General Dentistry

Our team of dentists at Malpas House Dental Practice are here to carry out a full clinical assessment and provide you with advice on maintaining your dental health or improving your smile. Regular dental examinations and professional cleaning are vital to help protect your oral health. This allows for prevention and early intervention should any problems arise with your teeth or gums. You will be given all the options available to you to keep your mouth healthy and find the right treatment for you. In most cases, there will be multiple options available and these will be discussed with you in detail during your consultation.

An assessment of your teeth and gums will then be completed which may include taking X-rays as necessary to assess bone levels and for any signs of decay between the teeth or underneath any fillings or crowns.

Professional cleaning may be carried out by your dentist to remove stains and bacteria that have built up on your teeth. It is important that this procedure is completed regularly, as otherwise it can result in gum disease, bone loss and even tooth loss. As some deposits and stains cannot be removed by brushing alone it is important that you have regular professional cleaning to maintain your oral health. This will significantly reduce the progression of gum disease. Your dentist will encourage and motivate you to look after and care for your teeth and gums.

Root canal (endodontic) treatment is used to treat and save an infected or dead tooth. It involves removing the damaged nerve, cleaning and disinfecting the root canal system and then filling and sealing. Root canal treatment is sometimes required due to a crack in the tooth, a deep cavity or filling or trauma. Infection in the nerve chamber of the tooth can cause the nerve to die. When the nerve has been irreversibly damaged it is no longer possible to treat the tooth with a filling and endodontic treatment is required. This may be diagnosed by your dentist either from your symptoms, a clinical examination or from an X-ray.

Alternatively, it is also possible to extract an infected tooth and then replace it with a dental implant or denture, although it is often preferable to try and save natural teeth where feasible.

Dentures provide one of the replacement options for missing teeth. They can replace a full set of teeth or can be partial dentures which work in combination with natural teeth. Dentures are usually made from acrylic, sometimes in combination with a metal framework and can be constructed in various ways:

–  Cobalt Chrome (Metal) dentures

These have a metal framework and so are lighter, thinner and stronger than acrylic dentures. They can clip onto the natural teeth to improve retention and can be designed so they are less bulky than acrylic dentures.

– Flexible dentures

Flexible partial dentures are made from a material which allows them to mould between the teeth and gums avoiding the need for metal clasps or full coverage of the palate.

– Acrylic dentures

Acrylic dentures are what most patients think of in terms of removable dentures and can be a versatile and effective option.

– Implant retained dentures

These are the most secure type of denture which are held in place by placing several dental implants.

Implant retained dentures are ideal for anyone suffering from loose or ill-fitting dentures and can be life-changing. They offer peace of mind so you can avoid embarrassing situations where your removable denture may let you down. They are a cost-effective way of replacing multiple missing teeth compared to a full set of dental implants. Find out more here.

Dental fillings may be required for a variety of reasons including dental decay, trauma or broken teeth. Fillings are placed directly into the tooth which is ideal when the tooth defect is limited and is protected by surrounding healthy tooth structure. The decay and any weakened tooth surface will be removed and then the cavity will be restored.

A crown is a custom-made restoration that surrounds the complete surface of your tooth. The restoration can be made out of a metal-alloy, porcelain or an all-white ceramic material. A crown may be recommended if there is insufficient tooth remaining for a direct filling, the tooth has been damaged, to replace existing failing crowns or after root canal treatment. Crowns can also be used to improve the appearance of discoloured teeth or to reduce the risk of vulnerable teeth fracturing.

A bridge replaces missing teeth by using the support of neighbouring teeth. Due to the reliance on other adjacent teeth, a bridge may only be used in certain clinical situations. The replacement tooth on a bridge is made from the same materials used to make crowns. Your suitability will be assessed during your consultation. You will also be given the alternative treatment options as in some cases a dental implant may be a more favourable solution. Find out more here.