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Cosmetic Dentist Treatment in Birmingham

Cosmetic Dentist Treatment Birmingham - Tooth Whitening, Veneers, Crowns and Dental Implants

Cosmetic dentistry is not your usual dental check-up in which you’ll receive a scale and polish accompanied by the odd filling or two. Cosmetic Dentistry is the art of improving the appearance of your smile using one of many cosmetic dental treatments. Our Cosmetic Dentists Birmingham have been whitening, straightening, reshaping and repairing teeth for over 20 years and have helped thousands of patients improve their smiles. But what are the types of cosmetic dental treatment available to patients?

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is one of the most common cosmetic dental treatments as it is a quick and easy way to change the appearance of your smile. After consulting one of our Birmingham Dentists, professional teeth bleaching will involve taking an impression of your teeth. This will then be sent to a dental laboratory where a tailor-made bleaching tray will be made for you. This fits into your mouth just like a mouth guard, allowing the tooth whitening agent to only reach your teeth that need to be whitened.

The teeth whitening agent used by our Birmingham Dentists is carbamide peroxide. As it is broken down it allows oxygen to enter the enamel of your teeth which makes them a lighter shade. As we age our teeth begin to darken, food particles and smoking can stain your teeth which cannot be removed by brushing alone. Professional teeth whitening can counteract the effects of staining allowing you to maintain a pearly white smile.

Porcelain Veneers

Dental veneers are thin sections of porcelain that fit precisely over the front of your tooth like a false fingernail would over a nail. Dental veneers can achieve many improvements with your smile including; treating discoloured teeth, closing a gap between front teeth and can also repair damaged teeth. After a consultation with your Birmingham Dentist, an impression of your teeth is taken and sent to a dental technician who will make your custom-made dental veneers. These can then be fixed onto your teeth giving an impressive natural-looking result.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are similar to veneers; they are another popular cosmetic dental treatment carried out by our Birmingham Dentists. Instead of being a thin sheet of porcelain that fits over the front of your teeth (veneers), crowns are a tooth restoration that completely caps a tooth. Crowns are also custom-made by a dental technician, which are then fitted by your Birmingham Dentist. Dental crowns are just like fitting a new tooth onto your old tooth, they are often recommended to patients who have large fillings so that the cap will protect the tooth. Dental crowns can:

  • Restore the natural shape of a tooth.
  • Allows bent/crooked teeth to be straightened
  • Protects weakened teeth from further damage
  • Can produce amazing smile transformations

Dental Implants

Dental implants are simply the best way to replace a missing tooth. They look feel and function just like a real tooth. Dental Implants involve placing a small titanium insert into your jawbone, which forms an artificial tooth root that can anchor crowns or a denture in place. The bone actually grows onto the titanium implant (a process called osseointegration) which fixes the artificial tooth root in place permanently.

Dental Implants can be restored with a dental crown, which will look and act just like a normal tooth. The dental crown is custom made by a dental technician to match the rest of your smile. When multiple teeth need replacing dental implants can be used to stabilise dentures or bridge work. Click here to find out more about dental implants, or feel free to contact the Scott Arms Dental Practice and book a free dental implant assessment in Birmingham.

Cosmetic Dental Treatment Options

There is an endless supply of cosmetic dental treatment information on the internet available to patients, however is takes a trained dental professional to assess which treatment route is best. If you’re looking at improving your smile for cosmetic reasons it’s worth paying a visit to an experienced cosmetic dentist in Birmingham such as those at Scott Arms Dental Practice where they can advise the best treatment route for you.

Posted in: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Implants, Porcelain veneers, Teeth Whitening

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My Tooth has been knocked out, what can I do?

Knocked out tooth - Replace a missing tooth with a Dentist Birmingham

Having a tooth knocked out from an accident or injury can be a traumatic experience. Having an unwanted gap in your smile can lower self-esteem and have a huge impact on your mental health. But it’s not the end of the world, there are several ways to replace a missing tooth that will leave your smile looking just as good (or even better) than before!

In America there are over 5 million knocked out teeth (avulsed teeth) each year. When a child loses their milk teeth, it’s best just to stop the bleeding and wait for the new adult teeth to grow through. However it’s a different story when your adult tooth has been knocked out as you’re not going to grow a replacement.

Saving your knocked-out tooth

The tooth can still be saved if you get it to a dentist on time. If the tooth is fractured/broken it’s likely that it can’t be re-implanted but still take it to your dentist anyway to check. If the tooth is still intact, you need to get to a dentist as soon as possible as its likely that the tooth can be put back into your mouth and saved. As time goes by however, the chance of this procedure succeeding drops dramatically after an hour.

