For our patients who are struggling with a missing tooth, one of the best treatments we can provide is a dental implant. It’s a great option for replacing any number of teeth, and can really help to bring a smile back to life. Our team at Amsel & Wilkins are dedicated to ensuring that our patients receive the highest quality of treatment possible, and that they walk away from our practice feeling happy and more confident.

What are dental implants?

Before we get into the process of how we provide dental implants, you will want to know what they actually are. A dental implant is usually made up of three main parts, the implant screw, the abutment and the crown. Firstly, the implant screw is the foundation of the implant that holds everything else in place. On top of this, the abutment is placed, which is the part that connects the implant screw to the crown. And finally, the crown is the part of the implant that will really make the difference visually. The crown is a custom-made piece of porcelain that is shaped and coloured to match your other teeth, and this is attached to the abutment to complete the dental implant. Our dentist in Banbury can also attach bridges or dentures to the dental implants for those who are looking to replace a larger number of teeth.

What will happen?

When you contact us at the practice for dental implants, the first thing we will do is invite you in for a consultation with our dentist in Banbury. It’s very important that this happens, as this is the stage where we can get to know you, examine your teeth and take scans. We will ensure that we carry out a full clinical assessment to make certain that you are eligible for implants before beginning the treatment, which helps to make sure that the process goes as smoothly as possible. We will take scans such as X-rays to get a deeper look at your bone structure, as it’s important that you have enough bone left in the area where the implants are being placed.

Once we have had the consultation with you and determined you are eligible, we can go ahead with the treatment. The next step is for your customised crown/bridge/denture to be created, which will be influenced by the scans we take during your consultation. Your face shape, mouth shape and appearance of your other teeth will all be taken into account when creating the crown to ensure that it looks as natural as possible.

When your new teeth are ready, our dentist in Banbury will invite you back to the practice for your first main appointment, which will involve inserting the implant screw into your jawbone. We do this by opening up the gum in the desired area, inserting the implant screw, and closing it back up again. This will then be left to heal for several months to allow it to fuse with your bone, which creates a very strong foundation for your new tooth. If we didn’t do this, then your implant would be weaker and wouldn’t last as long.

Once the area has healed, we will invite you back to the practice for your final appointment. This is when we will attach the abutment to the screw, and attach the crown on top. This is the moment when you will really see the difference that dental implants can make. You can then leave the practice and enjoy your new and improved smile, which can last for 20 years or more with the right care!

Here at Amsel & Wilkins, we are dedicated to ensuring that our patients are happy with how their smiles look. Which is why we offer a range of different cosmetic treatments to help with this. Don’t hesitate to contact us today for a consultation appointment, so we can find out which one is the best for you.

Invisalign

The first and one of the most popular cosmetic treatments we provide to our patients is Invisalign. It focuses on mild to moderate cases of misalignment, and you can expect to see results in as little as 6 to 18 months. It works by wearing custom-made, clear, plastic aligners that gently move your teeth over time. You will wear one aligner for around 2 weeks before moving onto the next one, and this process is repeated until your teeth are as straight as possible.

White fillings

The second cosmetic treatment that we provide here at our practice are white fillings. Our dentist in Banbury uses these on our patients who have cracked or damaged their teeth. White fillings can help to restore the damaged tooth’s shape and strength. We tend to use white fillings rather than silver, because they look more natural and blend in with your other teeth well.

Porcelain veneers

Veneers are another cosmetic treatment that our dentist in Banbury can offer to our patients. They can help to cover a range of imperfections that you might have, such as cracks and discolouration. The treatment involves the use of a small, custom-made piece of porcelain that is attached to the front of your tooth to cover it. The veneers will be coloured and shaped to look just like your other teeth, so other people wouldn’t even be able to notice that you have them. We can provide you with as many veneers as you require, whether you’re just looking for 1 to cover a single tooth, or want a whole new smile.

