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01227 463529
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Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2BP
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Should You Ignore ‘Minor’ Dental Issues, Or Delay Treatment?

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Advice
Dentist with x-ray

Not bothering to see the dentist? Why it’s likely a mistake!

When do you visit the dentist? For most people it is for their regular six monthly check up appointments or when they are in pain from a bad toothache or perhaps have knocked out or broken a tooth.

Situations such as the latter can be classed as dental emergencies and when they occur, we will always try to see our local Canterbury patients as soon as we possibly can in order to alleviate the discomfort and restore the tooth where possible.

Visiting the dentist for the above makes sense and where pain is involved, most people are spurred into action. There are other ‘grey areas’ though, where patients are sometimes not sure whether they should visit, or simply feel that things are not bad enough to ‘bother the dentist’.

Head in the sand

Most of us have probably experienced mild discomfort from our teeth or gums. Perhaps our gums felt a little sore, or a tooth was throbbing a little, but not enough to be painful or affect our day to day life. These are the type of situations when we might tend to put our head in the sand and ignore it for as long as we possibly can. This may be especially so when a routine dental appointment at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic is just a few weeks or so away and we grin and bear it in the interim. Unfortunately, taking this approach could backfire.

Below, we take a look at some of the more commonly ignored dental problems and why getting attention quickly is usually a better plan!

Sore gums

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Are You Tempted By Cheap Dental Implants?

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Dental implants
Diagram of a dental implant

Special offers, often abroad, may be tempting, but is taking them up a wise move?

Dental implants are now becoming an increasingly popular alternative to dentures when a patient loses a tooth, or a number of teeth. There are many reasons for this including longevity and stability of the system.

At Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we are pleased to offer both individual implants as well as multiple implants to replace a full arch of missing teeth.

Because of the materials used in the procedure and the skills required to place implants, they are more expensive than dentures and despite the fact that we offer a number of treatment payment plans at our Canterbury practice, some patients may still be tempted by the special offers for cheap implants which are widely seen online.

The cost of dental implants

Whilst there may be small differences in the cost of dental implants amongst UK dentists, especially where time limited special offers are in place, prices are, by and large, fairly similar across the whole of the UK.  The online offers that you see are almost always at dental clinics in other countries. This doesn’t necessarily mean that taking up these offers will result in failure of your implant; indeed there are many excellent dentists all over Europe and beyond, some of whom may have also been trained in the UK. There are significant risks though, and we take a look at some of these below.

Know your dentist

One of the reasons that many people don’t take up this type of offer is that they want to know the dentist who will be performing the procedure. Trust can be very important when you are allowing someone to perform an invasive treatment in your mouth. Our dentists are highly skilled and trained, and our friendly team can make what is a longer treatment seem much easier for patients. This may well not be the case if the procedure is carried out by a complete stranger.

There is also the issue of skill levels and training. Different countries may have different regulations and standards of oral health training and it can be difficult to ascertain just how skilled and experienced the dentists are if you elect to be treated abroad. Many of you may already have seen the horror stories on TV where ‘dental holidays’ have gone badly wrong?

Communication

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The Risks Of DIY Teeth Whitening Treatments

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Teeth whitening
tooth pain

Professional teeth whitening is very affordable, why risk attempting to do it yourself?

Perhaps the most well known and popular cosmetic dental treatment is the teeth whitening procedure. Once almost exclusive to well off celebrities, it is now widely accessible to the general public. Boosted by popular TV programmes such as Love Island, many dentists across the UK will almost certainly have seen a rise in numbers of patients seeking this treatment.

At Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we are no exception to this. At our Canterbury practice, it is still the most widely sought after treatment for patients who want to have a beautiful smile at a reasonable price. Not everyone takes the professional route though, and we have heard of a number of people attempting to whiten their teeth at home. At best, this is likely to have very poor results. At worst, you could be doing serious harm to your teeth if you try this!

DIY teeth whitening

A quick search on the internet will give you many results on how to attempt this at home. There are instructional videos on YouTube and many ‘influencers’ have probably persuaded their younger followers especially (including those who probably don’t need the treatment) to give it a go themselves.

