Skip to main content

General Dentistry

Preventative Care For The Whole Family

Caring For Your Teeth

Preventive dentistry is the modern way of helping you keep a healthy mouth. It helps you to keep your teeth and means you need to have less dental treatment.

Preventive dentistry

The ideal form of dentistry is preventative. Regular visits to the dentist, as advised by your dental team, along with a good home care regime, are recommended to ensure good oral hygiene is maintained. These regular visits can also detect oral health problems long before the onset of symptoms of serious dental problems, which could require costly treatment.

During a check-up, our dentists will examine the whole mouth, including all of the structures inside and outside (e.g. your jaw joint), and will screen for mouth cancer. In some cases, a scale and polish may be carried out. Instruments, tests, clinical expertise and x-rays are used to help detect cavities and other tooth and jaw problems.

After an examination, you and your dentist can discuss the results and plan the best way to deal with any problems.

Make an Appointment

FAQs

Dental fillings

If a cavity is detected during a check-up, your dentist can provide a dental filling before it develops into a more serious problem. Dental fillings replace part of a tooth that has been lost because of decay, wear or accidental damage.

Your dentist will prepare the tooth for the filling; numbing the area, removing any decay, old fillings or weak areas of the tooth, shaping the hole so that the tooth holds the filling in place, then washing and drying the area by blowing water and air onto it. The filling is then placed into the tooth, and moulded into shape.

There are 2 types of fillings; silver (amalgam) fillings and white fillings. White fillings are more aesthetic as they can be matched in colour to the natural teeth. However they are not always suitable for every situation. Careful discussion with your dentist is vital in order to achieve the best result for your mouth.

Are there any risks from amalgam fillings?

Mercury in dental amalgam is not poisonous. Once it is combined with the other materials in the amalgam filling, its chemical nature changes so that it is harmless. Research into the safety of dental amalgam has been carried out for over 100 years. So far, no reputable controlled studies have found a connection between amalgam fillings and any medical problem.

Why should I consider white fillings?

Most people have fillings of one sort or another in their mouths. Nowadays fillings are not only functional, but can be natural looking as well. Many people don’t want silver fillings that show when they laugh or smile because they are more conscious about the way they look.

Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays provide an alternative to fillings, replacing part of a tooth that has been lost because of decay, wear or accidental damage. They are stronger and can last longer than fillings, and are especially suitable for the chewing surfaces on back teeth and large repairs to front teeth.

An inlay sits in a hole in the tooth. An onlay sits on the tooth and builds up its shape. They can be made from tooth coloured porcelain, gold or composite.

The tooth is prepared in the same way as a filling. Once prepared, an impression is taken of the tooth using a soft mouldable material. This is then given to a dental technician to build a bespoke inlay/onlay to the exact size and shape required.

A temporary filling is applied on the tooth, whilst the inlay/onlay is being built. When they are ready, your dentist will glue the inlay/onlay into place and make small adjust

Optimum Family Care

Paediatric dentistry

At Abbey Dental Surgery, we are here for the whole family. Our multidisciplinary children's dentist is here to care specifically for our younger patients.

We understand that visiting the dentist can be an anxious time for children and so do our best to make the experience as comfortable and pleasant as possible.

24 Hour Emergency Hotline

Whether you’re a registered patient of Abbey Dental Surgery, or a new patient, our emergency hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

  • Braemar Finance Logo Braemar Finance Logo
  • inman aligner inman aligner
  • invisalign Logo invisalign Logo
  • Phillips Zoom Phillips Zoom
  • cqc logo cqc logo