.

Instead of wires that are tightened to progressively move the teeth, you work your way through a series of aligners, wearing each one for about 7-10 days. During that time, the precision-placed pressure points inside them press on your teeth until the bone around them readjusts to relieve the pressure. When it wears off, you put in the next aligner in the series.

Straightening as if by magic

No one can really see your aligners and between six to twelve months , you will have teeth that seem to be straightening. Generally speaking, treatment takes about a year, but after six months you may be able to see a real difference.

To find out more, why not come in for a consultation with Piers or Philippa? They can talk you through the treatment in more detail.

No train tracks, just straight teeth

One of the big hurdles for many people who would like to get straighter teeth is the idea of having to wear cumbersome, unattractive metal brackets and wires on their teeth for a long, long time. They do not realise that that kind of braces is now very old fashioned and really only in use for youngsters with severe alignment issues.

Straighter Teeth in Six Months in Banbury People who have only mild to middling alignment issues that affect their teeth and not their jaws have far more discreet possibilities available, and one of the most discreet is available with us at Amsel & Wilkins in Banbury. Our dentist’s, Piers Neville and Philippa McNee both provide this treatment, Piers has been fitting Invisalign since 2004.

With Invisalign, you get to see every incremental step on the way to a lovely smile because there are no brackets and wires, metal or otherwise, to obscure the view. Instead, your teeth are straightened by clear plastic aligners that go on over the teeth like mouth guards.

See-through straightening and no impressions.

People can see straight through Invisalign aligners to your teeth. Most of them will never even suspect that you are having your teeth straightened, and you can visibly see the changes progressing as the treatment progresses, with the whole process taking, on average, a year to complete.

With our iTero scanner no impressions are needed, we may even be able to show you what your “final smile” could look like.

Easy to live with

Another important advantage of Invisalign straightening is that the aligners come out. In fact, you must remove them for eating and drinking anything that is not plain water. Using Invisalign means you can eat whatever you like, however tough or chewy.

You get a handy case to store your aligners in during mealtimes. When you have finished eating, you just brush your teeth and clean your aligners and put them back in. It’s much quicker than faffing about cleaning behind brackets and wires.

After treatment

Once your treatment is complete, you will have to wear a retainer for an indefinite period of time. You can get one bonded to the backs of your teeth, or you can wear a removable one at night. The retainer holds your teeth in alignment while the bone settles down around them.

Sparkle on the inside

Having a bit of sparkle on can make all the difference to how we feel about ourselves. Shiny jewellery, shiny bits on bags and shoes and in the hair, there is no end of body parts we like to brighten up. That said, how are your teeth doing? Is the rest of you looking amazing and highly polished and your teeth languishing, forgotten, stained and dull, behind your lip gloss?

Teeth Whitening Banbury Don’t do that to one of the most important parts of your body. People are hardwired to look at smiles to assess whether someone is friendly or not. They are hardwired to respond to a great smile with equal warmth and a desire for connection. It’s how we got through life in pre-history and how our ape friends still do a lot of their communication.

If your teeth are lovely and white, you will smile more and people will respond to you more warmly. Getting teeth whitening in Banbury is easy too. At Amsel & Wilkins, we use a brand of teeth whitening called White Dental Beauty, it’s a home whitening treatment with bespoke trays.

Here’s how teeth whitening works in our dental practice. You come in for an assessment so that we can check your discolouration can be removed with teeth whitening treatment. If it can, we then take impressions of your teeth and use them to make you a set of gel trays that will fit your teeth exactly.

You take the trays and the whitening gel home, put the gel in the trays and pop them over your teeth. You wear the trays for a short period every day and in two to three weeks, you will have great results. Of course, the more stained your teeth are, the longer it will take.

Topping up

Of course, your teeth won’t stay white forever. The stains are caused by things like tea, coffee, red wine, berries and other highly pigmented foods, as well as smoking.

You can extend the life of your whitening by brushing your teeth gently after each meal or snack. Also, now that you have the trays, you can buy more whitening gel to top up when your teeth start to become dull again.

It’s so easy to whiten your teeth

Ever noticed how the more technology we have to make life easier, the busier we seem to get? Running around for work and then to fit your own appointments after that of everyone else in the family can seem impossible sometimes. But, getting teeth whitening in Banbury does not have to be a faff when you come to us at Amsel & Wilkins.

Teeth Whitening in Banbury With our home whitening kit, you can whiten your teeth at a time that suits you in the comfort and privacy of your home, secure in the knowledge that you are using a product that is safe for use and will not harm you.

White Dental Beauty

At Amsel & Wilkins, we have done your research for you and offer White Dental Beauty home whitening. We chose White Dental Beauty as our brand because it offers a comfortable and safe way to carry out whitening yourself at home.

But first…

Before you can get started with teeth whitening, you need an appointment to make sure that you have surface staining rather than intrinsic staining. Whitening only works on surface stains, which are traces of highly pigmented foods and drinks that have worked their way into the pores of the enamel. Intrinsic discolouration is within the structure of the tooth and cannot be removed with whitening. If you have that kind of discolouration, we can find another way to help you.

Once we have established what kind of staining you have, and how white you want your teeth to go, we can prescribe the right strength gel for you and take impressions of your teeth to make gel trays that fit you exactly. These will ensure the gel has maximum contact with your teeth without spilling over to damage your soft tissues.