Whilst you wait to see a dentist, it’s important to look after your missing tooth. Avoid touching the root and if it’s still connected to your mouth try not remove it. It is important that you avoid cleaning the tooth. The best way to look after it is it put the tooth back into its empty socket. If this is not an option store the tooth in your cheek or in a glass of milk. The tooth has a higher chance of successful re-implantation if you keep it in an environment similar to its natural one.

Your dentist will clean the tooth socket and flush out any debris before re-implanting the original tooth. The tooth will then be supported using a splint to keep it stable, this will allow the tooth to reattach over time, a process which could take weeks.

Replacing a Missing Tooth

If the tooth cannot be re-implanted you don’t have to settle with a missing tooth. There are many cosmetic options to replace missing teeth, such as removable dentures and a fixed bridge. The most popular (and best way) to replace a missing tooth is with a dental implant. Dental Implants look feel and function just like a normal tooth, and if looked after correctly can last a lifetime. Dental Implants involve inserting a titanium fixture into the jaw where the missing root used to be. This implant can then be restored with a crown that looks exactly like your other teeth, matching and completing the rest of your smile.

Preventing Knocked Out Teeth

We recommend to all our patients involved in sporting activities to get a professionally fit mouth guard to prevent the occurrence of dental trauma and knocked out teeth. A bespoke gum shield will be created for you based on an impression taken of your teeth, giving you a mouth guard that fits around the teeth and offers significant protection for your teeth.

If you have recently lost a tooth or are looking to replace a missing tooth please contact the Scott Arms Dental Practice on 0121 357 5000 our Emergency helpline is available until 11pm week nights and 24 hours on Friday & Saturday into Sunday.

Posted in: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Implants, Emergency Dentist, Replace Missing Teeth

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Dentist Birmingham answers your Bleeding Gums questions

Dentist Birmingham answers Bleeding Gums questions

Many people in Birmingham and the rest of the UK suffer from bleeding gums, a problem that is rather upsetting for the patient but can easily be prevented.

Bleeding gums may not be as simple as it seems. Can be a precursor to conditions such as gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), which if left untreated can lead to Periodontal disease that can damage the teeth and gums.

What are the causes of bleeding gums?

Bleeding gums are caused by the inadequate removal of plaque from teeth at the gum line. Over time plaque builds up and causes the gums to become inflamed, leading to gingivitis. If this isn’t dealt with the plaque can harden to tartar, leading to gum disease.

Bleeding gums can be also caused by infections in the mouth, damage to the gum tissue through an injury, dietry problems, hormonal changes, the use of dentures, flossing when your gums are not used to it (or you’re flossing too hard) and brushing too hard. Whilst the inadequate removal of plaque is the most likely cause of bleeding gums, it does take a trained professional to diagnose the cause.

How can bleeding gums be prevented?

Through maintaining a good standard of oral hygiene, your teeth can be kept free of plaque and prevent conditions such as gingivitis occurring.

Am I more susceptible to gum problems?

Gum problems are more common in patients over the age of 35. Around 30% of people are genetically susceptible to gum disease, this group of people to take extra care with their oral health to ensure periodontal disease is prevented.

Can bleeding gums be due to a problem with my diet?

Certain dietary deficiencies can have an influence on bleeding gums. Vitamin C is important to help the body repair and maintain connective tissue, its antioxidant effects are important in the presence of gum-damaging oxidants. Consuming less than your daily allowance of vitamin C can significantly increase your risk of gum disease.

How can I treat my bleeding gums problem at home?

Brushing your teeth after every meal, using an antibacterial mouthwash and ensuring that you floss at least once a day can prevent bacteria building up on the gum margin. Patients are always advised to reduce their sugar intake within their diet as this is a common cause of many dental problems, sugar promotes the growth of bacteria and the build-up of plaque, making your bleeding gum problem worse.

Smoking can aggravate bleeding gums making them worse. Smoking also reduces oxygen in the blood, with prevents the gum tissue healing properly.

What should I do if my gums get worse?

If you’re suffering from bleeding gums on a regular basis or you’re simply concerned about your oral health it’s worth heading down to your dentist to have a professional take a look. It’s worth seeing a dental hygienist for a professional teeth clean, removing the plaque build-up from the teeth, keeping them and your gums healthy. Feel free to contact the Scott Arms Dental Practice if you need any assistance with your bleeding gum problems.

Posted in: General Dentistry, Periodontal Disease

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Dentist in Birmingham cycling to raise money for charity

London to Paris Bike Ride for Regain 29th September – 2nd October

Just over 4 months to go until Dr Philip Tangri from the Scott Arms Dental Practice takes up his challenge of cycling from London to Paris to raise money for Regain, a charity involved in helping men and women paralysed in sporting accidents across the UK.

Regain is the only charitable organisation dedicated solely to improving the independence of all British men and women who have become tetraplegic (sometimes referred to as quadriplegic) as a result of a sports or leisure injury. Regain assists in purchasing special equipment such as sports wheelchairs, voice=activated computers and hand cycles. This equipment helps tetraplegics lead independent and fulfilling lives.

