Yesterday we completed treatment for young man in his 20s. He had always been very conscious and unhappy about his gappy smile and misaligned teeth. Well after about 9 months, his treatment with Invisalign is now completed and he tells us he is delighted with the result.
Before
After
Yes , this really is the same person !
If you or someone you know would love a great smile but without train-track wire braces, call us now on 01635 47757 and speak to Chris who will arrange a no obligation, free, initial discussion, over a coffee without even sitting in the dentist's chair worth £50.00.
Are you (or your partner) fed up with clenching or grinding your teeth?
Are you worried it might be harmful?
Please read on ...
Tooth grinding and clenching is common and can cause many problems:
Did you know that these are just some of the problems that can be caused
Migraine
Chronic headaches
Morning headaches or face pain
Aching muscles in the jaw, neck and even shoulders
Did you know that, front tooth wear is also usually due to the back teeth not fitting together properly when your jaw is relaxed.
When back teeth don’t line up, this often leads to a habit of pushing the jaw forwards to rest or even rub the front teeth together and so prevent clashing or tripping contacts of uneven back teeth.
In turn this leads to front teeth wearing down and then the teeth lose their shape and beauty and actually wear out, which is often unsightly too. Its a domino effect.
It is so common that you or someone you know may well be suffering in silence with it. In fact, tooth grinding can be so noisy that perhaps your partner is suffering too and not in silence either !
Big jaw muscles
Muscle over development (Masseteric hypertrophy- for the technically minded)
Some people clench the teeth together rather than grind them side to side. There are several reasons why this may happen. This clenching habit, gives the jaw muscles a real “work-out”. Apart from causing muscle fatigue and soreness, over-use this is like “pumping iron” and can sometimes cause very obvious cheek muscle development. So much so that the shape of the face actually changes . Some of my patients actually thought they were just getting “fatter” faces.
Jaw clenching and life stress
Do you think David Coulthard clenches his teeth? It looks like it from the shape of his face.
Perhaps its not surprising in his case!
Is he alone in leading a stressful life? I don't think so. So stress can lead to a "gnashing of teeth" too.
In fact this jaw or tooth clenching action can really cause a disfigurement, which cannot easily be reversed. In time, if the cause of the clenching is addressed or the mini splint used over a long period of of time, the jaw muscles may reduce in size of their own accord, like any other muscle which is not over-exercised. Some people even resort to Botox to artificially cut off the muscle tone in the face muscles.
This can be a complex problem but over 10 years we have found that one simple approach to diagnosis and sometimes treatment is the complicated sounding NTI-tss “mini splint”.
If you think you have one or more of these problems and are within an hour or so of Newbury and you would like a free initial discussion worth £50, just call Chris Charon our Treatment coordinator for a chat over coffee soon on 01635 47757
There is a wide range to suit all preferences. Our Dental Therapist, Laura or Hygienist , Nicky can help you decide.
Reduce sensitivity by using one of several de-sensitizing toothpastes such as Sensodyne or the new Colgate Pro-Relief.
The innovative Tooth Mousse may also help reduce sensitivity.
Dietary issues
Try to reduce your acidic food and drink: The obvious ones if you have these often are...
Citrus fruit, esp lemons/lemon juice,grapefruit juice.vinegar and yogurt, some fruit or green teas
Less obvious ones
“Sharp” tomatoes and fizzy drinks (including sugar free ones) Even fizzy water is a little acidic.
When taken hot, the acid effect on teeth is speeded up- beware hot Ribena for example.
All of these have foods and drinks have worthwhile health benefits but IF your teeth are very sensitive then its best to stop eating drinking these things, for a while at least. When you do have an acidic drink or food, then follow up with some plain water but DO NOT brush your teeth as this can assist in causing more rapid enamel thinning.
Using a fluoride mouthwash can toughen the enamel against the acid attack as well as reducing tooth decay.
All of these ideas are very important for your dental health and comfort BUT none of them can re-cover the exposed tooth with new gum - but guess what? We may be able to do this for you, in the right situations.
21st century solution to receded gums
In the right situation we can, using proven “micro-plastic gum surgery”, cover over the exposed/ long tooth or teeth, greatly improving your smile and making the tooth or teeth look more youthful, as well as reducing or eliminating sensitivity more permanently.
This site gives a useful overview of the situation, without being too scary!
This site is from a US dental practice which presents the issues nicely.
Some of the exact details may vary with us as we choose the technique to suit not only each person but each tooth or group of teeth.
I hope you have found this useful
Please call us now on 01635 47757 for a free initial consultation or e-mail chris@newburydentist.co.uk to arrange a discussion to see if we can help you.
