Even people with good oral hygiene and healthy teeth can be dissatisfied with certain features of their smile. Having chipped, broken, discoloured, missing, stained or crooked teeth can affect a person's self-confidence, negatively impacting on their personal and professional lives.
As the name suggests, a smile makeover is the process of improving the appearance of your smile through one or more cosmetic dental procedures. Your makeover could include a unique blend of orthodontics (adult braces), tooth whitening or the placement of natural-looking veneers or crowns to enhance your smile and disguise imperfections.
The first step towards your dream smile is always a friendly, no-obligation consultation. You'll have the opportunity to discuss the changes you want to make and we will recommend dental treatments that are right for your needs. Outlining each treatment stage, your dentist will answer any questions you may have beforehand.
A smile makeover will take into consideration your skin tone, facial appearance, teeth (colour, width, length and shape), hair colour, gum tissue and lips. The service is performed for a number of reasons and customised according to your unique considerations.
Our teeth whitening treatment can gently lift off stains from the enamel, no matter how off-white your teeth are. You’ll see your teeth lightened by up to twelve shades, and our set of bespoke, complimentary whitening trays mean you can continue the process at home.
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At Discovery Dental Care we start with a comprehensive examination and oral health assessment. Based on the results of this, we offer a tailored treatment Plan as necessary to achieve and maintain a high standard of oral health. Treatments may include:
AMALGAM FILLINGS
Amalgam is a common type of filling made form a mixture of metals of which approximately 50% is mercury, It is strong and hard wearing and used mainly to restore back teeth. Amalgam fillings have been used in dentistry for over 150 years; they are strong and long lasting and cheaper then white fillings. However they don’t match the colour of your teeth and corrode over time causing discolouration of the tooth. Amalgam fillings do not ‘stick’ to the tooth so sound tooth tissue has to be removed to ensure the amalgam filling stays in the tooth.
WHITE FILLINGS
If you do have decay and need a filling then we recommend white fillings as a good solution that is both aesthetic and functional. To improve the cosmetic look of your smile have your metal-coloured fillings replaced with tooth-coloured or ‘white’ fillings. White fillings 'stick' to your tooth which means less tooth structure needs to be removed compared to an amalgam (silver) filling. They are also not affected by the temperature changes in your mouth, therefore do not expand or contact the same way amalgam fillings do. As a result, teeth filled with amalgam can be more prone to fracture.
CROWNS
A crown is a type of cap that completely covers a tooth. It can be used to fix teeth that have been broken, weakened by decay, have a very large filling or to strengthen the tooth following root canal treatment. They can also be used to improve the appearance of a tooth and restore implants.A crown can either be metal, metal and porcelain or fully ceramic. A crown may be placed over a tooth to improve its strength, size, shape or appearance.
Full Metal Crowns
These can be made from gold or non precious metal. Full gold crown are very strong and can last up to 40 years. Although they require the least amount of tooth preparation, the colour of the crown is the main drawback.
Metal Ceramic Crowns
These are made from a metal interior or base to which a porcelain crown is fused. This type of crown can be robust, long lasting and normally cheaper than a fully ceramic crown. Although they can be matched to the colour of your other teeth there can be cosmetic issues. They can appear duller than fully ceramic crowns and the metal base can appear as a grey/black line at the gum margin.
Fully Ceramic Crowns
These are strong, long lasting and extremely aesthetic crowns. There is no metal base so no dark or grey line at the gum margin.
JAW PROBLEMS
At each examination, we will check your jaw for any sigs of jaw problems, often referred to as TMJ disorder. TMJ disorder can cause a clicking sound when you open or close your mouth. If there is no pain or limitation of movement, you often don’t need any treatment.
Signs of TMJ disorder include: pain around your jaw, ear or temple, clicking or grinding noises when you move your jaw, headaches or neck pain, difficulty opening your mouth fully, or your jaw locking if you open your mouth fully.
TMJ disorder can be caused by grinding your teeth, but can also be caused if your occlusion (bite) of your teeth is incorrect.
Treatment includes a soft diet, not opening too wide and analgesics. Your dentist may advice a soft or hard splint to wear at night to help prevent grinding you teeth. Other treatment may involve a more complex assessment of your bite.