Teeth whitening

One of the simpler cosmetic treatments that you can get with us is teeth whitening. This treatment can really help to rejuvenate your smile and bring back the sparkle. Whether you have stained teeth and are looking to address this, or just generally want to go a few shades brighter, our dentist in Banbury can help. At our practice, we can provide you with an at-home teeth whitening kit, which includes a custom-made whitening tray and some whitening gel. All you will need to do is put the gel inside the tray and wear it on your teeth either at night or for a few hours during the day. Our patients typically start to see noticeable results within 2 weeks of applying the treatment. 

Inlays and onlays

The final cosmetic treatments that we provide are inlays and onlays. They are similar to fillings, as they are solely used to fill in cavities. An inlay is a smaller filling that fits into the biting surface of your tooth, and an onlay is the bigger type of filling that can be used for larger cavities. We typically use porcelain to do this as it gives the most natural look, but gold can also be used if you wish.

When you’re unhappy with the way your smile looks, it can really get you down and cause you to feel self-conscious. Luckily, you don’t have to live with this feeling because here at Amsel & Wilkins, we offer a range of cosmetic treatments to help you with this.

Treatments

Porcelain veneers

One of the cosmetic treatments that our dentist in Banbury can help with is porcelain veneers. A veneer is a thin piece of porcelain that can be attached to the front of your teeth to cover imperfections. Various stains, chips and mild misalignment can be covered with a veneer, and we will make sure that it matches your other teeth as closely as possible to maintain a natural look. If you are looking to cover all or multiple of your teeth, we can also cater to this; the choice is yours when it comes to how many veneers you get.

Your veneers will be custom-made just for you, and our dentist in Banbury can adjust them if you think they’re not quite right. Once the veneers are ready to be permanently attached to your teeth, you will only need one appointment with us to do so. We attach the veneers with dental cement that can be hardened by a strong beam of light.

Invisalign

One of our most popular cosmetic treatments here at Amsel & Wilkins is Invisalign. It involves the use of clear, plastic aligners that can straighten your teeth over a certain period of time. The aligners can be custom-made just for your teeth, so they will be more comfortable to wear and barely visible to others. This treatment has been a great option for our patients who want to straighten their teeth but maintain a natural look throughout.

Our dentist in Banbury will provide you with multiple aligners when you begin treatment with Invisalign. You will usually have to wear an aligner for around 2 weeks before moving on to the next one. This process should be repeated until you have completed the treatment. Our patients have preferred this treatment over some others due to there being no invasive procedures, no food restrictions, and few dental appointments.

Teeth whitening

More and more people are coming to our practice wanting to rejuvenate their smiles using teeth whitening. Sometimes, even if you brush and floss your teeth regularly, they can still get discoloured. Drinking coffee, eating sugary foods and smoking can all contribute to discolouration.

Here at Amsel & Wilkins, we can provide you with an at-home teeth whitening kit; this has been really beneficial for our patients as they can do it from the comfort of their own homes. In this kit, we provide you with a custom-made whitening tray that can fit snugly on your teeth, as well as whitening gel. You should put the gel into the tray and wear it for a few hours during the day or at night. Our patients usually start to see the results after around 2 weeks of doing this process. Your teeth will be noticeably whiter and brighter, which can really help to improve your smile as well as your confidence.

If you are struggling with missing teeth, you will know that it can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. To help with this, our team at Amsel & Wilkins can provide you with a dental implant, which will allow us to fully replace your tooth with a new, prosthetic one.

What is a dental implant?

Dental implants consist of 3 main parts, the screw, the abutment and the crown. Firstly, the screw is the part that our dentist in Banbury will insert into your jawbone; this creates the foundation. The abutment is a piece of metal that holds the screw and the crown together. And the crown is a piece of porcelain that can be shaped and coloured to match your other teeth, and this will be attached to the abutment to complete your new tooth.

Whether you just need a singular implant or a whole new set of teeth, our dentist in Banbury can help with this through the use of dental implants. As long as you have enough bone left in the desired areas, you can choose how many implants to have.

