Author: Aura Dental
How dentists can fix your discoloured teeth
Dentists have many ways of treating discoloured or stained teeth. At Aura Dental in St John’s Wood we have a skilled team of dentists who will work closely with you to solve any issues you may have with the current shade of your teeth, creating you a bespoke treatment plan to ensure that you soon have your dazzling set of pearly whites back.
Tooth staining and discolouration has a number of causes, so the first thing your St John’s Wood dentist will do is to establish what the root cause of your problem is. That way, they can devise an effective and long-term solution customised to suit your needs.
Visible plaque is the largest single cause of tooth staining among UK adults, with a shocking 66% of us suffering from it. Dentists agree that this is bad news, because as well as lending an unwanted yellowish or brownish hue to your smile, it also leads to gum disease and tooth decay. If this is found to be the reason behind your staining, you will be referred to the hygienist at our St John’s Wood dental clinic. Both dentists and hygienists play a vital role in getting rid of dental plaque and making sure you stay healthy.
Teeth whitening treatment is the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedure in the UK, and is an excellent way to remove everyday stains such as those caused by tea and coffee from the teeth. It’s vital to remember that, by law, only dentists can prescribe teeth whitening treatment – whitening from any other source may be unreliable, unsafe, or both.
Our St John’s Wood dental centre offers professional teeth whitening treatment, but if your tooth stains are found to be permanent there is no need to panic: our skilled St John’s Wood dentists can also help in this scenario. Porcelain veneers are a good choice to improve the appearance of one or more permanently discoloured teeth – for example, those that have darkened after dental trauma.
If visible metal fillings are making you frown, the dentists at our St John’s Wood clinic can safely remove these and replace them with tooth-coloured alternatives.
A guide to using dental implants for permanent tooth replacement
If you have lost one or more teeth, dental implants may already be on your radar. Of course, choosing implant treatment is a big decision, but at Aura Dental in North West London we believe it is one of the best you can make. We offer implant treatment to replace anything from one to all of your natural teeth.
Dental bridges and dentures have been used for many years to replace lost teeth, but the major issue with both these options is that they only replace the crown parts of the teeth. All natural teeth comprise crowns and roots, and when the root portions aren’t replaced, the jaw bone starts to resorb (shrink), making traditional dentures loose.
Traditional bridgework, meanwhile, relies on adjacent teeth to support one or two false ones. This puts more strain on these teeth and often necessitates the destruction of healthy tooth structure so that crowns can be placed.
Dental implants will fully support your new teeth, without any strain being put on your remaining teeth. Furthermore, because they are actually replacement tooth roots as opposed to replacement teeth, they will stop your jaw bone shrinking and will help to keep it healthy and strong.
Titanium is used to make dental implants, because it is highly compatible with human bodies. It is osteoconductive, meaning that it actively supports bone growth. Implants are placed directly in your jaw bone during minor oral surgery, which most patients at our North West London dental practice only require local anaesthetic for. As soon as they are in position, dental implants begin to integrate with your jaw bone in a process known as osseointegration.
It takes a few months for this process to complete, during which time you may have temporary teeth fitted. Once your teeth have integrated with your jaw bone, you will be called back to our North West London dental clinic to have your permanent teeth attached.
Aura Dental in North West London offers two options for implant treatment – a single implant and crown to replace one tooth, or a series of dental implants and a bridge to replace some to all of your teeth.
How our dentists can look after you at all stages of life
Dentists play a vital role in looking after your health at every stage of life. Aura Dental in St John’s Wood offers bespoke dental care for patients of all ages, and our dentists will work closely with you and your family to create a fully customised treatment journey no matter what your needs may be, designed to keep your smile healthy and happy for life.
Children
You should bring your child to visit the dentist from an early age. The dentists at our St John’s Wood clinic are highly experienced in working with young patients and will work hard to ensure that every experience your child has of the dentist is a positive one. This can help to prevent dental phobia later in life.
Dentists can provide preventative treatments such as fluoride varnish or fissure sealants to help protect and strengthen children’s teeth. They will also help to explain the importance of proper tooth brushing to children, and to spot any early warning signs of decay.