INLAYS & ONLAYS
Inlays and onlays can be used to restore a tooth instead of a traditional filling.A dental inlay is similar to a filling and fits inside the tooth. A dental onlay is more extensive and fits over the cusp tips (edges) of the tooth. These can be made from gold or be fully ceramic.
BRIDGES
A dental bridge is a false tooth used to replace a missing tooth or teeth. It if fixed in place to teeth or implants on either side of the missing tooth, usually by a crown. Bridges can be fully ceramic or made with metal fused to porcelain.
Traditional Fixed Bridge
A dental bridge is a false tooth which is fused to one or two teeth on either side of the gap. The crowns holding the false tooth in place are cemented to the teeth on either side. This is known as a fixed bridge and cannot be taken out of your mouth like a removable denture.
Resin Bonded Bridge
This is normally used to replace front teeth. This is best used when the teeth on either side of the gap are healthy and don’t have large fillings. The false tooth is fused to a metal band which is cemented to the back of an adjacent tooth.
FIBREDONTICS
Fibredontics uses advanced fibre technology to reinforce composite (white) fillings. It can be used to replace a missing tooth instead of a denture, bridge, or implant. The strength of these fibres can be as high as cobalt chrome cast metal. This can be done in one visit and does not require local anaesthetic. The fibre frame is attached to your natural teeth on either side of the gap using dental adhesive. The ‘false’ tooth is then built up with composite (white filling) material and incorporates the glass fibres. It can also be used to splint (join) together loose teeth to stabilise them.
TOOTH EXTRACTION / ORAL SURGERY
If you have advanced decay, a dental abscess or an unrestorable tooth, you may require an extraction. Dentists have the right equipment and sterile environment in which to perform this procedure with the utmost care and your recovery can be fairly quick.
ORAL CANCER SCREENING
Studies show that mouth cancer is on the increase and that early detection dramatically improves the chances of recovery. At Discovery Dental Care, this screening involves a thorough examination of your whole mouth at each examination appointment.Please visit your dentist if you notice any unusual white or red patches in your mouth, have any ulcers that do not heal in three weeks, any unusual lumps in your neck or jaw or any unexplained hoarseness.
MINIMALLY INVASIVE DENTISTRY
No drilling! No infections!
VENEERS
A veneer is a thin layer of porcelain made to fit over the front surface of a tooth. It can improve the size, shape, colour and position of your teeth.If you don’t feel confident when you smile, maybe because your teeth are discoloured, chipped or uneven, then veneers may be your answer. They are perfect if your teeth are just a little twisted or you have been looking for a solution without the need for dental braces.
ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Root canal treatment is a dental procedure used to treat infection at the centre of the root (the root canal system). Root canal treatment (endodontics) is a dental procedure used to treat infection at the centre of the root (the root canal system). The infection is caused by bacteria that live in the mouth and have invaded the tooth. This can happen due to tooth decay, leaky or broken fillings, or if there is trauma to the tooth.
Root canal treatment is required when the pulp (the soft tissue at the centre of the tooth) has been damaged by this bacterial infection. The pulp will begin to die if invaded by bacteria and the bacteria multiply and spread. This is what causes a dental abscess.
Symptoms include pain when eating, swelling of the gum next to the infected tooth, facial swelling or the tooth may go dark.To treat the infection the bacteria need to be removed. This can be done my removing the bacteria form the tooth (root canal treatment) or extracting the tooth.It is important to visit the dentist if you have toothache. The longer it is left, there is less chance of the root canal working.
Antibiotics are not effective in treating root canal infections.
If you are wearing a denture which looks very obviously like a denture then we may be able to help. At Discovery Dental Care we offer a range of dentures to fit individual needs and budgets. It is possible to replace your denture with a natural looking and well fitting appliance.
Your mouth and gums will change shape as time passes, so dentures should be replaced and refitted every few years.
As a Childsmile Practice, our aim at Discovery Dental Care is to help improve the oral health of children in Scotland. From six months old, appointments can be made for your child to attend on a regular basis.We will tailor any treatments to meet the needs of your child. This may include:
Oral health advice (e.g. on healthy weaning, diet, teething and toothbrushing instruction)
Annual dental check-ups and treatment, if required
Twice-yearly fluoride varnish applications from two years old.
Extended Duty Dental Nurses (EDDNs) from Childsmile practices are trained in oral health promotion and fluoride varnish application to support the dental team to provide Childsmile care. All this is designed to help your child’s chances of having excellent dental care.