Introducing Laura Woosey - Dental Therapist (B.Sc. Hons.)
We are delighted to announce that Laura Woosey will join us at Newbury Smilemakers in July 2010 , on a part-time basis, as a valuable member of our patient care team. Because of this we thought we would explain what a Dental Therapist does and why it is important that you see her at our practice.
What does a Therapist do?
As with all Dental Therapists, Laura will work under the dentist’s written prescription.
This means that your personal, tailored treatment plan will be developed, after consultation with the dentist. Once we have decided together what that plan might be, we offer you any options or choices in a written and costed treatment plan. Here we look at how best to utilize our team for your benefit and in the most cost effective way, to ensure that you receive an excellent standard of care, based on your needs and preferences.
At the other end of the scale, Dental Therapists have detailed and intensive training in providing, for example simple filling work, all forms of preventive dentistry and all aspects of non-surgical gum treatment and prevention of gum disease. The sort of thing that many people need to keep their teeth in good order. She will be able to tailor a program to your needs.
Laura says this about being a Dental Therapist “By assisting the dentist in providing this level of treatment, the dentist’s time is freed to focus on the more complex, demanding and time consuming treatments that may require hours of planning.”
So what treatments do Dental Therapists carry out?
After your examination and initial consultation, Richard might refer you to the Dental Therapist or Dental Hygienist for one or more of the following:
Panoramic digital x-ray imaging
Initial study model impressions and measurements to help assess your bite or plan your treatment.
These impressions can also be used to make soft vinyl tooth whitening trays, if that is part of the plan.
Photographs to assist the technician and as a record , if smile design, is being considered. Laura would then explain why the method we have chosen is appropriate for you and of course how it all works and how to use the gel and trays, how to care for them and many other aspects of tooth whitening and answer all of your questions.
Either our Hygienist (Nicky) or our Laura our Dental Therapist may undertake dental cleaning, a tailored home care plan, non-surgical treatment of gum disease, dietary advice and fissure sealing for prevention.
Some teeth that I have identified may be checked with the Diagnodent laser tooth decay detector and the results recorded by one of our dental nurses. This means that only teeth that definitely need filling will receive them.
If a tooth has early enamel softening but not an actual cavity, then this may be treated by the Therapist, using a resin seal, after skimming off any stained enamel to prevent a full blown filling being needed.
If there are fillings that are chipped , or new cavities , then then I may refer that part of the treatment to the Laura to be completed before going on to any more complex treatment such as crowns, bridges, veneers, root fillings, or dental implants.
·Once any complex work is completed by me, more photographs may be taken, by whichever of the team is available on the day and further follow up or maintenance visits may be advised with either the Laura or Nicky, perhaps to monitor progress of gum health improvement.
Why is it important to have a Dental Therapist at the practice?
This way of providing comprehensive care for you, we believe makes the best use of our team for your benefit and indeed will have the overall effect of keeping dental costs down for you. So you get the best treatment, from the best person at the best price… sounds like a perfect choice!
More about Laura
Laura qualified as a Dental Therapist, after studying at the Portsmouth School of Dental Therapy for 3 years and passing her BSc degree with Honours in Dental Therapy. The examination is a detailed and intensive test of her knowledge and capabilities. She is registered with the General Dental Council who regulate all Dental Care Professionals.
So a Laura’s training has lead to her being able to provide general dental care. It is equivalent to about half of a full dental degree. So everything a dentist learns for day to day patient care, except the more advanced treatment such as orthodontics, crowns and bridges, root canal treatment or oral surgery.
Laura’s interests include
Yacht and dinghy sailing.
Surfing and wake-boarding.
Various outdoor and physical activities.
Travelling.
We look forward to introducing Laura Woosey to you when the time comes.
At this mornings weekly business breakfast meeting f the Jack O'Newbury chapter of BNI, I chose to devote my 60 seconds "sales pitch" to a serious subject. Mouth Cancer. The reason why I chose to do this today was that each week ,we normally tell a brief story of the previous week's matters of business interest.
My story today was as follows:
Yesterday I saw a 57 years old male patient for a review. I last saw him for some routine dental care in September 2009. At that time he came for a visit and mentioned that he had had an odd sensation when swallowing, as if something was irritating the back of his tongue of throat. He had seen his doctor but it was felt nothing to be too concrned about. However he was still perturbed. I made it very clear that he must return to his doctor for a more detailed examination and to take matters further.
He did just that. It transpired that what he had was a malignant cancer of his tonsils on one side- quite unusual but apparently more cases are being seen in recent times. He was a non-drinker and a non-smoker.
