You should arrive at the practice 10 minutes prior to your first appointment. At this appointment we will
take recordings of the condition of your teeth and gums usually with the help of x-rays and photographs. We will also ask you
to fill in a comprehensive medical and dental history form to ensure your safety.
We shall discuss with you any treatment required, give you all of the options available and provide a detailed treatment plan together with consent form and cost estimate.
You can download a copy of the medical/dental history form by clicking the patient documents link.
Dental Examination
Your teeth will be examined under magnification by using dental loupes or a microscope. We will chart your teeth, their condition, any dental restorations already present and any treatment that may be required including examination of your gums to detect gum disease.
X-rays
Gums
Periodontal (gum) disease is the main cause of tooth loss amongst the adult population. It is a painless process until it is well
advanced, and has led to significant destruction of the attachment of gum to teeth and of the supporting bone.
Bleeding gums
Gum
shrinking away from the teeth
Teeth that appear to be moving.
Bad breath or metallic taste in the mouth
These are all signs of
Periodontal Disease. Sufferers may have all, some or none of these signs.
Our initial exam will include a screening for the Periodontal Disease where we can readily identify whether you have a problem. Should this be the case we would carry out a more comprehensive exam and recommend one of our periodontal treatment and preventive programs.
A special examination called a BPE is carried out which allows us to grade the health of your gums. The BPE scores also act as guide to which hygiene treatment is most appropriate for you.
At your regular visits we will carefully examine your mouth and associated structures for any signs of early cancer.
The mouth can also show signs of many other important general illnesses long before symptoms start. This can give us a good early
warning system so that any necessary medical treatment can be commenced whilst the prognosis for most human illnesses is at its best.
Headaches, Worn or Chipped Teeth
You may not realise that the way that your teeth meet is linked to the balance of the rest of your
body and vice versa. Your posture can affect your jaws and their correct working. The jaws work by the action of muscles and any dysfunction
may result in pains around the head and teeth. These may affect your head (as headaches), your neck (stiff neck), your back (back
pain). You may also get a ringing noise in your ears. All these can have an origin in imbalance of your teeth.
Missing Teeth
When any
teeth are missing this places more strain on the remaining teeth and the supporting structures of these teeth – teeth tend to drift
and tilt when they are lacking the mutual support of the neighbouring teeth. Imagine a car with 4 wheels – if one is missing or flat
then the whole system is thrown out of balance.
To properly develop into a healthy adult it is essential for children to have
a healthy mouth. To prevent tooth decay and gum disease it is necessary to have regular dental visits. Where it affects the dentition
we can advise the young patients on dietary problems.
Appearance
We are experienced at diagnosing and treating aesthetic dental problems.
Should you have any concerns regarding your dental appearance we can help with any of the following.
Using a range of modern equipment technologies, philosophies and skilled
laboratory back up we can readily treat a range of aesthetic problems. Tooth whitening procedures in the comfort of your own
home, are a well-established part of our repertoire of treatment options.
In order to maintain our patients dentitions
in optimum health, comfort and appearance we work as a partnership between dentist and patient. We strongly recommend following after
care guidelines and regular visits to the hygienist to prevent problems and to maintain a healthy mouth.
Mouth cleanliness is the greatest
single factor in prevention of dental disease. We will teach you how to control any active disease, and this will be coupled with
a thorough diagnosis and a planned corrective programme to avoid future disease. We are all individuals and we know that habits of
long standing take a long time to change in some people (e.g. smoking). However if we can stimulate your attitude to change, then
it is worthwhile.
After your examination (clinical and radiographic), you will be presented with a
diagnosis of any problems detected. This is the first step towards outlining a treatment plan and long term prevention plan.
All
possible treatment options will be provided including details of advantages, disadvantages, cost and estimates of how long each treatment
can be expected to last.
After the initial examination appointment, further appointments can be made if required to help you maintain a healthy smile!