There are so many suggestions on DIY whitening that it would be confusing to list them all. Below, we take a look at the likelihood of success, and the risks, of some of the most popular ones below.

Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

This is one of the most popular methods that we have come across. On one level, this is understandable as this is also sometimes used as an ingredient in certain toothpastes. It is an abrasive ingredient that can remove some of the surface staining from your teeth, and in that sense, it is a relatively successful method.

There are many risks attached to this method though. As mentioned, it is the abrasive nature of the soda that removes the staining, but it is also likely to damage the protective enamel on your tooth surface. This is especially so if you use it in too strong a solution. Some suggest also adding lemon juice or strawberry to give it a nicer flavour. This makes it more acidic and even more damaging as we shall see below.

Any restorations, such as a crown, may also be at risk, as bicarbonate of soda can weaken the bonding qualities of the adhesive used to keep them in place. Like all the ‘treatments’ we will mention, please don’t try it!

Oil pulling

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Individual Dental Implant Placement

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Dental implants
single dental implant

Offering you a strong and natural looking tooth replacement at our Canterbury practice.

It is now widely accepted that the best replacement option when you lose a tooth, is a dental implant. Although dentures and bridges have their place, nothing beats a dental implant for longevity, strength and a natural look and feel.

At Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we are proud to have become the first accredited Branemark Osseointegration Centre in the UK in 2018 and have many years of experience of this particular procedure.

Dental implants can be used to replace a full arch of missing teeth, a few or several adjoining missing teeth, and, as we will discuss in today’s blog, individual teeth, and it is this that we will focus on today.

Why choose dental implants?

Before we look at the procedure, it is worth considering why our Canterbury patients should choose implants that require an invasive procedure, over dentures that don’t.

There is no doubt that dentures have improved over the years but they can still become loose and unstable. Much of this is due to the mouth and gums changing shape as the jawbone is slowly reabsorbed by the body following tooth loss. When this happens, dentures will not fit as securely as before. There are also potential issues around eating, with many denture wearers eliminating foods that they find difficult to chew. Finally, cleaning dentures can be a fiddly business, and a set of dentures soaking in a glass at the side of the bed is not a pretty sight!

Patients who have dental implants can forget about these issues. You can eat in the knowledge that healthy implants can cope with it and cleaning your implants, although essential, is no harder than cleaning your natural teeth.

Placing an implant

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Should You Be Afraid Of Having Root Canal Treatment?

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Root canal
Root canal procedure

Canterbury dentist, Dr George Mathioudakis, explains this sometimes feared treatment.

It is probably fair to say that few people look forward to a dental visit. Even if you are fairly sure that your teeth are in good condition, there is always the possibility that the dentist will find some decay or a crack that requires treatment.

While all but the most anxious patients will tend to shrug and accept the need for minor restorations like fillings, the same often cannot be said when they are told that they need to have a root canal procedure. However, as we’ll see below, their fears are usually unfounded, which hopefully comes as good news!

More than any other dental treatment, this is the one that most patients seem to fear. No one seems entirely sure about why this is the case, but perhaps the most plausible theory is that, before the regular use of x-rays, it would not have been possible to have detected any abscesses that were present before the treatment started. If contact was made with one of these during the treatment, it would have been excruciating for sure. Patients will be happy to hear though, that x-rays are now always routinely taken, and, if an abscess is found, it will be treated before the treatment takes place.

Why do you need root canal treatment?

At Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we believe in retaining the natural tooth wherever this is possible, extracting it only when necessary, or where a very poor prognosis warrants it. In many cases, restoration is achieved by using a filling or a crown. Where decay is very extensive though, this can reach the inner part of the tooth, in the root canals, where the nerves and tiny blood vessels are stored.

Once this part of the tooth is infected, the part we sometimes refer to as the ‘pulp’, it cannot be treated with antibiotics or other non invasive methods, and, to retain the tooth, the infected material needs to be removed, and the tooth restored.