The result for him over last Christmas and New Year was 30 sessions of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and an extensive operation of his neck and face area. He has pulled through to date and we wish him well, naturally. As he also knows, time will tell.
CANCER can occur in any part of the mouth, tongue, lips, throat, salivary glands, pharynx, larynx, sinus, and other sites located in the head and neck area.
These "Mouth Cancers" have a higher proportion of deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or skin melanoma.
If you have any concerns about anything unusual in the mouth, throat, neck, sinuses, palate or gums PLEASE don't delay, visit your dentist. They are all highly trained in knowing what to look for, if anything is out of the ordianry and will arrange a rapid referral if there is any doubt.
We do change smiles and change lives and just occasionally may even have a hand in saving lives too.
From time to time I look back at some of my older blog posts. This one made me smile. Its great to be reminded of how we do walk the walk of our "Changing Smiles ~ Changing Lives" strap line.
If you'd like to discuss your requirements, call and book an appointment with Chris Charon our Practice Treatnent Coordinator. She has a wealth of knowledge, experience and understanding of every aspect of dental care. You'll find her very understanding.
At my regular Friday BNI meeting held at Newbury and Crookham Gold Club in Newbury yesterday, I told a short story of what happened when one of my patients, who is due to start her Invisalign treatment in July, when came to visit us, the day before.
Unusually she did need to have a upper wisdom tooth removed to allow the proper movement of her upper row of teeth. This will be able to make a huge difference to he uneven smile.
Today I recieved a great e-mail of thanks from her. She said
" Just to say thanks to you, Richard and the whole team for yesterday, I was amazed how quickly the tooth came out and it was completely pain free, I was nervous which I am not normally, but that soon went...... Very excited about the next steps, can't wait for July."
If you are interested to find out how Invisalign might be able to "fix your wonky smile" please call us at Newbury Smilemakers on 01635 47757 to book a free discussion.
Painless dentistry & no more dental syringes - really!
In 2004, well ahead of the game, we at Newbury Smilemakers introduced"The Wand" which has been very well received by our patients. "The Wand" is a revolutionary way to acheive painless dentistry without the use of a traditional syringe from the USA. It really is magic!
We believe in bringing the benefits enjoyed by people in leading edge dental practices the world over to our patients in Newbury. So If I could show you a way to painless dentistry, without a syringe, would you be interested?
This new technology, called The 'Wand'(tm), has been heralded as the first major advance in painless dentistry since the anaesthetic syringe was invented by Cook in 1920!!.
The 'Wand'(tm) ,is a state of the art system which uses a very slow and gentle computer-controlled technique that minimises the anaesthetic dosage needed. This means that it can be used to numb just the area needed, not the surrounding face, so no more feeling as though part of your face has disappeared, sometimes for several hours after treatment. Such a plus if you have meetings to attend or people to speak to after your dental visit.
The Wand, as well as using a completely revoloutionary technique, complies with our stringent cross infection control standards. A new sterile delivery unit is used for each patient. These are then disposed of carefully and incinerated by a licensed clinical waste collection service.
When we first introduced the system, we thought we would use it for youngsters and especially nervous people. It is so good that we now use it routinely and all of our regulars who need fillings or minor surgery have tried it. All of them think it is a huge improvment on the old syringes.
Every dentist , every day is faced with a tricky decison. Is that a hole I see before me? Shall I use the "pokey thing" ? Is that a new hole in that tooth? Is it just a bit of staining from food and drink such as tea, coffee, red wine or curry? Can I leave well alone or should I be thinking about some MID or "Minimally Invasive Dentistry". Prevention or a stitch in time? If I leave this will there be a bigger hole in a year or two?
Well here at Newbury Smilemakers we don't use "pokey things" . For the last 5 years we have used a reliable laser tooth-decay detector. The Diagnodent. Painless, simple and quick, normally used by our dental hygienist, the tiny tip of the laser scanner is passed over the biting surface natural fissures to double-check.
It stops me from using the dreaded drill if the tooth can be safely left alone.
Low score 4-10 the tooth can be left alone or perhaps sealed against decay .
Medium score 10-15 then the stained can be skimmed away from the surface of the enamel and then the areas sealed against decay.
High score 15-99 - The tooth has a cavity which needs filling. Usually the higher the score the deeper the hole !
Does your dentist you a "pokey thing"? Do you hate them? Well we don't and we get it right every time with Diagnodent.
Please don't keep us a secret. Let your friends know!
Here is a terrific testimonial from one of the two people mentioned in my last blog post. Here is what she had to say in her own words after her visit to us at Newbury Smilemakers.... I have added some links where I felt you might like to know more.
