Transform Your Smile

Blog posts by Solihull Dental Centre and Implant Clinic relating to Transforming your smile

Consequences of Lifestyle On Perceived Facial Age

Comments

It has long been known and understood that your lifestyle can have a dramatic impact on your risk of age-related diseases. However, there has been less information available looking at the link between lifestyle and facial ageing… Until now.

A recent study [Gunn, Dick & van Heemst 2015] that was published in the British Journal of Dermatologists looks at the links between various factors and perceived facial age, specifically, they looked at skin going red in the sun, sun bed use, wearing false teeth, not flossing between teeth, few remaining teeth, body mass index (BMI) and irregular skin moisturisation.
The research consisted of data from two cross-sectional studies of 318 Dutch men and 329 women aged between 45 and 75, they also studied 162 Englishwomen in the same age range.

Results for men

In Dutch men, smoking, having skin that went red in the sun, being outside in the sun most of the summer, sunbed use, wearing false teeth and not flossing were all significantly associated with a total of 9.3 years higher perceived facial age.

Results for women

In Dutch women, smoking, sunbathing, sunbed use, few remaining teeth and a low body mass index (BMI) were associated with a total of 10.9 years higher perceived facial age.
In English women, cleaning teeth only once a day, wearing false teeth, irregular skin moisturisation and having skin that went red in the sun were associated with a total 9.1 years higher perceived facial age.

Interestingly, smoking and sunbed use were associated more strongly with aging in women than in men.

Although associative in nature the results of this study support the notion that lifestyle factors can have long-term beneficial effects on your youthful looks.

Facial age

What can you do to lower your perceived facial age?

The first thing to consider is how you can prevent your face from prematurely ageing.

Prevention

It would seem from the studies that regular skincare in both the forms of avoiding excessive sun and regularly using moisturiser is a good place to start.

The other thing that the study mentions this looking after your teeth. it certainly seems that for men, wearing false teeth and not flossing are significantly associated with higher perceived facial age.

With women, cleaning teeth only once a day and wearing false teeth increases perceived age, therefore looking after your teeth by cleaning them adequately is a pre-requisite for keeping them healthy for life.

perceived facial age

Restoration

Unfortunately, things don’t always go to plan, here are a few ways you may be able to restore your perceived facial age.

  1. If you are missing tooth and want to replace them, consider dental bridges or dental implants.
  2. If you have false teeth then consider dental implants as a viable alternative.
  3. If you have excessive winkles and/or lines then consider anti-wrinkle injections or fillers.

Solihull Dental Centre and Implant Clinic  on the outskirts of Birmingham have experience in restoring the signs of facial ageing using a combination of dentistry and facial rejuvenation techniques.

Book your appointment today.

References
Gunn DA, Dick, van Heemst et al ‘Lifestyle and youthful looks’. D Br J Dermatol. 2015;172(5):1338-45. doi: 10.1111/bjd.13646. Epub 2015 Apr 15.

TEETH CLEANING, everything you need to know

Comments

In this blog post we will be taking a look at everything you need to know about keeping your teeth clean and healthy for life. People in Solihull are often looking for ways to reduce the cost and time of visiting the dentist, one of the best ways to do this is to keep your teeth fit and healthy.

A healthy smile means your dental fees will be smaller, you spend less time at the dentist and can smile with absolute confidence.

How to clean teeth properly

In order to keep your teeth fit and healthy for life you must adopt an efficient and effective system for cleaning your teeth. Here’s what we recommend:

  1. Wait 20 min after eating before brushing your teeth, this gives your enamel time to harden again after that acid attack of eating.
  2. Use a pea sized amount of toothpaste
  3. Hold your brush at an angle
  4. Brush all of your teeth from front to back, the top and the bottom, remember to brush your tongue.
  5. Brush up and down and round and round.
  6. Try to keep the toothpaste in your mouth without rinsing, this leaves the maximum amount of fluoride in contact with your teeth for the longest period of time.
  7. Once a day use an interdental brush or floss to clean in between your teeth, this does not have to be at the same time as you clean your teeth.
  8. Once or twice a day rinse your mouth out with a fluoride mouthwash, typically a good time to do this is just after the meal. Avoid using mouthwash after cleaning your teeth, toothpaste has a higher percentage of fluoride than mouthwash does, if you rinse with mouthwash after cleaning then you actually reduce the amount of fluoride in contact with your teeth.

fluoride in toothpaste versus mouthwash

Cleaning teeth with an electric toothbrush

Whilst it is not 100% necessary to use an electric toothbrush most dentists recommend them. Modern electric toothbrushes offer a few advantages:

  1. an audible timer to ensure that you clean your teeth for the correct length of time
  2. a pressure sensor to ensure you do not press too hard and damage the sensitive gums
  3. an oscillating brush head to get into all of the tiny gaps

The combination of all of these features means that an electric toothbrush tends to be more efficient at cleaning your teeth.