Teenagers
The teenage years often involve orthodontic treatments. There are other specific dental issues that can affect teenagers, however, and our St John’s Wood dentists can help with all of them. Wisdom teeth often appear during the teenage years, whilst teenagers also have a bad reputation for high-sugar diets and drinking lots of fizzy drinks, which can lead to tooth decay and enamel erosion.
Regular visits to the dental practice are essential to keeping your teen’s teeth healthy and strong, and to helping them understand the importance of diet to dental health.
Adults
Dental check-ups are vital to adults, with most people advised to attend every six months. Some groups, such as pregnant women or those with weakened immune systems, need to visit more regularly. Cosmetic dental treatment is also increasingly popular with adults; our St John’s Wood dentists offer a wide range of aesthetic procedures.
Older people
Whether you have kept all your natural teeth or have full dentures, you still need to visit your dentist regularly as you get older, to keep your mouth healthy and your teeth functional.
Finding your perfect braces or aligners for subtle tooth straightening
Traditionally, braces are associated with teenagers, but an increasing number of adults are also looking for orthodontic treatment. North West London clinic Aura Dental recognises the demand for such treatments, coupled with the need for discretion. For that reason, we are proud to offer a number of subtle options for tooth straightening.
Although the majority of people who come to orthodontics later in life are primarily driven by cosmetic concerns, at our North West London dental clinic we always emphasise that any such treatment – whether with braces or aligners – will also benefit your oral health, by making your teeth easier to clean.
Reducing areas where plaque can build up makes a big improvement in your chances of avoiding tooth decay and gum disease, which both lead to tooth loss and in the case of gum disease has been linked to several serious general health concerns. Of course, you need to practise good dental hygiene and visit your North West London dentist and hygienist regularly, but straightening your teeth is a good place to start.
North West London braces and aligners – your choices
Come into Aura Dental in North West London for a tooth-straightening consultation and your dentist will conduct a thorough clinical examination, before talking you through the best courses of treatment. Depending on what your clinical requirements are, they may recommend:
Six Month Smiles
Six Month Smiles is a popular system of cosmetic braces that work both quickly and discreetly. Unlike standard braces, which are made from metal and are very obvious, Six Month Smiles are made from clear brackets and tooth-coloured wires. This means that they blend in with the natural colour of your teeth, so are barely noticeable. Because they focus on the front six teeth they work in an average of half a year.
Inman Aligner
This aligner works very quickly on issues affecting the front teeth – protrusion, for example. The Inman Aligner’s unique design enables it to work in between six and 18 weeks, making it the fastest option at our North West London clinic.
Invisalign
A system of clear, removable aligners that can correct more extensive orthodontic issues.
Cosmetic dentistry: brightening your smile in just a few short appointments
Cosmetic dentistry offers a solution to every smile problem, and the team at Aura Dental in St John’s Wood love nothing more than making people’s smile dreams come true. Often, new clients are surprised at how rapid and effective cosmetic dental treatments are. In fact, it’s often possible to achieve the smile you’ve dreamt of for so long in a few short appointments.
We hear many different smile requests at our St John’s Wood dental clinic, but the most frequent one is for a brighter or whiter smile. Most people want a beautiful Hollywood dazzler of a smile, but all too often lifestyle factors get in the way, and our teeth become stained easily.
Fortunately, we have a number of solutions to stained and coloured teeth at our St John’s Wood dental practice. Your journey will begin with a consultation with a cosmetic dentist.
St John’s Wood cosmetic dentistry: smile brightening options
There are numerous causes of tooth discolouration, and at our St John’s Wood clinic we find the best place to start is with establishing the cause. That way, your dentist can find the best course of treatment from our extensive cosmetic dentistry menu.
Here are some popular cosmetic dentistry choices to brighten your smile at our St John’s Wood dental practice:
Teeth whitening
Teeth whitening is the most popular treatment in cosmetic dentistry, and as long as it is carried out by a fully qualified dentist it is a safe and reliable way to remove common stains from the teeth. We offer home and in-chair whitening at our St John’s Wood clinic.
Good for: Everyday stains such as tea, coffee, or nicotine
Not suitable for: Pregnant women, permanent stains
Veneers
Veneers are thin porcelain shells placed over the surfaces of the teeth to improve their appearance. They can help in cases of permanent discolouration.