Our process

If you decide you might want to get dental implants, we will first have a consultation appointment with you. This appointment will allow us to explain everything you need to know about the treatment, as well as examine and scan your mouth to determine your eligibility. As mentioned above, the key factor that we look out for is whether you have enough bone left in the selected area of your jaw. This is because the implant screw needs something to anchor into and fuse with to create a strong foundation for your new tooth.

If all goes well and you are eligible, we will book you in for your first surgical appointment; this will involve our dentist in Banbury inserting the implant screw into your jawbone. It is a fairly quick procedure, and once the screw is in, we will close the area back up and leave it to heal for a few months. This is a vital part of the treatment, as it gives time for the screw to fuse to your bone, meaning it will essentially become part of your jawbone.

After a few months, the screw will have hopefully fused to your bone, and we can invite you back to our practice for your new tooth to be attached. We will first attach the abutment to the screw and then pop the crown on top of that. Once this is done, you will really see the difference that a dental implant can make. It will have been custom-made just for you, so you won’t even be able to tell the difference between the implant and your other teeth.

The benefits

Long-lasting and durable

Two of the main benefits of getting dental implants are how long they last and how strong they are. Porcelain is a great material to use for creating dental implants because it is strong and naturally stain resistant, meaning your implants will look better for longer.

Easy to care for

Another thing that our patients have enjoyed about dental implants is how easy it is to keep them clean. All you need to do is treat them just like your other teeth, making sure you brush and floss daily.

It is something that many people do not want to think about. Known as ‘the big C’, cancer can and does occur commonly in the mouth, and due to lifestyles such as smoking, drinking alcohol and consumption of certain foods, it is an unfortunate fact that oral cancer is on the rise in countries like the UK and America.

And it is also a key reason why you should always aim to attend your biannual checkups, as your dental team will include an oral cancer screening as part of a general assessment.

At Amsel & Wilkins, our dentist in Banbury will always aim to provide you with a thorough dental assessment, ensuring that any abnormal growths or patches of skin are explored and that you leave our clinic with a clean bill of health or an appropriate treatment plan.

But what are some of the signs of oral cancer that you can detect at home? Here, our dentist in Banbury provides a brief list of things to look out for.

Sores on the lips or mouth

It is worth noting that oral cancer can initially present on the lips, tongue, gums or tonsils. So when you are brushing or flossing your teeth, it is worth assessing all of these areas if possible. If you have sores on your lips or in your mouth that are not healing, you should aim to book an appointment with our dentist in Banbury as soon as possible, as this can be a tell-tale sign of oral cancer.

You should also have any cold sores that recur in the same part of the mouth examined by our dental team.

Lumps or bumps inside the mouth

When most people hear the word cancer, they think of a lump or bump. While most lumps and bumps inside the mouth can be benign, if you spot one on your inner lip, your gums, your tongue or the roof of your mouth, you should book an urgent dental appointment with our team.

If we have concerns, as mentioned earlier, we will refer you to a specialist who can perform a biopsy.

Ear pain

When you were younger, you may recall being told that if you had an earache, it may be due to an issue in your mouth or with one of your teeth. Unfortunately, recurring ear pain with no obvious cause can point to oral cancer. This is usually because a growth may be putting pressure on the nerves that are shared by your mouth and ears.

Once again, if you do suffer from ear pain with no obvious cause, you should see our team.

Loose teeth

Statistically speaking, loose teeth in adulthood are more likely to be caused by reversible disorders like gum disease. However, if you do not have gum disease and your teeth are wobbling, this can indicate that there is another issue in your mouth that is destroying the tendons and gum tissue.

White or red patches

Much like the recurring ulcers or sores, if you have patches in your mouth that physically feel different when you run your tongue across them and appear red or white, then you will need to see our team. These symptoms can be the early stages of a cancerous lesion.

The dangers of smoking cigarettes are known the world over. And while you may be fed upto your back teeth (pun intended) of hearing about the disadvantages of smoking, it may be worth exploring the advantages of quitting this habit instead.

As you may have guessed, smoking does not only cause issues with your general health but also wreaks havoc on your dental health, which can cause long-term issues with self-esteem, loose teeth and, of course, chronic yellowing of the enamel. None of these are things that somebody should aim to have.