You may also find with a manual toothbrush that you tend to press on some areas of your teeth harder than others. This can often lead to receding gums in this area, an electric toothbrush tends to be easier to clean with the same amount of pressure over your entire row.

How to clean teeth plaque at home

gingivitis

Plaque buildup on your teeth due to something known as biofilm. This biofilm is a sticky thin layer over your teeth. It is made up of bacteria which feed on the sugar in your diet.

Sometimes this biofilm builds up in difficult to reach areas, such as in between your teeth or on the tongue side of your teeth. As the biofilm gets thicker and thicker it turns into plaque, a hard substance which adheres to your teeth.

The plaque means that the acid excreting bacteria are in constant contact with your teeth, as they excrete acid whilst they feed on the sugar in your diet this can attack your teeth causing dental decay.

For this reason it is important to keep plaque to the absolute minimum.

The best way to do this is to follow a good oral hygiene routine, please see our previous section on how to clean teeth properly.

If the plaque build up significantly then you will need to see a dental hygienist who can remove it using an ultrasonic scaling device.

Plaque is extremely difficult to remove at home because it is so hard and stuck your teeth.

How to clean teeth with braces

Image courtesy of Cuteimage at freedigitalphotos.net

Image courtesy of Cuteimage at freedigitalphotos.net

If you have dental braces it is just as important to keep your teeth clean as it is without braces. When you have the braces removed you want to be able to show off your brand-new smile!

Plaque can build up very quickly around braces so it really is important that you have a good oral hygiene routine whilst wearing them.

An electric toothbrush will help enormously if you have fixed orthodontics, using interdental brushes will also be important as you will probably not be able to get floss in between your teeth due to the arch wires.

Here are our top tips for cleaning teeth with braces:

  • follow the advice in our previous section on how to clean teeth properly, plus…
  • Use a mirror every time you clean your teeth, this can be really helpful to ensure you have cleaned all the way around your braces
  • ask your orthodontist for some special brushes which allow you to clean in difficult to reach areas, round ended bristle brushes seem to work best.

After brushing your braces should look clean and shiny and you should be able to see the edges of the brackets. Ensure you rinse with a good quality fluoride mouthwash at least once per day.

How to clean teeth stains at home

As with almost all of our advice we recommend avoiding getting teeth stains in the first place by maintaining a good oral health routine. If you find that your teeth stain then this may be because you have plaque which has built up, keeping this plaque to a minimum will help keep your teeth looking bright.

The best way to keep your teeth clean and free from stains at home is to visit the hygienist first, have a professional clean and polish and then follow our steps listed previously. This will allow your teeth to be cleaned to their maximum brightness, all you need to do after is to maintain them at home.

Some advice on cleaning teeth stains at home:

  1. try using a whitening tooth paste
  2. try using a whitening mouthwash

Your gums are very sensitive we therefore do not recommend you try any other stain removal technique at home.

Oral hygienists

A dental/oral hygienist is an important part of the dental team and could help you save lots of money at the dentist. Hygienists are specially trained to be dental health educators, helping you look after your teeth and carrying out deep cleaning which is not possible at home.

Your hygienist will also typically score your dental health on a scale from 0 to 4, this is known as a basic periodontal examination (BPE). Each tooth is rated on this scale which allows you to track your dental health across each visit. The hygienist will use a probe around each tooth to determine pocket depth around each tooth.

Scoring is typically

  • 0 No pockets >3.5 mm, no calculus/overhangs, no bleeding after probing
  • 1 No pockets >3.5 mm, no calculus/overhangs, but bleeding after probing
  • 2 No pockets >3.5 mm, but calculus/overhangs
  • 3 Probing depth 3.5-5.5 mm (indicating pocket of 4-5 mm)
  • 4 Probing depth >5.5 mm (indicating pocket of 6 mm or more) fifth

How much do oral hygienists cost?

Visits to the dentist are normally more expensive than visits to the oral hygienist, at our practice a oral hygiene program appointment costs from £39.

Teeth cleaning appointments

Teeth cleaning/oral hygiene appointments are best made at the same time as you visit your dentist. Typically a patient will visit the hygienist for 30 min and then go on to have a routine dental health check with the dentist for 30 min afterwards.

