Dental implants provided by Byfleet Dental Boutique

We take dentistry seriously at our local dental practice in West Byfleet. Due to our continued push for keeping up with the cutting edge of restorative options, let's see how dental implants could help you.

Unfortunately tooth loss is not uncommon and once the damage is done, many patients resign themselves to getting by with a partial denture or fitted bridge. Both of which have limitations; partial dentures and even full dentures are reliant on friction and glue between the bottom of the denture and the underlying gum. When that friction frails, rubbing ensues and ulcers form.

Fitted bridges cause tension to be placed on the neighbouring teeth. This significantly reduces any surrounding tooth’s lifespan, by increasing the chances that they are broken or become infected where the wire meets the base of the tooth.

There are other solutions and one of the most complete options available are dental implants. Not only do they allow us to replace lost teeth at our dentist in West Byfleet, without the need for healthy surrounding teeth, they can replace teeth that were lost many years ago. You can even use a dental implant to immobilise the prosthetics you already have; five implants are considered as appropriate for anchoring a full set of dentures. With bridges, we will assess how many are needed to firmly secure your prosthetic teeth in place.

Dental implants are made possible through a natural process called osseointegration. This is where a bond between titanium and living bone forms, holding the titanium securely in place and allowing more bone to grow. It was first noted in the 1950s and is why titanium is so commonly used in surgical procedures with bone.

A titanium implant itself is a small titanium rod which extends down into the jawbone like an artificial root, anchoring whatever is placed above it through a connector. The connector can be locked onto a dental prosthetic, which is often a single tooth like a crown.

The bit of the dental implant which you see is the prosthetic; when it is an individual tooth this is made to order and we match the shade of your natural enamel and its translucency providing you with a natural looking, subtle match for your surrounding teeth.

This means that for many patients, telling the difference between which of their teeth is natural and which is an implant is no easy task. This is made even harder because a dental implant is almost identical to your natural teeth, requiring regular brushing and for you to attend the clinic every six months as part of your standard check-up.

Dental implants are a significant investment of time and money with a minimum of four months required for a successful implantation. This is assuming everything went well, but sometimes complications can arise. As for price related concerns, we do offer 0% credit monthly repayments for those who wish to spread the cost of care with us.

If you are curious about how dental implants could help you or your family members, please get in contact with our practice and we will be happy to provide you with more information. We offer free assessments for those who are interested in dental implants. We are currently accepting new patients so if you are interested in a dentist in West Byfleet who can take your dental care to the highest level, please get in contact today.

Your family dentist at Byfleet Dental Boutique

Our dentist in West Byfleet provides a full range of dental services, of the high standard that you have come to expect from Byfleet Dental Boutique. As always, we look forward to seeing you and your family at our clinic.

As an independent, family-focused private dentist, we provide the high quality dental services that your family deserves. We go far beyond the standard range of general dentistry, although we are more than capable of covering all of the basic dental needs. We are heavily focused on restorative techniques with our older patients, whilst we provide the optimum preventive care for our younger patients, this allows us to meet patient needs across multiple generations.

We have invested heavily in our dentist in West Byfleet providing new, low-impact orthodontic treatments, allowing orthodontic patients to receive realignments without everybody knowing! We also provide cosmetic procedures, like teeth whitening, bonding and porcelain veneers. As part of our commitment to preventive dentistry, check-ups for the children of existing patients are free and we recommend that they occur every 6 months as standard.

Check-ups

Dental check-ups are the cornerstone of what we do with our dentist in West Byfleet , as they allow thorough charting to be carried out. Most patients underestimate the value of charting. They may wonder as they sit down in the chair how the dentist knows what advice they were given during previous appointments and what the trouble spots are in their smile. This is the power of charting, but is not its primary purpose. At our clinic, we do not use charting to berate or badger our patients, only to follow the progression of any pathology and try to nip it in the bud as soon as possible.

As part of our check-ups, we often include dental X-rays so that changes in root morphology is taken into account and that your precious time is not wasted with a so-so or less than thorough assessment of your oral health.

We also are very focused on you attending dental check-ups based on your actual need, not on an arbitrary 6-month rule; patients with an active disease, such as periodontal issues will be asked to attend more often. But if there is not and if you are maintaining excellent oral hygiene there is no reason to attend so regularly and we will advise you to book check-ups around every 6 months as a preventive.

Becoming a patient of our practice

When you join our surgery, we would have your previous dental documents transferred to our clinic before you attend. The first appointment is about looking at any medical history and talking about dental procedures that you may have had. After establishing a baseline, we will take a set of X-rays and discuss what your goals are in terms of dentistry and possible aesthetics.

Many patients register with a dentist out of need and may come in with a dental emergency; at this point we would treat the pressing issue. However, should this not be your key reason for seeing us the first time, rather we will aim to get your dental health charted and discuss with you the next steps in your treatment.

Why adult orthodontic treatment has become popular with our dentist in West Byfleet

Orthodontic treatment has been heavily associated with young adults in the past. However we are noticing a substantial growth in the numbers of adult orthodontic patients all seeking low impact clear or invisible braces at our dentist in West Byfleet, Why is this?

One low impact, subtle orthodontic tool is the clear aligner provided by Invisalign; it is technically not a brace but performs many of the same functions. Both braces and aligners rely on the flexibility of teeth and the muscles in the mouth to move them into a more suitable position. It may not be immediately obvious to you, but our teeth are in a constant state of movement. And so, any pressure that is consistently applied in one direction on a tooth can cause its position to be permanently altered.

Braces achieve this through the tension stored in the archwire; this tension is then delivered to the teeth through the brackets which are added to the front surface of each tooth. Aligners don't have archwires; it's one of the reasons why they can be subtle. Instead, the tension is stored in the plastic device itself and delivered directly to the teeth. This results in the aligner feeling slightly tight and as the teeth adopt their new positions, the aligner feels looser.

This is why clear aligners are so popular. They are lightweight and minimalistic, which seems to be what our adult patients have been looking for. Unlike younger patients who will tolerate the unpleasantness of wearing a brace in order to eventually achieve the alignment when the brace is removed, adult patients simply do not have that luxury. Life cannot stop and the interactions, both professional and social, can be competitive and will not tolerate a metal brace.

Another big part of the age gaps in orthodontic treatment is probably due to the way the NHS organises its funding; children are entitled to completely free healthcare at our dentist in West Byfleet, and a 17 year old using braces would qualify for that. Whereas a 19 year old would not; aligners tend to be a slightly cheaper option, so when patients have to pay at the point of use, there is a big temptation to go with the aligner.

The way we deliver aligners with our dentist in West Byfleet, also makes them more appealing for adult patients. Compared to traditional braces, you only need to attend our clinic if there is a pressing issue related to moving on to the next aligner. This is not the case with the standard metal braces, where you would have to attend adjustment or tightening sessions at least every four weeks. You also have to stay on top of any potential issues you may be having with cleaning or with the brackets debonding from your teeth, which is part of the occasional maintenance you find with traditional metal braces.

The fitting process of an aligner is also far more convenient with it being more akin to being measured for a fine tailored suit. We take detailed 3D scans of the inside of your mouth, from which the aligners are designed and manufactured. So, each set of aligners designed by Invisalign is customised to each person's needs.