Root canal procedure – part one

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Would You Like To Benefit From Younger Looking Skin?

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Facial aesthetics
Smiling person at the clinic

Our facial aesthetics team can help you with the latest wrinkle reduction treatment!

The majority of the blogs that you will read on our site will be about dental care, both general and cosmetic; but today we’ll take a closer look at the work of our facial aesthetics team.

With cosmetic dentistry now becoming relatively commonplace, helping patients to achieve the smile they once could only have dreamed of; it is perhaps not too surprising that more and more of our Canterbury patients are also now turning to facial aesthetics to also improve their overall appearance.

The combination of a sparkling white smile and smoother, younger looking skin can make a really significant improvement to your appearance, and we can help you to achieve just that at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic!

Is wrinkle reduction treatment safe?

This is very often the first question that we are asked by patients who are considering this treatment. This isn’t really surprising considering how some in the media love to sensationalise treatments that have gone wrong, especially where celebrities are concerned.

Without a doubt, some of these treatments have gone badly wrong, but this should never be the case if they are carried out correctly. It is impossible to say what the reason for these were but inexperienced or unqualified practitioners are a likely reason, and, where extreme improvements were insisted upon, it may well be that the promise of money encouraged some to cross the line as far as safety and ethics are concerned.

Will you be safe having it done at our Canterbury practice?

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Healthy Children’s Teeth

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Childrens dentist
Kids with healthy teeth

Encouraging your kids to clean their teeth on a daily basis – helpful advice from our Canterbury dentist

If you have children, it’s fair to expect that they may not always become the exact type of child that you expected them to be. As they grow up and discover the world around them, they become influenced by things outside of the parental sphere.

By and large this is a good thing and it helps them to develop and hopefully grow into healthy, functional adults.

The journey along the way can be challenging for parents though, and whilst it is good to let kids develop, there are still certain things that we need them to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. One of these of course, is to keep their teeth in good condition. The most basic, but essential way to do this is to make sure that they clean their teeth both morning and night. Easy? Well perhaps for some parents, but others may find more resistance to what, to us adults, seems a simple thing to do.

With this in mind, the team at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic have put together a few tips that might just help to make the task just that little bit easier for some parents.

Don’t make them use the same toothpastes as the adults

Some types of ‘grown up’ toothpastes are not suitable for young children. Even where they are though, they may taste ‘disgusting’ to a child. It is better to let them have a say in the type and flavour of toothpaste that they choose. There are now a wide range of these available in a number of different flavours that will appeal to a younger person’s palate. Do make sure that the one they select is age appropriate though. This is usually clearly marked on the packaging.

Do as I do and not as I say!

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Prevention And Treatment Of Gum Disease

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Hygiene
Dentist with x-ray

Healthy gums are more than just an ‘optional extra’ says Canterbury dentist, Bob Dubbins.

When most people think about visiting their dentist, they probably assume that any examinations or treatment will always be related to their teeth. This isn’t surprising; even the ‘dent’ in ‘dentist’ comes from the French and Latin word for ‘tooth’.

Whilst this may once have been the case, nowadays, dentists are concerned not just with the teeth, but with full mouth health.

One of the most common problems associated with the mouth, other than tooth decay, is that of gum disease. Many patients are probably unaware that gum disease is actually responsible for more tooth loss than decay is. Thankfully, awareness is growing, and, at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we have an important role to play in helping patients achieve healthy gums.

What is gum disease?

Gum disease occurs when the number of bacteria in our mouth is not kept under control. When this happens, the bacteria will start to affect the gums, often causing some discomfort. If not treated early enough, this can also damage the bone holding our teeth in place. When this happens, the tooth can become loose, and may eventually fall out.

There are two general stages to gum disease; gingivitis and periodontitis. Most people will have the former, to some degree, at some point in their life. Sometimes, this may be temporary and may be reversed when brushing improves and with the help of a dental hygienist. Once periodontitis occurs though, professional help will always be needed to treat the problem.

Prevention of gum disease

Keeping our gums healthy is not overly difficult and there are a number of everyday things that patients can, and should do, to keep their gums as healthy as possible.