This makes best use of your time and is the most convenient way to make an appointment to have your teeth cleaned.

Our practice also offers Denplan Essentials, this includes:

  1. Routine care from your dentist including dental check-ups
  2. Dental x-rays
  3. Hygiene treatment.
  4. Discounts on Restorative care.

Denplan Essentials is available from approximately £13 per month, this would include two checkups, x-rays and to hygiene visits per year, this ensures that you have regular access to teeth cleaning appointments with the most affordable payment method.

 

What Options Do You Have To Replace Missing Teeth?

Comments

Fortunately, a growing number of people in the UK are keeping their teeth longer however, there are times when we lose teeth and need to find the options to replace them. This blog post seeks to help the local people of Solihull, Birmingham and the Midlands to understand more about these options and to then make an informed decision about which one works best for them.

Your options to replace missing teeth.

You basically have four options if you have missing teeth:

  1. Do nothing and leave the gap.
  2. Dental bridges.
  3. Dentures.
  4. Dental implants.

Let’s look at each of these in turn…

1. Do nothing and leave the gap

When a tooth is lost most people just see the gap, at worst thinking it looks a little unsightly. The problem is it can be far more than this. All of your teeth are in a fine balance with one another, the teeth either side maintain the position of the tooth in the middle and the teeth on the top maintain the teeth position on the bottom, and vice versa. This is called the dental neutral zone and has been written about extensively in academic articles.

>> Read more about the dental neutral zone in an academic article.

Leaving the gap after tooth has been lost

Everything works in a fine balance and unison with one another to keep the teeth in exactly the right place, without the pressure of the adjacent teeth or opposing teeth your natural teeth will have a tendency to move!

The teeth either side of the gap will tend to drift into it and teeth/tooth opposing it will have a tendency to drift up/down. This can have an impact on your dentist’s ability to replace the missing tooth with a new one, due to the change in size of the gap, and more importantly it can have implications on the way your teeth bite together.

If your teeth bite together the wrong way ( known as a malocclusion), which could happen if you had teeth missing, it puts pressure on your jaw and muscles of your head, face and neck. This can lead to headaches and jaw joint pain.

>> Read more about the effects of malocclusion

The recommendation is, wherever possible, replace your missing teeth with one of the following options.

2. Dental Bridges

Dental bridges to replace missing teeth

A dental bridge essentially bridges the gap between missing teeth. Your dentist will prepare the teeth either side of the gap by gently removing the outer surface of the tooth, reducing it to a stump. Over the top of this new teeth will be made which support the new tooth in between.

The teeth either side of the gap are known as abutment teeth and the new tooth in the middle is known as the pontic. Depending on the clinical situation two or three teeth can be replaced with new pontics in these areas, supported by an abutment tooth (One trimmed down to support the new bridge) on either side.

Dental bridges have been around for many years and are an exceptionally cosmetic and reliable way to replace your missing teeth. The biggest downside is that the abutment teeth either side of the missing teeth have to be trimmed down. Sometimes these teeth may be diseased or decayed and require reduction anyway, but if these teeth are otherwise healthy it can be unnecessarily destructive to trim away otherwise healthy tooth tissue.

3. Dentures

Dentures are low cost way and cheaper alternative for replacing missing teeth. Dental bridges can be more expensive because in order to replace one tooth you effectively need to pay for three, two abutment teeth (one either side of the gap) and the new pontic (replacement tooth) in the middle.

On the whole, dentures are a cheaper alternative as the materials and time involved making them is much less.

Partial denture showing claspsPartial dentures, those involving only a few teeth, can be held in place using clips known as clasps. These classes are typically made of  stainless steel and engage in the undercut on the surrounding teeth. When you slide the denture in the clasps will click over the undercut and hold the denture firmly in place.

One of the biggest disadvantages with a denture is that they are removable, many people don’t like the idea of taking dentures out at night.

 

4. Dental Implants

Dental implant Compared to tooth rootDental implants can be one of the most successful ways to replace missing teeth, and here’s why.

Dental implants are often the most conservative option for restoring missing teeth. They don’t involve reduction of otherwise healthy teeth either side of them like dental bridges. They also don’t put pressure on other teeth like dentures do with their class or clips.

Dental implants act independently in your mouth to support the bone around the extraction site, the adjacent teeth and the opposing teeth.