The challenge takes place on 29th September – 2nd October, where Phil will start off in London and tackle a 237 mile route where he will finish at the Eifel tower. Phil aims to raise at least £2000, so we’re actively trying to encourage donations of any amount to this fantastic charity.

The best way to donate is online on Phil’s JustGiving page. Donating online through JustGiving is quick, easy and safe. . Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer making it the most efficient way to donate – We raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

If you don’t want to donate online, feel free to come into the Dental Practice and donate at the reception.

Thank you for your support,
The Scott Arms team

Posted in: Charity Event

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Your Dental Implant questions answered

Through our website we receive many questions from patients looking to seek expert advice on dental implants. From patients with missing teeth to patients already undergoing the teeth implant procedure, we’ve answered personally thousands of questions.

We asked Dr Philip Tangri, a leading dental implant dentist with over 20 years of dental implant experience the following popular implant related questions:

What are dental implants?

Dental Implants are small screws (usually made of Titanium) that are inserted into the bone of your jaw. Your bone grows onto the implant (osseointegration) and forms a stable foundation for replacement teeth, supporting a fixed bridge or stabilising a denture. Teeth implants look, feel and function just like normal teeth, allowing you to smile and eat confidently.

How long do teeth implants last for?

The first teeth implants were placed in 1952 by Dr. Leonard Linkow, and they are still functioning today. Since then millions of implants have been placed. With routine checkups with your dentist and maintaining a good standard of oral hygiene Implants can last a lifetime.

Who can have dental implants?

Dental implants are the best way to replace missing teeth, which could be lost due to disease, trauma or decay. Health of the patient is the biggest factor when determining whether dental implants treatment is suitable. If a patient is healthy enough to undergo treatment such as a tooth extraction then they should be a suitable candidate for dental implant treatment. A dental implant surgeon will evaluate a patients health carefully, taking into account their medical and dental history and assess whether dental implant treatment is suitable.

How long does the procedure take?

Your implant dentist should provide you with a full treatment plan giving a more accurate timescale, however it’s possible to have fully functioning teeth within a few months.

Is implant surgery painful?

Many patients have asked this question and seem concerned that the implant procedure is an uncomfortable one. However, the procedure itself is actually quite a gentle one, normally carried out under local anaesthetic and in some instances sedation may be used. Many patients have reported being much more comfortable following dental implant procedure than anticipated.

What are the benefits of Dental Implants?

Because implants form a stable foundation in your jaw by integrating permanently with the bone, they are able to function just like normal teeth and allow you to eat with confidence. Importantly the aesthetic benefits of implants allow fantastic smile transformations which can be seen in our smile gallery.

How much do dental implants cost?

The cost of a single dental implant varies between £1,700 and £2,000. This is split between the implant placement and the final restoration fitted onto the implant. Your implant dentist will carefully plan your treatment and advise you on how many implants you may need. Dental implants can completely transform your smile and the way you eat, a small price to pay for such a large lifestyle improvement.

Is funding available for dental implant treatment?

Treatment options are avaiable to help you with your treatment cost. At the Scott Arms Dental Practice we offer interest free treatment over 2 years for dental implants.

If you are interested in Dental Implants or would like more information, feel free to contact the Scott Arms Dental Practice where we offer a free dental implant consultation.

Posted in: Dental Implants, Replace Missing Teeth

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Dental Implants and Osseointegration

The osseointegration formed between titanium dental implants and bone

Osseointegration is derived from the Greek osteon, bone, and the Latin integrate, to make whole. It is the phenomenon responsible for formation of a direct contact between titanium dental implants and the bone which they are placed. The bone grows right up to the surface of the dental implant, without an intervening layer of soft tissue. developing a close bond and fixing the dental implant in place.

History of Dental Implant Osseointegration

Implant osseointegration was first discovered in the 1950’s by Swedish orthopaedic surgeon Per-Ingvar Brånemark. fHe used a titanium implant chamber to study the blood flow in Rabbit bone. However, when he tried to remove the implant he was unable as it had completely fused to the bone and called his finding “osseointegration”. His theory suggested that titanium oxide permanently fuses with the bone, fixing the implant in place. In 1965 Brånemark placed the first dental implants into a human patient, inventing a new treatment option that would dramatically change the field of dentistry.