Clean their teeth – This should be a given, but there are ways that can help to improve it. Make sure that you brush for at least two minutes, using a toothbrush that is no more than three months old. You should also angle the bristles towards the gums so that they reach just beneath the gum line where bacteria can collect. There are also a number of toothpastes available that contain ingredients that help to remove some of the excess ‘bad’ bacteria too.

Use dental floss – Bacteria will collect in the smallest of spaces, including those between our teeth. Often, these spaces are too small or difficult to access with a toothbrush. To make sure that this area is clean, dental floss is essential. The fact is that only around one in five of us actually use dental floss, meaning that many people are at a higher risk of gum disease. One of the most common reasons people give for not using floss is that they find it ‘fiddly’ or ‘tricky’ to use. This may be the case initially, but once you have mastered it, something that doesn’t take long, it will be a great aid to keeping both teeth and gums in good condition.

Drinking and smoking

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Tooth Decay Is Largely Preventable – Here’s How….

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Hygiene
Woman flossing teeth

Basic knowledge and good daily care are essential for healthy teeth.

Anyone who has had a toothache will know how all encompassing the pain can be. It can lead to sleepless nights, even when it is a relatively minor one.

Once toothache is present, nearly everyone will call a dentist, however much they may dislike going to one. The tooth can then either be restored with a filling or crown, or, where the decay is too extensive, the tooth may need to be extracted as a last resort.

At Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we are very keen to help our Canterbury patients avoid this situation. Tooth decay can be prevented with appropriate care and part of our role is to ‘educate’ our patients how best they can do this.

These are the simple, but essential steps to take to help avoid tooth decay.

Mind your diet

Sugar has long been established as the ‘number one enemy’ of your teeth. Too much sugar contributes to decay, allowing bacteria to enter the tooth, causing further damage and often pain. In the past, keeping sugar consumption low was relatively straightforward but these days, sugar is added to so many foods that keeping consumption low is much more difficult. The reliance on snakcing and convenience food by many people, only serves to exacerbate the problem.

With a little care though, it is possible to reduce your sugar intake, and it will be beneficial to your teeth if you do. Your waistline may also benefit too.

Avoid ‘grazing’

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Same Day Dental Implants In Canterbury

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Dental implants
same day all on 4 dental implants

Replacing multiple missing teeth in just a single treatment visit.

Many of you will probably have heard about dental implants; about how they can be used to replace a missing tooth.

There is no doubt that this offers an excellent method for replacing a missing tooth, but what if you have lost a number of teeth, or even the full arch? Can dental implants be used to replace them too?

The answer is ‘yes’, although perhaps not in the way that you might imagine. The ‘obvious’ solution would be to replace each tooth individually with an implant. Whilst this could potentially work, it would require a very lengthy treatment period and would be extremely expensive. The good news is that this can usually be done more efficiently and by using far fewer dental implants, usually four, although sometimes a few more, depending on individual circumstances.

All on 4 technique – new teeth in just one day!

Other names for this procedure include ‘immediate loading implants’ and ‘same day teeth’. Unlike individual implant placement, the patient does not need to wait for the osseointegration period (jawbone bonding) to complete before they can use their new replacement teeth, although some initial care should be taken as we will discuss later.

To replace multiple consecutive teeth, or even a full missing arch, a number of implants are placed at strategic positions into the jawbone by one of the experienced implant dentists at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic. This is very similar to individual placement except that the implants that are used towards the rear of the jawbone are specially designed to be placed at around a 45 degree angle. Doing so greatly increases their initial stability and allows them to act as a very firm and solid anchor.

With individual placement, you would then have to wait around three months before the abutment and crown were fitted, following the implant fusing with the jaw bone. Thanks to the rear implants though, this is not necessary, and, to complete your teeth replacement procedure, a fixed bridge, or occasionally specially fitted dentures, are then attached to the dental implants that have just been placed. Once this has been done, the treatment is complete and you can leave us with a new set of teeth in just a single visit to your Canterbury dental practice!

IV sedation option

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