Dental Advice Line - by Senova

Keep smiling Watford!

Each month David and Jay from Watford’s Senova Dental Studios answer your questions about all things tooth-related.

Q: I have read that I can have my teeth straightened within a matter of weeks. I am really keen to have this done but don’t want the braces stuck to my teeth. What are my options? (Mrs R, Bushey)

There have been many advances in orthodontics (teeth straightening) in recent years. Fixed Braces (train tracks) give the most control over tooth movement and they can be fixed on the outside or inside of the teeth. Treatment times have reduced but they still do take in the region of 1 to 1 ½ years. New Clear Aligners can remove the need for fixing braces but again these usually take a long time to work. The most exciting recent development has been the Spring Aligner such as the Inman Aligner which is not only removable but can align teeth in as little as 6-8 weeks.

Q: One of my old silver fillings has broken. I do not want a new silver filling. My friend has a crown which keeps coming off. Is there anything else I can have? (Mr G, Chesham)

Silver amalgam fillings do not reinforce teeth and, as the base of the filling is made wider than the top (undercut), they do undermine the tooth’s strength. They don’t look very nice either!. Whilst crowns are an excellent treatment option if correctly executed (crowns depend on parallel preparation surfaces to ensure they do not come off) they do involve further tooth removal via the preparation. Direct white fillings can be a very good treatment choice to replace SMALL silver fillings or for new holes. However, we feel probably the best treatments currently available are tooth coloured inlays and onlays. Not only do they reinforce tooth structure as they are bonded into place, but they also look excellent and involve only minimal further tooth reduction

Q: I would like my teeth whiter. As I fly abroad a lot I need it to be done quickly. I also don’t have time to have it topped up. My boss said that he had his done in about an hour and a half and has trays. Can you do this and how much does it cost? (Claire, Radlett)

Your boss is right! You can have your teeth whitened in 1 hour using one of the power systems, such as Zoom (as featured on Extreme Makeover). Following a preliminary examination to ensure there is no reason why your teeth cannot be whitened (e.g. you have existing crowns, cavities or poor gum health), a light-activated gel is applied to the teeth then you just lie back and listen to some music or watch a film while the light does its magic. While you relax, we make up Home Trays for you so you can top up your whitening whenever you want, even if you are abroad.

For more information or to make an appointment call 01923 233600, email dentists@senovadental.com or visit www.senovadental.com .

This article was created on Tuesday, 2nd December 2008. It was last tinkered with on Wednesday, 17th December 2008.

This is the 35th issue of Flea Magazine in Watford. The on-line version of the articles includes additional content that we couldn't fit into the printed version. You can see the individual articles and additional material by selecting from the titles below.

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Inside Watford Flea 205

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