At Amsel & Wilkins, our dentist in Banbury is happy to provide our patients who smoke with smoking cessation advice to help them get their dental health back on track and, of course, improve their life and other aspects of their well-being. Great stuff!

But what are some of the advantages that are to be had from quitting smoking on your dental health? Here, our dentist in Banbury provides some answers.

Gum health

Gum disease is the leading cause of missing teeth in adults. While you may have heard that gum disease is caused by plaque, it can be worsened by smoking. This is because the chemicals in cigarette smoke attack the gum tissue and cause it to deteriorate or mutate. Smoking can also destroy the tendons, which can cause issues with the stability of your teeth.

Therefore, according to our dentist in Banbury, a key advantage of quitting smoking is having healthier, pinker gums that are less susceptible to periodontal disease.

Whiter teeth

There are no two ways around this; if you smoke cigarettes or cigars, your teeth will feel the pinch, specifically relating to colour. Many people know of someone who smokes cigarettes excessively and has yellowing teeth, which is not something that is cosmetically appealing and can hinder self-esteem.

By quitting smoking and maintaining good oral hygiene, these stains can be removed, providing you with a healthier-looking and whiter smile.

Fresher breath

In a similar vein, smoking also causes very bad breath, due in part to dehydration and reduction in saliva in the mouth.

So rather than spending a fortune on chewing gum and continuing to smoke, it may be worth giving up the habit altogether to allow your mouth to stop being so dry and enable your saliva to do its job and keep your mouth hydrated and your breath fresher.

Lowered oral cancer risk

The risks between smoking and cancer are nothing new but, if you are a smoker, you will need to attend dental checkups more regularly for our team to assess your mouth for signs of oral cancer.

These can vary from anything from lumps to sores that will not heal to loose teeth. But by quitting smoking, you can reduce your risk of developing oral cancer by 70% over 2 years.

Longer lasting teeth!

Following on from gum disease and its links to oral cancer comes longer lasting teeth. If you do develop gum disease, and if it is aggressive or left untreated, the likely outcome is that your teeth will fall out. By quitting smoking, you reduce the risk of developing aggressive gum disease, and your teeth will likely last longer.

Here at Amsel & Wilkins, our patients have really enjoyed getting the Invisalign treatment. It is a simpler way to straighten your teeth, whilst still producing beautiful results. Before you contact our dentist regarding this treatment, you will want to know what it involves and how it is beneficial, which is why we have created this guide.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign straightens your teeth with the use of clear, plastic aligners. They can be custom-made to accurately fit your teeth and will be barely visible to others. Multiple aligners will be used throughout the treatment, and each one is slightly different, which encourages your teeth to gently move into a straighter position. It usually takes anywhere from 6 to 18 months to complete the treatment, and once you do, your natural smile will be straighter than ever!

What will happen?

When you come to us wanting Invisalign, the first thing our dentist in Banbury will do is have a consultation appointment; this allows us to get to know you and what you want to get out of the treatment. We will examine your teeth to determine the severity of your case and take scans using a 3D iTero scanner. This scanner allows our dentist in Banbury to get a clear 3D image of your teeth so that no impressions need to be taken. It can also simulate an image of what your teeth should look like once you have completed the treatment, which has been super exciting for our patients. At the end of the consultation, your scans will be sent off to influence the creation of your aligners.

Once your aligners have been created, you can begin your teeth-straightening journey. We recommend that you wear your aligners for around 22 hours a day. During this time, you can easily remove them when you need to eat, brush your teeth or clean the aligners. You will have to use the same aligner for around 2 weeks before changing to the next one; this process is repeated until you achieve the planned result. You will only need to visit our dentist in Banbury every 6 to 8 weeks during the treatment, so it’s a great option if you don’t have time for constant dental appointments.

After you have finished the Invisalign treatment and are enjoying your new, straighter smile, we highly recommend that you use a retainer; this will prevent your teeth from moving back to their original position, which they will naturally try to do.