Because the dental implant is placed into the bone itself it helps to stop the inevitable bone loss which always happens after a tooth has been removed, as previously discussed. Preventing this loss of bone also means that the soft tissue (gum) is also protected, thereby preserving your more natural and cosmetic smile over a longer period of time.

As with the other forms of replacing missing teeth a dental implant also supports the adjacent teeth and stops them drifting in towards the gap whilst at the same time supporting the opposing tooth preventing it from over erupting.

As previously mentioned, the biggest advantage to a dental implant is the fact that it can prevent or at least significantly reduce, further bone loss on the extraction site.

The cost of dental implants.

Whilst the initial cost of dental implant may seem high, if you take into account the overall and long-term cost it can actually be the best value option. If you have a dental bridge to replace missing teeth then you need to pay for three elements of that bridge, the two teeth either side of the gap and the new tooth in the middle of the gap. A dental bridge may also need replacing in the future if the bone where the tooth has been extracted continues to resorb.

When you take into account the cost of dental implants, the number of years it will last, the number of hours per day you’ll actually be using it then it can work out as the best value option. Remember, you don’t only use your teeth when you eat, you use them when you smile and often at night whilst you are asleep you may gently grind your teeth together, this means a dental implant is in use for a considerable number of hours per day.

Here’s an interesting article we found in the Daily Mail about dental implants…

£30,000, 5 hours in surgery, weeks of mashed vegetables… but my implants really are worth it

  • Holly Merrick had constant infections due to an overcrowded mouth
  • She spent £30,000 on a full set of implants in 2012 after her divorce
  • She says new teeth gave her the confidence to smile – and travel

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2746133/30-000-5-hours-surgery-weeks-mashed-vegetables-implants-really-worth-it.html

If you would like a free consultation to discuss now you might replace missing teeth with dental implants then please book your free cosmetic dentistry consultation today.

Book a free consultationThe Solihull Dental Centre and Implant Clinic has been providing dental implant treatments for 10 years. The practice is located on the High Street of Solihull town centre, a short drive from the centre of Birmingham and easily accessible from anywhere in the Midlands and Sutton Coldfield area.

A New Way to Enjoy Quality Dentures That Look and Feel GREAT

Comments

dentureDid you know that a typical visit to a dentist for a new denture would usually involve the dentist sending your denture mould off to be made at a dental laboratory, with no clinical interaction between the dentist and technician, and no consultation between the technician and the patient?

One of the problems with this is communication enabling you to get exactly what you want from your new dentures. Perhaps you want the natural aged look? Perhaps you want a Hollywood white smile?

Denture moulds

There is a huge selection of denture teeth available to choose from from round teeth, square teeth, triangular teeth old, young and anything in between… Unless you are given the full opportunity to discuss exactly what it is that you want it’s difficult to actually communicate this to the technician.

The logical next step for quality dentures

In years gone past a clinical consultation with the dental technician, the person actually making your new dentures, was not legal in the UK. But dental technicians can now undergo additional training to become a clinical dental technician (CDT) allowing them to register with the General Dental Council (the body which regulates the dental profession in the UK).

This change in the regulation, training and law has allowed direct contact between the person making your denture and you, thereby allowing you to express your concerns, talk in detail about your dentures and enjoy the best quality denture that looks and feels great.

What have Solihull Dental Centre done to embrace this change?

At the Solihull Dental Centre, we have teamed up with  Kevin Thomas to work closely with our dentist Dr Zubair Sacranie to achieve the most comprehensive treatment plan and best possible denture results for all of the following:

  • Complete or Full Dentures
  • Partial Dentures Chrome Dentures
  • Denture Repairs Bespoke
  • Dental Implant Supported Dentures

What is unique about this service is the:

  1. Personalised and expert clinical care
  2. Superior quality of dentures
  3. Clinical collaboration between dentist and dental technician
  4. Treatment delivered by the experts who make your new denture

Meet your denture clinic team

solihulldentalAD4

Kevin Thomas (GDC No. 145573) has been a Dental Technician for over 35 years. He holds a City & Guild Certificate in Dental Technology, and a Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology from the Royal College of Surgeons. Mr Thomas has a relaxed and friendly approach which puts patients at ease, and draws on his extensive knowledge and experience to provide the best possible care and advice.
Dr. Zubair Sacranie (GDC No. 78020) is a highly qualified and experienced dentist, particularly in the fields of cosmetic dentistry and dental implantology. He has been the practice principal and owner of the Solihull Dental Centre & Implant Clinic since 2006. Dr Sacranie qualified at the University of Dundee in 2000 and is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Dr.Sacranie was awarded a Certicate in Implant Dentistry from Warwick University and attained his Master of Science degree in Dental Implantology from Sheffield University in 2009. He has worked extensively throughout the UK with leading cosmetic and implant surgeons, and he routinely receives referrals from other dentists in the Midlands for restorative and implant dentistry as well as facial aesthetic treatments.