"I just want to say a really BIG Thank you to Richard and yourself as I think I am now cured of my dentist phobia !!!
Testimonial - Happy Gas Rules is all I can say !!! I have gone from being a total Dentist Phobic to being able to sit in the chair and have a tooth out totally PAINLESSLY in 5 sessions !!!
At the age of 34 I had only been to one private dentist once since primary school as was just so scared, and a total nervous wreck when it came to going. I couldn't even sit in the chair and would start hyperventilating and boo my eyes out but now at the age of 37 I am a total convert and am actually looking forward to my next session.
This is all because I found Richard and Chris via a website search regarding Nervous patients, up they popped and I gave them a call. The first session I couldn't even sit in the chair but they were fine with this and made me feel totally at ease. We then arranged another session where no work was done just a total check up / photos and xrays. My third appointment was to have a trial of the Happy Gas, boy is this good stuff. You are totally conscious and coherent throughout but it just totally relaxes you and although you are aware of what is going on you're just not really that bothered and time flies by so quickly.
My 4th session was because although I had all this done I then left it a year and a half as I didn't have any pain so did not see the point in going, called them with chronic toothache. I have now had my fifth visit and
because I had left it so long I have had to have the tooth out, I could kick myself as it is my own fault. If I had kept going it would have just been a filling. On this 5th session I had a filling and a tooth out and can
honestly say I did not feel a thing and although I was in there nearly an hour it only felt like 5 minutes and all totally painless to boot.
If you are a total Dentist phobic, very nervous, anxious and cry like a baby just like me then please go and see them as they will totally sort you out and actually make your dental experiences an enjoyable one !!
Please feel free to manipulate this text as you feel necessary as not sure if all of it will fit on your website.
The power of "R.A." to change people's perception of dentistry
I'd love to share two recent stories from Newburysmilemaker's patients whose future dental care has indeed been transformed by the "Happy Air" sedation service we have used for very many years. Story 1
We were contacted by the mother of a 10 year old who needed to have two good baby teeth removed to help relieve his crowded row of teeth.
His own dentist had tried to do the necessary but the whole session ended in tears and upset and had to be abandoned.
His Mum found as after a Google search for dentists experienced in helping anxious people and was happy t travel 25 miles to see us. On his first visit we just sat and chatted with the young chap and his Mum in the patient lounge area to hear their story and explain how we could help offering a "test drive"of the "Happy Air" next time.
On the second visit we carried out the planned dry run, letting our 10 yr old sit in the dental chair, with his mouth shut tight and breathing the happy air for a few minutes to experience the nice feeling of relaxation, warmth and cosiness it provides and starting to regain his confidence. He then left having had a positive experience. He returned about a week or so later, full of confidence to have the two baby teeth popped out using the happy air. He was completely relaxed and the whole session passed off completely uneventfully. I expect to be receiving a nice testimonial soon. I'm so pleased that we were able to prevent this chap from becoming a dental phobic. Story 2
Last Friday we saw a lady who we saw for the first time several weeks earlier with severe toothache and with a great fear of dentistry. Through floods of tears and trepidation, we did manage to treat the toothache using Happy Air Sedation. However her tooth was cracked in a way that was unsalvageable.
She came back to see us, having come to realised that what she had feared was nowhere near a bad as she had feared. We did a filling and removed the tooth that had to go, without the slightest sign of fear or tears.
She left with a beaming smile She was just so pleased with herself. Returning to the patient lounge, her partner was totally incredulous that she was relaxed and smiling. Another terrific result !
If I can help you or someone you know, to experience fear free dentistry please contact us.
At present this method is probably available in no more than 15% of dental practices in the UK and Ireland and the courses I run is helping to increase its availability for anxious dental patients,
Please call 01635 47757 and speak to Chris for freindly and helpful advice
Dental Acid Erosion is a major problem today. Healthier diets mean cutting down on fats, carbs and salt and so on leaving us with higher fibre diet with healthier food and drink. Right? Well maybe.
Many of these healthy nice things[ pics of grapefruit, oranges, yoghurt] are on the acid side. Some are very acidic. Just like eating or drinking too much sugary food and drink, too often, will lead to tooth decay, acidic diets lead to tooth erosion. Here the tooth enamel simply dissolves away, changing the shape of the teeth often in a particular way.
So what are acid foods?
Well in general these are obvious- Anything sour is very acidic: Lemons, grapefruit and all citrus fruit and their juices. Also vinegar, pickles and colas are all acidic too.
Now some of these foods, eaten sometimes, are fine and some are important for their Vitamin C and fibre content, but excessive amounts taken frequently are where the problems begins.