Factors influencing Osseointegration

Once a dental implant has been installed and bone starts to grown into it, it’s impossible to remove the implant without damaging the bone. The degree in which the bone is integrated with the implant is affected mainly by the following factors:

  • Dental Implant Material – It was originally believed that osseointegration was unique to titanium of a high purity, however while this forms to the basis of dental implant treatment today there are a wide range of materials that can integrate with bone. Other materials include Zirconium dental implants and certain ceramics such as hydroxyapatite however these have not been extensively researched in a clinic environment.
  • The surface and structure of the implant – The ability of highly pure titanium to osseointegrate so well with bone is thought to be due to the titanium oxide layer that forms on the surface of the implant, described as being osseoconductive as it’s conductive to bone formation. Modifications of the surface of the implant have been made by multiple dental implant manufacturers to increase its biocombatibility and speed up the rate of osseointegration.
  • Heat – Heating of the bone during implant surgery to temperatures of more than 50oC can result in cell death and preventive the osseointegration of implants. Great care is taken at implant sites to prevent an increase of temperature, which has led to intelligent drill speed design.

Other Applications of Osseointegrated Implants

The advantages of Osseointegration aren’t just utilised in Dental Implants, the potential in the field of prosthetics is limitless. With osseointegrated prosthetics, prosthetic limbs can be integrated into the bone allowing them to seat firmly without causing pain or limiting a patients freedom of movement. In the case of severely broken bones rods can be osseointegrated to stabilise the bone while it heals and adds support to prevent the bone being broken again. The process of osseointegration has also been used in artificial ears, eyes and noses with a high degree of success.

What started off with a rabbit has led to an advance in dentistry that allows patients to replace their missing teeth effectively. The osseointegration of dental implants into the bone of a patients jaw allows significant load bearing, allowing them the freedom to eat most foods and making dental implants the best solution in replacing missing teeth.

Posted in: Dental Implants, Replace Missing Teeth

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New Birmingham Dental Hospital set to open in 2014

The birmingham dental hospital lies in the heart of Birmingham, treating over 130,000 patients a year and helping patients with emergency dental treatment every day of the week. The first original dental hospital was create in 1858, and the current building is the 6th replacement built in the 1960’s. The dental hospital employs 400 NHS workers and 300 university staff, making it one of the largest denial hospitals in the UK. Long-awaited Plans are in place to create a new dental hospital, which could open as early as 2014 if it receives treasury backing.

The current Dental Hospital was designed in the 1960s, dentistry was changed since then. The old 10 floor building will be replaced with a new building of fewer floors which will be larger in size. This is planned to make the hospital more cost effective to run. The new hospital will contain 159 dental chairs, a 10% reduction of the previous number from the current dental hospital.

The Scott Arms Dental Practice has assisted the Birmingham Dental Hospital on bank holidays and weekends by providing the emergency dental service in the past. Between 1992 and 1997 the Scott Arms Dental Practice was the official emergency dental service for the health authority. We have provided our emergency service for more than 18 years, treating over 100,000 patients.

Posted in: Emergency Dentist

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Birmingham Dental Hospital Emergency

The Birmingham Dental Hospital is based in Birmingham city centre and provides dental emergency care for the general public in the Birmingham / West Midlands area . This service operates 9.00am-4.30pm from Monday-Friday. Outside these hours there is a basic emergency service running from 6.30pm till 8.30pm weekdays and 9.00am-11.30 am on weekends.

Many patients who have tooth ache outside of these hours seek dental treatment from other dental practices. One of the main dental services here, which provides additional services, is Scott arms dental practice. This practice is open till 11.00pm, 7 days a week / 365 days per year.

There are 2 types of emergency treatment, one of them being rapid swelling, affecting the patients breathing, and excessive bleeding from an extraction socket site. The second is urgent treatment, which is acute pain from toothache or minor trauma related incidents.

The dental hospital during normal working hours will cater for both of these dental emergencies, however outside these hours, emergency treatment as described above would require treatment at the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Edgbaston. Urgent dental treatment, as described above, including regular toothache can be treated by other general dental practitioners.

Posted in: Emergency Dentist

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Dental Implant Testimonials – what do our patients say?

Dental Implant Testimonials

It is a known fact that Dental Implants are the perfect way to replace a missing tooth. We recently received some testimonials from patients who had received Dental Implant treatment in Birmingham from us and they are available to be seen on our website. Stay tuned for more dental implant testimonials over the upcoming month.

The testimonials can be viewed here:

Posted in: Dental Implants, Replace Missing Teeth

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London to Paris Bike Ride for Regain

London to Paris Bike Ride for Regain 29th September – 2nd October

On the 29th September till the 2nd October Dr Philip Tangri, practice owner of the Scott Arms Dental practice, will be cycling 237 miles from London to Paris. The aim of this challenge is to raise funds for Regain, a charity involved in helping men and women paralysed in sporting accidents from across the UK. The charity provides direct help with the purchase of special equipment like sports wheelchairs, voice-activated computers and hand cycles. This equipment will enable tetraplegics to lead more independent and fulfilling lives.

We hope that we can raise some funds for this fantastic charity. If you’d like to donate it’s quick and simple to do online. Donating online through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – We raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Here’s the link to donate: Just Giving

Thanks

Posted in: Charity Event

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