How you do it

You take the kit home and use it every day for a prescribed amount of time. You simply put the gel in the trays and wear them. The process takes between one and two weeks, depending on how strong your staining is and how white you want to go.

Now that you have the trays, you can buy more gel and top up your whitening every time it starts to fade.

What to expect after you get fillings

When you come for white fillings in Banbury with Amsel & Wilkins, we talk you through the whole procedure before going ahead. Some patients also like us to talk through what we are doing while we are doing it. This ensures that they feel comfortable and well informed during their treatment. We are happy to tailor our methods to enhance your experience.

White Fillings in Banbury Part of the information flow will be dedicated to what happens after you have had your teeth filled. This might include information on the sensations you will feel afterwards, how to care for your fillings and ongoing care guidance for your general oral health.

How will you feel?

Immediately after your treatment, you may still feel some numbness from the anaesthesia. This shouldn’t prevent you doing anything other than eating and drinking. Both activities can be a little strange until your mouth returns to normal.

Once you have the feeling back in your mouth, you might feel some sensitivity in the filled tooth. This is often because you have a complete and healthy tooth again and there are bits of filling pressing against areas that have been surrounded by decay for a while. Your body can adapt within hours or it might take a few weeks, depending on the depth of the previous damage and your healing abilities.

While you are feeling sensitivity, it is best to stay away from very hard or sticky foods, as these can exacerbate the problem. The same is true of liquids that are hot or cold. If you find the sensations persist even when you are not eating, you can take painkillers to alleviate them. If they seem to be getting worse, or they last longer than a few weeks, you need to get in touch with Amsel & Wilkins and we will help you to address the issue.

If you have had particularly extensive damage accompanied by pain, one of the major things that you will feel afterwards is relief. Dental pain can be acute, or it can be a persistent, nagging feeling. Either way, it is better to be completely free from the problem which is why it’s best to get any issues addressed sooner rather than later.

The process of fitting a white filling

If you have visited us at Amsel & Wilkins and you have been told that you need white fillings in Banbury, you’re probably wondering what happens next. The exact procedure for your fitting depends on your circumstances, the depth of the damage and the area where you need a filling. However, we can give you general details about how fillings typically proceed here.

Local anaesthetic

It’s important to us that you are comfortable when you are getting your white fillings fitted at our practice. After all, you would not come to the dentist very often if you associated it with strong discomfort. Many people have this connection in their minds already and we want to do everything we can to reduce this perception of dentistry. Some fillings can proceed without anaesthetic but, for the most part, a local anaesthetic is applied. Even the act of administering the numbing agent is easier than it used to be as methods have developed that make the process more comfortable.

Removing decayed material

As well as surface holes, you are likely to have material that is in the process of decaying within the tooth. All of this needs to be removed using a drill before your filling can be placed otherwise it ends up under the filling and will eventually compromise your repair. This is a relatively quick process, but it can be accompanied by a buzzing sensation and some noise. If you think this will bother you, you are welcome to listen to music or undertake some other activity to distract you.

Preparing the area

Preparation depends on the type of filling you are having. Your dentist may need to etch the area to assist with bonding. Once the area is ready, they will place the filling.

Resin and polishing

There are several ways to give the whole process a beautiful finish. Your dentist might apply a resin for extra hold. They might polish a tooth up for a final finish. Once your white filling is in place, it will be hard for the casual onlooker to tell that your even have repairs on your teeth. This is the goal of a great restorative procedure.

The extraction process examined

If you need a tooth out, a member of the team at Amsel & Wilkins will talk you through the various processes involved. All patients are different and we tailor your treatment to suit your needs and the conditions in your mouth. We understand that tooth removal can carry an element of difficulty or nervousness for some people and we do our best to alleviate this for you.

Extractions in Banbury

Whatever the circumstances, Amsel & Wilkins are here to guide you through the process and through aftercare.

Why do people have teeth extracted?

As your dentist, Amsel & Wilkins will always prioritise saving your teeth where possible even if you are having difficulty with them. There are usually steps we can take to try and fix a problem before we need to consider extractions in Banbury. However, sometimes the only thing you can do is have a tooth removed. Some of the reasons why we might consider extraction include:

Orthodontics – one of the common reasons why people have their teeth straightened is due to over-crowding in the mouth that has pushed the teeth out of alignment while they are growing. To correct this problem, braces are used to push the teeth back into line. Sometimes your orthodontist can make enough room to do this using various orthodontic techniques to shuffle the teeth around and create room. In more complex cases, however, someone might need to have a tooth or two removed to make room;
Accidental damage – accidents can knock teeth straight out or damage them. In either case, your dentist at Amsel & Wilkins will try and save the tooth. So that they can do this, it is always best to keep a tooth in place where possible, even if it is damaged. If they can’t, however, extraction work may be required for the remains of the tooth;
Wisdom teeth – some people begin to experience pain as their wisdom teeth come through. Sometimes there isn’t enough room for the emerging teeth and often they come through at an angle which is known as an impacted wisdom tooth. In these cases, the dentist can extract the offending tooth to relieve pain and prevent further disruption as the tooth grows;
Disease or decay – if you keep up to date with your regular check-ups, it is likely that your dentist will be able to spot any problems related to disease or decay early on. If left untreated for long periods of time, dental problems like this can, eventually, lead to tooth loss. This is why it is always better to get any suspected issues seen to as soon as possible after they arise. Tooth replacement is much trickier and more extensive than simple repair.