Articles

PUBLISHED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
June 29th 2013

Root canal treatment or ‘endodontics’ treats the inside of the tooth. “Endo” is the Greek word for “inside” and “odont” is Greek for “tooth.”

The mention of root canals or root canal treatment often elicits a groan from the patient, largely due to the fact it is often associated with pain. This is because the inside of the tooth contains soft tissue called pulp and amongst other things this pulp contains nerves- the things that tell our brain when something hurts. The pulp also contains blood vessels and connective tissue and extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root. Whilst the pulp is important during a tooth’s growth and development, once a tooth is fully mature it can survive without the pulp, because the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it.

PUBLISHED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
June 15th 2013

Following on from my last article on children and dental anxiety I wanted to use this piece to discuss the not uncommon problem of adults who are also nervous when visiting the dentist. When dealing with children the focus is to avoid and manage situations in the dental chair so that they don’t become anxious adults. It is easy to see therefore that an anxious adult may have a memory of a bad experience going back to childhood. Unfortunately fear sometimes prevents people from having routine examination and cleaning appointments which then can mean that they only present at the dental office when they are in serious pain or have a major problem. This pain and stress then goes on to feed the fear and strengthen the negative associations.

PUBLISHED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
June 1st 2013

Being scared of going to the dentist is not a new phenomenon. For many adults it is rooted in times before effective pain relief or anesthetics were used and in some countries where the treating practitioner may not have even been trained or qualified.

Fortunately for all of us, times have moved on; there is highly effective pain relief and local anesthetics available, sophisticated dental equipment and of course qualified and experienced dental practitioners. However, for some the fear associated with going to the dentist persists and in some cases is unconsciously relayed onto our children, breeding in them an unfounded anxiety of visiting the dentist.

PUBLISHED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
May 18th, 2013

This is the second article looking at the topic of cosmetic dentistry, which is the treatment of teeth for the purpose of improving appearance rather than for clinical reasons. Veneers and crowns can be used to improve colour, size, shape and position of teeth including closing spaces between teeth and can have a significant impact in improving a person’s smile.

Veneers
A veneer is a thin porcelain cover designed to go on the outside surface of a tooth. Veneers are only used on front teeth and are generally used for cosmetic purposes, for example to restore chipped or broken teeth, or to change the colour, size or shape of teeth.

PUBLISHED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
May 5th, 2013

Cosmetic Dentistry is a general phrase used to cover any dental procedures that are performed for aesthetic reasons- ie. to improve the appearance of teeth- rather than for clinical or medical purposes. In this article and the following one, I will discuss the various treatments that can be performed to cosmetically improve the appearance of your smile.

Tooth Coloured Fillings
Although I have not personally placed a metal, mercury based filling for well over 15 years, this material is still commonly used both in USA and UK. (Some European countries have now banned it due to its potential to break down and be harmful.) From a cosmetic perspective, metal fillings look ugly and unnatural and for some people can be clearly seen in the mouth when talking or smiling.

PUBLISHED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
April 4th, 2013

Many parents give their children fruit juice or smoothies to drink thinking that they are the healthy option over soda and other sugared drinks like Gatorade. Many of us have juicers or blenders at home and are able to make our own. However, whilst it is true these are generally more nutritionally beneficial and contain less artificial additives than soda, fruit juices and smoothies are still very high in sugar, a fact that is unknown or overlooked by many parents.

PRINTED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
April 6th, 2013

‘Gum Disease’ is a catch-all description for a range of conditions. In its mildest form it can be simple gum inflammation; in its most severe form- periodontal disease- it can result in loss of gum, bone and ultimately teeth.

Gum disease is caused by bacteria in the mouth. If these bacteria are not regularly removed from the mouth a film called plaque forms on the teeth. Hard deposits called calculus or tartar also forms on the teeth and gives a home for bacteria. Initially if plaque is left on the teeth unchecked the gums will become inflamed. This is gingivitis.

PRINTED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
March 23rd, 2013

Dental Issues in Older Patients

There are a number of specific dental issues that I see associated with my older patients. Some are of a cosmetic nature, so whilst not necessarily significant from a medical perspective might be a concern for the patient on an aesthetic level; others are more are related to increased difficulty in treating dental disease which has both aesthetic and medical implications.

Cosmetic
As teeth age, a number of things occur that make the teeth look duller and darker in colour than younger teeth. The nerve/pulp chamber in the center of the tooth naturally gets smaller so the tooth becomes more solid dentine, resulting in a darker colour.

PRINTED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
March 9th, 2013

Orthodontics is the area of dentistry that aims to improve the position, appearance and function of crooked or abnormally arranged teeth. This involves wearing appliances on the teeth which, over time, move the teeth into the desired position. Some appliances are fixed and only able to be removed by a dentist (sometimes called ‘braces’) some are able to be removed by the patient (eg. Invisalign).

PRINTED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
February 23rd, 2013

 You may have read recently in the press about a 25 year old man in Australia who has been fitted with dentures due to the fact that he drank so much soda that he lost all his teeth. According to the reports, the man refused to drink water and instead was drinking 6-8 litres of sugary coke per day. Although his dentist had warned him about the risks, he still refused to change his habits and ended up with such severe dental decay that it gave him blood poisoning. Ultimately he had all of his teeth removed and dentures fitted.