Good for: Permanent stains/discolouration
Not suitable for: People with poor dental health/weak teeth
White fillings
White fillings are designed to blend in to your mouth seamlessly. They can be used in most areas of your mouth.
Good for: Replacing metal fillings, filing front teeth
Not suitable for: Very weak teeth
Life benefits of using dental implants to replace your missing teeth
Dental implants offer a permanent solution to tooth loss, one which will give you back all the action and appearance of a second set of adult teeth. At Aura Dental in North West London we have dental implant options to replace anything from one to all of your natural teeth.
Every dentist will tell you that missing teeth always need to be replaced, one way or another. At Aura Dental in North West London be believe that dental implants are, in most cases, the best way to do this.
There are two options for dental implant treatment at our North West London clinic. The first is to have one implant and one crown placed, which is ideal if you have lost a single tooth, for example in a road traffic accident. Prices for single implant and crown restoration start at £2,300.
The second option is to have a series of dental implants placed, and a bridge attached. Prices for this option begin at £2,750, and will depend on how many implants you need and how many teeth will be attached to the bridge.
Unlike a traditional dental bridge, which can replace one or two teeth, the implant-retained bridges we use at our North West London dental clinic can contain as many adjacent teeth as you need – in fact, a series of carefully-placed dental implants can support a full arch of new teeth in bridge form.
Although most patients at our North West London clinic only need local anaesthesia for the placement of dental implants, we also offer treatment under sedation for patients who are nervous or phobic. If fear of the dentist has contributed to your tooth loss, we are committed to working with you to get you back to full oral health.
Your dental implants will need some time to heal and mesh with your jaw bone, and will develop a strength similar to natural tooth roots. Temporary teeth are likely to be fitted during the healing period so that you needn’t worry about being toothless. Permanent teeth are attached when healing is complete.
Alternatives to metal braces to straighten adults’ teeth
Modern dentistry offers many alternatives to metal braces for adults who want to straighten their teeth. Aura Dental in North West London welcomes new patients for teeth straightening consultations, which may involve discreet fixed braces or clear, removable aligners.
At our North West London dental clinic we are always keen to explain that the advantages of treatment with braces or aligners are more than just aesthetic. Improving tooth alignment makes dental hygiene easier, reducing your risk of the two leading causes of tooth loss: gum disease and tooth decay. Bringing your bite into proper alignment can also help to treat recurring headaches or jaw pain, whilst also making it easier to bite and chew food.
Although many patients come to our North West London clinic seeking tooth straightening treatment to improve a cosmetic concern, they are often pleasantly surprised by the additional benefits they will enjoy.
North West London braces and aligners
Aura Dental in North West London offers several systems of braces and aligners for straightening teeth. When you come for a consultation with a cosmetic dentist, they will undertake a thorough clinical examination in order to determine the best treatment to suit your individual needs.
Options include:
Invisalign
A popular alternative to fixed braces at our North West London clinic, Invisalign treatment involves using a series of clear, removable aligners that progressively move your teeth into a better position. You need to change your aligner fortnightly, and wear them for 20-22 hours a day so that treatment progresses as planned.
A big advantage of using Invisalign is that you need not struggle with your dental hygiene during treatment, because you take the aligners out to clean and to brush your teeth, as well as to eat and drink.
Six Month Smiles
Six Month Smiles is a popular system of cosmetic braces, which can correct issues with the front six teeth in either jaw. They comprise clear and tooth-coloured parts, and work in an average of half a year.
Inman Aligner
This single-use aligner is good for correcting protrusion and crowding issues with the front teeth. Its unique design means it can work in weeks.
How our skilled cosmetic dentists can help you achieve your smile dreams
Cosmetic dentists have a wealth of ways to make over a smile. At Aura Dental in St John’s Wood, our skilled dentists can improve your smile’s appearance, and with it your body image and confidence, with a wide selection of cosmetic dental procedures
The key thing to remember about cosmetic dentistry is that, by working with skilled and experienced dentists, almost anything is possible – and more often than you might think, your dream smile can be created in just a few appointments.
At Aura Dental in St John’s Wood, our skilled cosmetic dentists have a great deal of experience, and are highly qualified. They will work with you to address issues large or small with your current smile, making your dreams come true.