Why choose Invisalign?

Clear aligners

One of the main things that our patients have loved about this treatment is how the aligners look. Thanks to the thin, clear plastic material used and the fact that they are custom-made, the aligners are barely visible to other people. This is helpful if you have a professional career or social lifestyle and don’t want to draw any unwanted attention to your teeth.

Simple process

Another advantage that attracts people to Invisalign is how simple the process is. There are no constant dental appointments, no impressions to be taken and no invasive surgeries. This means that the Invisalign process is one of the easiest and most comfortable ways to straighten your smile.

If you are ever stuck in a dental emergency and don’t know where to turn, then here at Amsel & Wilkins, we can help you. Having pain in your mouth can be very uncomfortable, agitating and painful, so we will do everything we can to help treat the problem as soon as you come in for an emergency appointment with our dentist.

What is a dental emergency?

There are a few different things that are classed as being a dental emergency, and if you are experiencing any of them, then we recommend that you contact us as soon as possible for an appointment with our dentist in Banbury. Below, we have listed the most common causes for an emergency appointment, as you may be experiencing one of them and need treatment.

Severe toothache

If you have a lot of pain in your teeth or jaw and over-the-counter painkillers are not helping, then this is when you need to contact us for a dental emergency. There could be an underlying cause that needs to be treated as quickly as possible to prevent further issues.

During your emergency appointment for toothache with our dentist in Banbury, we will first relieve your pain as much as possible to increase your comfort throughout. We will then examine your mouth to determine the cause and may also take some scans to get a more in-depth look. When we find what is causing your toothache, we will do the best we can to treat it there and then. If it’s a more serious issue, you may need to have further treatment, and we can create a plan with you to do this.

Abscess

Sometimes, bacteria can sit deep in your teeth and invade the pulp, which causes a pocket of pus to form; this can happen in your teeth, gums and jawbone. If left untreated, a dental abscess can spread throughout your mouth and even into the rest of your body, causing you to become ill. If you think you may have an abscess in your tooth, then don’t hesitate to contact us for an emergency appointment with our dentist in Banbury.

When you come in for an appointment for help with an abscess, one of the most common things we do to treat them is a root canal treatment. This involves us removing the abscess, cleaning the area and filling it back in. After this, the area will be rid of any bacteria, preventing another infection from arising. If you have a more severe/deeper abscess, our dentist may need to extract your tooth to clean the area and prevent infection. But don’t worry because we can provide you with options for replacing it in the future.

A knocked-out or loose tooth

Sometimes, accidents can happen, and you may knock your tooth out or make it come loose. If this happens, you should contact us for an appointment as soon as possible as your other teeth could be at risk. If there are any small pieces of tooth left that aren’t removed, then this can cause injury and/or infection and damage the surrounding teeth.

If you have lost your tooth and it is intact and in good enough condition, we may be able to reattach it. If the tooth is unusable, then we will make sure we remove any remaining pieces of tooth and debris to make sure the area doesn’t get infected. We can then go through treatment options with you to replace your tooth in the future if you wish.

A large amount of the UK population struggle with misaligned teeth, and we are here to help with this. At our practice, we are proud to offer Invisalign to our patients to help give them a straighter, more appealing smile.

What’s Invisalign?

When it comes to straightening your teeth, there are so many options out there, but Invisalign definitely stands out. Instead of a fixed appliance, Invisalign uses removable plastic aligners to gently yet effectively move your teeth into position. The aligners are custom-made to fit your teeth, to maximise effectiveness and minimise discomfort.

What will happen?

When you come to our practice wanting to get Invisalign, the first thing you will do is have a consultation appointment with our dentist in Banbury. This is our opportunity to get to know you and your needs, as well as scanning your mouth to get a clear picture of your teeth. Here at Amsel & Wilkins, we are lucky enough to use a digital iTero Scanner, which means we won’t need to take any impressions of your teeth. In just over a minute, the scanner will take 3D images of your teeth, and then generate what your final result should look like before you’ve even begun! It really excites our patients to see what their teeth could look like when the treatment is done. If you decide you want to go ahead with Invisalign, then we will send these scans off so that your custom aligners can be made.

