Bradley and Partners
01227 463529
St Peters House, 2 St Peters Lane,
Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2BP
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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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Whiter Teeth For Our Canterbury Patients

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Teeth whitening
Patient after cosmetic dentistry

Give your smile a significant lift with this safe and popular procedure.

Whereas once upon a time, dental care was simply about keeping teeth healthy for as long as possible, its scope has now expanded to cover their appearance too.

Naturally, having healthy teeth is the most important issue, and with the wealth of preventative advice and the wide range of restorative procedures available, this has become more straightforward than previously. With regular care, healthy teeth and gums are largely achievable.

Although it important never to ‘take your eye off the ball’ when it comes to oral health issues, those whose teeth are healthy may also consider ways to improve their appearance too. There are a wide range of cosmetic dental procedures available that can help with this. Some are quite complex and require relatively long treatment periods, such as orthodontics to straighten teeth, but for those seeking a faster way to give their smile a boost, there is one popular treatment in particular which works extremely well.

Teeth whitening

At Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, one of the most popular cosmetic dental treatments that we offer is teeth whitening and there are a number of possible reasons for this. It is one of the most affordable treatments, it is non invasive, and finally, it is a fast acting procedure. Using a whitening agent that not only whitens the surface enamel, but also lightens the parts of the tooth below the enamel, our fast acting treatment will leave you with a new whiter smile in very little time at all.

Whether you are looking to have a really white smile, or simply improve the colour a few shades, we can adjust the treatment to meet your needs.

Why have your teeth whitened?

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Oral Health Issues And Older Patients

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Advice
Bradley & Partners Dentist Logo

Treatment of later years problems at our Canterbury dental clinic

Dental problems can happen to anybody if they don’t look after their teeth well. If you don’t brush effectively, or have a diet that is high in sugar; tooth decay, and perhaps other issues, are almost certain to follow.

Whilst this can happen at any age, there are a number of oral care issues which are more likely to arise when we become older. At the Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we believe that our patients deserve the best treatments available, whatever their age.

Wear and tear

As you would expect, even if you brush and floss your teeth well; by the time you have reached your later years, there is likely to be some general wear and tear of the teeth. Small chips may have broken off at various times, which were not even noticeable. A number of these may weaken the tooth structure a little and, perhaps, cause it to crack as well.

In some cases, these small cracks and chips could expose the dentin layer beneath the enamel, potentially increasing the likelihood of tooth decay and even root canal infections. Almost certainly though, they will cause the tooth to look unattractive and even dull in colour.

Whilst a tooth whitening procedure may help to restore the colour in older people’s teeth, it can sometimes be more appropriate to have veneers fitted as these not only restore the tooth colour, but also remove the issues of cracks and chips which the whitening treatment won’t.

Missing teeth

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Porcelain Dental Veneers For A Beautiful New Smile

Posted on by brad-admin Posted in Cosmetic dentistry
Teeth veneers

This cosmetic dental procedure can help to restore discoloured, chipped and cracked teeth

Beyond wanting to have a healthy and trouble free set of teeth, many patients who attend our Canterbury dental practice would probably wish to have the best looking teeth possible too.

Although we can all help to prevent some cosmetic issues associated with our teeth at home, sometimes, only professional care can restore their appearance to the level that is desired.

In today’s Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic blog, we are going to look at one of the more common treatments that is used to restore teeth that have suffered from years of wear and tear, or have suffered from severe discolouration, perhaps from long term smoking.

A word about teeth whitening

Before we look at veneers, it is worth mentioning that, as far as discolouration goes, the first option should always be to investigate whether a teeth whitening procedure is possible. This is a non invasive procedure that can help to restore your teeth to a whiter colour. However this treatment is less effective where any discolouration is heavy and where there are physical deficiencies such as with chipped or cracked teeth.

What do dental veneers do?

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Dental Implants Or Dentures?

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

Our Canterbury dental team look at the pros and cons of these two teeth replacement methods

Traditionally, the loss of any teeth would mean a choice of two options; either leave a gap or replace the missing tooth with a partial, or full, denture. The first option is inadvisable, and not only for aesthetic reasons. Any missing teeth that leave a gap will allow a space for other teeth to encroach into.

Over time, even a single missing tooth can cause other teeth to become crooked and unsightly. Whilst dentures go some way in preventing this from happening, they come with their own ‘problems’.

Even with modern, and greatly improved dentures, some wearers still find them uncomfortable and unstable. Whilst they now look more realistic than may have been the case in the past, they also still fail to replace the lost root of a tooth. Without this, bone degradation is likely to occur and can lead to the dentures becoming ill-fitting and moving around in the mouth. This can lead to socially awkward moments and may also making eating certain foods more difficult.

Are dental implants the answer?

Dental implants are increasingly suggested as the best alternative to dentures, and, at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we have to say, we totally agree with this analysis. Whilst both methods offer a means of replacing the more visible aspects of tooth loss, dental implants benefit patients in ways that dentures simply can’t.

As mentioned earlier, dentures do not replace the missing root section of a lost tooth, leading to bone loss and a lack of stability. Dental implants, on the other hand, fulfill this very role, and can be thought of as a replacement tooth root. They are usually made from titanium, a material used because it successfully bonds with the bone in the jaw, in a process known as osseointegration. It is this very process that provides such a strong and secure base onto which a crown is finally attached. Once completed, an implant has a very long life if looked after correctly, and those who have them, generally treat and consider them exactly as they do their natural teeth.

How are implants placed?

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Prompt Treatment For Emergency Dental Problems

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

Seeing a dentist as soon as possible increases the chances of a positive outcome

If we look after our teeth well, most of us would probably expect our trips to the dentist to be for routine examinations only. Life though, doesn’t always work out that way, and dental problems can occur with no forewarning, sometimes leaving us in significant pain.

Even the best dental care in the world can’t prevent accidents, such as falls or collision that could leave you with damaged and broken teeth.

Tooth decay and toothache can also strike, especially if you don’t clean your teeth well, or haven’t seen a dentist for some time. Even those who look after their teeth may suffer if their teeth are not as strong as they could be, due to family genes.

When pain strikes, or significant damage has occurred, you should always try to see a dentist as soon as you can, and not delay treatment any longer than is necessary.

When you need an emergency dentist?

The fact is that, when you suffer from a toothache, or when a tooth breaks, you should seek prompt advice from your local Canterbury dentists. Depending on your symptoms, an appointment will be made as soon as possible. We offer an emergency clinic from 8am to 9pm every weekday morning, whether you are a patient of Bradley & Partners Dental and Implant Clinic or not. This is a fee paying appointment, although free if you are a registered Denplan patient. Full information can be found on our emergency dentist page on the website.

We will always do our best to see you as soon as we possibly can, and priority will be given to the more serious cases. Please let our receptionists know the nature of your problem when you call us for your emergency appointment.

Some symptoms happen very rapidly and then fade a little. This can lead to some patients putting off making an appointment, for example when a person is nervous. Taking painkillers for a toothache can help to relieve the symptoms, but may convince the patient that their problem is manageable. Rarely though, does the problem go away and delaying treatment will likely cause further issues.

Why you shouldn’t wait

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