The first step on your smile journey is to come into our St John’s Wood dental centre for a consultation with one of our cosmetic dentists. As well as undertaking a thorough clinical examination, your dentist will take the time to find out a bit about you, what you wish to achieve from treatment, and what your current likes and dislikes about your smile are.
Your dentist will discuss all the relevant treatment options available from Aura Dental in St John’s Wood before drawing up a personalised treatment plan, including the order, length, and projected costs of any treatment.
Depending on your individual requirements, our St John’s Wood dentists may recommend:
Veneers
Porcelain veneers are similar to false fingernails for the teeth, with one big difference; whilst false nails are temporary, veneers can last for ten years or more with appropriate care.
Dentists can use veneers to cover a wide range of issues, from permanent tooth discolouration to minor spacing or alignment issues, in just a few short appointments.
Teeth whitening
The most frequently-heard request by cosmetic dentists, teeth whitening with a dental professional is a safe and effective way to remove stains from your teeth.
Discreet tooth straightening
Our St John’s Wood dental team has several subtle options available to straighten adults’ teeth. This may involve wearing a discreet brace, or a clear, removable aligner.
The advantages of dental implants as tooth replacements
Dental implants are a modern, long-term solution for patients with missing teeth. Aura Dental in North West London offers dental implant treatments to people who have lost anything from one to all of their natural teeth, providing unrivalled natural-like function as well as an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
There are two key points to remember about dental implants: the first is that they are a permanent solution to tooth loss, and the second is that they are the only way your dentist can replace the root parts of lost teeth.
Tooth roots are important to keeping your jaw bone strong, dense, and healthy, as well as to keeping your teeth in your mouth. Standard dentures and dental bridges only replace the crowns of missing teeth, which can cause problems associated with bone loss. It is bone loss that can lead standard dentures to become loose, affecting your ability to eat and speak, and damaging your self-confidence.
By choosing to have dental implants placed at Aura Dental in North West London, you can avoid these common denture woes. Implants are bionic tooth roots, made out of titanium –which is highly compatible with the human body and supportive of bone growth – and placed in direct contact with the bone during a small operation.
Most patients at our North West London dental practice only need local anaesthetic for the placement of dental implants, with many reporting it to be more pleasant than having a tooth taken out.
North West London dental implants
There are two options for dental implants patients at our North West London dental practice. The first is suitable for those who have lost one tooth, and involves the placement of a single implant and a crown.
The second option is an excellent alternative to dentures for patients with all or several of their natural teeth missing. It involves the placement of a series of dental implants and an implant-retained bridge.
Bridges supported by dental implants can contain many more teeth than a standard dental bridge. Whilst traditional bridges contain one or two teeth, implant-retained bridges can support a full arch of teeth.
How dentists help to tackle a wide range of health issues
Dentists don’t just play a vital role in looking after your oral health; they help to avoid a range of general health conditions too. At Aura Dental in St John’s Wood our skilled and experienced dentists use early detection techniques to spot signs of problems before you have noticed anything is amiss yourself, making treatment much simpler and easier.
The dentists at our St John’s Wood clinic are passionate about preventative dentistry. That means, in an ideal world, stopping any problems before they start, or at the very least treating them before they have the chance to become serious.
How dentists can help your general health and wellbeing
Gum disease and tooth decay are the two leading causes of tooth loss, but unfortunately they often don’t have any noticeable symptoms until they have become a serious problem. You may notice blood in the sink when you brush your teeth – an early indicator of gum health problems – whilst with tooth decay the first symptom is often pain, although some people detect a cavity themselves with their tongue.
Our St John’s Wood dentists will use x-rays to check inside your teeth and under any pre-existing restorations such as crowns, fillings, or onlays. Often a tooth can look healthy on the outside but have early signs of decay inside. They will also be able to spot early signs of gum disease.
Several medical studies have linked gum disease to a range of general health problems, which range from heart and lung disease to rheumatoid arthritis, strokes and diabetes to low birth weight in babies whose mother suffered from a serious form of the condition.
By helping to prevent tooth loss, your St John’s Wood dentists will also help to ensure that you can eat a healthy and balanced diet, maintaining good nutrition. Tooth loss can also damage your body image and confidence, leading to feelings of social isolation and loneliness, and other problems with your mental health.
Dentists are passionate about health, and will always provide you with fully customised treatment designed to suit your individual clinical situation and lifestyle.