Once your aligners have been created, our dentist in Banbury will invite you back to our practice to give them to you and have a chat with you to make sure you know what to do. We will recommend that you wear your aligners for 20-22 hours a day to get the best out of them. After a couple of weeks, you will change to a new aligner, which will further straighten your teeth. During your time wearing the aligners you will only need to visit us for a checkup every 6-8 weeks so we can see how you’re doing and provide you with more aligners when needed. This process is repeated until you have used all of the aligners in your course and your teeth have been straightened. The total treatment time for Invisalign can vary anywhere between 6-18 months, it all depends on how severe your case is.

Once you have completed the Invisalign treatment and are enjoying your new smile, our dentist in Banbury will highly recommend that you use a retainer (we can provide you with this). Your teeth will naturally want to move back to their original position, and the retainer stops this from happening.

The benefits

Simple process

One of the things that has made this treatment stand out to our patients is how easy the process is. There are no invasive surgeries, no risk of injury from the aligners, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Invisible appearance

Another thing that makes this treatment so popular within our practice is how the aligners look when they’re in. If you have a social lifestyle or professional career, you may not want to draw added attention to your teeth whilst straightening them, and Invisalign is perfect for this. The thin, clear plastic material used, and the fact that the aligners are custom-made to fit your teeth means they are basically invisible.

If you’re tired of being embarrassed about your smile, we can help to change this through the use of cosmetic treatments. Our team at Amsel & Wilkins are proud to offer a range of treatments to help improve the look of your smile and bring your confidence back.

White fillings

Our first cosmetic treatment is white fillings, and these can really help to keep your smile looking natural if you ever need a filling. Sometimes, a metal material is used, but they can stand out quite a lot from the rest of your tooth, so a lot of people prefer the white ones, which is why we offer them to our patients. We will provide you with a filling after doing a root canal treatment with you, as that involves removing part of the centre of the tooth and this can put your tooth at risk if it’s not filled back in. The procedure is very simple, we will insert the filling material into the centre of your tooth, and then let it harden, which won’t take too long. It’s as simple as that!

Orthodontics

Orthodontic treatments focus on bettering the look of your smile through the use of braces and treatments like Invisalign. They can really help to effectively straighten your teeth, and the results can last a lifetime. Traditional metal braces are one of the most common orthodontic treatments that we provide, and they have been around for a while, so most people will know what they are. The treatment uses small metal brackets that our dentist in Banbury attaches to the front of your teeth, along with wires that connect them together and move your teeth.

Invisalign

The next cosmetic treatment that our dentist in Banbury provides is Invisalign, which is a great way of improving the look of your smile if you struggle with misaligned teeth. It’s done by us providing you with multiple aligners that gently move your teeth into a straighter position over a certain period of time. They are easily removable, and you can change between them yourself from the comfort of your own home which is great if you have a busy schedule. Our patients have loved this treatment due to the quick and effective results, and how simple the treatment is to do. In some cases, it can take as little as 6 months to achieve a straight smile.

Teeth whitening

It can be embarrassing having yellow teeth, and this is the perfect treatment if you want a simple yet effective way to brighten them. At our practice, our dentist in Banbury offers home teeth-whitening kits to our patients so they can do it from the comfort of their own home and still get great results. The treatment uses custom trays made just for your mouth and whitening gel which makes the magic happen. We recommend that you wear the trays at night or for a few hours per day to get the best results.

Porcelain veneers

If you are looking to completely transform your smile, then we can provide you with porcelain veneers. They are thin, tooth-shaped pieces of porcelain that are custom-made just for your mouth. We attach the veneers to the front of your teeth, which means we can cover any imperfections you may have such as chips, discolouration or mild misalignment. You can choose whether to just have 1 veneer, a few or a whole set, it’s totally up to you. It’s really exciting for our patients when they see the final results of veneers, as it can totally change the look of your smile for the better.