Did you know other things are also quite acid:
Yoghurt
All fizzy drinks
Even fizzy water is slightly acidic.
So what harm does acid erosion cause?
Well to start with only very slight changes in the teeth occur. Often so slight that only a trained eye can spot it. The teeth start to get very smooth and more rounded. They start to lose their proper shape, The pointy bits (cusps) get blunted.
Eventually more obvious signs happen. Back teeth get flatter or jagged on top and also on their sides
Front teeth get thinner either from the front
or the back or both
and eventually the teeth get shorter too!
In the picture above the two left hand front teeth have beeen rebuilt to their original length. The two right hand front teeth show how acid erosion has shortened them.
On back teeth, little hollows start to appear in the tops and at the sides too.
These may stain or may stay the normal colour. Once the enamel cover has disappeared, it can never grow back and once it is gone, the sensitive dentine underneath is exposed, so anything cold to eat or drink causes sensitive or painful teeth. The little hollows get deep and wider until the remaining thin enamel starts chipping off. In turn this alters the bite level and eventually the whole facial profile.
So what can be done about it? Prevention is better than cure.
Don’t overdo the frequency of acidic foods and drink.
Use a fluoride mouthwash and toothpaste to harden the enamel against dissolving
Don’t brush immediately after an acid tooth bath- instead just have a swish of plain water as soon as possible to dilute the acid.
Other products such as Tooth Mousse®, replace lost calcium but needs to be used almost before any sign are seen.
BUT If the erosion is advanced then this will often require extensive and expensive dentistry to reconstruct the worn teeth so please keep your acid diet under control. Here is an example of how we can treat Acid Erosion:
This may involve crowns, veneers or ceramic onlays to cover and protect the damaged enamel and also to return the beauty and harmony of the smile as well as improve comfort and chewing ability.
What else can cause acid erosion?
Well if its not food or drink, then the only other place for acid to come from is the stomach. Some people have acid gastric reflux, heartburn or hiatus hernias. These all cause acidity in the mouth and the usual pattern is for the back surfaces of teeth to be affected.
Also all dentists are seeing cases of Bulimia (nervosa). So self-induced vomiting can have a catastrophic affect on teeth depending on how long it goes on for.
Other medical condition, including pregnancy can cause repeated vomiting which can have the same effect, though this is often only for a few weeks and months, not for years.
If you think you , or someone you know might be suffering from acid erosion of the teeth then contact your dentist or call us on 01635 47757
Apart from looking after my patients dental well-being, I have another string to my bow. Since 2003 I have been running courses to teach other dental teams how to successfully use and integrate "R.A." sedation in their practices. People have travelled from far and wide from the UK and Ireland. On Saturday 6th Feb we ran a course from my pratice and this is the report and what Dave and Barbera Naisby from Inverness had to say. Here is the course report and their testimonial.
Yesterday I attended the Jack O'Newbury BNI Chapter. BNI is an international networking group. I've been a member for just over 2 years now.
This morning was a special visitors day meeting and 20 visitors swelled the normal number of about 35. During the meeting members can, if they wish, read aloud a testimonial to another member for the services that have been provided to them.
I was delighted that Alison Stanton of AMS Worldwide Couriers stood up, put her hand on my shoulder and read out a testimonial for me to a room of 55 local business people, including reps from the Newbury Weekly News and the new Newbury Sound local radio station and Gavin Baine, BNI regional Director
Here is what Alison said
" Testimonial for Richard Charon - Changing Smiles - Changing Lives"
During the Christmas period my 9-year-old daughter, who had never had any dental treatment before, was complaining of a bleeding tooth. She wasn't in any pain but we were going on holiday for a week after Christmas and I didn't want to run the risk of her developing pain whist we were away on holiday.
I called Richard at 9am one morning when the heavens were pouring with snow, not really expecting the dental practise to be open in such weather conditions, and received a very positive response. If I could bring her to the practise Richard could see her straightaway. This I did, and by 10 am Rhian was having her first experience of a filling. When we got home her elder sister said 'did it hurt?' Rhian replied 'not at all. He gave me this nice stuff to breathe and I didn't feel scared one bit'.
Richard handled my daughter with a great deal of sensitivity and understanding. He took the time to explain to her everything he was going to do and what all the different bits of apparatus were for. As a result her first experience of dental treatment was relaxed and stress free. If only my own childhood experiences had been the same.
I would not hesitate to recommend Richard to anyone requiring dental treatment - especially those of a nervous disposition and, in particular, children for whom a positive of dental treatment is essential.
Alison Stanton.
A wow testimonial indeed. Thank you so much Alison.
