Take Part In The Bradley & Partners Annual Festive Dental Quiz!

Sadly no prizes, but it might remind you of some important oral health information covered in our regular blogs….

The Chrismas festivities have come around again bringing to a close another strange year. Just when we thought that things might be starting to return to normal, a new variant comes along and throws a spanner in the works. It is early days yet, and like you, we are keeping our fingers crossed that this latest surge in Covid cases proves to be short lived. In the meantime, we urge all of our patients to follow the guidelines provided by the scientists and try to stay safe.

As we are now on to the final blog of the year, let’s have a little fun with our last post of 2021 and see what you can remember from the blogs that our Canterbury dental team has posted this year.

Before we start; just a little reminder that, like most businesses, we will be closed for some of the festive season. Hopefully, you won’t need it, but if you do require urgent dental care, please ring Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic on 01227 463529 as normal. If we are open, we will try to see you as soon as we can. If we are closed, there will be an answerphone message letting you know what you need to do next to receive prompt treatment.

Now let’s get on to the quiz (please scroll down the page for the answers):

1. What is ‘osseointegration’?
2. How do Invisalign orthodontics differ from traditional metal dental braces?
3. What material are teeth veneers made from?
4. What part of a missing tooth does a dental implant replace, that other tooth replacement systems don’t?
5. Gingivitis is an early stage of gum disease. Name the more advanced stage.
6. What is the most popular cosmetic dentistry treatment that we offer?
7. What is the biggest common factor in cases of oral cancer?

And the answers….

1. Osseointegration is the term used to describe the process of fusion between a newly placed dental implant and the bone in which it has been placed. This is a slow process and takes place over a period of three months or so, after which time, the implant should be firmly secured in the mouth. It is this ‘fusing’ that makes an implant such a secure and stable tooth replacement method.
2. Traditional metal braces are becoming used less frequently to straighten teeth as more discreet options come along. One of the leading brands in this is the popular Invisalign system. Instead of using a series of metal wires and brackets that are attached to the teeth, they use a series of medical grade plastic ‘trays’ that fit over the teeth. Several of these are supplied to the patient based on impressions and scans of their teeth. Each tray is worn for a short period of time and they then progressively work to ease the teeth to their desired position. The trays are also removable when eating food and cleaning the teeth.
3. Although veneers can be made from a composite material, they are mostly made from porcelain. Composite ones tend not to have the longevity of porcelain and can also stain more easily. The porcelain veneers are produced at our in-house laboratory from impressions that we take of your teeth. They can be produced in any shade of whiteness that you wish and can either be matched to existing teeth or used to whiten all of them in a complete ‘smile makeover’.
4. The answer to this is the root of a tooth. In fact, although people often use the term ‘dental implant’ to refer to the whole replacement tooth, technically, the implant is an artificial tooth root made from titanium. This provides a very firm foundation for a crown and also helps to prevent bone loss that occurs when a tooth is lost.
5. Periodontitis is a more advanced stage of gum disease and can lead to bacterial infections not only of the gums, but also the root of the tooth and surrounding bone tissue. This is much harder to treat and may require an invasive treatment known as ‘root planing’ or a ‘deep clean’. A good home brushing and flossing routine, combined with regular check ups and hygienist visits at our Canterbury dental surgery should help to minimise this risk.
6. Probably a nice easy one for you here. The answer is a teeth whitening procedure. This non-invasive and affordable treatment is a great way to give your smile a real boost in a short period of time. It can be done on an ongoing basis or as a one off for important events such as a wedding. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
7. The answer is smoking. Although there can be other contributory factors, including alcohol and the HPV virus, smoking is the leading cause of oral cancer in the UK. With the new year coming up, if you currently still smoke, why not make quitting your new year resolution? You will not only be much better off financially, but health wise too!

How many did you get right? Hopefully you have learned a few things from our blogs and we will continue them in the new year. Until then though, all of the team at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic in Canterbury would like to wish all of our patients a happy Christmas and new year!