Dr. Sacranie is pleased to be offering this new denture service which complements his implant and
cosmetic dental clinics at the practice:

“I am excited to be working alongside one of the most experienced clinical dental technicians in the West Midlands and I’m delighted to be introducing this innovative new clinic to my patients.”

So have you struggled with dentures in the past? Is now your time to find out how you can enjoy quality cosmetic dentures that look and feel great?

Transform Your Smile: Step 5

Comments

Tooth Whitening

  • Tooth Whitening  is a very effective way of lightening and improving  the natural colour of your teeth without removing any of the tooth surface or damaging it.
  • Discoloured teeth can be caused by food and beverages stains, tobacco, tooth decay, tartar and cracks in the teeth’s enamel.
  • The most common and effective type of whitening is a dentist-supervised home whitening treatment. Trays or moulds are custom made to fit into your mouth like gum-shields, into which the whitening gel is then put for approximately 30 minutes a day.
  • See great results from just 2- 4 weeks of using the home whitening kit! Transform your smile in time for your summer holiday or that special occasion….

Call the practice today on 0121 7053935 to take advantage of our special offer of £199 for a full course of home tooth whitening.

Transform Your Smile Step 4

Comments

Perfect Dentures

Dentures replace missing or lost teeth and are made of acrylic or metal. They can be full or partial dentures (to replace all or some of your teeth), dentures supported by crowns or even dental implants.

High quality dentures will allow you to

  • Smile confidently
  • Eat comfortably
  • Speak clearly

Your perfect dentures should…

  • Fit in your mouth snugly
  • Match the size, colour and shape of your natural teeth
  • Support sagging facial muscles
  • Improve your smile
  • Not cause irritation or discomfort

For a complementary denture consultation with our visiting denture expert or for a free smile makeover consultation with Dr Zubair Sacranie please contact the practice on 0121 7053935 or enquire via our website at www.solihulldentalcentre.co.uk

Transform Your Smile: Step 3

Comments

 Cosmetic Veneers

  • What? A thin layer of porcelain or composite material which fits over the front surface of a tooth.
  • Why? Veneers can improve the colour, shape and position of your teeth
  • How? An exact shade and shape of veneer is made to lighten discoloured teeth, make a chipped tooth look intact or close small gaps when orthodontics (braces) are not suitable.

To discuss having veneers or for a full smile makeover consultation with Dr Sacranie please contact the practice on 0121 7053935 or enquire via our website at  www.solihulldentalcentre.co.uk.

Transform your Smile: Step 2

Comments

Good Oral Hygiene and Preventative Care

  • Preventive dentistry means keeping a healthy mouth and keeping your teeth for life, by preventing tooth loss, decay and gum disease.
  • Have a good home routine to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
  • Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
  • Clean in between your teeth with ‘interdental’ brushes or floss .
  • Use a mouthwash, which contains antibacterial ingredients to freshen your breath and help prevent gum disease, and fluoride to help prevent decay.
  • Have a  ‘preventative dental strategy’ for you and your family – these include treatments like a regular scale and polish, fluoride varnishes, and fissure and pit sealants to protect teeth from any future decay (particularly beneficial for children).

To discuss your preventative dental care, book an appointment with one of our expert dental hygienists or enquire via our website at  www.solihulldentalcentre.co.uk.

Our New 12 Step Campaign To Transform Your Smile

Comments

Step 1: A Healthy Diet

Do’s and Don’ts….

1. Do have a balanced diet with calcium rich foods, and plenty of leafy, green vegetables.

2. Avoid sweets and sugary foods. These should be kept to a minimum as they cause tooth decay.

3. Don’t have fizzy drinks – their high sugar content causes decay and acid erodes teeth.

4. Cut down on fruit juice which has natural acids and sugar that can also cause decay and erosion. Brush well after drinking juice.

5. Don’t have alcohol and tobacco – These stain and discolour teeth an unattractive yellowy/brown colour. More seriously , they also increase the long term risk of oral cancer.

Stained teeth? In addition to making healthy diet choices, already stained teeth can be transformed with a range a tooth whitening treatments. Contact the practice for more information on 0121 7053935 or enquire via the website at www.solihulldentalcentre.co.uk